Fire in the Sky (Elina)

[henry]

A wolf streaked through the trees next to the beach. Prince Henry Niall needed to get out of the palace every once in awhile and just let himself run. He needed to get away from the disapproving eyes of his father and the half-murderous glares of his brother. He knew their animosity was deserved, but that didn't make it any easier to bear. He wanted to be the prince they wanted him to be, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Henry was long practiced in the art of denial and careful carelessness. Henry scoffed to himself as he ran. The only reason he had for his morose thoughts was his recent visit to his mother's spring. He guessed he should start referring to it as his spring, but he couldn't. That place was hers and there was no changing that.

Now, he was on his way to watch the sunset. Henry didn't always make the trip, but it would be a clear night and he craved a bit of beauty. To him, the sunset was a majestic thing that almost had it's own scent. He longed to breathe it in and let himself relax. It was always soothing to him, even to the point that he'd had his suite decorated in those colors. Orange, yellow, and perhaps a touch of lavender here and there. It was like a fire in the sky, burning away the last vestiges of the day. A little piece of that was brought into his bedroom, almost signifying the end of something. Henry couldn't shake the thought that the sun was setting in his life, which was a foolish thought since he was still young at one hundred and fifty. He needed a distraction.

Henry's midnight fur rippled as he came to a stop, his breath fanning the fern in front of him. He caught a scent on the breeze that sparked his interest, and his memory. Elina. Curious, he moved forward slowly, using his natural grace to remain silent as he did so. If he'd wanted a distraction, he'd have one if he found her. He just didn't know if it would be a good one or a bad one. She intrigued him like no other, but at the same time she made him furious with himself. She was smart, witty, provocative, and she didn't back down from a challenge. She was everything he could want in a woman and more. Part of his frustration stemmed from the fact that she didn't want anything to do with him other than to tease and run. The other part was because he found himself wanting more from her than just a roll between the sheets. Henry didn't want to become emotionally attached, but it seemed that she was everywhere he looked.

He followed her scent as quickly as possible while remaining silent. Intent as he was on the trail, he barely noticed when he passed his clothes. He turned back and jogged a few paces to the wooden box tucked into a hollow tree trunk before he changed back into human form. He gritted his teeth against the sensation, but didn't make a sound. It was unnerving and a bit painful to have his muscles and bones rearrange themselves. He should have been used to it after all this time, but it was still a bit disorienting. Dressing himself quickly in a casual set of clothes, he picked up the trail again and set off.

He slowed to a crawl as he reached the edge of the trees, using every sense he possessed to seek out his prey. Once again, the hunt was on. Henry pushed his feelings to the back of his mind as he searched the sand with his eyes. He didn't have to fall for Elina if he didn't want to. Fall for her? Where had that thought come from? He shook his head a bit and emerged from the tree line. There was a lot of beach to cover, and the open space didn't hold scent as well as a wooded area did. Still he looked, his blood already heating with his desire for her.

[Baroness Elina Cali]

Elina laid out on the beach as the last rays of the day began to wash over her. She was dozing, enjoying a day out in the sun. Right now she laid on her stomach, the straps to the top of her swimsuit were undone and her top was pretty much laying underneath her. She didn't see the harm in going "topless" for a while seeing as she was on her stomach and no one else was around. There weren't many people who sat out here towards the end of fall like she did. She sat out here year round. The cool chills of fall and winter didn't really bother her like they might have. Out on the beach it wasn't so awful if you were in the sun.

One minute, she was happily sunning herself, working on her tan lineless tan when suddenly the hackles on the back of her neck began to rose. She roused from her nap and lifted her head, looking around for a moment drowsily. She glanced over her shoulder to the darkening sky for a moment. The sun had yet to begin sinking, but the sky was beginning to show the first signs of the sunset. She studied it for a moment longer before looking back to the forest. She got this really odd feeling. Like she was being watched. She felt a shiver run up her spine for a moment. She hated that feeling. Especially when she didn't know who or what it was watching. Brown pools scanned the forest line for a moment before she slowly sat up, holding the front of the swimsuit to her chest as she turned over. She settled in, crossing her legs Indian style and began the unruly task of refastening the straps. Once she finally got them settled she rose from her sun and sand warmed towel and pulled on her shorts, starting to gather up and pack away her stuff.

