Page 81 of Into The Darkness

“And what are we supposed to do?”

“I will protect you, but I think maybe you were right, Ember. Maybe you are somehow the bridge between the two families . . .” He shook his head and pulled me away from him. “No more of this talk. I just want to hold you.”

“Oh,” I whispered, pulling down on my shirt. “I thought you’d want to go down to the party.”

I paused. That was silly of me to think. I was sure it would be uncomfortable being around everyone right now.

As if he could read the frantic thoughts in my mind, Ash pulled me back into him. “I didn’t know if you’d be up for it. I would love to show off what is now all mine.” He kissed the top of my forehead.

I wished I could encapsulate this feeling. The warmth of his body. The smell of fresh pine. The feeling that I was home and safe when I was in his arms. I never wanted this to go away.

“Let’s go,” I murmured into his chest. He pulled away, only to grab my dress, jacket, and underwear that somehow also made its way upstairs.

I put them all on, then looked in the mirror, redoing my braid and fixing up my makeup that had smudged.

“Is it going to be weird?” I asked Ash, who was sitting on the bed gazing at me with a fierce intensity.

“No.” His answer was sharp.

“Okay,” I said, and believed him because if tonight taught me anything, it was that I trusted him with my mind, soul, and body.

He grabbed my hands and pulled me into him one more time.

“Ember.” I swear his voice cracked, and when I tried to turn away to see what was wrong, he held me tighter against his chest. “Please don’t leave me again. I don’t think I could bear it.” I nodded.

“I won’t,” I promised.

“You swear to me. That whatever tries to force us apart, you will understand that I do everything for you. You are mine and your safety is always what is most important to me?” Where was this coming from? This couldn’t be part of the effects of tonight.

“Yes, Ash,” I said, then he pulled my chin up and dropped his forehead so it rested on mine.

“Ember?” he whispered. His voice was raw, full of emotion. My heart was beating out of my chest, and I felt like I couldn’t get a full breath.

“Yeah?” I asked, my words stuck inside of me.

“I-I lied . . .”

“A-about what?”

“I love you.”

Chapter thirty-two

“I love you too,” I said, and we kissed, but this time it was delicate, as if at any moment our mouths would part and the words wouldn’t hold the same meaning, as though our love was fleeting in some sense.

“I love you so much. You will always come first,” he promised.

“I know I will” is all I said before he pulled away, shaking his head and letting his curls fall in front of his face. I knew he felt this way before he even told me he lied, because there was this cosmic force between us which allowed me to feel his sentiment before he even felt it.

“Alright, let’s head downstairs. This time, you don’t need to make out with my doorman for entry.” He chuckled. I followed him out, but his words triggered a tingling sensation around the tattoo at the back of my ear. I remained oblivious about the significance of the ‘O’ etched there, and the events of that night remained a puzzle. Ash refrained from disclosing certain details for my safety, yet it was unsettling to contemplate that the person behind the tattoo might have been here earlier tonight. That somehow they participated in the ritual.

It was possible that the individual involved was someone like Ale, driven by a desire to harm me. Ash’s secrecy might stem from having “taken care” of the situation, an expression I now comprehended. Shaking my head, I attempted to dispel the swirling thoughts clouding my mind.

When we got downstairs, we were greeted by everyone with a few beers, which I still refused to drink because . . .ew.

“Is there anything in a can?” I asked, looking at someone pouring from bottles. With this many people packed into the place, I was getting nervous of a repeat of last time. I read online that opening a can is the safest option.

Again, as if he could read my hesitancy, Ash went over to a large cooler in the corner and grabbed me a seltzer.

---