Haunt

Ch. 16- Ulitimatum

Dreams wrestle with my mind throughout the night causing me to constantly be moving. Eric becomes frustrated quickly, tightening his old on my body so that my movements become minimal.

It takes me by surprise at first, when I feel his large hand crawl up under my night gown. He rests it along the length of my stomach, right over my bellybutton. Half dazed, I have no energy to stop him, my only wish is that he doesn't have wondering fingers throughout sleep.

Surprisingly, Eric never ventures into sensitive territory. His head rests just above mine on the pillow and I can hear is soft breathing. Every so often it will hit the side of my face, allowing goosebumps to raise over my skin.

At one point, though, he awakens completely. I lie still, pretending to be asleep. I feel his body rise into a sitting position and a light thud noise hits the floor. Eric's arms are back around me in seconds, only this time I can feel that he has gotten rid of his shirt. Hard muscles contract behind me. The outline of his abdomen pressing firmly against my back.

There is comfort in this moment. A protection that I've never felt before.

Strange, seeing that Eric is the only person in my life to cause me physical harm yet here I am, curled up beside him and I've never felt safer.

Maybe my mind is playing tricks on me. Maybe I'm in some downward spiral of denial.

Maybe, Eric isn't so bad...

I shake that heinous thought away and fall into a deeper kind of sleep where there are no dreams, just a blackness that allows me to forget about everything, if only for a minute.

*****

A soft kiss is placed just behind my ear and my eyes flutter open. Bright light seeps in through the window already showing signs of the beautiful day to come.

"I know you're awake." Eric's husky morning voice sends me into a frenzy of nerves.

Nobody should sound like that when they first wake up.

I'm afraid to turn and look at him but all too curious to see his face. It seems like centuries have past since the last time I did.

Cautiously and with slow movements, I angle my body around to face him. His hand never leaves me, only finding the small of my back it's new place of rest.

Eric's face is dangerously close to mine but I make no attempt to move away. The morning sun has caused his darkened eyes to turn a very light shade of blue and all the evilness has drowned from his features making him look like a completely different person.

"You stayed." I whisper.

A low chuckle and amused smirk greet me.

"Where did you think I was going, angel eyes?"

Stop calling me that....

I don't need a reason to not hate him.

"I just thought...since..well you know, since I didn't let you- when you kissed me and we didn't-"

Too many thoughts and a lack of words sends me into a rambling fit. Eric's eyebrow furrows but he immediately understands my intentions through all the mess.

He kisses my lips, stopping me from speaking any further and I'm silenced.

"That's not why I came here."

Oh...

"Than why did you?"

Eric sighs, deeply, shutting his eyes, obviously trying to hold back frustration that I've just caused. He releases me from his grasp and I'm left cold and I'm frantic for his warmth.