She was going to stay and watch the sunset, but when someone was watching her it made her nervous and she didn't want to stay out here in the dark of the barely there crescent moon. She would have tried to figure out who it was, but that was no easy task when you sat out on the beach. It was so open and so many different scents were going on out in that open. She took a sip from her water bottle before she pulled on her shorts and picked up her sand covered sandels. She strode out to the water and rinsed off the sandals in the surf. She rose from the water though and watched, taking note of the lowering sun as the skies began to go to that pale, orangey yellow color. She loved sunsets and sun rises. So vibrant and beautiful. Full of so many different colors. Yellows, oranges, bright pinks, and purples that gave way to either a dark blue before the sky went black or the pale sky blue dotted with fluffy white clouds. They were so serene and calming. She smiled faintly before she turned and walked back up to her stuff. She tucked her sandels under her arm and folded up her towel before tucking it away in her bag as she pulled out her top to put on.

[henry]

Henry let his nose lead him farther and farther out into the open. He kept as far from the sand as possible while still keeping the beach and the waters beyond in sight. His heart started beating faster with the intensity of his search. The longer he looked, the more certain he was that he had to find her. It was a frenzy within his body and his mind. It was a primal possessiveness that he chose to ridgedly ignore. He began to think that he didn't want her. He needed her. It was a sobering thought and he almost stopped, but he couldn't. His body moved forward of its own accord, as though he'd been tethered to a sinking ship at sea.

The wind gusted in from the water, and Elina's scent became stronger. Henry stopped and looked, still not seeing her. She had to be down there somewhere. He started off again, moving slowly, savoring the feeling of stalking up on his prey. After only a few silent steps, he saw a bit of red and brown in the middle of a sea of pale sand. His heart gave a painful thump as he crept closer. Part of him wanted to run to her, but he managed to hold himself back. What was it about this woman? No matter how close he was to her, he wanted to be closer. Never before had control been so hard for him. Not since he'd mastered it after he'd turned eighteen.

Henry crouched where he was and watched Elina lift her head, looking around. He almost felt bad for making her wary, but the sight of her in that suit was too stunning for him to feel much more than desire. She was wearing nearly nothing, and he could see that her back was completely exposed. His breath left him in a rush and he couldn't do anything besides stare. He watched her muscles and tendons ripple under her skin as she twisted around to fasten her top. Such beautiful skin. The sight of her pulling on her shorts almost made him growl. He watched her pack up her things and rinse her sandals off before making her way back to her spot in the sand.

Henry's muscles tensed and he stood just as Elina pulled out a red shirt to put on. "Would you please stop putting clothes on?" His breathing was ragged and he probably looked like he'd just appeared there after hours of running. Without waiting for her reaction, he started for her, only stopping when he could count the colors in her eyes. With lycan vision, that was still a decent enough distance from her that she probably wouldn't bolt on him. However, considering what he'd said to her the last time he'd seen her, he didn't think he wanted to get much closer until he knew he wasn't going to get kicked in the nuts. He was incredibly sorry for that remark, but he didn't know how to apologize for it.

When he got closer, he repeated himself, still breathless. "Please stop putting clothes on." He couldn't stop himself from outwardly showing his desire for her. His arms and legs were nearly trembling, his heart was beating wildly, his mouth was going dry, and he didn't know what to do about it. He'd never had that reaction to a woman before. There has to be something wrong with me. Henry struggled to contain himself before attempting a cordial bow, but no more words came to his lips. She spoke to something within him that was primal and beyond language.

[Baroness Elina Cali]

She was surprised to see him, but not in the jump out of her skin type of surprise. It was more like she knew he was there, but she hadn't realized it was him. She could feel him looking at her until he revealed himself to her. She met his gaze as he approached her. "You're highness." She said calmly and cooly. No tempting, harmless flirting today. She wasn't really in the mood to deal with him at the moment. Not in her usual way anyways, and especially after the way he talked to her the other day. The words about her not spreading her legs for him hadn't been what stung so much really. It was more the way he said it and the way he so callously walked away when he probably would have gone traipsing after any other girls. And now, he had pretty much encroached on her alone time. Alone time she'd spent thinking of him. She pushed that thought away, not wanting to think about that. Her thoughts when it came to Henry Niall were not exactly happy thoughts. They were frustrated, troubled thoughts. Thoughts she did not want to be having about him right now.

