I Need

She’s kneeling at my feet. The beautiful woman with obsidian eyes and hair like polished silver has my ankle in her hands and she is softly stroking it with her hand. As she does, a beautiful paint appears on my skin, it is so soft and cool and comforting all at the same time. Its black, and she is painting me a bit like a warrior tonight and I feel like there is nothing that I wouldn’t be able to conquer for her tonight. She paints on me these gorgeous black boots, with laces made of gold. Up the back of my calves there is a thin line of gold and bronze in the center.

She moves up my thighs and the insides of my stomach, circling beautiful swirls of color. She paints beautiful tribal symbols down my back and binds my long, curling hair up in a fillet made of gold. She lines my eyes with a dark kohl and scents my hair with perfume.

When she finishes she looks at me with hope in her eyes.

“Take me with you,” she begs. Her voice is husky and cool like steel and water.

I hear my own voice, otherworldly and strange, whisper assent, “As you wish.”

I wrap her in my harms and take her away with me in a swirl of wind that blinds us both. When we land, on the shores of that beautiful lake where I live, I take her hand, and lead her up the cold stone stairway.

She shivers at my touch, and I can hear her think ‘I need, I need, I need’

I know what she needs, and I reach out and touch her neck. I bend down, and go to brush my lips there, and I see her eyes light up with fire.

And, I wake. I am shivering with cold and aching with a need for love.