****12/27/08 Note: Okay so I've decided that the Noah POV chapter simply must be published. It really explains Noah's crazy bipolar mood swings and pychoic behavior. I'm almost finished with it so expect an update within a few days. Thanks and sorry about the republishing of this chapter.

***Alright, this is a pretty intense chapter…a lot different than all of my other ones—just a warning. It was the product of a snow day and a cancelled ski trip. I hope that you like it! Noah and Phoenix time!

Chapter Ten: Supernova

The sun had not yet breeched the Arizona sky when I was awakened by a series of furious knocks coupled with impatient doorbell ringing. With a disgruntle groan, I crawled out of bed and glanced at the clock with blurry morning eyes. Five thirty. Apparently, the concept of beauty sleep was lost on the idiot who was banging away at my door.

I exhaled a resigned sigh and shuffled out of my room as I rubbed my eyes. I didn't bother to grab my bathrobe as I past it hanging on the banister, due to my sneaking suspicion that my early morning visitor was none-other-than gossip girl Madeline, unable to contain her curiosity over my date with Cayden until a reasonable hour. I rolled my eyes. That was definitely a Maddie move, but I truthfully couldn't complain; she put up with my emotional breakdown yesterday morning with hardly any grumbles.

So I made my way to the front door, sparsely clad in a lacy black camisole and a matching pair of hip huggers, stubbing my toe on stairs in the process. Wonderful start to the morning! Screw courtesy…Maddie I was going to kill Maddie!

By hands grasped the doorknob as the deafening blows reached a climax, coming in such a great frequency that the speed impressed me. With my eyes closed partly out of annoyance and partly because they were so heavy with sleep, I wrenched the door open, cutting the obnoxious rapping short.

"Madeline, is it really necessary to wake me up at five thirty in the morning? What's your deal," I half shouted, half yawned. My eyes reluctantly fluttered open after a few seconds of silence. Silence was definitely not Maddie's style.

Which made perfect sense…because it wasn't Maddie.

Standing on my front porch, with a slightly disheveled appearance, was Noah freaking Wilder.

My breath hitched as the realization hit me. Noah obviously had something extremely important to tell me, what else would explain his sudden, unceremonious visit?

His eyes were burning with an intensity that I'd never seen in those emerald orbs before. It was a strange mixture of desperation, insanity, anger, pain, and something else—passion? Yeah, right. Just because I was madly in love with him didn't mean that he still reciprocated that affection.

I noticed that his hands were balled into fists as if he was restraining himself, the skin pulled so tight across his knuckles that his tendons were clearly visible. His shoulders were hunched as a tremor ran through his body, causing him to shake slightly. It was disconcerting to say the least, but he was still the most beautiful creature I had ever laid eyes on, even in a state of madness.

"Noah? What's wrong?" I asked frantically, desperate to discover the basis behind his odd behavior. I longed to throw my arms around him and offer any comfort that I could. His pain was almost unbearable. It made me shudder to think of the reason behind his sudden change in demeanor.

His muscles relaxed at the sound of my voice and his features softened, only to smooth over into a blank emotionless mask. "Phoenix?" his voice was hoarse and shaky, both completely alien characteristics for this perfect, angel-like creature.

"Noah? What's wrong? Please tell me!" I cried, my fingers twitching towards him.

He seemed to notice my repressed urge to comfort him, but instead of shying away in disgust, he began glowing softly, a feature that had been absent since our falling out earlier this week. I chanced a small, nervous smile. "Please, Noah."

I wanted to help him more than I'd ever wanted anything before. It didn't matter that he was a family enemy. It didn't matter that he probably hated my guts. I couldn't bear standing by helplessly while Noah suffered.

"I can't do it anymore, Phoenix. I tried. I'm sorry, but I'm not strong enough," he whispered, the faint glow utterly subsiding as he hung his head. "Selfishness has never been one of my defining qualities before, but that particular trait seems to have resurfaced with a vengeance. I just can't do it anymore."

What was he trying to say?

My heart began to race, my temperature rose to a shocking extreme. I could feel the wispy flames radiating off of my arms. Was he leaving?

