Page 13 of Insatiable Hunger

The wooden floor of the hall creaked softly, startling me. Alastair shot his head up, his ears twitching as he listened closely. He rolled, jumping from the bed, and rushed to the door, sniffing the small crack beneath it. His snout huffed, his tail slowly beginning to wag.Well, it’s obviously not Cain walking around.

I slid from the bed, a blanket wrapped around my shoulders as I approached the door, twisting the handle.

“What are you still doing awake?” Lazarus asked, quickly pushing through the opened door, squeezing into my room. “Thought our steamy little shower would’ve tired you out.” He tried to be playful, but I wasn’t in the mood.

I pulled the blanket tight, hearing his words while still focusing on my thoughts. Alastair nudged Lazarus’ hand. “I can’t sleep,” I whispered.

“I can tell.” He pointed to my floating magic, petting Alastair. “Your room was beaming down the hallway.”

Sighing heavily, I sat on the end of the bed. Lazarus shadowed me, sitting next to me, Alastair laying at our feet. All I wanted to do was curl up in his arms and fall asleep to the sound of his heartbeat, but I couldn’t.

“Hey.” Lazarus brushed his damp hair from his face, his hand touching my chin faintly as his hand gently turned my face towards his. “What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours, dreamer?”Oh, why did he have to say it like that?

“Nothing.” I forced a fake smile. “It’s just been a crazy night.”

My voice faded into the sounds of the storm as the rain tapped heavily against the window of my room. My galaxy slowly faded away, falling onto the bed as it dissolved, into nothing leaving us in pure darkness. I knew it gave my feelings away, but I didn’t care. Lazarus remained still, his eyes heavy on me as I lowered my head. “Alaska,” his soft voice whispered my name, “you can talk to me.” Alastair licked my hand, sensing the change in my emotions.

“Lazarus—” I ran my fingers along his hand. He winced softly in reaction to the weight of my skin against his, the reaction surprising me. I glanced down, examining his skin closely, eyeing a bit of discoloration, my fingertips feeling unknown ripples along his left hand. Looking closer, I realized his hand was injured, burned. “Lazarus,” my voice wavered. “When did—did I?” Tears formed in my eyes as I sniffled, fighting back the urge to cry. “Did I do this? Did I hurt you?” My voice wavered, almost squeaking.

He turned to face me, taken back by my reaction, his eyes wide. “Hey.” He reached for me.

“I’m so sorry!” I cried, whipping my body around, turning away from him. I had hurt him with my magic. I knew my power was unpredictable, easily ignited by my emotions, but knowing it hurt someone—him… The reality angered me. My brain scrambled to recall when I had done so. It must’ve happened earlier in the night when he grabbed my hand outside. My hand was fully ablaze, and yet he grabbed it still. My magic must’ve burned him then, but he never let go, never said a word. He didn’t even flinch. He had endured the pain, focused solely on helping me. And even after, he kept his pain to himself. If I hadn’t felt the scar, he probably would’ve continued to hide his pain from me. What had I done? How could I be so careless, so ignorant of my power?

Lazarus grabbed my arms, forcing me to face him as the scattered thoughts fell from my mind. “Alaska, don’t. Don’t cry for me.”

“But I hurt you—”

“It’s not like you meant to harm me. I know you and your magic, how you’ve always been so careful as to not hurt me in the past. But this time, it was on me. I grabbed your hand knowing it would burn me. It wasmychoice.” I watched him as he spoke. “At that moment, Alastair needed you, and you needed me. I’d let your magic burn me a thousand times over if it meant I could always be there for you.” His unexpected words melted me, tears bubbling in my eyes as I stared up at him. I didn’t care about the boundaries of our arrangement anymore. I wanted to be with him in any way I could. Ineededhim.

I pushed his arms away, hugging him tightly. “Please,” I whispered against his bare skin. “I know it goes against everything we agreed, but please,” I quietly begged, “stay with me? I need you,now.” The last few words left my lips heavy, filled with longing.

Lazarus hesitated before hugging me back, squeezing me tight. “Fuck our agreement.” He kissed the top of my head. “And fuck Cain. Sex or not, I’m here for you, Alaska, in any way you need. I’m yours as long as you’ll have me. Now,” he crawled across the bed, keeping me close as I rested my head on his chest, “get some sleep and dream to your heart’s content. I’m here.”

Chapter

Twelve

ALASKA

The entire group ended up sleeping in until mid-afternoon the following day. Ruby and Jinx were the first to wake, followed shortly by myself and Alastair. Lazarus dragged himself from his room, yawning, not long after I entered the dainty southern kitchen. He must’ve snuck out of my room earlier this morning while everyone was still asleep to avoid being seen. Last night, laying in his arms, I slept better than I had in years, leaving me unsure as to how I was going to survive another night without him. He was beyond comforting, soothing every ounce of my unsettled soul.

The four of us sat around the small kitchen table, whispering to one another as we drank the bitter coffee Ruby had made from a container she found hidden in the cabinet. Thankfully, the electricity had returned earlier. Drinking the hot, black coffee, I wondered if Ruby and Jinx were aware of the electricity cutting off the night before.

Jinx drank her coffee, oblivious of the cloud of whipped cream lingering above her mouth as she greeted me. “Good morning,” she signed.

I smiled at her sweetness, greeting her back with my hands, “Good morning.”

Ruby chuckled to herself, wiping away the whipped cream with her thumb before licking it from her skin and kissing Jinx sweetly on her freckled nose.

“What was that for?” Jinx asked Ruby.

“Just because I love you.”Jinx blushed as Ruby held her thumb, index finger and pinky finger raised, lingering on the last motion of her silent words.

“Well, I love you. Always and forever,”Jinx motioned back, leaving a gentle peck on her girlfriend’s cheek. Ruby squeezed her hand, beaming with giddiness as the two exchanged such a sweet, heartfelt moment. They were perfect together, always full of love and bliss.

Cain groaned, interrupting the peaceful moment, slowly rising from the couch as an empty beer bottle rolled from his chest, clinking as the thick dark glass fell to the wooden floor. He stretched his arms, his black hair tousled in every direction, making all sorts of noises that made Alastair’s ears twist. “Fuck, man,” he yawned. “I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus.”

Ruby raised her cup to her mouth, the steam dancing around her pierced nose, moving with her breath. “You look like it too,” she mumbled.

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