Downfall by S.D. Wasley
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Cain cut the engine and coasted in the last hundred yards to Gaunt House ruins. The motorbike crunched to a halt in the dawn light. How bright and young the ruin looked in that light, with its stones reflecting the brilliant peach glow. The scene was marred by the presence of the others’ cars. They’d waited for us? I imagined their empty, long, loveless night and it seemed absurd beside my own.
We were both reluctant to go in just yet, so we walked past the ruin into the field. The sunrise light seemed to pull into him somehow. Although the morning was icy I only felt it if he took his hands away from me. The moment he touched me there was nothing but warmth, comfort, and the delicious scent of a summer morning. I sat him down so I could investigate this discovery further. I touched him, enjoying the warmth, and then released him, standing up to feel the dawn’s chill. There was no pain or discomfort while I touched him. The gravelly ground was like sitting on fine down cushions. The flying insects buzzed around us but never came near enough to disturb or bite―unless I stopped touching him. It was unnatural and yet utterly natural.
“You have a lot of explaining to do,” I said.
How could I ever have been disturbed by his smile? I positively basked in it now, standing there looking at him on the ground below me, my hand still touching his cheek experimentally. He tugged on my arm to pull me down, shifting me so I was sitting on him, facing him, looking straight into his eyes. I want him again. If I’d been certain we wouldn’t be interrupted by any of the three in the chamber under the ruin I wouldn’t have hesitated.
“When you come back tonight, we’ll talk,” he said.
Finally we went down through the trapdoor. I hovered at the closed door to the chamber so Cain went in ahead of me, gripping my hand as we waded through the blinking-awake faces. Their eyes followed us until we sank onto the sofa. Cain’s hand came around to touch my hair and I rested my head against his chest. Owen glanced at Jude. Crap, I’d completely forgotten about Jude. I checked on him as well but all he did was return Owen’s look and give a resigned shrug. Wow ... maybe he was okay with this? Owen gave a little shake of his head, gathering belongings.
“Would you give me a lift home, Jude?” I asked it quietly but they all flinched at the sound of my voice.
He nodded without looking at me. I made to rise but Cain stopped me to kiss me goodbye. The others peeked at us sidelong, but still no one spoke.
In Jude’s car I stared out of the window. A sudden memory flashed through my mind: Albion telling me drunkenly what he wanted me to do this year. Lose my inhibitions. Well, I’d definitely thrown at least some of them to the wind. ‘Rid myself’ of my virginity. Um ... check. Fall madly in love. Check times one thousand. Albion would be proud.
The blue-gold morning light warmed my face. From the corner of my eye I saw Jude glance my way, and then snap his head back to the road, setting his jaw. I closed my eyes.