Coiled (Book 1 of 2)

The Way Friends Do

They're back at the Krait.

They've been meeting secretly every day, though they've been varying up their meeting locations to throw off anyone who might be following them. But tonight, they're back at the Krait.

A different room then last time, same darkened hallway. This room, just a few doors down from the one they met in the first time they were here.

They've been here alone together for hours now; this room has an old yet refined queen sized bed, and they're currently seated cross legged on it, knees touching as they hold hands, eyes shut in complete concentration.

But ...

It's not what you might think -

It's not ...

It's not!

She's teaching him how to strengthen his mental skills, how to sharpen himself and open his mind more fully to the visions that sometimes come to him.

He'll never be like her; he'll never reach the same level of seeing into the vast beyond the way she can. Her gift, quite extraordinarily exceptional. His? Definitely average. But don't forget - we're talking average as regards an extremely rare and unique ability. And furthermore, perhaps comparing them's not the point. Perhaps it doesn't matter that he's not as strong a seer as her; the important thing is that he's capable, and he can make great strides in his practice of the mystical arts. If he would only just ...

"... You need to let yourself go, Amy."

"I am."

Except you're not.

You're not!

Eyes fluttering open, she gently squeezes his hands, "You're clearly holding back. Why?"

Sighing with exasperation, he shakes his head and opens his own eyes, "I'm not sure. You keep saying that -"

"- Because you keep holding back."

"It's not intentional, Dora. I simply don't know how to let go any more than I already have."

Staring back at him, she considers this. He's reached a wall, proverbially speaking. They're not mind reading - not really. Neither of them possesses that ability. But they are able to sense one another's auras, their respective energies, for lack of a better word. And this is how she knows he keeps hitting a mental block. She can feel it, can feel his resistance flaring up just when he's about to truly let himself go and reach the lowest levels of the astral plane.

Suddenly leaning forward, she slips both her hands up and onto his thighs and brings her forehead to rest against his. His breath catching against her, his heart starts racing wildly, "What are you -"

"- Trying to reach you. Trying to show you how it feels for me when I break through. Perhaps if you could just sense that ..."

Is there a way you could do this without sending me into overdrive?

Without hopelessly turning me on?

She's not trying to be suggestive or provocative of course. The same way he knows she's never tried to lead him on all these years. Any flirtation between them, never intentional. In fact, she herself only recently became aware of the secret, repressed feelings she has for him. But any and all feelings aside, it's just Pandora, it's just her way. Especially where he's concerned. It's just so natural, it's so irresistible - the urge to touch him, the urge to forever pull him closer.

It's only after a heartbreaking internal struggle that he forces himself to reach up and pull her hands away and off his body, their eyes locking as he does so.