Chapter 33 - A Punishment (Part 2)

Echo glared at Damon, and walked away from him, stopping when her hand was stretched out. She tugged on it, but Damon didn't budge. She turned to him, and was taken aback by his smirk. What was wrong with him? First he gets her in trouble, and now he was happy with the so-called "punishment" they got. It was almost as if he had planned everything with the commander.

"Did you forget that we are handcuffed together?" Damon asked, showing that handcuff on his hand.

Echo sighed, "I hate you right now!"

Damon smiled, moving closer to her, with a mischievous smirk, "I bet you do!" He reached his hand out, and stroked her cheek. She hit his hand away from her face.

"You really think you could get me in so much trouble, and I'm going to just let you treat me like nothing happened?"

Damon chuckled at her reply. She was finding his reactions very enticing, but she wanted to get some revenge, and afterall he needed to know that his actions had consequences. She did not want him to think that each time he messed up, he could be sweet on her and she'll forgive him without consequences.

"You are a fiery one aren't you?" Damon asked in the most alluring voice she had heard.

Echo pursed her lips, and glared at him, "I won't let you go that easy. Jerk!" She turned around to walk, and her hand stretched out behind her, annoying her so much that she wanted to turn around and punch him in the face.

"Can we go? Please?" she asked, without turning to him. She was holding the cub with one hand, until she began moving. Echo immediately turned around, and held her with both her hands. She was so focused on the cub, that she barely felt Damon's breath fanning on her forehead.

Damon was shocked at her sudden reaction, that he froze staring at her. He snapped out of his trance, and held Hunter with his hand that was cuffed to hers.

"We need to…" Echo trailed off, when their eyes met. She had no idea how close they were. His nose was mere centimetres away from hers. Words were lost, and she could barely think straight. How did she get so close to him? Why didn't she notice that he was this close?

Damon couldn't take his eyes away from hers. She was staring right through him, her eyes were glistening, and she did not break their eye contact. What was she doing to him? When did his best friend's little sister become so cute? Or was she always this cute?

Hunter moved once again, gaining both their attention.

"You should…"

"Take him to the Healer's room," she finished his sentence.

Damon nodded, still fixated on Echo, and the connection they had earlier. He could have sworn he had never felt anything like that before.

Echo turned around, leading him out of the briefing room, and to the Healer's room. She gently tapped on the door.

A flustered Jasmine opened the door, "Everything alright?"

"I think something's wrong with her," Echo replied, showing Hunter to Jasmine.

Jasmine picked the cub up, "Come!" She opened the door for Echo and Damon. The commander sat on the table glaring at the two of them.

Damon smirked at the commander, but Echo ignored him entirely.

Jasmine took Hunter to a bed, and closed the curtains. Echo rushed after her, but Damon stood next to the commander, stopping her.

"Just stay here, the cub will be fine," the commander advised.

Echo tugged on the cuff, but Damon did not budge.

"There's literally nothing you can do by going there," Damon spoke, holding Echo's hand.

Echo kept pulling him, "I want to see her! I could keep her calm once she wakes up."

"Trust me she won't wake up anytime soon," the commander informed. He seemed much more at ease than when they met earlier.

Echo did not listen to either of them, and kept insisting on checking on the cub.

"Finn was right about you. You can be really annoying sometimes," Damon blurted.

Echo stopped tugging on the cuff, and turned to Damon, she pointed her sword at his neck, "We won't be in any of this mess if you just talked to me!... Ugh! There's no doubt he was right about you too. You're a total jerk who doesn't deserve my time."

The commander smirked at her response, but Damon narrowed his eyes. He caught the hilt of the sword with his free hand, and twisted her hand, making her face away from him, pulling her closer to him. Damon took Echo's sword from her, and dropped it on the ground.

She felt her back to his chest, and his free hand on the front of her neck as he threatened her. "Don't forget who you're talking to," he whispered in her ear.

Echo smirked, and elbowed him. Bending down, she tossed him over her head, dropping him to the ground in front of her.

"I think that applies to the both of us," Echo replied.

The commander smiled as the two lovers quarrelled. The thought of stepping into the fight did not even cross his mind.

Damon grabbed Echo's top, and pulled her closer to him, planting a kiss on her lips. He smirked when Echo stared at him dumbfounded.

What did he just do? And in front of the commander. Echo felt like she wanted to vanish from the place she was. She stared at Damon in embarrassment, earning a wide smile from him.

"You didn't slap me," Damon spoke with a wide smile on his face.

The commander scoffed, "I'm starting to think having you two cuffed together isn't much of a punishment after all."

Echo ignored the commander, keeping her gaze on Damon, "Do you want me to slap you?"

"No!"

"Then be quiet!" she stood up, and glared at the commander continuing, "This is more than just a punishment. It's a nightmare."