|[ THE FAERI'S KEEPER ]|

Chapter 14: Convicted - Part II

"Is that all?" he whispered. The quietness of his words shocked me so much I almost forgot to answer.

"Yes." I said softly. He nodded slowly, face smooth and dark.

"Let me out." he said, his voice still quiet. My heart sank. It meant nothing to him... any of what I had said... I curled my hands into fists at my side and stayed put. When I didn't move he raised his lip slightly in a snarl. "Let me out." he hissed. My eyes flickered down to my feet. His snarl widened when I refused to move. " I will hurt you if you don't." I half expected him to reach for the nearest weapon and wield it, but he only clenched his hands.

"Do it then." I said stiffly, a challenge in my voice. I could feel his breath on me, cool and sweet. I felt fear brewing in the corners of my mind. Would he hurt me? Would he do it? I wanted him to... I wanted the flash of pain it would bring, to remind me that this was real... that this wasn't just a horrible dream I would wake up from any second..."Do it" I looked up at him, "I don't care." Cedric raised his hand and I flinched away, closing my eyes slightly. He growled and I knew he meant it. I steeled my nerves and waited. I wouldn't shy away. I deserved this... I had hurt him... it was only fair he hurt me. But when the seconds ticked past and there was still no pain I looked up at him. As if that small action had angered him he suddenly grabbed my shoulders, as if to shake me. But he just stayed stock still, his fingers digging into my flesh.

"What are you going to do?" I whispered. He was stronger than me; he was taller than me, and a much better hand on hand fighter. I had my knife, I thought – my train of thinking was becoming very broken as I realised how closer we were - and even if I did have the chance to fight back... I wasn't even sure I would be willing to do it.

"I don't know." Cedric said softly. I could see the bright anger I in his eyes draining away. He let me go and took a step away from me. My gaze moved away from his blue eyes and down to his cupid bow lips... I felt something stir inside me, like an animal waking up. I moved without thinking, and without caring. I just wanted...

"What are you....?" he asked as I pulled him towards me. His lips mashed against mine as I pressed myself up against him. For a moment he was unmoving, like a sheet of ice and I wondered briefly what I had gotten myself into. Would he push me away with a cry of disgust... would this make him go through with hurting me? But then I felt his whole body react to my touch, his muscles quivering under my hands and his heart racing beneath mine. His hands instinctively moved to my waist and I placed one of my hands on his neck, fingers tangling in his long ashy-blonde hair. He murmured my name against my mouth and he pushed me back up against the wall. His hands moved to become splayed on either side of my head and he pressed his body against mine, trapping me against the wall. My fingers edged up under his shirt, along his lean, muscled stomach and he moved his kisses along my cheek and down my neck. His own hands began wondering, no longer stopping him from crushing me against the wall. But I didn't complain as he seemed to melt against me, like honey, and just as sweet. I felt his cool fingers on my stomach, inching up underneath the shirt. I reciprocated, not even sure what I was doing, but letting my body have free reign.  My senses were alive in a way I had never experienced...His shirt was suddenly an annoyance I wanted gone. I began sliding my hands underneath it, pushing it up... moving it away... it had to go...

"Irene..." he whispered against my throat and pulled back, "Stop." I ignored him and moved my hands still further up underneath his shirt. He grabbed my wrists gently and held them away from him. My heart was sill fluttering in my ears. We were both breathing hard.

"Irene, don't do something you will regret. Don't let your emotions cloud your thoughts." His words sounded rational, collected, but his breathless voice urged me to throw caution to the wind.