A Night Out

by TheBooknerd

A/N: This takes place between The Reckoning and Belonging. This story is not connected to my WIP Awakening. I know, I know, but keep faith alive.

Disclaimer: Darkest Powers isn't mine. But that would be a cool birthday present someday...

"Derek?"

"Mmff." Not the most coherent of responses, even for me. But anything better was beyond me. I was too sleepy, too comfortable to wake up enough for speech. Instead, I snuggled further into my pillow and let the sweet heaviness of sleep pull me back under. Or rather, I would have if my pillow hadn't let out a panicked squeak. Strange. It had never done that before . . .

"Derek."

Even half-dead to the world, I recognized Chloe's voice. The stress in her tone tugged on my instinct to protect her, threatened to force me into waking . . . but damned if this wasn't the best sleep I've had since getting drugged by Andrew. "Five more minut—ow!"

I opened my eyes, ready to unleash my favorite scowl on whatever creature thought it a good idea to pinch a sleeping wolf. Finding Chloe's own trademark glare aimed my way wasn't a big surprise. I knew it should have been—something wasn't quite right with the situation—but I was distracted by the cute way her nose twitched when she was trying to be fierce. Like a frazzled kitten. With bed head . . .

"So you're awake now?" She looked at me, determinedly meeting my eyes with more intensity than I would have expected first thing in the morning. I had a feeling I was missing something.

I had to clear my throat twice before I could talk coherently. "In theory."

Then again, maybe I was dreaming. Kind of hoped I was. I looked around a little. We were in a cluster of trees and brush, lying on the ground. Chloe half under me with my arm wrapped tight around her. The branches around us filtered most of the dawning sunlight, but I could see easily in the bluish glow. Dirt dusted the right side of her face. Hair was tangled with bits of fallen leaves. She'd obviously spent the night in my arms. If this was a dream, it was a great one.

As I watched, she caught her lower lip between her teeth, cheeks rapidly going pink. She didn't do it on purpose, but that look always spurred some of my less-noble instincts. I lowered my head, planning to catch that lip with my own teeth. At the same time, I pulled her even closer. That is, until an exquisite friction down south made itself known. My breath hitched as a shiver worked through me from head to toe. I looked down the line of our bodies.

Well, hell.

I was completely naked. And I held Chloe so close against me that I was practically pinning her to the ground with my body. And there was no way she didn't notice my morning happy pressed into her leg.

That certainly explained the blush. And the pinching.

Granted, we hadn't been completely chaste in the weeks—almost two months—that we'd been together. There'd been kissing. A lot of kissing, really. And some touching. But we were still far away from anything close to sex. I didn't think Cloe could even say the word with a straight face.

The drowsy fog left me in a rush. I remembered the night before, playing one of our post-Change games of hide and seek. I had taken too long to seek and found Chloe fast asleep in a thicket. I know I should have woken her and taken her home. But she didn't always sleep well. And seeing her pale and tired made me anxious. So, for both our sakes, I thought I'd let her rest for a while. Out there in the woods, there weren't any ghosts to pester her. No Lauren to monitor every touch or word exchanged. No parents, or siblings, or randomly exploding spells. So I'd settled in next to her to keep her warm—and, okay, because I like being close—to take a short nap.

Except, when I'd lain down with her, I was a wolf. And it wasn't so short of a nap. Guess she wasn't the only one who hadn't been sleeping well.

So, there we were the next morning. Somewhere along the way, I'd changed back from my wolf form. Without waking up. I wouldn't have thought it possible. And yet.

The implications of that would have consumed my attention any other time. At that moment, however, I had more immediate concerns. I tried to lie perfectly still, as if that would make other things less noticeable. I looked back up at Chloe, saw the nervousness in her eyes. I never pretended to be the suavest of boyfriends, but the survivalist in me sensed the pitfalls ahead. I was pretty certain rubbing your naked erection against your girlfriend without her express permission led to doom or certain death. Christ, tell me I didn't hump her leg.

Focus, Souza. Play it cool. "So, I guess we fell asleep."

"Uh huh."

"And we've been out here all night."

"Yep."

I eased back to give her a little space. And to remove any aforementioned friction. I started to sit up, but Chloe surprised me by grabbing my arm and holding me in place. She blushed again at the look on my face but didn't let go.

"It's easier to keep looking you in the eye when you're lying down," she said. She tried on a confident expression. I couldn't resist a little teasing.

"You sound pretty certain about that. I thought you don't peak when I'm Changing."

She smiled and shrugged. "Well, a girl's gotta live a little."

I chuckled, reaching up to pull a twig out of her hair. "Think anyone's noticed us missing, yet?"

Her eyes widened. "Oh, god. I hadn't even thought that far. I woke a few minutes ago, and my mind kind of got stuck on . . . that." She gestured with a vague flop of her hand.

I barked a laugh, amused to find myself oddly insulted. But then, I doubt any guy liked to hear his girlfriend and maybe-probably-someday lover refer to his special parts in quite that way.

"Crap, I didn't . . . I don't think of it as a that. Not that I sit around thinking about it. Oh! Not that I wouldn't. I mean . . ." She fumbled with the apology, caught between insulting and complimenting my manhood. I just grinned and watched the show, floppy gestures included. She finally gave and glared at me. "Oh, stop it."

I couldn't help it, then. I had to kiss her.

I let myself fall into the many sensations of kissing Chloe Saunders. The taste of her lips and delicate slide of her tongue. That little sigh she made when I slanted my mouth against hers for deeper contact. And—god, yes—her scent floating around me. It calmed and excited me at the same time. I luxuriated in the feeling of perfect contentment even as I savored the potential for more.

I struggled to keep that little bit of space between our bodies. It didn't help when she curled one hand into my hair while the other ran over my shoulder and across my chest. Then back. And again. I muttered a curse against her mouth and pressed my hand over hers, holding it still on my chest. Not for the world would I rush her into something she wasn't ready for. Yet a part of me wanted to move that hand lower. It was a thought I ruthlessly strangled, shoved back behind the wall of control I've cultivated my entire life. Firmly leashed—but still there.

Chloe somehow always sensed my mood. Her kisses became lighter, sweeter. Intent but without that dangerous edge of passion. We smiled into each other's lips and settled into a long, slow kiss.

The light had been growing steadily brighter, the first chirps of birdsong breaking the silence. I easily ignored both. It was the distant voices that knocked me out of the moment. I sat up—rather abruptly if Chloe's startled yelp was any indication. She quieted quickly after one look at my face. We'd been doing this life-on-the-run thing too long and well. She didn't ask any questions, just watched me carefully and waited for her cue to hide or take off.

No longer distracted, I caught the next yell more clearly. I recognized the voice immediately, which only made me tense more, not less. Dread and panic filled me. I turned to Chloe.

"It's Dad."