Ok this is the after lemon chapter and it is leading up to the start of the actual games. Thanks for reading!! We LOVE reviews so please continue doing it!! Hehe. Sorry this chapter is so short the next will be quite long so yeah…
Tala POV:
I hadn't gotten much sleep last night. Thresh and I had alternated relentlessly between making love and just clinging to each other. Every move we made and every breath we took held a sense of desperation. We knew that in a matter of hours we would be forced to fight for our lives and kill the most innocent of children if they got in our way.
"What are you thinking?" Thresh asked softly, his hand roaming up and down my arm in calming movements. I smiled up at him and rolled my eyes.
"What do you think?" I whispered. His hold on me tightened and then reluctantly slackened once again.
"Try not to think about it," he muttered without much hope that I would actually do so.
"And what would you have me think about?" I drawled suggestively. Thresh just laughed at this, amazed at my apparently unquenchable sexual appetite.
"Will you be able to run like you need to?" he asked with a slight chuckle.
"Who cares?" I demanded, aiming to rejoin our sweat slicken bodies.
"I do," he said gently, pushing me back by my waist but placing a lingering kiss on my lips. "I mean what I said earlier Tala. It wasn't the effect of some post sex stupor. I love you," he implored,
"I love you too," I repeated for the second time tonight. Oh how stupid we were! Allowing ourselves to love at this point was beyond idiotic. I slumped against his bare chest and I knew I was trembling.
"I hate them," I said quietly as tears began to roll down my face and land on his overheated skin.
"Sh," he warned, eyes washing over the room looking for the cameras which were sure to be hidden to deprive the tributes from any and all privacy they had left.
"Oh you know it's true! I hate them! You hate them!" I whispered furiously.
"That's not the point," he growled. He'd never used this rough a voice with me and I'd be lying if I said the dark shadow cast over his face didn't unnerve me.
"That is exactly the point," I returned, refusing to show my fear.
"You're just nervous about the games. Try not to worry. I'll find you, I will protect you," he promised with such conviction I could only nod in response.
"Do you trust me?" he asked, kissing my neck lightly.
"Yes," I answered immediately, watching beams of light stream in through the window. He held me close, willing me to believe in him. And I did. I took a deep breath, inhaling his delectable scent, a curious mix of pine and grain.
"I think I'm going to go take a shower. If I'm going to go die, I think I'll die clean," I announced, pushing off of the bed and standing on unsteady legs.
"You are not going to die," he exhaled.
"Right… remember what you said about not wanting to spend any of your life without me?" he nodded, smiling distantly.
"That still true?" He nodded again, showing his white teeth as he grinned.
"Well then come on," I smirked, holding out my hand to him and standing a little taller when he followed me into the bathroom. My feet were cold on the chilled tiles and I danced across the floor in a rush to turn the faucet up.
"Wanna get clean?" I asked playfully, letting the water run experimentally through my fingers.
"Only fair, we spent all night getting dirty," he reasoned in a seductive whisper. I laughed again and stepped cautiously into the stream of water. I had to wait only a moment for Thresh to join me. I watched in awe as glistening beads slid down his body and ran down the drain. To distract myself I grabbed the shampoo and began massaging it into my scalp. Even their cleaning products were better than ours.
The smell of lavender and honey filled my nostrils as the sweet smelling bubbles disappeared.
"Oh my God," Thresh groaned in what seemed to be pain. I raised my eyebrows questioningly as his lips crashed down on mine.
"Tala you are much too tempting for your own good."
"No Thresh," I muttered, pushing him away with a wry smile.
"What is it? Are you…um… hurting?" he seemed genuinely concerned for my wellbeing. He looked nervous as he awaited my answer.
"No but its morning. My prep team will be here soon. I don't want them to walk in on something like that." To tell the truth I was starting to feel the unfamiliar, pleasant soreness but I wouldn't tell him that, he wouldn't forgive himself.
"Well that being the case maybe I should get out." I laughed at how little faith he had in himself and wound my arms around his neck to bring him closer to me. Warm water encased us as my lips met his. Our torso's touched and Thresh moaned into my mouth. The feel of my skin against his appeared to be his undoing.
"You're really not helping the cause here Tala. One more kiss like that and I will be liable to attack you." I laughed but didn't release my hold.
"Maybe you should learn to control yourself," I declared in a slightly breathless whisper.
"Is this really the best time to teach me restraint?" There it was; the one thing that could bring me back to the hellish reality. Thresh and I would never have the luxury to stay holed up in a bathroom together.
"I forgot…" I was stunned at the truth behind my own words. He had made me forget, which I'm sure was his plan all along. He didn't want me worrying at all.
"Yeah…maybe we should get out of here," he sounded remorseful. Thresh's honey brown eyes met mine and the love his held floored me. Suddenly I wasn't as afraid. I glanced away, noting my slowly pruning hands.
"Yeah I guess you're right," I agreed, offering him a lopsided grin. He hopped out of the shower, holding his arms out to me. I stepped forward, letting him lower me out of the warm abases and onto the floor. I snatched the two white towels from the hook and handed one to Thresh. I secured it around my body and sauntered over to the steam encrusted mirror. I lifted my index finger and carefully 'wrote' the words "I love you", standing there helplessly as they began to fade, much as our lives would.
"I love you too," he said quietly. He wrapped the towel around his waist and pressed my body close to his.
"Just run," he breathed against my ear. I didn't have to ask what he meant, the way we stayed on the same track was almost frightening.
"And what will you do?" I asked quietly.
"Stay and get the weapons I need to protect you." I despised his easy going tone and twisted in his arms so I could look into his eyes.
"No. I run you run," I said earnestly. I had seen the strongest of Careers die in the first five minutes of the Games and I couldn't and wouldn't stand it if that happened to him. Hell, I didn't want Thresh within a hundred yards of the Games.
"Please," I begged. I think he could tell I was on the brink of tears so he faked a smile.
"Sure." His voice was too high, he was lying. I opened my mouth to protest but he interrupted me.
"Come on," he ushered me out of bathroom. My feet touched the soft carpet and I let the towel drop to the floor, reminding myself not to grow accustomed to fluffy, gentle things.
"Thresh are you really going to run with me?" I asked skeptically, I don't think I could bear leaving him in the Cornucopia. He was silent for a long moment, eyes taking in the view as he seemed to try and memorize my naked form. He slumped onto my bed, taking in a raspy breath.
"Please Thresh?" I saw the battle raging within him as he tried to hide his uncertainty. I clambered over to him quickly, taking advantage of his wavering resolve. I took my time moving to straddle him, making sure my skin lingered at least briefly on his.
"Please?" I asked again, finally touching my lips to his. Thresh kissed me gently, his mind obviously still on other things.
"Why is it so hard to deny you anything?" he asked in an exasperated whisper.
"Well I know one thing that's hard," I muttered looking down and smiling, he narrowed his eyes playfully. "But I hear that's how it is when you love someone," I said, sobering and answering his previous question. He smiled with uncertainty.