I GAVE A LIVE INTERVIEW AND AUTHOR Q & A about me and the BEAST. Check out Destiny Aitsuji channel on YouTube and watch it there!

*****

ELIA

They lay side by side under the weeping tree. She was still in the slip Candace had made her, but Reth was naked, and had one arm crooked up underneath his head. Elia lay in the crook of his other arm, her head resting on his shoulder, and her hand on his stomach. They were at peace, laughing about the things that had happened during the course of the night, and crying a little bit, too.

"I just can't believe they adopted me,

" Elia said for what had to be the twentieth time.

"I'll admit, I didn't see that coming,

" Reth said, stroking her back with his thumb.

"But it's going to open a whole new world for you, to be part of the tribes.

"

"Really?

" She leaned up on her elbow to look down at him.

"What will be different?

"

Reth snorted.

"You'll have a lot more busy-bodies taking an interesting in our mating, for one,

" he chuckled.

"WHAT?

" Elia froze.

"But… I thought they only did that because it was important for the beginning—

"

"Hush, hush, love, I am teasing. Mostly,

" he grinned, and pulled her head back down to his shoulder.

"What I meant is that the elder women will wonder if you're pregnant, and then they'll try to help you get pregnant if you aren't.

"

Elia snorted.

"I think we can handle that part on our own,

" she said.

Reth sighed.

"Not… necessarily.

"

"Wait, what?

" She was going to push herself up again, but he held her down.

"Reth, I'm not letting anyone else—

"

"Relax,

" he sighed, stroking his fingers through her hair.

"I just meant that we Anima don't breed as easily as you humans do. I don't know if your humanity means it will be easier for us, or harder. It may be that when the day comes, we need some advice on how to… make the best opportunity,

" he said sheepishly.

Elia settled back down onto his shoulder, laying her hand flat on his chest. They both lay there quiet for a minute. Elia let her mind travel back through the times she'd seen children in the City. She hadn't thought about how many of them there were—or rather, how few.

Then she remembered…

"When you talked to that little girl tonight, right at the beginning of the feast, it touched my soul, Reth. You will be such an amazing father. I know it.

"

"I hope so.

"

"You really think it might not happen?

"

"I don't know. I truly don't. It's in the Creator's hands. Some Anima have two cubs—or foals, or whatever. Others have none, no matter how long they're together or what herbs they eat. We don't really know why.

"

"You were an only child?

"

"Yes, but that's the most common among Anima. It's one of the few differences between us and our animal ancestors. Most of them seem to breed like rabbits. Where we have always struggled. It's why our population is so small.

"

Elia sighed. It was something she wanted to explore, but this seemed like a night for focusing on the positives, the beautiful things. Not the things that made them sad.

"There is one good side to that, then…

" she said slyly.

"What's that?

"

She pushed up on one elbow and leaned close.

"It means we get to practice trying. A lot. I mean, to give ourselves the best possible opportunity—

"

Reth's laughter boomed out of his chest, and without warning, he flipped her over onto her back and buried his face in her neck, grinding against her.

Elia gaped.

"Why, Sire! It appears something has come up in the WildWood! I must investigate!

"

He chuckled as she struggled to her hands down, between them until he arched up and over her, bracing on his hands. But his laughter quicky dissolved into heavy breaths when she found him there, already ready for her again.

"Reth, why are we so lucky?

" she sighed as he came alive in her hand and her own breathing picked up.

"Why do we get to be the ones who are so…together?

"

"I truly do not know,

" he said carefully, through his panting.

"But I thank the Creator every day for you, Elia. Every day.

"

"Me too,

" she said, and pulled him down into a kiss, that started slow, but quickly turned heated.

She let herself relax and drop her head when he kissed her shoulder, then down the neckline to between her breasts. She thought he might lick through the fabric again—something she'd found surprisingly erotic—but this time, he slid all the way down her body, until his shoulders were at her knees. Before she could ask, he pulled one of her knees up, and kissed the inside of it, the wicked, wicked fingers of his other hand finding their way to the softest parts of her inner thighs.

"Elia,

" he said hoarsely.

"Yes?

"

"I'm going to take this dress off you.

"

"It's not a… nevermind, that's fine. Do what you want,

" she said.

"I had her make it for you.

"

"Thank the Creator,

" he groaned, opening his mouth against her inner thigh and sliding up so he arched over her hips. She wondered what he might do, but he pulled back to look at her, scanning her from her knees to her crown, his fingers toying with the hem of the slip.

She was already gasping, could feel him, hard and ready for her, but still too far away, when he suddenly pushed up to kneel, and bid her to sit up. When she did, he untied the ties at the back of her neck, then pulled the hem of the slip up and up, over her head, until she was bare to the night air, and her nipples saluted him.

He knelt between her knees and shook his head in awe.

"You are devastatingly beautiful, my mate,

" he sighed.

"And you are ridiculously handsome,

" she returned, stroking his shoulders as he slid his hands up her body, from her hip, to her stomach, then paused to palm her breasts, taking the weight of them in his hands, and rubbing his thumbs over her nipples.

He looked as if he didn't know what to do next, so she cupped a hand to the back of his neck and pulled him down into a heated kiss.

"I want you, Reth. I want you again, and again, and again. Whether we make babies or not. I just want you.

"

Even in the dark, even with her limited sight, it was easy to see the flames rising in Reth's eyes.