Ghost Light

Something fluttered in my chest, but I held on.  I wasn’t sure if I’d like seeing myself through Ceff’s eyes, but we had agreed—no secrets.

The first vision was from the night of the winter solstice.  It was the first and last time we’d touched.  The simple act of holding each other on my lumpy couch had filled Ceff’s immortal heart with a love greater than anything he’d ever felt before.  That scared me, just a bit.  It also made me smile.  The fact that that night had made such an impression told me that what I was doing now was right.  I owed it to Ceff and myself.

I’d lived too long behind the walls I’d built to protect my heart.  Hiding behind those walls had served me well, but I’d learned a lot about my life recently—my childhood, my parents, my abilities—and I was no longer satisfied to play it safe.  Letting Ceff in was one step toward becoming the person I wanted to be.

To hell with the risk.

The final vision followed on the heels of our night of romance.  Pain and fear slammed into me and I gasped for air.  My mind recoiled from the assault, but I held on tight.

Through Ceff’s eyes, I saw Melusine threatening the children…and me.  Melusine’s presence brought the painful memories of his sons’ deaths to the surface, but Ceff gripped his trident and sprung forward.  He wouldn’t remain chained by the past.  If Melusine could not be stopped peaceably, he’d do what needed to be done.

Ceff drew Melusine away from me and the circle of children, but as he tired their fight returned to where I fought The Piper.  Ceff looked at me and his heart filled with love and a fierce protective devotion.  He gripped his trident and lunged for a killing blow.

Melusine danced away and swung her tail at his feet.  Our fight became a blur of blood and weapons, but I’d learned an important truth.  Ceff had been ready and willing to kill Melusine to protect me—just as I had been forced to kill the lamia to save him.

A weight lifted from my shoulders and I blinked rapidly as my vision cleared.  I was back in my bed and Ceff’s arms were around me.  My hand still rested on his face as he stretched out along my side, body pressed against me.  Ceff watched my face intently and I blushed.

“You’re back,” he said.  I nodded.  “And we are still touching.”

Blood rushed to my face, cheeks burning.  If I blushed any harder, I’d probably pass out.  Ceff rubbed a finger in circles just below my ear and I forgot all about embarrassment.  The heat from my face had shifted lower, much lower.

Though I was still at risk of passing out.

Ceff smiled and I bit my lip.  His face was mere inches away and I had no idea what to do.  Being inexperienced sucked.

His fingers trailed down my neck to a bruise at my collarbone.  I gasped as Ceff leaned in and pressed his lips against the purple skin.

“Does this hurt?” he asked, lifting his eyes to my own.

Ceff stared at me through tousled hair and I struggled to catch my breath.  I shook my head and Ceff returned his lips to my collarbone.  His kisses were cool and soothing against my heated skin.

Ceff moved lower, leaving my skin tingling as he followed a trail of cuts and bruises along one shoulder and down my arm.  When he reached my injured wrist, he blew a kiss along the bandage and lifted my arm.  Ceff’s body slid alongside my own moving upward as he raised my arm above my head.  He set my wrist gently on a pile of pillows and held it there, fingers gliding down my arm to wrap around my uninjured bicep.

He leaned in and brushed his lips along my jaw.  I turned my face toward his, but he grazed my lips with the barest hint of a kiss and smiled.

“Patience,” he said.

It was easy for the sexy immortal in my bed to suggest patience—not so easy for me.  I pressed my chest against Ceff and gripped his neck with my free hand, pulling him closer.  I felt like I would go supernova.  My lips parted and I panted as Ceff pulled away.  I stared at his swollen lips, so near but unreachable, and my skin began to glow.

Ceff kissed my chin and slid down my chest, leaving a trail of kisses to my waistline.  I was surprised the thin tank top between us didn’t burst into flame.  Ceff slid a finger under the thin cotton, teasing my skin with his touch.  He smiled up at me and quirked an eyebrow in question while holding the edge of my shirt in his hand.

I’d promised to be honest with Ceff and tell him what I was feeling, but at the moment I was at a loss for words.  I nodded and slid my fingers through his hair to once again grip the back of his neck.  I tried to pull him to me, wanting to feel skin on skin.

No more gloves.  No more weapons.  No more walls—just me and Ceff.

Ceff moved his face to my stomach and I gasped.  His lips caressed my skin in widening circles.  He was careful not to press against the wound at my side, though right this minute I didn’t care about the pain.