I can't do this anymore. Was my presence such a disappointment that he had to distance himself from Arizona? Did he feel selfish for leaving the sylph infestation to my coven?

My face contorted into a grimace that could rival even Noah's.

"Don't let me stop you. I understand." It was supposed to sound indifferent, as if his absents would not send me into a catatonic state, but instead it came out as a whimpering plea. I didn't understand, not at all.

Noah's pained frown transformed into one of utter bewilderment, but his eyes did not lose one ounce of the regret that they originally harbored. "You are the reason for all of this, Phoenix! I can't bring myself to dwell on any thought that doesn't revolve around you! Everything in my world was built upon your needs, your safety.

"I've waited my entire life to feel the electricity that you ignited in me, setting my veins alight with warmth. It began thirteen years ago, and it didn't matter that you were just a child…all I cared about was your intoxicating laugh, your knowing smile.

"My duty became to protect you with all of my might. The hold that you had on me, from the very moment I first laid eyes on you, was most unnatural—I was—I am—fully aware of that fact…"

He plunged his thin, long fingers into his unruly hair and fisted a handful of his locks, tugging maniacally as if needing some type of physical pain to snap him out of his revelation. Even so, he could rival Paris for his beauty.

I once again felt the urge to cross the two foot chasm that separated us and gently untangle his fingers from his hair. The fact that I was to blame for his loss of sanity was like a dagger plunged deep into my heart. It would be better for him when he's away from Arizona. I had noted his use of the past tense and knew that he could never care for me as he once did. He would be able to move on and shake the last thirteen years of his life off as if it was some sick, warped nightmare.

As for me, I would once again be alone, but with the added bonus of knowing that I could have been happy. If only I would have trusted in this man who was so perfect for me.

One week of angst and confusion was all it would take to ruin my chances at ever falling in love with—or possessing any type of romantic affection for—another guy. Cayden was a prime example of this fact. I needed to love somebody besides Madeline; at least now I loved Noah as well, even if it was unrequited.

And I would forever be in love with Noah. My heart ripped from my chest, as if trying to capture Noah's attention. It would leave with him today and I would continue on as I always have—like a stone statue frozen in time. A tear ran down my cheek, followed by another, and my body began to shake uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please, Noah! I can trust you…I can change. Please just don't hate me when you leave. I can't bare it!" I choked out in soft sobs.

"Hate you? It's an impossibility! The very second we returned you to your family in Arizona thirteen years ago I have been meticulously scouring the general area, desperately trying to keep you safe. Any creature that could so much as give you a nose blood, I crushed before it had a chance to come within twenty miles of you! Why do you think that your family has to travel so far from home to go on raids? Because I don't trust them enough to protect you properly! The only competent one is Karlstadt! And now with the sylphs in Tucson…" he trailed off, lost in a memory. His eyes burned with passion—but I didn't dare to hope that he so much as lusted after me, not anymore.

My sobs had momentarily subsided. My eyes were now wide as saucers, my mouth slightly open in surprise.

"Phoenix, you have no idea how hard you've made this! I wanted to mutate that little, harmless human for being able to touch you, talk to you in confidence—and I know that is not healthy! I wanted to hurt him because you allowed him a chance to make you feel special.

"I'm sorry that I can't leave you alone! I can't sit by and watch you charm the entire student body… the entire world, a feat you could easily accomplish if you wanted to. I can't pretend that I'm unaffected by your presences any longer! Phoenix, I LOVE YOU! It may be the freakiest, strangest love imaginable, but it's also the strongest. I love you!"

And with that he closed the gap between us in one quick, strong stride and roughly pulled my head towards his, finding my stiff, stunned lips easily.

His arms snaked around my body, grasping me tighter to his chest. He tangled his fingers in my hair and tilted my head to the side, his lips moving rhythmically against mine.

He had grabbed my bottom lip between his, sucking gently as I stared at him in confusion, my body relaxing into his toned form. It took me a second to react, but when I did it was with a vigor that neither of us expected. Not that he minded. I enthusiastically wrapped my arms around his neck, letting my fingers creep up into his golden locks. I pulled his head back and let my tongue trace his upper lip as I pressed myself closer to his chest.

