Fire Ch. 08

Carefully he shifted them, laying her back on the bed before finally pulling himself from her, making both of them wince. Her eyes remained closed and he brushed a tendril of hair back from her cheek.

The notion, as fanciful as it was, that she had some piece of himself in her keeping turned his thoughtful calm into a warm sense of contentment. The feeling grew as he watched her until he felt the need to turn away.

He left her side, drawing a blanket over her, and swallowing hard. The empty calm had been short lived and was replaced with a sensation that made his chest swell to the point of aching.

Jairus dressed quickly, his back to Thea, only turning as he fastened his cloak, returning to her side to retrieve his things from where he'd tossed them earlier. He breathed deeply and dared a glance at her face. She appeared to be asleep. He smiled at that. His smile grew into a smirk as he untied the remains of the rope still looped about the bed post.

He paused before he left, leaning in and running the back of his fingers over her cheek and giving her an almost chaste kiss on that same soft skin.

"Stay put." He whispered into her ear, pleased she couldn't argue this time. He chuckled at himself and the foolishness of that pleasure. 'If I'm very lucky she might not wake before I return,' he thought idly, 'in which case she might actually listen for once.' He drew the blanket up over her shoulders and pulled away with a sigh.

"I'm not holding my breath." He murmured to himself as he turned away. He closed the door softly behind him.

He took a few steps then stopped in the hall, glancing back at the door before lifting his hood and pulling himself away once more. Stepping into the brisk evening air he was shocked back into reality. He craned his neck once, to ease the tension from it, and strode silently but purposely into the waiting shadows of the city.