twilight of the thunder god

Under her scathing words, Erik seems almost ashamed. Like he knew that he had royally fucked up and that there would be consequences to face. His look is pleading, begging her for something. For understanding? For sympathy? For mercy? Whatever it was, Ember held her steely gaze on the larger brute, silently enjoying knowing he was internally writhing under her intensity. He tries to make a joking rebuke, but it falls flat, him flinching and her simply staring at him. Then came the apologies. He had chased after his mentally unwell father, even fighting him as he lost himself to his grief. Em had known Víðarr had taken Tenshi's death... well, badly would've been an understatement. Erik had saved the old man from ending his own life it seemed, at the cost of his own skin. A noble tale—or it would have been if the one listening hadn't been silently seething at him.

Ember was quiet while Erik spoke, giving him the air, listening intently to his words. Fuck, she hated that she still loved how his voice sounded. She couldn't say she understood; how could she? She'd never had to face the challenge of a mentally ill loved one before. But she could empathize with his love for his father. She wondered what she would have done if her own sire had fallen from grace as Víðarr had. The Carpathian family was extremely tight knit; she would have done anything for any of her kin. Erik had done the same. The intensity in Ember's eyes flickered, wavering slightly as she listened and considered his words. Erik was a proud wolf, all of the Trygg bloodline was. To admit his shortcomings and his need for help was no small feat for the wolf. He looked weathered and exhausted and beaten. He needed help. He needed her help.

Em barely heard him when he said he had tried to send word, but she definitely heard him when he spoke those three words to her. "I love you, Ember." Ember's expression froze in shock, her heart leaping in her chest. Her eyes widened, the anger melting from her delicate feminine features as the words repeated in her head again and again. Her gaze dropped from his, looking down at the empty space between them. Emotions of all sorts swarmed in her heart like a maelstrom. Anger, sorrow, heartbreak, confusion, joy, relief, love. Love. Erik loved her. Em swallowed down the emotion choking her and fixed her gaze on her rugged mountain man once more. Then her paws were moving on their own accord, bringing her closer to the viking brute until they were nearly chest to chest. She looked up at him, looked into his eyes, saw the sincerity in those beautiful fire opal jewels. He wasn't lying. He wasn't sweet-talking her. He was telling the truth.

Smack! Ember's paw came up swiftly to slap Erik across his cheek, keeping her feline claws retracted to she didn't do any actual damage to him. She huffed a few breaths to let out the last of her pent up anger, letting it fade into the cold air on the cloud of her breath. She had needed that. But she needed this more. Reaching both paws up, Ember gently cupped Erik's face in her paws, keeping his muzzle mere inches from hers, ensuring his attention was hers and hers alone. "Lämna mig igen på din risk." She spoke to him in his tongue with breathy, deadly tones, giving him only a moment to realize she was speaking his language before she brought her mouth to his and claimed it in a slow, needy kiss. Gods, she had missed him so fucking much!

Ember kissed Erik long and hard, savoring his presence, reveling in his taste. Whether it was her longing heart or her desperate heat that urged her she didn't know nor did she care. She had Erik back. When she finally broke their kiss, Em leaned forward to rest her forehead against his chest. Breathing in his scent, feeling his fur against her cheek. He was here! "I waited for you in Hemlock for two seasons. I slept in your bed every night praying you'd be there in the morning. I learned your tongue so I could tell you how much I cared in your own words," she whispered just for him to hear. She didn't want to twist the knife any more than he'd already done to himself, but she needed him to understand. "Jag älskar dig, Erik. Don't make me feel like an idiot for loving you again, Erik."

"Ember Carpathius" | "Carpathian"