Bedburg Hills

8

JACE POV

"That's basically how it's gone," she finished up explaining as we sat down in the cave, "now I am working on leveling my powers as a witch. Jessica gave me a book a few days ago and I have been working non-stop since. I knew it was the only way I was going to be able to find you. There are ten levels, right now I'm on level 4, soon to be level 5."

"Well look at you go," I smiled looking into her eyes, "that's amazing."

"Come on," she laid down, "the sun is rising and you need rest."

I listened to her heartbeat as I lied next to her. It was calm, steady. She was comfortable, she wasn't scared of me. It's something I'm not particularly used to. Time passed and I felt her sit up. I closed my eyes and worked on keeping my heartrate down. I felt her lean over me and then lay back down.

"You know," she started to whisper, "I know you are asleep and you might now be able to hear me, but I am really thankful for you. Things have been really crazy since I met you and I have been in more chaos and dangerous environments than ever, but I really wouldn't have it any other way. You are the reason I am so alive right now. I'm sure a girl saving you isn't the most flattering and I'm sorry if it isn't. I don't want anything bad to happen to you. I promise I will protect you whenever I can, however I can and by all means necessary. I care about you okay? Even if you refuse to believe it some days, I care about you and I want to be with you. I-

I rolled over and looked at her, "you want to be with me?"

"I want to be with you," she whispered as tears formed in her eyes, "you being gone has really done the most to me. My heart has been so sad and so heavy. I have been terrified trying to find you, terrified that I wouldn't find you in time. I worked so hard everyday, any chance I could get away I was studying and draining my energy to learn this damn spells. I want to be with you Jace, I do."

I looked at her eyes and down at her lips, I looked at her eyes again and the only thing I could do was kiss her. My hands entangled in her hair, her hands moved to my cheeks and my jaw. We stayed there, it was like the world stopped.

She wants me.

She really wants me.

"Are you sure?" I asked her, "I don't... I don't scare you? I don't worry you? You could have anyone Kira. You could have someone who is normal and doesn't have a backstory ... well like me. You deserve so much more than I will ever-

"I deserve nothing," she whispered, "I don't deserve to be walking right now. I'm not supposed to be alive, at all. I'm not supposed to exist at all. I want you Jace. I want to lay beside you, talk to you, be with you. I don't want anyone else." She kissed me again, "lay down with me?"

I smiled as the two of us laid down, her head on my chest and her arm wrapped around me. She rubbed my side with her thumb.

"Can I rub your back?" She asked quietly, "if I ask you to roll over will you?"

I slowly rolled onto my stomach and she gently ran her hands up and down my back. She lifted my shirt slowly, my body tensing as she ran her hands along my skin.

"What is that?" She asked concerned, "what's in your skin?"

"Ron put a tracking device in me years ago," I said, "he quit using it and disconnected it but left that part in me."

"Does it hurt you?" She asked more.

"Yes," I admitted, "but I'm used to it. It isn't as bad as it used to be."

"Roll back onto your back," she whispered, "I'm going to try something. I've only read about it so far but I'm going to try it."

She waved her hand over my eyes, I closed them, "are you sure?"