When he asked her a second time to stop putting on her clothes, she glared at him before pulling the shirt over her half naked torso and straightened it out. "Tell me, your highness... do you make it a habit to stalk all the women who say no to you, or am I just being paranoid?" She asked as she bent down and packed up the trash from her lunch. She took one final swig of her water before shoving it into her tote bag as well. She looked out over the water. Really she didn't want to go. She always came out here to watch the sunset in the evenings. At least when she had free time, and she always woke with the dawn and sat out on her balcony with a fresh cup of coffee to watch the sunrise.

She didn't want to go, but she wasn't sure she wanted to be in Henry's company either. Flirting innocently with him at the castle was one thing, but out here on the beach was another. It was just the two of them. If she tempted him to the point where he couldn't control himself she had no help to call to. Her screams would be wiped away with the wind. In the castle there's a number of people that would have heard her calls for help. That's why she was so on edge. At least that's what she liked to tell herself. She couldn't deny the idea of him taking her here on the beach in the surf was appealing, but she refused to sleep with a man who slept around like Henry did. She refused to be put through the same pains and upsets as her mother had been, and still did, go through in her marriage with George. Elina would not follow the same path her mother had in lovers and marriage.

[henry]

Henry's words did absolutely no good as Elina gave him a hard glare. He should have guessed as much, but his brain had stopped functioning a long time ago. A simple greeting, was all he got from her besides the glare, and even the greeting was cold and distant. It dimmed his desire somewhat, but he could still feel it there, burning under the surface. The most unnerving part of this entire encounter so far was the fact that Henry was truly sorry that she was angry with him. Part of him wanted to apologize, to fall to his knees and beg her for her forgiveness. The other part of him was aghast at the mere suggestion of an apology. He could almost feel those two parts of himself glaring at each other. It wasn't a pleasant sensation. Henry always knew what to say and what to do with a woman, but not with Elina. She was different, and he hadn't decided if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Tell me, your highness... do you make it a habit to stalk all the women who say no to you, or am I just being paranoid?" Henry tried not to gape at her as she picked up her things. That wasn't it at all. At least, he didn't think that was it. How could he explain this strange attraction he had to her? How could he tell her, in terms she would understand, just what effect she had on him? He pulled himself together a little and smiled. "Not at all, Baroness." If she was going to be distant and use titles, two could play that game. He felt the tempo of their dance shift, becoming almost hostile. He found he didn't like it much, but he couldn't find the words to make it change again. Like music, once a dance started it often took on a life of its own. Henry was in un-choreographed territory. "I was merely coming out here to watch the sun set, like I often do on clear nights, and I stumbled upon you scent." He left out the part about it practically pulling him along. He didn't tell her that her scent made him sweat. "If you want me to be honest, I was a bit entranced by the sight of you, and I didn't see anything that I shouldn't have." Entranced was an understatement.

Elina seemed to be nervous under her cool demeanor, and Henry wondered what the problem was. He didn't press her, though. If she was anything like what he thought, pressing her would do no good. She'd dig her heels in and be stubborn just for the sake of it. Henry ignored the fact that he liked it. He liked the challenge she presented. However, he was losing her and he could feel it. Their dance was slowing, and eventually it would stop if he didn't do something. On impulse, he reached out for her hand, pulling it to his lips. He had to swallow a couple times before he began. It wasn't in his nature to apologize for past actions, and it was even less natural for him to be completely sincere about it. "I... I'm sorry for what I said before. I'm even more sorry that I walked away. I could offer you excuses, but the simple fact is I was jealous that you might have a mate." Henry let go of her hand. "I don't know that I've ever felt jealousy like that before, but it doesn't make up for what I said, and I'm sorry." He felt a pale shadow of that jealousy even now, but he pushed it back. What Elina did in her spare time was none of his business. Too bad he wanted it to be.

