Hunter and Prey (Part 3: The wild rose)

Romantic kisses Aria back. His arms enclose her in a passionate hug. His eyes erupt the tears that the sorrow was not able to summon. Their tongues meet on their open lips and dance wildly. Aria's hands move on the young man’s back, scratching it with her claws.

Romantic moans and kisses her cheek.

Her chin.

Her neck.

Aria stops him from going lower.

"Wait…"

"Am I going too fast? I'm sorry, I thought you…"

"No, I want it, but…not here." She smiles and gives him a sweet kiss. "There is one last thing I want to show you."

The sabercat girl takes his hands and he follows her. They leave behind the study, and the huge cave. Aria leads Romantic into a gallery that goes deep down in the bowels of the mountain. The young man starts to feel that the air is becoming hotter and humid, increasingly so the further they go down.

They reach a cave even bigger than the one they were in before and even more brightly lit by dozens of huge phosphorescent stalactites. But these are not the what leaves Romantic's mouth agape.

"An underground lake? And with all this heat and vapour this must be a thermal spring!"

"This was a special place for our pack. In the winter sabercats came here to purify themselves in the hot water. The elders had baths to recover their strength while young couples…" The girl blushes. "Here the young couples united themselves for the first time. My mother told me that here people became 'mates', like she and my father were."

"Mates?” Romantic tightens his grip her hand. "From the way you are saying it, it looks like this word had a different meaning for your kind."

"It means 'one soul shared in two bodies.'"

Romantic gently grabs her hips and caresses her cheek.

"It’s a beautiful concept." He looks into her eyes. "Is this what you want for us?"

The sabercat girl nods and kisses him. She moves her hands under his jacket and starts to unbutton his shirt.

The jacket falls on the rocky ground. The shirt too. Aria pouts removing the undershirt from the man’s torso.

"Why do you humans keep so many things on your bodies? It’s so good feeling the fresh air on your naked skin. Also…" She smirks and licks his naked chest, reaching his left nipple and biting it. "You cannot eat someone if the body is so covered…"

"Mmmaaaaahhh…I w-will keep that in mind."

Aria tries to unlock his belt. Her claws slides on the huge metallic buckle.

"Grrrr…stupid human clothes!" She grabs the belt in her jaw and snaps it with a single bite, letting the pants fall on the ground.

"Ok, ok: I will remove the rest before I have nothing more to wear." Romantic pats her head, making her purr and her ears prick up. "Just…no more teeth tonight, ok?"

She coughs and smiles.

"Be fast or no promises are made."

Romantic remove his boxers and shoes.

Aria’s cheek becomes red as apple. Her face is just some centimetres away from the man’s hard cock. She stands up and grabs his hand, leading him to the lake. Under the warm waters, a soft sandy bottom caresses their feet.

Aria giggles, taking some water in her hand and spilling on her body. Romantic swallows: her huge, lucid chest bounces slowly under his eyes.

"God, Aria, you are so beautiful…I…"

SPLASH!

A powerful wave of water hits the young gentleman in the face. He coughs, cleaning his eyes. Aria giggles.

"I have got you! I have got you!" she sticks her tongue out, kisses his nose and winks.

Romantic smiles.

"And people say cats hate water…"

He slaps the lake’s surface and create a wave of water that wets Aria face and hairs.

"Revenge!"

Aria make a pout face.

"Grrrr…you will pay for this!"

She jumps on him and and grab him.

"Ha! Got you Again!"

Romantic hugs her tight, pressing her body on his.

"Yeah…or maybe I have got you this time."

He kisses her. Aria kisses him back. The hands of the young man caress her shoulders and go down. On her back. On her hips. He stops. They look each other in the eyes. Aria nods.

His hands move lower as they massage her butt and squeeze it hard.

Aria moans and sinks her fingers into his hair. She pulls his head onto her chest. Romantic put his lips on a nipple and start sucking it. The tip of his tongue dancing on the stiffening pink pillar. Aria moans more. She rubs her lower body on his, trapping his cock between her legs.

"R-Roma I want you…please take me now! Be my mate and take me!"

Romantic grabs her hips and moves his cock, so its tip is on her labia. They look each other in the eyes once more.

“I… I love you, Aria.”

“I love you too, Romantic.”

He penetrates her. Aria holds a scream and presses her face on Romantic’s shoulders. The young man pushes all his cock inside her.

