Page 6 of Victorious: Part 2
His tongue collides with mine, the way he sighs into our kiss, as if I’m his air and he’s been suffocating without me. The way my whole body hums with electricity at his touch. I feel cherished, protected, seen in a way that has nothing to do with being kept safe and everything to do with being adored.
When we finally part, it’s gradual, reluctant, our foreheads resting together as we share the same breath. My lips are swollen and sensitive, and I can still taste him, still feel the ghost of his touch making every inch of my skin hypersensitive and alive.
As our breaths escape in unison, our eyes stare into each other, words being spoken without a sound, and a calm finally descends on the desert around us.
Maybewewill be okay.
Maybeeverythingwill be okay.
When suddenly, a soft sound disrupts our gentle moment, and a familiar purring breaks our eye contact. We both glance down at Dracula, the black cat who’s been our unlikely companion, emerging from the shade of a nearby cactus. He’s watching us with those knowing yellow eyes, his tail twitching with what almost looks like amusement.
A bad omen?
Or, a good one?
I’m not sure yet.
Chapter Two
CLOVER
A slow smirk crosses my face as I slowly detach from Phoenix. “How does he always knowexactlywhen to show up?” I ask, grateful for the momentary lightness.
Phoenix actually cracks a smile. “Maybe he’s psychic. Wouldn’t surprise me at this point.”
Dracula approaches, winding around my legs with a contented purr. The simple act of petting him, feeling his warm fur under my fingers, grounds me in a way that nothing else has.
“At least someone’s having a good day,” I murmur.
“He’s taking care of us,” Phoenix observes. “In his ownweirdway.”
And it’s true.
Every time we’ve stopped, every time we’ve fallen apart a little more, Dracula has been there. A constant in a world that’s been turned upside down.
A good omen, he is then.
“Come on,” Phoenix says finally, his voice steadier now. “We should pack and get going.”
This time, I don’t argue.
This time, we both move to gather our things.
But as Phoenix heads back toward our makeshift shelter for the night, I catch his arm.
“Whatever we find in Vegas,” I say, looking up into his eyes. “Whatever happens next. We face it together, okay?”
He studies my face for a long time, and I see the exact moment he makes the decision to trust me.
To trust us.
“Together,” he agrees.
I smile, take his hand, and lead us and our stray cat over to pack our things. Once everything is stowed, Phoenix hops in the driver’s side, and I take one last look around, Dracula circling my feet. I peer inside at Phoenix, biting down on my bottom lip. “We can’t just leave him here, you know that. It would be animal cruelty at this point.”
Phoenix’s hands grip the steering wheel tight, his eyes clenching as he simply huffs. “You know what? The sat phone is broken, we need to get on the road back to Vegas and continue getting the content for your client, which is theentirereason we came on this road trip in the first place. At this point, I don’t have it in me to argue.”
I jump a little on the spot. “We can keep him?” My eyes widen in question, a little scream escaping me as I bend down, picking Dracula up into my arms. He cuddles into me, a soft purr rumbling from his chest.
