It's The Place To Be

Even in this surreal haze, Mariah's senses were acutely attuned to Cerberus. The warmth of his body against hers, the contrasting firmness and gentleness of his grip - every detail etched itself into her memory with vivid clarity. She was aware, too, of the rhythm of his breath: steady and reassuring, a calming counterpoint to her own uneven exhalations.

And then there was his kiss. It was not the passionate devouring she had half-expected- like it was with Caedes, but something far gentler, as if he too was stepping onto unfamiliar territory. A shiver of anticipation ran through her, followed by warmth that seemed to radiate from her very core, spreading outwards through her veins. She felt a strange and unexpected sense of symmetry, of two lives converging into one shared moment of intimacy. The world outside their embrace fell away to nothingness.

Gradually, she leaned into him further, tentatively deepening the kiss. She allowed herself to imbibe the sensation, her heart pounding in her chest as she explored the feel of his lips against hers. As Mariah surrendered to the moment, her paws moved along the length of Cerberus' body, tracing the outline of his muscular build. She felt the rhythm of his heart, its confident beat resonating against her own fluttering pulse. The scent of him swirled around her, intoxicating and all-encompassing.

But nearly as quickly as she had moved to explore his body with her own gentle touch, a particularly grounding burst of laughter erupted from another small gathering of wolves as they engaged in conversation. Oblivious to the intimacy that she was sharing with Cerberus not all that far away, but it still drove home the point that they were far from alone. With a deep sigh, she withdrew her touch, pulling back from their kiss long enough to draw a breath but to keep her nose near his. “You’ll visit Elysium sometime, won’t you?” She breathed, her silver eyes held an imploring softness as they searched his, seeking any reassurance he would offer her.

"Mariah Mendacium"