"I'll come back for you, Thorne. It doesn't matter how many times you kill me. I won't rest until you destroy me for good." You're on your back, staring up at Alaric Thorne as the Ancient One looms over you, a bloodstained dagger in his hands.
All around you, on the battlefield, dead bodies surround you. The stench of blood fills the air, your own and other people's. Your outstretched hand can't quite reach the bloody, cold fingers of Rain, who lies still and motionless next to you, his long silver hair stained with crimson from his own wounds.
Thorne presses the blade against the soft skin of your throat, drawing a trickle of blood. "Every time you return to life, I will strip it from you," he promises, his blue eyes piercing into you. "Don't return, Arendin. You'll just fail. Again."
You spit a mouthful of blood at him and feel a fierce sense of satisfaction as the crimson slides down Thorne's face. He makes no move to wipe it away. His cold gaze bores into you as he raises the dagger and plunges it towards your heart.
Your eyes open before the blade can strike.
It takes a few moments to calm your racing heart; longer for you to realise just where you are. You're no longer on the battlefield, surrounded by the dead and dying, with a blade held to your throat. Now, you are on your sleeping mat in the tent, the familiar weight of your lifemate curled up in your arms, his breathing slow and deep and even.
Slowly, Rain rolls over, his head settling in place on your chest. For a moment, you think he might still be asleep...but then he brushes a kiss against your chest and whispers, "Did you have a bad dream?"
"I dreamed about our last life," you admit quietly, combing your fingers through his long silver hair. "The last battle against the Ancient One." You sigh, feeling troubled. "Dreaming of that failure before another battle...I cannot help but think it might be a bad omen."
"Or perhaps your mind simply seeking some comfort in familiarity." Rain raises his head and presses a kiss to your lips. While the pressure is light, the kiss is filled with promise and desire.
You cup the back of his head and return the kiss, pressing a bit deeper and harder. Your other hand strokes down his bare back, squeezing and caressing.
As Rain moans softly into your mouth, a knock on the tent wall draws your attention away from your lifemate.
"Commander?" a familiar voice calls through the tent wall. "If you're ready, we'd like to go over the battle plans with you."
Letting out a low groan, you slump back against the cot and sigh, looking up into Rain's azure eyes. "Do you think I could pretend to still be asleep?"
The elf chuckles softly. "I think the soldiers will get restless if their Commander doesn't leave his tent." He presses a lingering kiss to your lips, then slowly pushes himself up. "Let me get our clothes and we can get dressed."