Phantom; Blessed by the devil, Cursed by the gods

Chapter 20 Conversations

When Marcus finally woke up his head ached terribly, his legs and arms felt heavy, and lights danced across his vision like playing pixies. Still he struggled upright on the bed he was lying on, trying to remember how he'd gotten here.

He couldn't remember much; a shower of gold, burning with his fire and then falling into darkness, and Bloom's voice, whispering words of assurance, finding it's way to him even in the darkness.

"Bloom" he whispered.

He looked around the room and saw traces of her all over. Plants and flowers were growing from the walls and floor, a vine was wrapped around the headboard of the bed and the smell of tree sap and dandelions filled the room. There was a black backpack hanging on the handle of the door and a long silver whip curled like a snake on the table not too far from him.

Clearly this wasn't the room Katarina had given him that late Tuesday night.

This was Bloom's room.

Just then the door creaked open and Marcus raised his head to see her standing in the doorway.

She was as beautiful as ever in dark blue jeans and a black shirt that hung on her curved body like a short dress. She had a tray in her hands with a bowl, a basket of fruits and a knife in it, a bottle of water was held expertly between her jaw and chest and she struggled to keep everything balanced as she walked to the table to place them carefully.

She hadn't noticed Marcus was awake yet, so he watched her as she sliced fruit and carefully placed the slices in a small bowl. Her movements were meticulous, cautious, artistic even, and Marcus couldn't stop himself from smiling at her.

Then she turned around and her eyes went wide when she saw him sitting and staring at her. She gasped in shock, the plate almost falling from her hand, spoon rattling and fruits nearly toppling, but she steadied herself and let out a sigh of relief.

"You gave me a fright" she said, as she let out more puffs of air.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you" he replied.

She chuckled and walked to the bed, the hem of her shirt brushing the fabric below her knees as she approached.

"It's alright" she said, as she sat at the edge of the bed, she placed the tray on her lap, picked up the bowl and handed it to him. "How are you feeling?"

Marcus sighed and took the bowl from her hands, his fingers landed over hers, the contact of their skins made literal heat rise to his cheeks. He raised his eyes from the bowl and looked at Bloom, her eyes locked on his for a second, and then she yanked them away along with her hands.

He leaned back into the bed, clutching the bowl of fruit to himself.

"I feel great, just…. drained" he replied. He looked down at the fruit bowl, a colourful display of watermelon, pineapple and green apple slices stared back up at him. His stomach growled. "And hungry"

Bloom laughed lightly, a laugh as light as a gentle breeze. Marcus laughed as well and then took a bite of fruit.

"What you did back there was incredible" Bloom said.

"Really?, I remember so little of it" he took another bite, unable to get over the sweetness of fresh fruit, "I've never done anything that left me this tired"

He felt her hands bunch up the sheets at his feet, he looked up but her eyes didn't meet his anymore, they stared at the velvet sheets like they were interstellar.

"But I'm fine now" Marcus said to reassure her.

She looked up at him, her hands releasing the sheets.