"I'm not most humans." A small smile curved her lips, reaching all the way to those sea-green eyes.
No, she certainly wasn't. The genetic match that brought us together had proven that much.
As we descended into the valley, figures emerged from the shadows. My tribe. Their dark forms blended with the night, but their eyes, glinting like stars, fixed on Aya with unmistakable curiosity and suspicion.
"They're staring," she whispered.
"You're the first human to enter our territory in decades."
"Should I wave? Smile? What's the proper etiquette when meeting shadow people who might hate me?"
A laugh escaped me as rough and unfamiliar. "Just stay close."
I set her down at the entrance to my cave home, keeping one hand at the small of her back. The gesture was instinctively possessive, marking her as mine to any who might challenge.
Nirek, my closest friend among the tribe, approached first. His shadow form rippled with barely contained tension.
"The council wishes to speak with you," he said in our language, eyeing Aya.
"Tomorrow. She needs rest."
"Varkolak," he switched to human tongue, "bringing her here wasn't part of the agreement."
Aya tensed beside me, her heartbeat quickening. I could hear it, that rapid flutter of nervousness.
"The agreement was to claim my mate. I've done so. Where I keep her is my decision."
Nirek's form expanded slightly, a warning. "The elders won't be pleased."
"The elders can wait until morning."
He retreated, but not before casting another suspicious glance at Aya. Others gathered at a distance, whispering among themselves. The sound reminded me of wind through dead leaves.
"Come," I guided her inside, feeling the weight of their stares following us.
My home was sparse by human standards. A large main cavern with smooth stone walls, a fire pit in the center, and basic furniture I'd crafted over the years. Several smaller chambers branched off from the main space.
"It's warmer than I expected," she said, rubbing her arms.
"The mountain has hot springs beneath. They warm the stone."
She wandered the space, fingertips trailing along the wall. "Did you make all this?"
"Most of it."
"It's nice."
The words were simple, but I detected genuine appreciation in her tone. She wasn't mocking my humble dwelling. Something in my chest loosened.
"You'll sleep there." I pointed to a chamber where I'd prepared a bed of furs and woven blankets. "I'll take the far chamber."
Surprise flickered across her face. "We're not... I thought..."
"Not yet." The implication hung heavy between us. Not yet, but eventually. The claiming was incomplete. We both knew it.
I watched her explore the sleeping chamber, testing the softness of the furs with her hand. A strange feeling gripped me, wanting her to approve, to be comfortable. I'd never cared about anyone's comfort before.
"Are you hungry?" I asked.
