Hell Fire (Wild Fire: 2) (FINISHED)

28 - Safe...

Ember shifted closer to Max's familiar form while slowly waking from her slumber.

When she got enough courage, she opened her eyes, staring lazily up at Max who had her in his lap still, but he was watching the TV in the motel room.

"Max...?" Ember whispered. "When did we get here...?"

He gazed down at her at the sound of her voice and shook his head.

"What...?" she uttered.

"Shhh..." he murmured gently, pulling her to him, "it's too early. Go back to sleep, sweetheart."

Really? What time was it?

She was still tired anyway, so she set her head on his chest as he draped a blanket over her.

"Can you..." she said softly, "rub my back?"

He listened immediately, gently spreading his fingers along her skin and ran his hand up and down through the softness of the blanket.

She relaxed into him, feeling her eyes weigh as warm chills spread through her.

She was scared to go to sleep before, but she knew her fears calmed when he did this.

"You're safe, Angel," Max told her. "Promise."

"Max?"

He gazed down. "You need to go to sleep."

She shook her head, eyes softening. "Max, can we go fly?"

His brows arched.

"Can you... can you hold me like this?" she whispered, cheeks reddening. "And go for a fly?"

He sighed and switched off the TV, smirking down at her while she gazed up, hopeful.

She watched him as he grabbed the warmest blanket in there and wrapped it around her, covering her in its softness while tucking it in under her so she was wrapped like a burrito.

She set her head on his shoulder as he slipped off the bed and caught her from under her knees and back, picking her up and holding her to him as he stepped over to the front door.

Ember watched his calm, angular expression as he continued down the hall and to the exit of the motel.

She closed her eyes, enjoying the bite of the cool wind and how it soothed her heated face.

When she opened her eyes, they were in an alleyway.

But she caught onto his shirt, looking up to Max as his wings spread from his back, the black feathers glistening under the moonlight.

And he launched into the night, making her giggle as the weightless feeling entered her again, but the cool night calmed the excitement down.

It was like taking off in an airplane.

Max held her tightly to him as they flew higher and higher, until they reached the clouds, and since she was stuck in a blanket tortilla, she couldn't touch them to see how fluffy they were.

But she gazed down, eyes widening at the beauty in front of her.

The sky was black, little specks of stars glittering in the darkness, but just over the horizon, the atmosphere glowed blue, signifying a new day.

A fresh start.

She watched as the city lights under her glistened in the night, her eyes reflecting the beauty.

Ember set her head on Max's chest then, the calmness and silence up here making exhaustion swell in her veins.

He was staring ahead, focused on who knew what.

But she just closed her eyes and let herself drown. "Thank you, Max."