Chapter 7

Ashley came to the rescue, pulling Taylor aside to give me some space. I heard her arguing with Taylor in a hushed voice, and after a minute she returned to my side to whisper into my ear, “I’m taking him to the cabin. I’ll come back for you.”

“Okay.”

“My brother is going with him.”

“Thanks.”

“Be back in fifteen,” she assured me, and then rose off the floor to shoo the men out of the room. A few quiet minutes passed by and all I could hear was Damian’s teeth chattering as he trembled under the blanket.

“Damian, I am right here,” I assured him, and smoothed my hand over the whole of his back. “You’ll be okay.”

He was silent next to me, only the frequent chattering sound filled up the room. I let my fingers smooth over the blanket, taking in the intricate design of black and white. I let the tips of my fingers smooth over the bright red thread that captured my attention. My hand smoothed upwards, gliding over his back until I let my fingers slip through his dark curls. They were soft to the touch, sliding through my fingers with ease as I went through the very tips. My fingers dipped downwards to rest over his scalp, massaging his head until his trembling subdued.

A low groan escaped his mouth, while his fingers tensed over the pillow. “Sara,” He breathed out huskily. He turned ever so slowly, and then looked at me in a strangely compelling way. His green eyes looked darker than ever before; lips tightly pursed as he tried to hold something back. I let my hand cup the side of his warm cheek, while waiting for him to open up.

“Damian,” I began. “Tell me what’s bothering you. I can help you.”

A portion of his face flinched, and then he closed his left eye with pain. He tilted his head downwards and then away from me, before he brought up a hand to cover his mouth.

“Damian?”

The trembling of his body gradually stopped, and then he used his arms to raise himself out of the couch. I knew there was something wrong about him; I could sense it, but I couldn’t pinpoint my finger on it.

“Do you have a sickness?” I inquired. “A disease that you don’t want to tell me about?”

“Something like that,” he lied in a hushed tone of voice. “It will come back though.” He finally let his eyes rise upwards to rest it over mine. “You should go.”

“But will you be alright?”

He lifted a hand to lay it over my shoulder that was closest to him. “I’ll be fine,” he lied for the second time this evening, and offered me a tight-lipped smile that seemed so false I wouldn’t dare believe him. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Taking care of me.”

“Well, I like you,” I confessed with uneasiness. “And it was hard seeing you that way. You were shaking so violently.”

“I know.”

“Is it a condition?”

“Sort of.”

“You said it will come back?” He nodded his head gravely, and then looked over his shoulder to see his drapes were closed. He lifted a small portion, taking in the last of the sunlight that reflected off the leaves of the trees. “Why does it come back?”

“I don’t know,” he grievously replied. “It is getting late, you should leave.”

“Ashley is coming to pick me up.”

“Your friends … what will they think of me?”

“You were sick, everyone could see that.” I rubbed a hand over his upper back. “You shouldn’t live alone if you have a condition like that,” Damian pouted at my words, “it’s not safe.”

“It wouldn’t be safe for someone to live with me,” he noted with a lowered eyebrow. “Believe me, it is better this way.”

“You caused no harm to anyone,” I pointed out. “It would be better that someone stays with you. Damian? I hope you don’t take this the wrong way but … I could stay with you, if you’d like.” He turned his head away from me, dismissing the thought instantly. “I never meant sleeping with you,” I clarified. “I only thought someone should stay with you.”

“I’ll be fine,” he uttered from the back of his throat.

“You didn’t look fine.”

He let the right side of his mouth curl upwards with amusement, and then used the palm of his hands to rise from the couch. He looked strong suddenly, an unusual characteristic from only moments before. He stretched out his arms tiredly and then strolled across the living room floor with his hands over the bottom of his woolen sweater. He pried it off his body with ease, tossing it to the ground before he continued his wandering jaunt that led him out of the living room.

I followed him, unnerved by his sudden behaviour, wondering how someone could come down with a sudden chill to shedding off their clothes. Damian walked to the front door in a thin black t-shirt. I heard a deep sigh escape him and sensed that something inside of him had come alive.

Something isn’t right.

“Sara, come,” he instructed in a pleasant sort of voice. A hand outstretched towards me, and he waited for me to ardently grasp it. The last of the sunlight made his tanned skin glow in a sun-burnt orange shade, his chestnut brown hair illuminated in the flavescent light to cast it in a strange auburn glow. He gazed into my eyes fervently as I stepped beside him, and then moved to position himself in front of me.

Damian let my hand go to rub the tips of his fingers up the length of my arm, going upwards as he felt the soft material of my sweater. His gaze wavered away from my pale blue eyes and onto the brightness of my loose curls of ginger hair. Damian focused on my lips next, leaving his focus there for a long time. I could sense what he wanted then, and only waited for him to pursue it.

“I feel … different,” he uttered from the back of his throat.

“I can tell,” I mouthed out slowly, knowing he was watching my lips move attentively.

“Did you know?” he said rather seductively. “It’s supposed to be a full moon tonight.”

“On Halloween weekend, how appropriate,” I teased.

He leaned forward with his gaze hardened over mine. Damian was timid before, maybe even nervous, but now I could sense his confidence rising. A heavy hand was laid over my cheek, a harsh stroking of his thumb over my skin as he continued to gaze into my eyes. “I want to kiss you,” he exclaimed confidently. “Will you let me?”

He saw the answer in my eyes, and instantly leaned forward to press his lips hard over mine. I took it gratefully, liking how fierce it was, as if I was seeing a side to him that was hidden until now. His left hand hooked itself around me, laying over my lower spine to push my body into him more. Damian’s lips were greedy, kissing me with energy that felt almost like a dream. His right hand smoothed over my cheek to lay itself against the back of my head, holding me in, so he could kiss me even more. I rubbed my hands wishfully over his upper back, hoping he wouldn’t stop anytime soon.

The faint sound of a car engine rushed through the air, carried by the cold autumn wind, an unwelcome sign that my friend was about to return. Damian parted his lips from mine but maintained a tight rein around my lower back, offering me a look to show he had no intention of letting me go. He smiled at me with pride, letting unknown lines crease over his cheeks. It was the first time I saw him truly smile, though I felt there was something sinister about it as well.