“Wake up you two.” Aidan opened his eyes to see Brianna standing over him. “The sun has set and we’ve got to get moving.”

They reached the ship just before dawn. Flame Song practically dragged Aidan down to the little cabin and once they were inside she slid the bolt across, locking the door.

“What are you doing? Lavasida…”

“Can take care of himself. There are plenty of places where sunlight doesn’t reach on this ship. We haven’t had a real moment alone since we left the northlands.”

It was true enough. And Aidan knew that when Flame made up her mind about something there was little chance of convincing her otherwise. Besides, he thought, why would I want to?

“Sounds like a good idea, but the sun is coming up pretty soon. I’m worn out and then some, so I’m afraid all I’m going to be doing for the next few hours is sleep.”

“Fine by me,” said Flame as Aidan lay down on the narrow bunk. She sat down next to him and gently stroked his raven-black hair. Aidan relaxed completely, her gentle caress and her nearness filling him with a special warmth as he drifted off to sleep.

He awoke at sundown, feeling more refreshed and relaxed than he had in ages. Flame Song was sitting on the floor next to the bed with her head pillowed on her arm. She seemed to be asleep. Aidan softly said, “Flame?”

“Hmmm?” Flame yawned and raised her head.

“You awake?”

“I am now.”

“Anything interesting happen while I was out?”

“No, thank heavens. We could use some peace and quiet.”

Aidan sat up and stretched and Flame got up and sat next to him. For a long time they just sat there, holding hands and staring into each other’s eyes like a pair of lovesick teenagers. Well, lovesick anyhow, thought Aidan. I’m not exactly a teen anymore, even if I still look like one. Twenty-one, and almost three years married. There are times when I still can hardly believe it. Aidan smiled warmly at Flame and put his arms around her. Flame returned his embrace with interest. He could smell the sweet scent of her, hear her breath quicken and her heart begin to race. She nibbled on his ear, and his own kisses moved down her neck. Aidan felt her pulse pounding beneath his lips, and that’s when things got away from him. Without consciously thinking about what he was doing, he found the spot over the vein in her neck and broke through her skin with his teeth. For a moment, as Flame’s blood welled up in his mouth, he was filled with intense pleasure. This was different from the other times he’d taken her blood, far different. Her blood was heated with passion, and his own passion rose to match it. Then the soft cry she’d made as he cut into her registered on his mind. Realization hit him like a physical blow and he quickly broke things off.

He pulled away from her, putting some space between them and giving him time to calm down. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt you, I just… I lost control,” he said, sick with the thought that he’d caused her needless pain.

Flame Song’s eyes were wide and she was breathing hard. She raised her hand tentatively to the tiny wounds Aidan had made. Her fingers came away bloodied. It was a long moment before she finally calmed a bit and to his surprise replied, “It didn’t really hurt at all. Quite the contrary in fact.”

“Huh? How could my biting you not hurt you?”

Her expression turned thoughtful as she answered, “I’m not sure, but I think sharing blood makes some kind of emotional link. The other times I’ve been oddly aware of how you were feeling. It was kind of funny to be able to feel your hunger, and the pain when your head was inured.” She shook her head. “Maybe this time because you weren’t actually hungry and because of the way we were feeling…” she trailed off before finishing the thought, but Aidan understood what she was getting at.

“I guess that makes sense. I could feel what you were feeling, which is kind of logical, but it’s kind of odd that it goes both ways.” He looked into her clear green eyes. “You’re sure I didn’t hurt you?”

She nodded with a rather dreamy smile. “Anything but.”

Aidan smiled back and leaned in toward her, lowering his face to her neck. She took a deep breath as his lips touched her skin, then let it out in a long, slow sigh as he gently kissed away the thin trickle of blood that oozed from the marks he’d made. He drew back for a moment and with a twinkle in his eye said, “This definitely calls for further experimentation.”