[Baroness Elina Cali]

She hated that she couldn't stay mad with him for long.

Just when you thought the dance was ending, it picked up. She turned to him, brown eyes watching him intently when he answered. The man had a soft spot for sunsets. Yet another similarity of theirs. The more time she spent with him the more he surprised her. Perhaps he wasn't quite the whoresome brat he appeared to be. She was fairly certain he slept around because of his mother, but it would be unwise to voice that opinion. She looked up to the sunset, studying the colors that were beginning to appear. "Beautiful, isn't it?" She asked in a serene tone before she looked back to him. "I prefer sunrises more though."

She smirked when he began speaking yet again. "Doesn't mean you weren't hoping to see something." She grinned knowingly as she reached to her hand to her hair and tied it back with a ponytail holder. It was getting to be a bit of a nuisance whipping about in the wind. That was one thing about the beach. It was always so windy. She wasn't ignorant. He'd probably been hoping her top would fall off and reveal all while she was struggling with the ties of her swim suite top. She didn't say anything though. She knew how he ticked, and he knew she knew how he ticked. That was a huge advantage for him because as far as she knew, she was leaving him dazed and confused pretty much. She enjoyed doing that. It was fun to leave him guessing.

She had to do a double take when he said he was sorry. Those were certainly words she never would have thought she would hear from his lips. She set a steady gaze on him before the corners of her lips turned upwards into a light smirk. He was jealous of the fact that she might be mated with someone. She chuckled and shook her head lightly. "I have no mate, Henry." She said calmly as she turned her entire body to him. "And you have no reason to apologize." She looked away from him, watching the sky as it began to brighten into orange. She looked back to him for a moment then down to her things. They would be okay here for a bit. She looked back up to him, slowly backing away from him. She gestured for him to join her on a walk down the shore line, grinning, but not in that flirty, playful way. Just a friendly stroll down the beach. Perhaps they could have a civilized conversation.

[henry]

Henry studied Elina intently. He was probably being a bit intense with his obsession with her, but he couldn't do anything about it. He tried telling himself that it didn't matter, but it did matter and on a very basic level. He wanted Elina to like him, not just desire him. Although, come to think of it, having her hate him but still desire him wouldn't be so bad. He wanted more, though. The sensation was foreign to him. Never before had he wanted a woman for more than a passing distraction. The women in his life were many and meaningless. He chased, he caught, then he moved on. No strings, no complications, and definitely no commitment. Trying to figure out what made Elina different would be as useless as a dog chasing his own tail.

It seemed that she was no longer angry or upset with him. It was strange what an apology could do. He'd meant every word, too. He shouldn't have left her the way he did, and if he felt the need to be away from her, he should have found a more tactful way of extricating himself. Everything had been going well. Their dance had been a beautiful thing, full of passion and restraint. Henry craved to do that again, but the mood wasn't right for it. "Yes, it is beautiful. Sunrises are pretty, but I find there is more color in the sunset. That's my favorite," he told her with an appreciative sigh at the view. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, loving the way the light kissed her skin. "Perhaps my second favorite." He said that last part quietly, and didn't know if she heard or not.

He had the urge to walk away from her right then and there. He didn't want to be emotionally entangled. Sometimes, he didn't think he wanted to feel anything at all. Elina made him feel, and he didn't like it. Her words brought him out of his thoughts. "I have no mate, Henry." Something inside him changed at those words. The jealousy he'd been so ruthlessly suppressing turned into possessiveness. Part of him screamed mine! He stomped on that even harder than he had the jealousy. He struggled with himself not to lean in and claim her lips with his own, but he figured his attention in that area wouldn't be welcomed. He shouldn't be feeling this happy about the fact that she had no mate. It's none of your business, he told himself again, more firmly this time.

