“What’s going on? Are you protecting him from something?”
“I’m protecting me.” Elissa’s eyes closed, her mouth wilted. She was about to cry. Gabriel couldn’t stand it when she cried.
He cupped her face in his hands, leaned his forehead against her own and let her wash over him: the warmth of her breath, the scent of her soap, the spider-silk tickle of her hair. And then, the faint electrical charge that always passed between them whenever they touched.
It was the telltale presence of the gift that allowed her to get inside his head, to see, to speak without words. Touch made no difference to her; she could read him even without contact.
But he’d been observant. That first charged touch between? That was even ground, where he could see, if he wanted, if he pushed. Maybe not as deeply or clearly as she, but—
“Gabriel.” Elissa pulled away, wrapped her fingers around his wrists to keep them from following. “Don’t. That—that would be worse than what Sam did.”
The air went out of the hall and took all the noise with it.
He was a fool.
Elissa turned her head, avoiding his eyes. The movement pulled her hair, revealed the bruises along her throat. He reached out, careful not to touch, measured the bruises against the width of his own hand, his fingers.
Found the shape similar.
And all the air came rushing back and the noise of students clamoring around them reached a piercing pitch inside his head.
He pressed a kiss to Elissa’s brow and turned away, ignoring her fingers scrabbling at his arm. Ignoring the image that slipped, unbidden, from her to him: Elissa, on her back, eyes squeezed shut as Sam Waterson’s weight bore down on her.
“I’m protecting me.” Elissa’s eyes closed, her mouth wilted. She was about to cry. Gabriel couldn’t stand it when she cried.
He cupped her face in his hands, leaned his forehead against her own and let her wash over him: the warmth of her breath, the scent of her soap, the spider-silk tickle of her hair. And then, the faint electrical charge that always passed between them whenever they touched.
It was the telltale presence of the gift that allowed her to get inside his head, to see, to speak without words. Touch made no difference to her; she could read him even without contact.
But he’d been observant. That first charged touch between? That was even ground, where he could see, if he wanted, if he pushed. Maybe not as deeply or clearly as she, but—
“Gabriel.” Elissa pulled away, wrapped her fingers around his wrists to keep them from following. “Don’t. That—that would be worse than what Sam did.”
The air went out of the hall and took all the noise with it.
He was a fool.
Elissa turned her head, avoiding his eyes. The movement pulled her hair, revealed the bruises along her throat. He reached out, careful not to touch, measured the bruises against the width of his own hand, his fingers.
Found the shape similar.
And all the air came rushing back and the noise of students clamoring around them reached a piercing pitch inside his head.
He pressed a kiss to Elissa’s brow and turned away, ignoring her fingers scrabbling at his arm. Ignoring the image that slipped, unbidden, from her to him: Elissa, on her back, eyes squeezed shut as Sam Waterson’s weight bore down on her.
Gabriel knew just where to find him.
Nothing like coming into the middle of a conversation....
This is my first Trifecta entry. I started this as an entry for this week's Red Writing Hood at Write on Edge and realized where I wanted to go for that prompt would result in this being way over the word count. So, I figured why not try for a two-parter.
Read the follow up: Settling Scores
301 words for:
Nothing like coming into the middle of a conversation....
This is my first Trifecta entry. I started this as an entry for this week's Red Writing Hood at Write on Edge and realized where I wanted to go for that prompt would result in this being way over the word count. So, I figured why not try for a two-parter.
9 comments:
This is very powerful!
whoo-boy someone gonna open a can of you know what!
nicely done.
Thank you. :)
Welcome to the challenge! I'm excited that this is a two-parter as I really want to see where this goes.This is beautifully written and I love your line 'The air went out of the hall and took all the noise with it.' Really good job. I hope you come back for the weekend challenge.
Thanks, Barbara. :)
Thank you! I'm working on the second part now...in between being distracted by Dr. Who episodes. :)
I'll give the weekend challenge a shot.
Dr. Who can be distracting. I liked your entry for "Fool" and looking forward to reading your weekend challenge.
wow, just wow.
Wows are good. :) I love wows.
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