The results of last week's scavenger hunt will be announced by 12:00am EST on Friday, so be sure to check back!
And, lastly, happy birthday to my mama. She's turning the big 5-0 today!
Amber was in the woods again, but instead of a paved road, there were rough dirt paths and wigwams. Raven was there, somewhere, sporting a tall mowhawk and leather legwear. The images were vague, the events dijointed. Somewhere there was a dog, a spirit running through everyone's legs. Someone was angry, yelling, Raven was arguing. What had he done? There was an animal pelt in his hand, but it wasn't anything Amber was familiar with. No raccoon, no deer...What, then? The words "lost...starving...killed...no choice" reached her ears. Tears welled in her eyes for a reason she couldn't explain. Raven was crying, too. Members of the tribe were grabbing their hair and screaming. Then his wet eyes locked on hers.
Memories she couldn't possibly have flashed before her eyes. She and Raven were on the ground in one of the bark-covered structures, lying on pelts, rolling naked in the soft fur. His tender lips kissed her neck, her breasts, her mouth. She'd never felt the kind of pleasure this phantom was giving her now, thrusting into her, grasping her hands, keeping her close, then letting her ride, gasping for air, touching her, bringing her to a powerful climax--they were a single, writhing entity.
Then she was back in the midst of the horrible screams, looking into her lover's eyes as his hands were pulled behind his back by two warriors. The spirit dog stopped in front of Amber, staring at her. She finally got a good look at him. He was some kind of mixed breed, with a long nose, pointed ears, and brown around his eyes. He just looked at her, wisdom in his dark gaze, a powerful anger emanting from his being. Raven's panted struggles drew her eyes away from the animal. The shaman was carving the hourglass symbols into her lover's smooth skin as she watched, marking his hand, shoulder, and thigh. More words, more whispers "Sacrifice...Lake Serpent..." Some wanted to throw him to the monster. The monster that Amber suddenly knew was very real. She remembered. She'd seen it many times.
But they didn't get the chance to make a decision. The shaman was preparing to carve the same hourglass symbol into Raven's cheek when the spirit dog leapt from his place at Amber's feet and charged Raven. Throughout the dream, and even now, Amber remained frozen where she stood. She watched as the spirit disappeared into her lover's body. Then Raven changed. His teeth were sharp, his nails grew into strong claws, and his eyes were the dog's angry eyes. And they locked on Amber once again.
All Amber could do was shake her head. A single, simple movement. She knew everything. Raven was her husband. He'd gone on a hunting trip, gotten lost, begun to starve, and killed his dog. He'd not only failed at his appointed task, he'd committed a forbidden act. The elders made it clear that to kill your dog was to invite its spirit into your body. And, as you had killed your loyal companion, it would kill what was dear to you. Raven broke free from his restraints and charged Amber.
She awoke with a start. Light was just beginning to shine through the dorm room window. Amber put on her spare pair of glasses and glanced over at Jasmine's bed. She was gone. The blond had probably never come home. Amber ran a hand through her hair. She'd changed into a pair of comfortable shorts and a t-shirt to sleep in, and her eyes landed on the bandage around her calf. The wound stung. She unwrapped the gauze and gazed at the strange markings. I was definitely a bite mark; rows of tiny teeth had punctured her skin, leaving angry red, bloody blotches in their wake. Amber rewrapped the bandage quickly and focused on the clothes that were thrown carelessly over her computer chair. Raven's jacket was among them. She stood, picked it up, and smelled. All of the familiarity she'd experienced in her dreams came rushing back, warm and painful.
How could this be real? How could any of it be real? It wasn't. It couldn't be. Amber changed her clothes, pulled her hair back, and spritzed some body spray quickly across her torso. She just needed to get out of here, away from thoughts of Raven and the insaneness of her situation. But as she left the room, her eyes landed on the jacket again.
"You know what, there's no point to this," she murmured.
Memories she couldn't possibly have flashed before her eyes. She and Raven were on the ground in one of the bark-covered structures, lying on pelts, rolling naked in the soft fur. His tender lips kissed her neck, her breasts, her mouth. She'd never felt the kind of pleasure this phantom was giving her now, thrusting into her, grasping her hands, keeping her close, then letting her ride, gasping for air, touching her, bringing her to a powerful climax--they were a single, writhing entity.
Then she was back in the midst of the horrible screams, looking into her lover's eyes as his hands were pulled behind his back by two warriors. The spirit dog stopped in front of Amber, staring at her. She finally got a good look at him. He was some kind of mixed breed, with a long nose, pointed ears, and brown around his eyes. He just looked at her, wisdom in his dark gaze, a powerful anger emanting from his being. Raven's panted struggles drew her eyes away from the animal. The shaman was carving the hourglass symbols into her lover's smooth skin as she watched, marking his hand, shoulder, and thigh. More words, more whispers "Sacrifice...Lake Serpent..." Some wanted to throw him to the monster. The monster that Amber suddenly knew was very real. She remembered. She'd seen it many times.
But they didn't get the chance to make a decision. The shaman was preparing to carve the same hourglass symbol into Raven's cheek when the spirit dog leapt from his place at Amber's feet and charged Raven. Throughout the dream, and even now, Amber remained frozen where she stood. She watched as the spirit disappeared into her lover's body. Then Raven changed. His teeth were sharp, his nails grew into strong claws, and his eyes were the dog's angry eyes. And they locked on Amber once again.
All Amber could do was shake her head. A single, simple movement. She knew everything. Raven was her husband. He'd gone on a hunting trip, gotten lost, begun to starve, and killed his dog. He'd not only failed at his appointed task, he'd committed a forbidden act. The elders made it clear that to kill your dog was to invite its spirit into your body. And, as you had killed your loyal companion, it would kill what was dear to you. Raven broke free from his restraints and charged Amber.
She awoke with a start. Light was just beginning to shine through the dorm room window. Amber put on her spare pair of glasses and glanced over at Jasmine's bed. She was gone. The blond had probably never come home. Amber ran a hand through her hair. She'd changed into a pair of comfortable shorts and a t-shirt to sleep in, and her eyes landed on the bandage around her calf. The wound stung. She unwrapped the gauze and gazed at the strange markings. I was definitely a bite mark; rows of tiny teeth had punctured her skin, leaving angry red, bloody blotches in their wake. Amber rewrapped the bandage quickly and focused on the clothes that were thrown carelessly over her computer chair. Raven's jacket was among them. She stood, picked it up, and smelled. All of the familiarity she'd experienced in her dreams came rushing back, warm and painful.
How could this be real? How could any of it be real? It wasn't. It couldn't be. Amber changed her clothes, pulled her hair back, and spritzed some body spray quickly across her torso. She just needed to get out of here, away from thoughts of Raven and the insaneness of her situation. But as she left the room, her eyes landed on the jacket again.
"You know what, there's no point to this," she murmured.
There was no ignoring, no denying. She was either out of her mind or she was the reincarnation of Raven's lover. And somehow it made sense for Raven to be haunted by the spirit of his dog, for her to have been a part of him and to still feel like a part of him, even though decades spanned between the last time they'd known one another. She needed to find him and try to figure out where to go from here. Amber grabbed Raven's jacket and slipped out the door.
As always, stop on by and see the other flashers!
Lily Sawyer (m/m)
Julie Hayes (m/m)
Ryssa Edwards (m/m)
Wow! This is great, can't wait for next week's installment! Everything is coming together perfectly!
ReplyDeleteYou're definitely pulling me in. I can't wait for next week.
ReplyDelete