Two Rivers Isle [M] What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you

She began with a soft smile, her gaze darting to his, then away, then back again, and away. Then she came toward him slowly, and he found himself frozen in place, unable to move or look away from her. She came so close that they were touching, and laid her maw against his ear and whined. Heat suffused his entire body from head to toe, and he began to tremble, but still could not move. He was so lost he could hardly understand what she said to him, but he strove to listen. She said she was not good with words, had not been an apt pupil of them.

She moved her head and her tongue darted out and licked the corner of his mouth. She whined again, a soft keening sound that he found nearly irresistible. She touched him and nibbled at him and pressed her body against his. And then--

And then she stepped away. And acted so... cavalier. As if this were a game, and she had won, but nothing more than that. He'd had no idea she could act like that.

Ulrich's legs suddenly gave way beneath him and he sat down heavily in the snow, staring at her with wide eyes. Several emotions tore through his body, at war with themselves. He wanted to run away from her, to scold her for flirting with him so. He was only her bodyguard. Except that was the old Ulrich. Now he was courting her, and flirtation was part of the experience. He was still trembling, now even harder than before. And, if he were honest with himself, he had enjoyed that. Immensely.

He opened his mouth to say something--anything--but no words came out. After staring at her some more with glazed eyes, he finally stumbled to his paws and made his way down the river a few feet away, and, without thinking about it, dunked his head in.