Dez

 

Soraya Lafi was in my bed.

Fast asleep, breathing deeply and her hands thrown above her head. She slept on her back, dark ringlets tossed across my pillow and her ankle looped over mine. I’d woken up thirty minutes ago and I still couldn’t quite comprehend this fact.

My eyes traced along her full lips.

I’d kissed her. And she’d kissed me.

We’d kissed in this bed. Right here.

And last night Soraya had woken up a hunger in me that had me running for a long, cold shower. By the time I’d gotten back to bed, she was asleep and I’d felt a mixture of relief and annoyance. I’d never been pushing to a breaking point like that.

However, deep down, as much as I wanted her – I couldn’t have her under false pretenses. Not until Soraya knew the whole story. In fact, I shouldn’t have even kissed her yesterday.

I shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t find it in myself to regret doing so.

I had to kiss you, Soraya. I hope you can forgive me, I thought.

She half-stirred and rolled over, hands landing on the mattress between us. For a moment, I let myself daydream that this wasn’t a fluke. That this was how we woke up every morning.

God, this felt so right. I wanted her in my life. I wanted her to meet my family. To make my father laugh and to charm Miss May. To hold my cousin’s babies and swap gossip. To meet her parents and become part of the Lafi-Weslark clan. To have a whole future together.

At that moment, my arm burned and I looked down to see droplets of blood had appeared on the shirt along my scarred bicep. Sighing, I shed the shirt and went to get out of bed to get another, when a hand stopped me.

My heart leaped and my stomach fell. Soraya was awake and looking up at me with silvery bright eyes. Her lips curled into a happy smirk as she glanced at my bare chest.

Pushing herself up, she purred, “Now this is a nice way to wake up.”

“Raya,” I started to say, but my body was moving towards her, caging her in as her hands explored my chest and I couldn’t think. “Thank Dominick Blair,” I said, trying to get a hold of myself.

“Huh?” she asked, stopping and tilting her head.

I brushed my lips against hers and explained, “Domi was a jock I knew in college. I tutored him in Chemistry and he convinced me to lift with him. He said I was wasting my potential for gains. And I went from being a skinny nerd to a ripped one.”

She laughed against my chin and a burn of pleasure started deep in my gut. “I would have liked you, either way, Dez, but these pecs are delectable.”

“You are bad for my ego,” I said, kissing her.

“What are you talking about?” she protested between kisses. “If anything, I’m great.”

“That’s what I mean,” I said. “I try to be a humble guy, but then you come along and well, I should just stop fighting now. I mean, you’re here in my bed and I’m kissing you. That’s enough to swell a guy’s ego for a few millennia.”

“You don’t sound arrogant, though, Dez,” Soraya said, with a hitch in her voice. “You sound amazed. Over the moon. And a little stunned.” I laughed. “Talk about being bad for my ego.”

Leaning back, I held her face and looked at her. “You know I’m far from blind and that you, Soraya Lafi, are a stunning woman, but you also know it’s more than that, right? It’s you. All of you.”

Her eyes were bright. “Dez, come here.”

With that, I kissed her hard, slipping my hands down along her arms. Wild, impulsive needs were taking over and I brought her hands to my face. Leaning back, I kissed her fingertips, one by one. Then I worked on her palms and a tremble went through her arms.

Soraya was breathing harder and I felt one of her feet rubbing along the back of my calf. My resolve was starting to crumble. I kissed the inside of one wrist and then the other. Her eyes fluttered closed and a dreamy, sexy smile was on her face.

Unable to stop, my hands slid around her back and up into my shirt. I could smell the familiar detergent and dryer sheets, along with her perfume. Soraya’s hands brushed along the back of my head, down my neck and shoulders. Lower, to my biceps and then she gasped.

Thinking I’d hurt her, I leaned back, but Soraya was sitting up and pushing on me. “Dez, you’re bleeding.” She held up a slim hand, the fingertips covered in blood. “Let me see–wait!”

I was out of bed and going out the door, but Soraya was too quick. She appeared in front of me and grabbed my arm, batting my hand away. Her eyes went wide as she saw the scar, pebbles of blood along it, and the swirl of colors of my tattoo.

If she looks closely, it’s all over, I thought in a panic.

“What is this scar from?” she asked, frowning. “It wasn’t properly healed, Dez. At least I don’t think it was…” Her eyes traced along the designs and she looked back up at me. “Gorgeous ink, by the way. Wouldn’t have taken you for a tattoo guy.”

“It’s a long story,” I said. “Come on, let’s clean up.”

“You mean, let me,” she said, brushing past me and leading the way to the kitchen.

Wetting paper towels, she mopped me up and then washed her hands. I was rummaging for the first aid kit and dropped it when her hand landed on my bare shoulder.

Soraya said nothing as she pulled out the antiseptic and bandages. Neatly she bandaged me up, then suddenly she lifted my arm and peered at the side of my stomach.

“What are you doing?”

“Why are you always bleeding?” she asked, her fingers probing my serratus muscles and making me jump out of my skin. “What are these scars from?”

