Page 148 of Crimson Promises
Ben’s voice was quiet when he spoke. “When your life ranges in shades of black, like that comet, you learn to appreciate the small slices of wonder that flash through your life, even if they won’t last.”
I tore my gaze away from the sky to find his focused on me.
Everything between us felt too big to examine or explain, and right now, I didn't want to. Being here was enough.
“What does it feel like to fly?” I blurted.
“Care to find out?” He arched an eyebrow in challenge.
"You'll take me?" I looked at him with stars in my eyes.
"If you want me to.”
I shook out my hands. “Are you sure? Can you even carry someone?”
“Are you doubting my abilities?” His other eyebrow rose to meet the other.
“Yes, I am,” I said. I stood and looked out to the horizon. I’ve never feared heights, but my entire body tingled. The thought of things going wrong made me take a step back. My body was whole; I would like to keep it that way. “I’ll take in the view from here. You go.”
“Come on,” Ben’s gray membranous wings flared. With his back to the ocean and night sky, he was a sight to behold. “You’ll regret it if you don’t at least try. The second you feel uncomfortable, I’ll return you right here. I won’t drop you. I promise.”
“Alright.” My insides vibrated with simultaneous fear and excitement.
“Stay still,” Ben instructed.
He walked behind me until my body was flush with his. Ben’s chin rested just above my head. “Usually, you’d be facing me, but I don’t want you missing the view.” His arms circled my waist. “Ready?”
“Ye—” I screamed as Ben launched us into the air.
An indescribable thrill coursed through my veins. The rush of wind whispered in my ears. His wings embraced me with tender strength, their feathers fluttering against my skin like whispers of silk. The world below transformed into a mesmerizing tapestry.
With every beat of Ben’s heart, he grazed his hand back and forth along my highest rib. A surge of exhilaration pulsed through my being. The rush of air against my body, contrasted with his warmth behind me, created a cacophony of sensations. Ben pumped his wings to bring us higher and higher. I felt like I could touch the clouds. Suddenly, he snapped them in tight. We were free-falling, barrelling towards the ground until we were mere feet from the tips of the waves. Ben's wings snapped out, so we glided above the water. The sheer vastness of the Pacific Ocean stretched out before us, its rhythmic waves beckoning with a siren's call.
The ocean's breath kissed my cheeks, leaving a hint of brine upon my lips. Ben’s wings sliced through the air with a gentle swoosh, like the sigh of a lover, carrying us further into the night sky. I snuggled deeper against his chest.
At that moment, I felt more than just mortal.
And as we continued flying, I surrendered to the sensations that enveloped me. My hands gripped Ben’s forearm as we danced through the night sky.
As we began our descent, the cold air that had wrapped around us during our journey gave way to the more grounded chill of the night. My fingers, still laced around Ben's forearm, loosened as we touched down on the compacted sand. I was shivering, my teeth chattering from the freezing altitude, and my body ached for warmth.
"There’s a hot spring we can use to warm you up before heading back," Ben's voice cut through the cold, drawing my attention to the steam rising in gentle curls from a natural pool ahead.
The moonlight filtered through the canopy, casting a silvery glow on the water's surface, turning it into a mirror reflecting the dance of the stars above.
Hesitant yet desperate for warmth, I followed Ben towards the inviting glow of the hot spring. The vegetation around us was stark at the end of autumn, with the exception of the end of moss draping the rocks in velvety emerald. The air was fragrant with the earthy scent of wet soil and the sweet perfume of a few night-blooming flowers that still managed to evade the season’s chill. A mini waterfall cascaded from the cliffs into the hot spring.
Ben stripped quickly and slipped into the water first, with an ease born of confidence. I stood at the edge, my body quivering not just from the cold but also from the vulnerability of stripping down to my sports bra and underwear under the night sky's vast expanse.Get it together, it’s not like he hasn’t seen you naked already.
With a deep breath, I peeled off my clothes, the air brushing against my skin, raising goosebumps. I dipped a toe into the hot spring, the heat a stark contrast to the air's bite. Gathering my courage, I descended into the water cautiously step by step, my body acclimating to the temperature.
I submerged my entire body beneath the surface. I wanted my body to be scalded from the water. It could not be hot enough. I released my bun as the brown strands floated around me. Between sweating at the gym and training, then the chill of flying, this was as close to clean and warm as I would get until I got home.
When I broke out of the water, I pushed my hair back. Ben was facing me, a hungry expression in his eyes. Droplets of water dripped from his floppy hair to his eyelashes, the tip of his nose, and the bow of his mouth.
“Nice color.”
My cheeks matched the deep red of my undergarments. I swallowed my nerves and plastered a smile with much more bravado than I felt I responded. “Glad this meets your approval. I would have packed a bathing suit had you told me.”
