The Outsiders

The Outsiders: Chapter Nine

Khristopher De Caldwick

Never had I felt so horridly euphoric.

            I stared at him as his chest rose and fell. Cuddling the small pillow I had meticulously placed my coverings on, I could only sigh. He held me with such gentle force, clutching me with such care and earnestness. No warmth I had ever felt compared to Soum's. Even the brightest days with the highest temperatures seemed like icy turbulence compared to the sheer heat that emanated from his dark skin. It frightened me.

             With eyes of darkened opal and sweet honey, they always glittered with understanding and care unlike any other. Skin, a deep russet, was smooth to the touch and glimmered under any light. The curls that sat upon his head were neither kinky nor perfectly defined, but mixed and interwoven in itself as some pieces dangled onto his forehead. A darkened, almost black, his hair color was distinct to him as it too glittered in the sunlight. Blinging and perfect, the smile that graced his lips at almost every moment in time was an addictive sight.

             I couldn't get enough of Soum, and any thought of me coming to care for him horrified me. What if he was like my Cauldron? What if he deceived me? Would I trust him just to be thrown into a pit of despair? With a single touch, I melted in his arms. Never had I wanted anyone to touch me, let alone caress and grant me such warm affections. With a single touch, I almost lost myself in his arms.

            We were mates: the strongest bond ever created by nature, yet the profound infatuation could be manipulated easily, forcing unwanted acts and other travesties to ocurre. He had me wrapped around his finger with an idiotic touch, leaving me susceptible to any fatal attack. With all of the hurt in my chest, I could only agree with the sorry sentiment. Never had I felt the dejection of my sorrowful thoughts consume me.

        If this man was like the people I had run from, then he was merely a pawn in my game. Staring into his eyes, I could only fall deeper in our bond, a bond stronger than any other: easily manipulated. I needed to have him under my spell before he could hurt me while I was under his. Clearing my facade of emotion, I simply ran my finger down his cheek.

"Khristopher?"

Turning to his earnest eyes, I watched as they grew dim with worry. Caressing my cheek, Soum pulled me close to his chest, discarding the pillow k had placed next to him. The touch brought a striking euphoria, one that surged through my limbs like a mangled fire. Frowning, I turned away from him. So many that I had trusted gave me that look: one of pitiful worry and shallow concern. I wasn't going to be fooled again. I had Sonia and Toasheh, the only family I needed.

"What's wrong?"

I simply shook my head, pressing it into my pillow. Sighing, he pulled me into his chest. Inhaling his calming scent, I relaxed against him. Before I could even register my emotions, tears clouded my vision as his warmth coated the hurt in his scent. His scent soothed every one of my woes, even the ones about him. I tried to remind myself of my prior thoughts, but the sheer warmth that emanated around him halted my wandering mind. Hypnotized by his utter self, I noted the severity of the bond.

    Going against my own pleads, I whimpered, "just hold me."

Nodding, Soum held me firmly. Pulling me into his lap, he brushed his fingers over my back and through my hair.