When she motioned him to walk down the beach with her, he hesitated. There was no playfulness in her tone. There was no teasing or tempting, no witty banter. She was still backing away from him--something she seemed to be rather skilled at--but this was a completely different dance. It was a dance he'd never practiced and one he didn't know if he was ready for. Elina was complicated and she made him feel unsure. He wanted a piece of certainty back. He wanted to know that when he walked away, she wouldn't follow. He needed to know that she wasn't going to walk away from him first. Despite his thoughts, he felt his feet pulling him forward, eager for her company. He kept himself in reserve, though. Pretending to be attached to someone was something he could do. Now, he just had to keep himself from really getting attached to her. With a smile, he walked up to her casually, careful not to touch her. He had a feeling that actually reaching out and touching her would undo his resolve completely.

[Baroness Elina Cali]

She knew his type all too well, and she was not his type. His type was easy, flirty, willing. The type who would happily lay on their back for the Prince of the Lycans. Elina was not that type of woman though. She didn't lay on her back and spread her legs for just any man, and Henry was definitely not the man she wanted to sleep with. At least she didn't want to. Her body seemed to have other ideas in mind. It was frustrating. Her head and body constantly fighting each other. She wanted him. She had given up denying herself that fact, but how could she sleep with a man that was like her father. That bedded every woman in court. On the Island for that matter. Not to mention, he slept with the woman who shared his father's bed. Yes, Adrienne was a slut and slept around with several different men, but Elina would have thought Henry would have better standards than that.

She gave him a level look at his words. Oh yes. She heard him. She wasn't sure quite what to make them, but she was fairly certain he was thinking about more than sunrises and sunsets when he said that. She looked back out over the water thoughtfully, lifting her face to the wind as it whipped over her face. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath of the salty, sea air. It was so refreshing and calming. She lipped her lips before she looked back to him.

She smiled softly and slowly backed away from him as he approached her. She stopped when she felt the chilly water wash over her feet. She smiled and turned, wading out in the water till she was about knee deep. She looked to him over her shoulder with a small smile as she stood there, water laping over her thighs as it rose and fell with the waves. It was cold at first, but after a couple of minutes, it didn't bother her. Her skin grew accustomed to the chill as she stood there. She looked away, up to the sky with a content smile on her lips. "Care to join me, Your Highness?" She asked over the crash of the waves as she stood out in the water, turning to face him. Oh did she have a fun idea in mind.

[henry]

Prince Henry David Niall was in trouble. Serious trouble, and he knew it. Elina was like a trap, designed specifically for him. And what did he do? He walked right into it. Plunged right into it to be more exact. Chasing her around was fun and challenging. She was a natural temptress that he longed to catch. The trouble was this. She was smart. She was headstrong and stubborn. She knew him and what he was like, and she didn't like it. Instead of being flaws, those attributes only attracted him more strongly. She didn't only appeal to Henry the Prince, or Henry the womanizer. Henry the man was seriously becoming addicted to her. This couldn't happen. He wouldn't let it happen. He just had to figure out how to chase her without ending up being the one to get caught. In a perfect world, he'd distance himself from her. Last time they'd spoken, he'd tried. Then what did he do? Apologize. Henry could kick himself for that. He should have just let her be angry with him. It would have made things easier.

The strong, salty breeze from the ocean swirled around him and kicked up a bit of sand. He watched as Elina lifted her face and breathed deeply, simply enjoying the atmosphere. Then she licked her lips and Henry's heart skipped a beat. Why did she have to do that? It set off a chain of fire along his nerve endings. It wouldn't have been so bad if he knew that she was going to give in at some point, but Henry knew her better than that. She was going to keep tempting him and teasing him until he lost his mind. No, Elina Cali wasn't going to give him an inch, and he was sure he'd have to work for everything he got with her. This constant battle with himself was getting old and he wanted to end it. He wanted to either have her, or leave, because he knew that this dance between them was going to hurt.

Henry remained motionless, still not trusting himself, as Elina waded out into the surf. Watching the goosebumps rise along her skin, he got an idea. It was the perfect solution to quench his passion, even if it was only temporary. A slow smile spread across his face as she looked over her shoulder at him. His veins burned with need, and spread out before him was a vast sea of cold water. Henry only paused to kick off his boots before running straight for the water. He hoped the cold would shock some sense into him. Unbidden, he laughed before diving straight into the water. It hit him like a ton of bricks and stole his breath away. After a moment, he came up sputtering salt water and shivering before he grinned at Elina. "Sorry, impulsive nature. You'll have to forgive me. Sure, I'd like to join you." It was nice to have something to keep his mind off of her. Right now, most of his concentration was to keep his teeth from chattering.

