Page 30 of Shade
His hand tightened on my waist, and I ran mine up his arm to cup his face. "Good morning, Diego."
He grinned, his whole face lighting up the dark. "Good morning, Shade."
I checked the clock, then turned to him. "Would you like to have breakfast with everyone? Or just us?"
Diego pursed his lips in thought. "How about just us for breakfast, and we can have lunch with everyone?"
"Sounds good," I said, and started to get up. Diego pulled me back down, turning on his back and pulling me over him until my body covered his. "Oh? Did you have something else in mind?"
"How about a good morning kiss to start the day right?" he suggested with a small smile, and I grinned, then ducked my head to press my lips to his. The kiss was soft, gentle, and I hummed, brushing my lips against his again and again, loving how soft and warm they felt against mine.
Diego's hands tightened on my hips, and I pulled up to look at his face. "You know, we're going to have to get up soon. One of them is going to come through that door any moment to ask us about breakfast."
Diego sighed, then nodded, and pushed me back. I sat up and moved beside him as he followed, and I was just about to climb off the bed when the world around us suddenly lit up. I jerked instinctively, already moving toward a shadow when I realized... it didn't hurt. My whole area had gone bright with daylight, and I was still there. I wasn't hurting. Hell, it wasn't even uncomfortable.
"Shade!" Diego shouted, clearly realizing what had happened. The panic in his voice made me turn to him, and I grabbed his arm.
"I'm okay," I said, unable to hide the surprise I felt.
"You are? How?"
"I don't know," I murmured, shaking my head. I went to stand up, to try to figure out what exactly was happening, but the moment I slid to the edge of the bed, pain rushed through me, unimaginable in its intensity. I'd only ever felt like this once before, the day I'd tried to save Diego from that asshole.
"Shade!" Diego grabbed my arm, and the pain disappeared as quickly as it'd arrived, cutting off the sound I hadn't even realized I was making. What the hell?
I glanced over at Diego, then to the mattress where his shadow fell on the bed. My folded knee was in his shadow. I pulled it back, and stiffened as the pain rushed in again, quickly returning my leg to its previous position.
"It's you," I murmured, awe and shock dripping from my voice. How was this possible?
Was this what my mom had meant, when she'd told me I'd be able to 'see the world' with my mate? Did our bond somehow give me protection from the light as long as I was touching Diego's shadow?
"What's happening, Shade?" Diego asked, and the tremor in his voice jerked me out of my thoughts.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm okay," I murmured, wrapping him in my arms. I couldn't help turning to look at my area. It looked so different with the morning sun shining down on us. The green grass, the dark brown tree trunks, the colorful flowers...I'd never seen this place like this.
"What just happened?"
"I think it's a glitch. The headmaster has been struggling with the Sanctuary for a while now. Things keep going wrong. Usually, it's small stuff."
"This wasn't small," Diego snapped, his voice shaking. Actually, his whole body was shaking, and I tightened my arms around him even more.
"Yes, it wasn't. But I'm okay."
"How? How are you okay?"
I smiled, then pressed a kiss on his forehead.
"I'm okay because of you," I murmured, and as quickly as it'd happened, darkness fell again, returning my area back to its usual state.
"It's normal again," Diego said, and I hummed. Then he pulled back and turned his face to me, his brows furrowed. "What did you mean you're okay because of me?"
"It seems like your shadow protects me from the light."
"But you didn't hide in my shadow."
"No, I didn't have to. Just having a part of my body touching your shadow seemed to be enough."
Diego didn't say anything for a long moment as he processed my words, then shook his head. "You mean you can stay like this, even in the light, as long as you're close to me?"
