Bad Moon Rising | Book 4

6: Wicked Ways

Art: Red Ribbon by Clare Elsaesser

Kida wanted to regret her decisions. She wanted to tell herself that she was a horrible person for letting the events of the night before unfold the way they did. She couldn't do it, though. Every time she thought about it, all she could think about was the feeling of warm lips against her own and rough hands on her hips and...

A low hum left her mouth as she wrapped her arms around her loose body. She slowly reached up to brush her thumb over her lower lip, still feeling the weight of Zuko's mouth on her own.

A flash of golden light brought her heavy-lidded eyes away from the silk bedsheets to the broad window facing her. The sun was beginning to climb over the horizon, covering everything it could reach in hues of orange and yellow. It was a familiar sight. Suddenly she realized...

"What's so funny?" Zuko asked, turning back towards the bed as he tucked in his top.

"You asked where that painting was from," she said through her lingering smile. She turned to the young man who was slowly catching on, a smirk quirking his lips. "You already knew."

He nodded, turning his attention to his waistband as if he needed to perfect the folds of his shirt. "I figured some part of you missed being here."

"Hmm," she hummed, standing from the bed. Zuko didn't look up until she was standing right in front of him, donning his tunic, which almost swallowed her slighter frame. "I suppose I did." She snaked her arms around his neck, and he quickly matched the gesture, wrapping his own arms around her waist.

"I'm assuming you're about to tell me this can never happen again," Zuko said through a sad smile.

She began to shake her head, but there was nothing serious in her expression. It was like she was disagreeing about having fish for dinner. "No, it probably shouldn't."

Before Zuko could try to decipher the meaning behind her words and expression, he found lips pressed against his. He didn't hesitate to kiss back. It was the type of kiss they used to have before she left, slow, sweet, and comfortable.

Zuko's mind was full of cotton when she pulled back. It took him several seconds to try to remember what they were supposed to be talking about. "So...is that a yes or a no."

"No," she answered just before moving her lips to his jaw.

"You're the most frustrating person I've ever met," he huffed.

He could feel her smile against his skin as she slowly moved to his neck. "But you love me," she purred.

"Yes," he groaned.

A knock on the door tore them away from one another. "Lord Zuko?" a servant's voice called.

It took a moment for Zuko to collect himself. "I'm not–" he croaked. He quickly cleared his throat. "I'm not decent."