“I’m a clumsy guy,” I fibbed. Used to be clumsy, at least.

Soraya, was standing in my kitchen, in nothing buy my soft gray shirt. It made her eyes luminous as she studied me. There were a hundred questions in her eyes.

Looking away, she bit her lip and asked, “Um, want to get breakfast?”

I nodded, relieved at the change of subject. “Of course, my treat.”

“No, no, I’ll pay for myself, thanks,” she said, looking back with a small smile. “Mind if we swing my place so I can take a shower and change?”

I nodded. “You want pants for the car ride or are you going to go like that?”

Soraya stretched and winked. “I’ll go like this.” At my face, she laughed and shook her head. “Clearly, I’m joking. My legs would freeze and fall off.”

Once Soraya was bundled in a pair of sweats, one of my heavier sweatshirts, and had her dress tucked under her arm, we were heading out the door. I had to run back to my room because I forgot my keys and I lingered for a second in the doorway.

The bed was rumpled and the pillows were crushed. I remembered the sleepy, sexy look in Soraya’s eyes when she woke up and reached for me. A shiver crept up my spine as I realized her scent was on the air. And that pressure began to build up again.

I had to tell her all my secrets soon. I wasn’t going to be able to hold out much longer.

 

My hood was up as I climbed the stairs behind Soraya. She was worried about someone seeing me and reporting me. I could care less at this point, but I humored her all the same.

“You’d get in trouble too,” I whispered as she unlocked her door.

“Yes, but I’m a troublemaker, Dez. You’re not,” she replied.

“Who says I'm not?” I asked as I closed the door behind us.

“Dez,” she said, giving me a look. Going into her room, she waved a hand and said, “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll try to be quick.”

“Yeah right,” I said, unzipping my hoodie and smiling at her.

“Well, you’re welcome to join me, but then we’d probably never get around to breakfast.” Soraya’s voice was arch and blood rushed around my body. “Point. Match.”

“You’re going to pay for this torture one of these days, Raya,” I growled.

Soraya danced over and slipped her arms around my waist. “I can’t wait.” Her eyes were sparkling. “Maybe you should put me in detention, Professor Devoy.”

“Soraya,” I half-laughed, half-groaned. “Please. You’re killing me here.”

“Kiss me and I’ll stop,” she whispered.

Bending down, I brushed a thumb along her cheekbone and found her lips again. It was a heady mixture of sweetness and fire and I dragged her closer, wrapping my arms around her.

When we came up for air, Soraya’s eyes were still closed and she rubbed her cheek on my chest. “Your arms are becoming my favorite place.”

I felt my eyes widen in surprise and protectiveness surged up in me. Tightening my grip, I murmured, “I like you in my arms, Raya. It’s right where you should be.”

“I’m not a burden?” Soraya asked softly. I stared down as she tensed all over.

“What?” I asked blankly. “You-you’re serious?”

Soraya didn’t meet my eyes. “No, I-I didn’t mean that. I don’t know why I said that,” she muttered, trying to pull away.

“You are not a burden,” I said fiercely, pressing my lips to her forehead. “Never.”

“I’m not used to this,” she admitted. “It’s a little scary, Dez.”

“That’s why I think we should take our time,” I murmured.

Taking a breath, she nodded and stepped back. “I will be quick, I promise.”

I watched her go, my entire body hollowed out by her words.

The game had changed.

No, it hadn’t, I realized. It was never a game, it was me trying to convince myself it was. That way no one got hurt. Me or Soraya.

At that moment, as though to further obliterate my conscience, my phone buzzed and I saw a text had come through from an unknown number.

Hey, it’s Andrei. Hope everything worked out with you and your girl. She looked ready to eat you alive and her teeth are sharp, my friend.

Haha, I texted back. Things are fine.

You’re alive! Or was I correct? Oh, my, you two are together now, aren’t you?

What do you want, Andrei? I texted back with a sigh.

Tonight, I think we should get together and stake out a plan of attack. We should have enough people by the end of next week to go through with this. But we need to lay groundwork ASAP.

After coordinating where we would meet up, I pocketed my phone and wandered into Soraya’s room. Her bed was neatly made and I fell onto the colorful bedspread, inhaling her scent.

Staring up at the ceiling, it hit me that this could all be over next week.

But I could also lose my gifts at any time. Or could I?

I wasn’t sure whether to trust Parasite. He could have been saying that simply to get me to come with him. On the other hand, why would he go to that kind of trouble?

My stomach was in knots and I remembered the cheerful face of Dr. Hakedo, the shifter doctor all of the Weslarks and Lafis went to. I was sure he could correctly diagnose me.

Why haven’t I gone to a healer? I wondered. Beni had told me to, yet I kept putting it off. Deep down had I suspected what Parasite had claimed? Was I on borrowed time? My eyes closed.

If that was the case, I had to take care how I treated Soraya from now on. We were getting so entangled in each other, both keeping secrets and trying to save the world.

But I had a feeling it was too late to push her away.

No, not too late. Impossible. I’d fallen hard and I was still falling.