The Star and the Ocean (Book 1 in the Starborn Series)

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Lenaia was the first to move. She rushed forward and crouched over Kane, surveying the damage. Blood flowed from his nose and split lip, staining the collar of his dress shirt crimson.

"Okay," she breathed in relief. "He's not dead."

"Of course he's not dead." Em grimaced as she shook out her hand.

Lenaia looked up at Em, her expression torn between awe and fear. "I don't think you understand what you just did. I've never seen anyone move that fast! He's out cold."

May took hold of Em's wrist, pulling her around to face her.

"What were you thinking?" Her eyes were large with panic. "We spent the whole night trying to lay low and you go and punch out the town golden boy."

"He was talking shit about you, May!" Em's mind was buzzing again. She was dangerously close to shouting.

"Shh!" Lenaia hissed. "You two should probably get out of here. I'll take care of this."

Neither May nor Em argued. Whispering their thanks, they ducked under the windows and darted down the stairs to the beach.

Once they had stumbled far enough from the house, May paused to pull off her shoes. She kicked them into the sand in frustration and rounded on Em.

"You hit him!" she snapped.

"I told you, he was talking shit," Em massaged the side of her head, willing herself to focus. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't-"

"He's always talking shit about me, Em." May cut her off with a dismissive wave of her hand. "That's not a good reason to punch him out."

Em peered at May in surprise.

"I've never heard you swear before," she remarked quietly.

"That's because I haven't been this mad yet," May grumbled back, folding her arms across her chest. She was already starting to lose her edge. The adrenaline was ebbing - her fear and anger over what Em had done was slowly replaced by a certain fondness over why she had done it. "What were you doing outside in the first place?"

"I was trying to be discreet, believe it or not," Em tried to force a laugh but it came out more like a strangled sob. "My mind isn't... I'm struggling. I didn't want to pull you from the party so I thought, maybe I should try to get to the water but..."

May gasped. She had been so caught up she hadn't noticed Em's labored breathing and pained expression.

She stepped forward, closing space between them and wrapping her arms around Em tightly. "I'm so sorry. I didn't realize..."

Em leaned into the embrace, the electricity running through her body grounded under May's touch. She pressed her mouth to May's, kissing her once to apologize and then again to say thanks. She poured everything she struggled to say into the desperate meeting of their lips until, just like the night when they had first fallen into one another, they found themselves tangled and breathless on the beach. When they finally pulled away, Em's mind was her own again and May had forgiven her completely.

"How do you feel now?" May asked, gently stroking Em's cheek with her thumb.

"So much better," Em replied. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Thank you."

May studied Em's face in the moonlight. She didn't want to think of what would happen once word got out about the incident with Kane. The idea of facing anyone right now made her stomach twist. What she wanted more than anything was to hide away for a little while.

The idea came to her like a whisper.

"Maybe we should leave," May said. "Just until the dust settles."