Species Unknown [Book 1: Aves]

THIRTY

ELIAS SQUEEZED MY hand tighter as we walked through the town. I could tell he was still uneasy seeing so many people, but I think he was beginning to relax now that he could see nobody was really paying any mind to us. It also seemed that Aileen was right, I'm not sure why but the people living here didn't seem at all phased by Elias. Actually, with all the warm smiles and waves, I'd even go as far as to say they were welcoming of us.

Though, I would have to ask Aileen about that over dinner.

As we reached the end of town, the pathway ended at the edge of a large span of trees.
Aileen had said there was a lake about a half a mile's walk through the forest at the end of the town's main pathway so this must be it.

I looked over at Elias, who was eyeing the trees in awe.

"Alieen said there was a lake down this way, want to check it out?" I asked, waiting for his response. I wanted to go, but only if he felt comfortable.

To my surprise he nodded. Continuing forward, I pulled Elias along as we walked between the trees and into the endless forest.

The further we walked, the less confident I felt. I mean, Aileen wasn't exactly specific with her directions. What if we made a wrong turn, how would we even find our way back?

As my worries grew, I began contemplating turning back. I wasn't sure how far we had walked, but it couldn't have been more than a mile. Maybe we passed it somehow? We could probably still find our way back before we got truly lost.

I was about to say something to Elias when all of the sudden he stopped abruptly. His face was serious, as if concentrating on something.

"What is it?" I whispered, shifting closer to him.

"It's this way," He said suddenly, pointing slightly right of where we were walking.

My eyes widened. "The lake?" I asked, looking ahead to where he pointed.

"Yes, I can hear the water," He said simply before continuing to walk in that direction. Sometimes I forgot that he had these abilities. It was so hard to see him as any different than me.

Trusting his judgement, I let him lead us further into the forest. Leaves crunched beneath our feet as we walked and I thought about our situation. Elias rarely takes the lead, usually opting to follow me, but this time was different. It gave me hope that one day he wouldn't feel so afraid, and that he could finally let loose and slowly be his true self all the time.

Admiring the scenery around me, I barely noticed the faint sound of running water growing nearer. I thought I was imaging it until it grew louder. The sound was unmistakable and a mix of excitement and curiosity drove me to walk faster, pulling Elias behind me.

My excitement only grew when I began to see a gap forming between the trees ahead of us. As we approached, the sound of rushing water was all around us. Walking between the trees, we emerged through the trees to come across a small creek.

My eyes trailed the running water, following it down to where it pooled in a small lake. I let out an excited giggle, letting go of Elias to run along the rocks of the creek towards the water.

Though I wouldn't call the body of water a true lake, it was definitely a sizable pool for swimming and maybe even fishing. Coming from the dry valley of California, seeing this amount of clear natural water was astonishing to me. As I admired the area, I noticed it was surrounded by a thick coverage of trees, making the area feel intimate and all the more special.

I walked up to the waters edge, peering down at the crystal blue water below. I was shocked to see how clean it looked. Despite it looking fairly deep, I could easily see the moss covered rocks beneath the surface.

Without hesitation, I slipped off my shoes and rolled up my jeans. I could feel Elias's gaze on me as I neared the edge of the water once again. Slowly, I dipped my feet into the cool water.

With the sun out, it was surprisingly warm outside and the cool water against my legs felt too inviting to pass up.

Biting my lip, I grabbed the ends of my shirt, peeling it over my head and tossing it to the ground beside me. My pants followed suit and tossing them aside, I stood at the edge of the water in nothing but my underwear. Fortunately Aileen had good enough taste to buy a matching black bra and panties.

Glancing back at Elias, it seemed by the gob smacked look on his face that he agreed with Aileen's taste in undergarments. His eyes roamed my body unabashedly taking in all he could. 

I cast him a cheeky smile before stepping into the water. Not looking back, I waded deeper into the pool until the water was at my waist before submerging my head. The cool water felt amazing on my skin and I let out a sigh when I resurfaced.

I looked back at the shore where Elias stood at the edge of the water, his eyes wide with shock. I chuckled, brushing my wet hair from my face.

"Come in Elias!" I yelled to him, waving him towards me.

I watched him walk to the edge of the water, dipping the tip of one of his wings in to test it.

"The water feels great!" I said again, waiting expectantly.

I could see the moment he gave in. Peeling off his shirt, he set it next to my abandoned clothes. His jeans soon followed until he was left in just his boxers. I admired how his muscles moved and flexed as he lowered himself into the water, wading quickly over to me.

Copying me, he lowered himself completely under the water for a few moments before resurfacing with a gasp. He coughed a few times, and I quickly waded closer to him.

"Are you alright?" I asked, putting my hand on his back as he finished coughing.

He cleared his throat and looked up at me. His eyes sparkled.

"That was amazing!" He beamed, smiling widely at me before diving back under. My heart swelled and I laughed, relieved. This time when he came up, he shook his wings above the water to dry off, splashing me in the process.

"Hey!" I yelled teasingly, splashing him back.

I watched as his lips quirked into my favorite lopsided smile. Slowly, he lowered his arms into the water, looking at me with his blue eyes that glittered with mischief.

I swallowed. "Hey...I was just kidding," I said carefully taking a few steps back. But it was too late. Suddenly, he lurched forward, sending a current of water towards me.

When it passed, I spluttered, pushing my drenched hair out of my face before laughing.

"Alright! Alright! You won!" I laughed, holding my hands up in mock surrender when I noticed he was preparing to launch another attack.

Elias let out a soft chuckle that warmed my heart. His eyes were full of pure adoration as he waded towards me. I let him grab my arm, pulling me towards him. I smiled, putting my hands on his shoulder to steady myself.

His blue eyes sparkled like the water around us, glimmering with a promise. Slowly, he leaned in, pressing his lips to mine. His lips were cold as they moved against mine and I shivered involuntary. I felt his fingers softly brush against my waist, sending more pleasant chills throughout my body.

When we broke apart, he was as breathless as I was. He smiled down at me and I felt like my heart was going to burst. With a sigh, I let my head rest against his shoulder.

We stood like that for a while, holding each other in the cool water under the warm sun. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled my body impossibly closer to his, looking up to watch the birds fly freely in the limitless sky above us.

It was a serene feeling, and I let my eyes close, lulled by the soft breeze and gentle sway of the water. With my head rested against him, I could hear the erratic beats of his heart pound against his chest, matching own.

With Elias, everything was perfect.

And there was no place I'd rather be.