A Dragon's Treasure

15. The Seventh Floor Apartment

CASSIAN

What started as curiosity quickly turned into desire and the white rabbit ran. Cassian remembers reading Alice in Wonderland, wondering why one white rabbit mattered more out of the thousands on earth. Couldn't Alice find a different rabbit easier? Without all the chasing? Without the frustrating adventure? What was it about the white rabbit that made Alice chase it? But Cassian understood now. He knew. She knew. She knew the rabbit was different. She knew it was special and so special, she fell down the rabbit hole for it and found she couldn't climb back out. Willing to chase the rabbit for however long it took to catch him.

But Cassian caught his white rabbit, so why did it feel like he was still chasing Luke?

Like he only just found the rabbit hole and was still falling, still falling, and falling.

Without wasting a single second, Cassian snapped the cab door shut, instructed the driver to drive to the apartment, and immediately offered all of his attention to Luke. He held on tight to Luke's hand, so he wouldn't slip out of Cassian's hold. He was soaked to the bone. They both were, but he wasn't even a little cold. He wasn't bothered at all. In fact, Cassian never felt better. The car started moving and Luke was grabbing Cassian by his neck and pulling him into another kiss. For the first time in Cassian's life, he felt like something someone else was trying to claim. Not just Cassian wanting, wanting, wanting something. Someone wanted him.

And the feeling was mutual. Cassian hadn't had enough. He didn't know if just this night would be enough. Usually, Cassian would try to blame this animalistic behavior on his basic nature as a dragon, but Cassian knew it was even simpler than that.

Cassian was just like any man, desiring someone else. Cassian longed for more than kissing, more than simple heavy petting. It was magical how his daydreams were transforming out of fiction into real life like the theory of a firework exploding into the air versus it actually going off. He knew exactly what to do. He had been thinking of it long enough to feel perfectly prepared. Now, it was a question of just how far they could take this.

And by some miracle, Luke grabbed handfuls of Cassian's jacket and yanked Cassian closer because they both agreed on one thing, they both agreed they wanted each other desperately. Cassian wanted Luke to be the raindrops soaking him to the bone. He smelled so good. Did he always smell so good? Cassian dragged his nose up Luke's neck, needing him more than air. Luke wrapped his arms around Cassian, scooting so close, he almost ended up in Cassian lap.

It was all a rush, like when Cassian had taken his time flying higher and higher into the sky just to feel the descent, just to feel the rush. Every moment felt fleeting, and Cassian wasn't appreciating it enough. These firsts were coming and going faster than Cassian could let these precious moments burn into mind forever.

This could be the last time, Cassian dreaded. This could be it.

And Cassian bared the pain from this heartache by squeezing Luke's thigh, anchoring Cassian to this car and this moment and this amazing reality where Luke was kissing him like their lives depended on it. Was the car spinning? Cassian wasn't sure. Maybe their lives did depend on it. Maybe Luke was the only thing keeping the fire inside of Cassian bright. His flame never burned so hot and so wild as when he stepped through the doors of the Whitlock Manor and met Luke. It was life changing. Magic altering.

"We're here," the taxi driver had to tell them twice.

Cassian pulled out his wallet and gave the driver more than enough for the trip and a little extra as an apology for the PDA. "Come on," Luke urged him, dragging Cassian out of the taxi and they ran back through the rain and inside the apartment building.