[Baroness Elina Cali]

She loved this place. It was a secluded section of the beach accessible only to the court members and the palace. She looked up to the tallest tower, just visible over the trees and forest between the castle and the beach. She looked to Henry, studying him thoughtfully as she shifted and twirled slowly, enjoying the bite of the wind against her skin, whipping some of her hair out of the ponytail holder. She would have liked to go further out, but she dare not this late in the evening. Not only would the water be far too cold, but the water could be a dangerous thing in the night. Sharks. She always kept an eye out for sharks when she was in the water during the sunset and after. She could have taken a shark, but if it ripped off an appendage she would not be able to regenerate it like a starfish or something. She looked down as she felt tiny fish nibble at her toes, smiling a little and wiggling her toes to get them to go away. They would be back only a few short minutes though. She just enjoyed messing with them.

Her brows furrowed as he kicked off his boots and went bounding and splashing through the surf. She gasped and ducked out of the way, not wanting to be splashed by the freezing cold blue water. She watched as he surfaced, keeping a good distance between them because she didn't exactly trust him. He ruined her fun. She had the intention of letting him get so close he could do all manner of things to her with his hand and then shove him into the frigid waters he just dove into it. She smirked softly down at him as she cocked her hip to one side and put her well manicured hands on her hips. "How's the water, Henry?" She asked calmly, chocolate pools watching him with a light smirk.

[henry]

Henry wasn't far enough out that he needed to tread water, so he simply stood and let the waves wash over his torso. Even in this warm climate, the water was frigid and he was extremely thankful for that. So far, it was doing what it was supposed to. Then he saw Elina standing there with her hand on her hip and wearing a small smirk on her face as if he had ended up exactly where she'd wanted him. He thought his desire might start to steam the entire ocean around him, but it didn't. It was all trapped inside him and he vowed it would stay there. At least for now. If only he could find the key to making Elina give in to him. For once, the answer wasn't very forthcoming.

He let the constant push and pull of the waves slowly move him toward the beach, only digging his heels in when the water was at waist level. The sky behind him was turning a soft, burnished gold, barely showing hints of orange and pink on the horizon. However, that's not where his eyes were being pulled. Like the way lycans and the ocean itself was pulled by the moon, Henry couldn't keep his eyes off of the woman in front of him. "How's the water, Henry?" He resisted the urge to splash her. It was a strong urge. Despite his best efforts, a mischievous grin split his face. "Why don't you come out here and see for yourself? For me, it's doing what I wanted it to." His grin slipped a bit. "It's keeping me from burning up."

Henry momentarily lost focus and he took a couple steps toward her before he stopped himself. Never before had be begged for a woman's touch, but he was close to doing so now. Water dripped off of him as he ran his fingers through his wet hair and goosebumps stood out on his skin. It wouldn't be long before the sunlight started to fail and the air was already cooling. "Elina, I..." He trailed off. What was he supposed to say? I'm falling for you and I hate it? That wouldn't go over very well. He hated himself that he was so close to saying it even. This had to stop. Too bad he didn't know how to stop it. Henry shook himself mentally. Focus on the chase, not on those perfect lips, or how the sunlight makes her skin glow. Yeah, those thoughts would help. He stared at Elina as if seeing her for the first time, and he held out his hand. "I promise you, I won't try anything." He'd cut off his favorite appendage before he forced himself on a female.

[Baroness Elina Cali]

An eyebrow quirked upwards as he informed her that the cold water was doing what it was supposed to. A slow, knowing smirk grew across her lips as she looked him up and down, his shirt clinging to his body in a very sexy, tempting way. It took all of Elina's might to tear her gaze away from him. He was a tempting man. She was certain enough that if he were to take her up into his arms and press those gorgeous kissable lips to her, she wouldn't be able to say no. She pursed her lip in a stubborn fashion as she stood there, watching him. "No thank you, Your Highness. I wouldn't want to ruin my clothes." She gestured to her jeans and top. Granted, she wouldn't really ruin her clothes. It was just an excuse.