He starts to move his hips back and forth. He keeps his thrusts in a slow pace, making them both feel every single movement of their lovemaking. Aria grabs his shoulders and use them to tightly enclose his hips with her legs. She takes the lead and makes the speed of the lovemaking increase. The thrusts get rougher and faster.

"Y-yes…like this…go fast…I want to feel it…I want to feel you…"

Romantic squeezes her butt hard. He lets her have the lead of the pace, but he controls the movements, making sure to hit her in the right places. He moves his face down, making the girl lay a little. He reaches her belly and starts to lick it, rubbing his face on it.

Aria screams and sinks her claws into his skin. The young man smirks. His mouth moves on her soft skin. He covers her belly in kisses and licks her bellybutton, teasing it with his tongue.

The caresses of the girl turn into superficial scratches. She starts to meow in his ears. Her legs hook his hips and slam her body on him.

"R-Roma…I am close…I am c-close…I…"

"M-me to…"

They look each other in the eyes again and share one deep kiss.

Their bodies tremble.

One last push.

"Aria…"

"Roma…"

They both scream.

Romantic cums inside her, while Aria clenches her pussy on his cock in the bliss of her orgasm.

She presses her body against his, her face on his shoulders…and bites them hard, her fangs sinking deep into his flesh.

Romantic screams and looks at her.

"W-why?"

Aria moves his head back.

"It was the last part of the ritual. I have marked you as mine as you have marked me as yours," her hand moves down, caressing her womb. "Now we are one soul and one blood. We are mates."

Romantic nods and kisses her.

"And for our souls and blood, I swear to always love and protect you. I will be your mate."

Aria blushes.

"How…how do you humans call a thing like this?"

"Husband and wife."

The sun is rising. Its light paints the entrance of the cave red and yellow. Romantic covers his eyes and holds the Aria's hand in his.

"Are you sure about it?"

"If we want to be mates, I need to learn your ways."

"As I need to learn yours."

The sabercat girl hugs him. Her triangular ears caress his chest.

"There will be time for that. Now I want to see the world of humans. I want to discover what fascinated my parents so much. Even if I may have some clues now."

She kisses him. Romantic giggles. The two go out the den and walk down the mountain.

The cars are near the river where they met the night before.

A group of servants is there, men and women. Battista is keeping his arms behind his back, flawless in his tuxedo with the Malaspina heraldry on its eyelet.

"Master Romantic, are you all right?"

"I am good, Battista." The young man covers Aria with his jacket. "Ehm… have you taken them?"

The old butler snaps his fingers. A couple of maids move to them, taking some clothes.

Aria take them, raising an eyebrow.

"Uff…why do I need to do this?" She pouts, wearing a black sweater. "Why can’t I stay free as I was in the woods?"

"Because if people see you naked, they will all fall in love for you for sure."

Aria blushes and wears some pants too.

"You must be hungry after the night, sir. I took the freedom to bring some food with us."

At a sign of Battista, one of the servants brings a huge tray to Romantic. He lifts the lid, revealing that it’s full of baked chickens. Aria sniffs the air and looks toward the food.

"What is that thing, dear? It smells so good…"

"This is baked chicken: haven’t you ever tried it?" Aria shakes her head no and the young nobleman winks. "Why don’t you taste it yourself?"

Aria moves closer, keeping her eyes on the chicken. She looks at Romantic and at the servant. They don’t see her hands moving to take her prey: they just see the chicken before her face and her biting it, chomping both meat and bones with open mouth.

"It’s…it’s the best food I have ever had!"

"Ah ah ah…eat all you want; I am not hungry now."

Aria nods. She finishes the first chicken with another bite and grab a second one from the tray.

Battista folds his mouth into a grimace.

"Sir, I need to ask: is what you told me at the phone true? Do you really want to marry this…woman?"

Romantic smiles.

"I love her, Battista. I love her like I have never loved anyone else." He sighs and giggles, looking Aria chomping the third chicken in a row. "I want her to become my wife."

"So…will she became the new Lady Malaspina?"

The young nobleman looks at the butler, his smile disappearing.

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

Battista faces him.

"Sir, I think this would be a mistake. This woman clearly has none of the requirements needed to be a ruler of the family. She is a savage and she is…is…"

"Say it, Battista. Say it, or do you prefer I do it?" Romantic closes his fists and moves a step closer to the old butler. "She is not human. Is this what you were about to say, right?"

