Lunar Flare Book 1: Crimson Moon

Chapter 18

The white fog was thick around the soldier, illuminated by the light of a moon he couldn't even see. There were sounds coming from the fog, the snapping of twigs on the ground and dragging footsteps. Cassian kept twisting and turning around, eyes darting over the thick mist that surrounded him, trying to make out who was approaching. Eventually he could see dark silhouettes of figures in the fog, seemingly unsteady on their feet as they shambled towards him from all sides.

Cassian's breath caught in his throat as the approaching figures finally came close enough for him to identify them. They were his men, the young soldiers, many of them his friends, whom he had led into battle and had been cut down mercilessly by the enemy. And though they stood upright, they did not appear how he had known them in life. Their bodies bore the wounds that they had died from, great cuts across their torsos covering their armour in blood, some missing limbs or even their heads.

The corpses dragged their feet as they continued to close in on Cassian, lifeless eyes locked on him, some with arms outstretched, others even smiling with blood running out of their mouths from between their teeth. Cassian wanted to flinch away, to back up, but there was nowhere for him to go as he was surrounded by them, reaching out towards him from all directions. Tears sprung into his eyes as he cowered before them, waiting for the end.

Cassian awoke with a small start, opening his eyes but unable to see anything but the faces of the dead soldiers from his nightmare. His mouth was dry and he felt a heavy lump in his throat. His skin felt clammy; slick with sweat but also cold. He fumbled for the bedcover, trying to pull it up closer around himself.

Cassian was slightly surprised when he felt something move next to him in the bed, and suddenly pieces of memories from the previous evening started coming back to him. A sense of safety and calm washed over him, and he shuffled over in the bed to press his body up against Balthasar's.

The chirurgeon stirred from his sleep as Cassian wrapped his arm around Balthasar's thin frame, pressing his face against the back of the taller man's neck. Cassian felt Balthasar's body stiffen up against his, his muscles suddenly tense. After a few moments Balthasar grumbled out something, too lowly for Cassian to hear.

"What was that, love?" Cassian purred, kissing Balthasar's neck softly.

"I hate you," Balthasar mumbled, chest heaving with a sigh.

"I know you do," Cassian replied, lips smiling against his lover's skin.

Casian was pushed away slightly as Balthasar rolled over to face him. Cassian gave him a lopsided smile, while Balthasar scowled at him. The dark haired man lifted his upper body off the bed slightly, so he could loom over Cassian, who had rolled onto his back again.

"I really hate you," Balthasar stated, frowning down at the soldier.

Cassian smiled up at him lovingly, and reached up to cup Balthasar's gaunt face in his rough hands, stroking his cheek with his thumb. "You're beautiful," he said softly, gazing into Balthasar's grey eyes.

Suddenly Balthasar surged down towards Cassian's face, and started kissing him roughly. Cassian kept a hold of Balthasar's face as he returned the kiss, warmth spreading through his body and his muscles relaxing, leaving the memory of the nightmare he had woken from behind.

Cassian wrapped his arms around Balthasar's body to hold him close, and then the taller man ended up laying back down next to him. They were trying to ignore the sunlight filtering into the room from the window as they held onto each other, but eventually Balthasar gave a small huff and pulled away, sitting up in the bed.

Balthasar swung his legs out over the side of the bed, yawning and rubbing his eyes. Cassian crawled towards him, pressing his face against Balthasar's back.