An excuse to keep from joining him in the frigid water. All wet and soaked to the bone. She was fairly certain that he was fishing for an excuse for her to get all bet and soaked. She knew she would have rathered quenched that burning by a much more intimate manner than to dunk himself into the frigid cold water.

She looked to his hands wearily before her chocolate pools ran up to his face. He wouldn't do anything. Not if she were to say "no." Henry not have had many standards, but she was fairly certain he would sink as low as forcing himself on a woman. She thought little of him, but she did not think that little of him. She gave him a measuring look for a moment, wondering what exactly he intended to do should she lay her hand in his. She may have been the obedient sort, but she did like a little adventure on occasion. "Doesn't matter if you won't. If you did You would be back in that water." She stated calmly as she slowly eased her hand in his. She almost recoiled when she felt the electricity his touch caused shoot up her hand and along her body, but instead she grasped at his hand a little tightly.

She didn't like that jolt of electricity. It meant there was more there than there should have been. She didn't want that. She wasn't going to sleep with him. She wasn't going to have any sort of relationship with him except for temptress. She wasn't his type. She didn't lay on her back for him just because he was the prince, and she never would. She met his gaze, awaiting his next move.

[henry]

Henry mentally rolled his eyes at Elina. Ruin her clothes? It was a flimsy excuse not to be near him and he treated it as such. Of course, that meant she was trying to distance herself from him too. It was a sobering realization. Could she possibly...? No, Henry was still certain that she didn't want anything to do with him. Perhaps she was just cold, or maybe she was afraid of him. That would make more sense. However, women rarely made sense. Trying to figure out the one in front of him was a dizzying prospect, but that didn't stop him from trying. He made a mental list of the things she did and didn't like based on what he knew of her. Now he just had to use that information to his advantage without losing himself to her.

Elina watched him for a moment, seeming to have trouble deciding if she was going to take his hand or not. "Doesn't matter if you won't. If you did, you would be back in that water." Henry smiled. "If I did, I'm pretty sure I'd need another dunking." Then she laid her hand in his and he sucked in a ragged breath. His heart started pounding even more wildly than before and he dimly wondered if he was going to be the first lycan to have a heart attack. He wouldn't put it beyond Elina's power. He tried to hide the desire in his eyes, but it was impossible. Instead, he let her see it. Like everything else he couldn't control, he wore it proudly as if on purpose. People couldn't use things against him that way. Let her think he was trying to seduce her. He was, but that wasn't the point. The point was, he currently didn't have much control over himself. At least not on the inside.

Henry looked down at Elina's hand in his. Her pale skin was dotted with salt water, and her fingernails reflected the sunlight. He had been going to dunk her. As soon as she laid her hand in his palm, he was going to hook his foot behind hers and drop her right into the surf. He couldn't do it now, though. The mood had changed with that touch. Thinking for a moment, he went out on a limb. She thought he was a lying man-whore. That gave him a certain level of protection. No matter what he said, she was sure to think he was lying. So instead of dropping that pretty backside into the Gulf, he decided he was going to give her a dose of the truth. If she thought he was lying, so much the better. Then, he wouldn't have to explain anything.

Slowly, Henry took a deep breath. He was unaccustomed to telling this kind of truth. Most of the things he said to women were lies or half truths, designed to get them in bed. He had no experience in telling a woman what he really felt. Hopefully, Elina would think this was a lie too. Maybe if she thought he was lying just to get in her pants, she'd be the one to leave. "I want you to feel something." He lifted her hand and carefully pressed her palm to his chest. His heart was thumping hard and fast, and he didn't have any doubt that she could feel it. He pressed his hand over hers, so she had no choice but to feel it. "This is what you do to me." He looked into her eyes, and hid nothing there. He let her get a rare glimpse of his feelings for her. "Not one single person has ever made my heart race like that." Pure truth, and oh, how he wished it was a lie.

[Baroness Elina Cali]

Shewatched him, a glint of mischief disappearing as her hand laid in his. She had expected some sort of joke where he would shove her into the water, and she was prepared to take him down with her if he did, but he didn't. She felt the goosebumps rise on her soft skin as he gave up hiding the desire that filled those ice blue eyes. She could see why women laid back and spread their legs for him, but she was not so easy as to fall for just looks. She was a romantic at heart. She liked romance. And she expected faithfulness in her relationships.