Further experimentation kept them busy for quite some time. Much later they lay curled up together on the bunk, it narrowness making it necessary for them to cuddle close together, which neither of them minded at all. Aidan’s arm was around Flame’s waist and one wing was draped over her. He closed his eyes and listened to her even breathing. He loved this, simply being close to her, enjoying her warm presence. “How did I ever get so lucky?” he murmured softly.

“I could ask the same thing,” she said. Then after a long silence she added, “I wonder sometimes, why did you ask me to marry you? I mean me, of all people!”

Aidan kissed the back of her neck. He didn’t want to move and it was the only thing he could reach without moving. “Because you’re just wonderful,” he said.

She gave a soft little laugh. “Is that the only reason? You seemed to enjoy my company quite a bit that winter, but... it was quite a jump, from being companions to being husband and wife. It's not as though we courted first.”

“You really want an honest answer?”

“Yes.”

Aidan was silent for a long time, thinking back. It seemed like forever ago, an entirely different lifetime even, though it hadn't even been three years yet. "I suppose, when it comes down to it, it wasn't you so much as it was me. I'd been alone all my life. No girl had ever shown interest in me when I was a scrawny geek back on Earth, and certainly nobody had ever been interested in me as a scruffy little thief in Aerievale. I've never really felt wanted, ever. I was short and looked like a kid, and I'd gotten more mocking than care in my life. And I was lonely. Finding that you actually liked me... that was something amazing, and wonderful. A beautiful woman, who seems perfect in every way, liking me, wanting me. It was... it was so miraculous that I wanted to be certain that the miracle wouldn't end. So I did the only thing I could think of to be sure you stayed always. I had a hard time believing it when you said yes. Although..." he trailed off.

"What?"

"It's a funny thing, but I don't think I really loved you yet, then. Liked you, yes. Wanted to be with you, certainly. But it wasn't until later that I really started to love you."

"You were more like me than I thought, I guess," said Flame softly.

"I still don't understand that," said Aidan. "I remember that you said, then, that nobody else would ever want you. But surely..."

Flame shook her head. "The Queen's Own accept me, but they accept the Dark Lord himself, Aidan. I've had many years worth of rejections to prove that other Arethans aren't always so kind. The other shape-shifters... they think of human form as their true form. They are humans, with the gift. But you know that I'm not even remotely human. And they actually..." there was a little catch in her voice and she paused. "They think of it as a kind of perversion, to consider an animal form your true form." She stopped again for a moment, and Aidan wondered at the story behind the pain in her voice. Eventually she continued. "Elves and dwarves wouldn't even consider me, they marry among their own kind. The were-folk..." she shrugged. "They came closest, there were several among them who were at least accepting, but accepting is not loving, and they too think of themselves as human first, and animal second. And humans and aerians... they are so variable. I've seen dozens of different reactions when I reveal that I'm not really human. Some were repulsed outright, others merely grew cooler towards me. When I was a cat I could get no interest at all, and in human form any interest would fade once they knew. A few were willing to be friends. There were even some that might have been temporary lovers. But that isn't the firecat way. Our language has no word for divorce, and there is no such thing as a one night stand among us. We do not mate without love. And once we give our hearts, they are given forever. We can give them only once. And there were none who were willing to tie their lives to mine. So I was alone. The only one of my species on the entire planet." Aidan heard the note of old bitterness in her voice, and he held her tighter. "But all that is past and gone. I have found my mate, and I couldn't possibly be happier. Though... I think you are right, a little, about love coming later. I loved you in a way at first, but it was because of the loneliness, because you were willing to stay with me. I came to truly love you for yourself later."

She was silent for a while, the suddenly Flame laughed. “You know, on our wedding night I was absolutely terrified. I was sure I wouldn’t know how to make love as a human and I’d do something really stupid and ruin it all.”

Aidan laughed and kissed the back of her neck again. “Well, you didn’t need to worry about that. As I recall it was perfectly wonderful.”