“I remember. I also remember my disappointment that you dragged me up a mountain.”
“To the Opal Falls.”
“OurOpal Falls.”
So much has stood in our way since then, when the only problems we faced were secrets. Now, those secrets have grown teeth and blades to physically harm both of us, not just the potential to cause pain.
So much pain.
She’s thinking the same, the colour of her feelings impossible to hide from being so close.
“Come on.” I open the door and pull her inside, but she snatches her hand away.
“No. We don’t know what will happen, and I don’t want to waste a single touch.” She cradles her hand in her other as if it were a weapon needing to be hidden away.
“It isn’t a waste, Ever. It’s never a waste to touch you in any way I can.”
She just stays on the other side of the room, but distance won’t deter me.
“Ever, we were pretty good, even without touch. Don’t fear us before we’ve even tried. Unless you don’t want us anymore?”
She drops her head. “We could have been normal. Safe. But I asked Aslendrix for my power back.” Her gaze creeps up until she’s looking at me, tears dancing in her eyes. “I know if I touch you, I will hurt you, and I hate it, Ten. After everything we’ve been through. Everything I’ve done to you, and now it’s my fault.”
“Hey, shhh. We’ve been through that. It’s done. And I’m still here.” I cross the room to the table she’s perched against. “We’ve both had some decisions to make, but we can’t change any of that. We have each other still, okay?” I plant a kiss on her forehead, capturing a few of her wayward curls and twisting them behind her ear.
The brief contact doesn’t hurt, but that familiar heat and hum are there, sparking to life and igniting our magics, perhaps.
I risk a bit more and slide my hand around the back of her neck, running my thumb over her jaw. I love watching her eyes spark wide and her breath hitch.
“Ten?”
“I’m right here, Little Siren.”
She edges her legs wider, allowing me to position myself even closer to her, the spot I’m more than eager to return to. With my other hand, I stroke her hair back. My eyes lock with hers, and I relax, find the heart of my magic and build the shields around me, higher and tougher than before. Each layer is hardened with pain and anger, as if I’ve shaped them into armour.
“Kiss me,” she purrs.
I smile, drinking in each and every diamond sparkling at me from her bright eyes, before I dip my head and slam my lips against hers. It isn’t my intention to steal her breath, but I’ll takeit, needing her to feel as much as possible. She needs to know that whatever we can snatch and build until the new moon is enough. That we’ll figure it out.
She tastes of hunger and nerves and excitement. All I know is that I’m addicted to her.
Our kiss deepens, the concentration to keep my shields locked in place while falling under Ever’s spell is a challenge, especially as her hands run up my chest, over my clothes and wrap around my neck. She keeps them over my shirt, but I wish she could touch me, no barriers between us, like when we were at Lyle’s house.
The soft moan from her throat has me cursing inside my mind and praying to Aslendrix that all of this isn’t going to be torn away in a matter of seconds.
However, it seems like we left any luck back in Estereah.
Because as Ever’s grip on me tightens and her legs wrap around my hips, the pain in my head starts. Slowly at first, building, as if it’s pressure trying to break through my shield.
But the blocks don’t stop the visions now flashing behind my eyes. I tilt my head to rest my forehead against hers, breaking our kiss.
“Ten?”
“I know. Just. Don’t let go. Not yet. We’ve avoided this for so long. Maybe this vision will be something useful for a change. Something to hope for. Like the Opal Falls.”It’s a risk to speak along our connection, but I need her to hear me, and this way is much harder to ignore.
I swipe my thumb over her jaw again and breathe through the pain.
The images keep flickering like they’ve done in the past. When the scene before us turns white, it’s my turn to pull away. This is what I’m afraid of. The vision I fear the most.
