Their breath came shallowly, their pulses slowed, a drip-drip of water echoed through the caves. Slowly, ever so slowly, they released their grasp on life and closed their eyes. Their breath stopped. Their heart stopped. It was silent. Then the burning took hold. The girl screamed and tossed her body around. The boy lay there calmly and peacefully, like he was already dead. But the burning was happening to him too. The girl screamed and screamed until her throat grew hoarse and she quieted.
Three days and three nights passed. On the dawning of the fourth day, as the sun rose and the fresh light crept into the cave, something wonderful happened. As the sun touched their skin, the skin sparkled like diamonds that bounced off the walls of the cave. The girl's eyes opened first. Black and as flat as the starless night. She peered around, her mouth opening slightly as she breathed slowly. In and out. In and out. She turned her gaze to the boy, who lay there still. She brought her hand up to her his face, bringing his hand with her. They had been holding hands and they did still. He opened his eyes at her touch and smiled. It was one of his last smiles.
The stood together, it was quick and fast. They stood at the mouth of the cave and looked at the land that seemed to stretch forever. And then their mouths broke into grins and the laughed and leapt out of the cave. And finally, finally, they flew.
Rosalind looked at the small fire they had built with unseeing eyes. Beside her, Nico was laying back in the dirt, his eyes watching the gently moving stars. He tapped her arm, wanting to show her a particular constellation, but she did not respond. Across the fire, Deliverance was holding a cup to Romeo's mouth, letting him drink the blood that was in it. Kingsley was to the right of them, polishing his old sword that was hidden within his cane. Parker was sitting in the distance by himself, per usual.
Nico sat up and looked at Rosalind's profile. Her eyes were dreamy and reflected the orange of the flickering fire. He touched her arm and then her face. She started and her eyes came to the present. She looked at him curiously. He grinned and kissed her. Left cheek and then right, her nose and then her soft mouth. She smiled against his lips and kissed back. They heard a slight cough and they both looked around, only to see Romeo looking at them. No, not at them, at Rosalind.
Nico stood and held his hand out to her. "Rosie. Let's go somewhere." He said softly. Parker looked around at his voice, curious and excited to see drama.
Rosalind shook her head. "No. Not tonight." She sighed and stood and was gone before Nico could react. He stood there, struck dumb by her suddenness. He let his eyes wander to the others. Parker looked away into the darkness, Deliverance glared at him, Romeo shrugged and turned away, kissing Deliverance's neck. Kingsley, however, met Nico's slightly frightened gaze and pointed in a northwestern direction. Nico took off without another word, gesture, or thought.
"Tsk tsk. She has him around her finger." Romeo said slowly. He played with a lock of Deliverance's hair absently.
"And neither of them know how to act in public. Did you see them today? Laughing and snorting!" Deliverance said, very shocked.
"That's more then you did, little mouse." Kingsley said, not lifting his gaze from his sword.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Deliverance asked, leaping to her feet, her hands on her waist and her large amounts of black curly hair loose to almost her knees.
"I recall you hiding behind Mr. Romeo." Kingsley drawled, his Southern accent very apparent. Parker looked at the group again, interested now that Kingsley had started a fight.
Deliverance huffed and turned to Romeo, "You are not going to let him treat me like this, are you?" She asked, batting her eyelashes.
Romeo looked at her lazily. "Well… You did, you know. Hide behind me, I mean. Kingsley has a point." His eyebrows raised, ready for her reaction. Parker leaned forward from his seat on the rock, anticipating a fight.
Kingsley chuckled and with that, Deliverance cried out and launched herself at him, her hands flying. Parker was there in an instant. He stood by, watching the fight with hunger in his eyes. Kingsley ran around, laughing. "Come help me old boy." He said, passing Parker.
Parker reached out and snagged someone. He held Deliverance by the neck of her shirt and held her in the air. He tossed her easily, and Romeo caught her and set her down. "Enough. Everyone calm down." He said, yawning as he sat again. Deliverance settled down beside him.
Kingsley straightened his coat, plucked some dust off his sleeve and sat by the fire and continued to polish his sword. Parker returned to his rock and turned his back on the group. That was the end of their discussions.
At dawn, Rosalind and Nico would return.
But for now… Nothing stirred on the mountaintop. The wind whistled over the rocks, through the trees and sent the smell of something musky, something animalistic, to Romeo's nose.
A fight was coming. And the Cullens were calling in the wolves.