He groaned in pleasure and let one of his hands drop to my waist, his touch leaving trails of electricity in its wake. I shuddered into him, pleading with him to continue. I needed more of his touch; I needed as much contact as possible.

Sensing my desire, he crushed his lips on top of mine with no hesitation, no reserve—exactly what I wanted. His lips moved with mine as he parted my mouth open and tangled our tongues together. Now it was my turn to groan. I felt his smile as he moved his attentions to my lower lip, biting it gently.

The temptation was just too much. I had to be closer to him, even though the current proximity left little room to maneuver. Still, there were ways.

I hitched my leg over his hip and plunged my tongue into his mouth. He grabbed my other leg and wrapped it around his waist, fully supporting me as we stumbled into the house. He thrust me against the hallway wall, freeing his hands so that they could explore every inch of my body. I moaned as he pulled his lips away from mine only to replace them on my neck. He flicked his tongue along my collar bone making me smile with delight.

I felt his hands creep under my camisole, gently massaging their way to my breast. I urged him on by arching my back into his grip. A tremor ran down his spine as my new position thrust me into his impressive hard on, my thin hip huggers hardly offering much of a barrier. Amazing!

"Fuck, Phoenix…that feel so good!" he murmured into my ear, his entire being emanating rays of light. I smiled at his pleasure.

His fingers found my breast, lightly grazing the out edge before he lost control and began to roughly knead them, his thumb rubbing over my erect nipples. I threw my head back against the wall with a thrilled moan. Flames exploded, like a supernova, from my skin—not hot enough to burn anything, but hot enough to make our hearts race faster.

The flames curled around our bodies, warming us with their tingling wisps, adding to the electricity already flowing between us. I rhythmically rubbed my center along Noah's erection, it was my natural instinct—and apparently he liked it. His hips buckled into mine, but I silenced his groan with my lips, fire and light beams still swirling around us.

With one swift motion, he once again supported my weight. I moved my lips to his neck as he searched for the living room couch. His scent was intoxicating, better than anything I'd ever smelt before. I planted soft kisses that trailed from his ear to his shoulder and was able to make two passes before he gently lowered me onto the oversized couch. He crawled on top of me, supporting his own weight with his left hand so as not to crush my body. I refused to untangle my legs from his waist, so instead I reclaimed his pouty lips, my favorite attribute of his…although there was a certain other part of his anatomy that was closing in on the number one slot. I pushed myself closer to his hard on, receiving the same elated moan as I had before.

His hand slide underneath me and rubbed my back as our lips worked against each other, perfectly in sync. It was heaven! Our labored breathing caused the flames to pulsate about us in an elaborate light show, a definite mood setter.

He pulled away from my mouth after a few seconds and trailed kisses down my neck, until he reached my breasts. He softly nuzzled his nose into my heaving chest before resuming his kisses. "Noah!" I whimpered in ecstasy. "I love you!" It just came out.

He stopped all movement, but his radiance doubled. That had to be a good sign, right? Even so, I bit my lip in anticipation, allowing the flames to die away. I clung closer to his body, but now it was as an act of sincerity rather than a plea for contact—though I still craved more.

"You love me?" Noah's hoarse, yet still bell-like, voice rang.

I nodded, still biting my lips. "I do."

The smile that spread across Noah's radiant face was a sight that almost caused my heart to stop. He was beautiful…and he loved me, too.

All of the lunacy and madness that had filled his eyes just a few minutes prior was completely overtaken by lust, passion, and…love. It transformed his visage into that of an angel's.

He gathered me up into a tight embrace, breathing in the scent of my hair as he lay on top of me. "I am so in love with you that it hurts." And with that he kissed me so gently—yet so sensually—that my eyes rolled back into my head. I clung to him fiercely; it seemed as if I would never let go. Come to think of it, I probably wouldn't.

***Whew! Like I said—wicked different than anything I've ever written. This was the first hardcore make-out scene I've ever written so I hope you liked it…I need feedback good or bad!