AN:
Had so much fun writing this chapter - and I finally got to incorporate a one-shot into it! Kind of disappointed it was so short, but I hope you guys aren't too disappointed with the lack of length.
Warning: some light cussing, some very small amounts of smut - basically just a really heavy make-out session.
Can not wait until the next chapter, spoiler: even more Reid and Avery goodness (and definitely some tangling in the sheets). ;)
Special shouts outs:
SammieLuvsFood: Yes! If you're hot and bothered, it means I'm doing my job right. So warning, for this chapter and the next, might want to sit next to a fan or something. ;) This story and I so return your love! :D
BrooklynSommerson21: Good job on the pep rally performance! I bet it was amazing! :D Oh my god, all this love, you guys are making me want to scream! haha.
Guest: I'm so glad you think so! :D
To all my reviewers: you guys rock, thank you for the encouragement, it means a lot! You're all freaking perfect, and enthusiastic and I love it. :)
To all you non reviewers: you rock too, and I'm glad you're still reading! :)
x
Unending darkness. Unending pain. The searing of flesh, the tearing of worn throats.
Blood. Violence. Death.
Horrific maliciousness unimaginable to any sane mind.
Devastation, desecration, loss.
Avery came awake with a silent scream, her eyes unfocused and dazed with sweat slicking her body – her heart pounding a mile per minute, trying to burst out of her chest as she fought for the oxygen she so badly lacked at the moment.
She couldn't breathe, couldn't distinguish between reality and fiction as her heart raced, her skin slick with fright and pain. Her body was a livewire, numb from head to toe as she fumbled out of the guest room, her designated room, and fumbled through the corridor; all the while shaking her head, trying to clear her brain, to push away the thoughts, the sensory overload but she was thoroughly unguarded from the nightmarish onslaught of her gift – the shadows lingering in the dark corridor a taunting darkness that was a mere echo of the dream she had just awoken from.
She had just reached the bathroom when she slammed into a larger, stronger body than her own; one that seemed to radiate the heat she so desperately lacked at the moment.
"Avie?" A startled, sleep-husky voice inquired as long, slim fingers curled around her elbows to steady her.
She was just about to speak when his crystalline blue eyes sharpened, clearing of sleep as his hands moved to cup her face, "Avery, what's wrong? Breathe, dammit."
Shaking her head she tried to move past him, nobody ever saw her like this, she made sure of it; it would be too much for them, they wouldn't know what to do with her and it'd make them feel useless. She didn't want her family feeling like that; there was nothing anybody could do for her.
He wouldn't release her though, instead, he took hold of one of her hands and firmly began to lead her into his room, the room one down from her own.
As soon as he shut the door behind them, she pulled out of his grip and headed for his windows, pushing the large glass open and leaning out so that she could smell the fresh air, so that she could feel the crisp night air and try to breathe. It didn't help. Though breathing came easier to her, her mind was still lost in the chaos of her ability, she was drowning.
Strong, lean arms wrapped around her waist, spinning her so abruptly that she had to brace herself against Reid's chest to keep steady. "What the fuck is going on Avery?" A rough, uncompromising, demand.
She could only shake her head, shutting her eyes as she tried to clear her mind before he freed one of his hands to trap her chin. "Look at me."
Opening her eyes at the silent demand, she could barely see him even though he stood a mere couple of inches away from her, even though every angle of his face was illuminated by the full moon at her back; he was a mere shadow to her.
Before she could even register what was happening next, Reid was kissing her; smooth, soft lips claiming hers in a rough, demanding sweep that left no room for thinking, only action, forcing her to respond to his raw demand without thought.
And as he backed her into the wall, as his hands gripped her hair and forced herself to open for him, reality began to return to her, her vision began to clear as her shields rebuilt themselves as her body ignited, heat returning to her deepest parts; her hands curling into his shirt, pulling him closer even as she pushed at him.
She could breathe. She could think. She could feel.
And dear god was she feeling more than she had ever felt before. She felt alive, truly, terrifyingly alive for the first time in years; and it was exhilarating.
Unbidden, she made a throaty sound of pleasure when his tongue reached out to tangle with her own, and suddenly she found herself sitting on the dangerous ledge of his windowsill, her legs spread with him in between them; one arm held securely around her back, the other still buried in her hair.
When he pulled back for breath, she let out a soft mewl of despair that she'd be more than embarrassed about in the morning – she could care a less now, not when her reality was such a vividly, startlingly, beautiful thing.
"Don't you dare stop Garwin." A rough demand that showed him she had returned back to herself. And the thrill that came with the need he heard in her voice was incapable of being measured; his lips took hers again before he'd even caught his breath, his pelvis rocking against hers, her thighs squeezing him tight, her nails pulling at the skin she had somehow found beneath his shirt.
He wouldn't take her to bed in the true sense of the word, but he'd finish this; he could only hope that she didn't regret him in the morning, regret him like so many others had before.
All followers, favoriters, reviewers, non-reviewers, continuous guests, and first-timers: I hope you enjoyed!
Feel free to review!
Until next time,
x