Battista stays impassive.

"Yes, she is not human and I feel the duty to remind you that the Malaspina blood has never mixed with the one of a not human for eight hundred years. It’s an ancient tradition."

"A…tradition? This reminds me what a wise woman said about traditions..." Romantic looks towards Aria and smiles. “If traditions do not change with the changing of times, they become useless and they have to be forgotten.”

Aria opens her mouth wide. She reaches the young nobles in a couple of jumps, hugs and kisses him. The young nobleman lifts her and takes her in his arms.

"Come with me, Aria: let’s go home."

He takes her to a nearby cross-country vehicle.

"Sir!"

Romantic turns his head. Battista is looking at him, his mustache trembling.

"Your father would be really disappointed by this decision."

"Maybe. Or maybe he would be proud of the fact that I have finally decided to follow my own path, not lurking in his shadow anymore."

The old butler opens his mouth wide. Romantic just turns his head again and takes Aria into the vehicle.

The girl snuggles into him, rubbing his chest with her ears. She jumps, moving her legs on the seat as the engine of the car turns on.

"W-what is this?"

Romantic hugs her again. He caresses her chin.

"It’s just the car…this vehicle will take us home."

"Is…is it safe?"

"Of course. I would never put you in danger on an unsafe vehicle."

She looks at him, biting her lip. Her eyes become lucid and her ears lower. She falls on him, melting between his arms.

"Roma…"

"Yes?"

"Don’t…don’t you think that strange man may be right? Do you think I will be able to fit into your world?"

"I am sure of it."

She looks at him, her chin trembling.

"But he is right. Look at me: I am savage, I know nothing of your world and…"

Romantic kisses her, caressing her hair. He moves his hand on her chest. Aria breaks the kiss and lowers her gaze There is a flower on her neck.

"Is this a wild rose, dear?"

"Yes, a flower that can grow proud and strong alone in the wild nature." The young nobleman takes the flower and moves it closer to the girl’s face. "But it can also be cultivated in gardens, along with other roses, surpassing them in beauty."

Aria smells the flower and look him in the eyes.

"Do you think I will be able to do the same?"

"I think we have an entire life to discover it, my wild rose."

BONUS SCENE

Romantic checks the last monthly reports. On the monitor, different tables show him how controlled companies are moving in the markets.

The sudden sound of music interrupts his thoughts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-cRbIMMzsY

His smarthphone lights up, showing him the words “DRAGON ROSE”.

Romantic smiles and answers the phone.

"Hello, Lis."

“Hi, Roma.”

"I didn’t expect your call. How are you?"

“All good. I just wanted to say that I have finished the research you asked me to do”

The young nobleman raises an eyebrow.

"So soon? I thought you would have needed at least some months for that."

Lisbeth giggles.

“Have you forgotten that discovering things about people is what I do best…that and punching bad people in the face, obviously. Tell Aria that I have found her sister.”

"You know, I think she would prefer you calling her 'mother'"

“Yeah, yeah: I will do it.”

"And this could be the moment for you to finally call me 'dad.'"

“Fuck you, Old Man!”

Romantic sighs.

"Why do I even keep trying?" He smooths his chinstrap goatee. "Send me the results of your investigation."

“I have already done it: you should check your e-mail more often, Roma” Lisbeth giggles again. “I am going to the LWR for my training. Have fun, Old Man: I am sure you will find my report…interesting”

Click.

Romantic opens his mail, finds the right message and opens the attachments.

"Mmmm…let's see: “Princess Anna from Athenia, actual ruler of the kingdom of Athenia. Last heir of an ancient dynasty of succubi, she is married with an half dragon adventurer named Drake, who…”

The young man stops reading.

"Wait… a succubus princess?" He facepalms. "Oh, damn…not again!"

Notes:

· HOHOHO!! Merry Christmas to you all, people of Erofight! And Happy new year too: I dunno when we will publish this, so better be sure.

· With the third part we have finally arrived at the end of the “Hunter and prey” saga. I am planning more stories of Aria and Romantic after their marriage, but a new saga will also start soon, with other protagonists. You could already guess who they will be… or, at least, one of them 😉

· We established that the favourite food of Aria was baked chicken since the first rp. So, when I casually found on Pinterest the pic of a redhead catgirl eager for chicken, I decided that I needed to use it somehow and so I modified the story to make it “canon”.

· Thanks for your support, people, and, again, Merry Christmas.