Elina looked up to him as he said he wanted her to feel something. She quirked an eyebrow, about to make some snide comment, but then she noticed that he lifted her hand upwards. When she realized what he was going to do she tried to snatch her hand away and distance herself a little, but she was far too late. She looked to the hand he trapped against his heart, and she could not help but be a little touched by what he was doing. It was most certainly a side of Henry she had never seen. She could feel his heart racing against her hand, almost in unison. She lifted her gaze, looking over his face before she met those gorgeous blue eyes of his. They sent chills up her spine. And they were so full of emotions that she felt like she'd just run into a brick wall.

She tore her gaze away from him, fingers curling against the wet fabric of his shirt. He was being honest. She could tell that much, but she wasn't sure what to make of it. Henry wasn't exactly the type to talk about his feelings or reveal them as he just had. It scared her a little because she had feelings for the blasted man. She couldn't deny that, but she didn't want to. He was exactly like her father and she refused to get involved with a man like her father. She did not want to live the same life her mother had. Knowing her husband was running around with other women because all he thought of her was that she was a duty to his family. "Henry.... please let go of me." She said very softly. A part of her wanted him to and another part hoped he didn't hear her over the crash of the waves.

She didn't know how to handle this rush of feelings that filled her at the moment. The man scared her. The way he looked at her with those desire smoldering eyes. The electricity and fire of his touch. The way his gaze could send chills up her spine. The way he made her heart race like his did. It scared her because of who he was and what he did.

[henry]

There were two possibilities that could explain why Henry was feeling warm, even standing in frigid cold water like he was. Either it was because his body was becoming accustomed to the temperature, or because Elina was so close. Her hand on his chest sent a chill down his spine, but every other part of him was on fire. He wanted her like he'd never wanted another, and at the same time... he wanted to run. He wanted to escape from what he felt. For as long as he lived, that single moment when she looked into his eyes with the heat building between them would be permanently seared into his memory. It was one of those rare perfect moments, the kind that only a handful of people experience in their lifetimes. And in that moment, he saw his situation with a bit more clarity.

He couldn't do this. There was no possible way he could be with her and not fall in love with her. And there was no way he was falling in love. He wouldn't allow it. Elina pulled his eyes away from his. Apparently his plan had worked. She thought he was just saying those things to get her into bed. Part of him sighed with relief. He needed to drive her away somehow, or he'd lose himself. He'd fall for her and she'd leave him. Much better to stop his feelings now before they got out of hand. Much better to walk away now. Of course, the other part of him wanted to beg her to understand that he was telling the truth. He kicked that part of himself... hard.

Elina said something that was nearly lost in the wind, but he caught the words "Henry" and "go." That combined with her body language told him that she wanted her hand back. It was hard, but he slowly pried his fingers away from hers and held his hands up in surrender, gritting his teeth against the sensation of her curling her fingers into his shirt. He wanted... hell, he didn't know what he wanted. Not from Elina. It was best to keep his distance from her until he figured that out. Hopefully, he'd come to the conclusion that sleeping with her would cure him of this torment. Unlikely, but it was a hopeful thought.

Despite the rolling turmoil of his thoughts, he forced himself to act lightly. He took a step back, still with his hands in the air as if she had him at gunpoint. "Your call, Baroness." Henry let his hands fall to his sides and he looked up at the sunset. There was more orange and pink now, and the edges were tinged with purple. He closed his eyes and let the setting sun warm his face and clear his thoughts. It was time to do what he should have done the moment he caught her scent. "I should be getting back." Not that he had anything to do, but it was a decent excuse. He forced himself to keep his eyes on the horizon. "Of course, it would be a more pleasant evening if you came back with me, but that won't happen will it?" He looked over his shoulder and arched an eyebrow at her. It wasn't really a question, and they both knew it. "No, of course not. Not you." He shook his head with a small smile and waded out of the water to sit on the beach for a minute or two. He'd head back when the sun went down. Well, he thought he would. Maybe.