He'd taken one step into the room; then he froze. His gaze spotted her, cowering, up against the wall, as the boat swayed softly on the ocean current. Warmth spread through her, at that look, a look of hunger, lust, something she had never seen in those dark brown eyes. A flush of heat ran across her flesh. She wanted to blush, to hide, to slap him, so many things and yet she couldn't break that gaze. There was a pull. Her body suddenly longed for him, for his touch. To feel that spark that she had not felt. Or at least, never this strong. The look of complete earnest said he was under that same unnamed influence, and so they each allowed themselves to be drawn together.
He approached with a heavy tred, the brief crossing of that space seemed to span a lifetime, each second felt like an eternity, as her body burned for him, hungry for the heat of his lips against hers. She would not withdraw from him like she had done so many times before. She would not run, hit, shove, or talk herself out of this. Due to the simple fact that, she couldn't. She felt an overwhelming sense of security in his presence and he also. A luxury that she had been deprived of for what felt like a lifetime. Only a few inches separated them now. Her vision seemed to blur, and she couldn't help but swoon a little. Perhaps it was the rocking of the ship, or perhaps she was just feeling light-headed.
She gripped the wooden infrastructure behind her for support. His eyes glistened as he regarded her with a look of awe, his lip trembling softly, his breath warm against her cheeks. He'd raised his hand to help steady her, but hesitated, almost afraid to touch her. Afraid that she would disintegrate before his eyes. She wanted so desperately for him to touch her, to feel that spark. He seemed to stare at his hand, as if he were having an internal battle over the decision. Finally it became clear what his choice was. His resistance melted away in almost an instant, and in one fluid motion, he brushed his hand against her cheek, entwining his fingers in her rich ginger locks, embracing her and at last, their lips met in a soft warm kiss.
She could no longer hold back either, returning his gesture with an equal combination of tenderness and intensity. His heart began beating hard within his chest, as he was pressed up against the warmth of her own chest. He cupped her face whilst her hands rested on his shoulder, electricity flowing through their blood due to the excitement of the kiss. It felt pure, alive, buzzing; it was bliss.
But suddenly, there came a darkness emerging from the shadows that seemed to swarm and bar their vision of each other. When she opened her eyes, she saw herself kissing a monster. A creature with a pockmarked face, vacant eyes, and a malevolent grin with a lashing tongue. She recoiled instantly from the sight, trailing blood and mucus from her mouth. The ship seemed to teeter more violently on the water, sending her crashing across the room as the demonic being stood over her limp body. She tried to scamper away but her legs held fast. They seemed to be numb. She looked down and found her feet were crushed beneath a stone chest. The creature seemed to have control over the growing black mist, casting it over her body. She could do nothing but cough and choke, clawing away from the cloying sense that came with the mist. She felt light-headed again but this time not from lust. The mist around her thickened, blocking her vision. Her eyes stung. She could feel the thick blanket of mist pressing down on her, suffocating her. Her heartbeat was going... going... gone.
Jane awoke shaking.
