Pan's Kiss

Rayden

Peter paced anxiously back and forth pulling at his orange hair until it looked like fire.
I slumped in my chair and blew my long bangs out of my face only for them to float back onto my nose.
Peter was mumbling to himself in a panic.
"Peter relax! You have to keep your cool!..for Caeli." I said.
Peter spun around at the mention of her name and rushed towards me. Before I could react, he had taken my shirt in his fists and was shaking me angrily.
"How am I supposed to keep my cool? You have no idea what I'm going through!"
Something snapped in me and I twisted his hands behind his back leaving him shocked and defenseless.
"Don't you dare tell me I don't know how you feel. I've felt things worse than your delusional happy mind can even begin to imagine. I know what she's going through right now and your pain right now doesn't even begin to compare to it. So for once in your life stop being a self centered brat and think about something other than yourself."
I let go of his arms and shoved him away but he spun around and punched me in the face so hard it made my ears ring and I saw stars.
When my vision came back Peter was leaning with his head against the wall and pounding his massive fists into the wood.
I could already feel my eye swelling up and it took every ounce of my willpower not to attack him right then and there. The only thing keeping me off of him was knowing that fighting would do nothing for Caeli.
There was only one thing left for me to do...

Peter

My knuckles were bleeding but I didn't care. I hoped that Rayden got a huge swollen bruise that would make him as ugly to everyone else as he is to me.
I was so angry with him.
How could he be so calm. How could he expect me to just be fine. My girlfriend is possessed my a demon that he brought here and he's telling me to relax?
My head was spinning.
A thousand thoughts and emotions whirred through my aching head as I tried to figure out what to do.
I was angry with myself for not protecting her. I was jealous...of Rayden? Because he knew something about her that I didn't.
He might be more help to her than I am and the thought of that made me feel like throwing up.
I racked my brain trying to figure out what to do. My head was spinning as I tried to piece together an idea of how to save her.
I recalled Jame's situation. Tiger Lilly kissed him didn't she? Or she told him she loved him.
I spun around to look at Caeli and I saw Rayden hovering above her, his lips just inches from hers.
"What are you doing?"
I growled as I shoved him away from her.
His eye had already begun to swell up but he wasn't as ugly as I had hoped.
He glared at me angrily.
"You weren't doing anything to help her so I figured it was up to me to try!"
"Why would you kissing her do anything? You don't love her. And she sure as hell doesn't love you."
Rayden stared me down with evident contempt but for a moment I thought I saw a flicker of something else in his eyes. Hurt definitely, that much was clear. But something more personal also...we used to be so close I could read anything that crossed his mind.
"Did you kiss her?" I asked.
He didn't say anything. His expression was stone cold.
"Did you kiss her?" I demanded.
"No!" He yelled. "I didn't."
He glanced anxiously at Caeli, who's hair he had brushed behind her ear.
I stared down at her face, The unfamiliar feeling of anxiety twisting my stomach in knots and making my heart race.
I took a deep breath and kissed her myself.
I pulled away to look at her face but I couldn't see her waking up.
I kissed her again and just as I was about to pull away I felt her kissing me back.
Her hand gently reached up to stroke my face as our lips parted.
I pulled away to stare at her in wonder as her ocean colored eyes washed over me like a wave of relief.

Caeli

Pain
All I could feel was excruciating pain.
Like red hot jagged knives being plunged into every inch of my body and the unending mind rattling shrieks and screams that accompanied the pain. Not my screams, part of my torture was not being able to move an inch or make any sound at all.
The screams were part of the torture being inflicted upon me by the demon possessing me.
Every second my will to live diminished. This was the demon's intent.
To weaken me until I had nothing left. No fight left in me.
No hope.
But for now I did have hope. I had confidence that Peter would rescue me. He's a hero, that's what he does. And he loves me.
But hope doesn't numb pain or silence screams and though I had faith in Peter I didn't have much faith in myself.
I knew that my strength was steadily diminishing. I didn't have long before I was beyond hope of recovery.
The pain was so terrible I couldn't think, I couldn't process thoughts. All I could do was picture Peter's bright green eyes and hold on to that picture.
That hope that those green eyes would stare into mine again very soon. Any moment my eyes would open and the pain would stop and he'd be smiling over me.
Peter. That's what my mind was reduced to.
All I could think was Peter.
My strength was nearly sapped and I felt my will melt away under the torture.
The pain was finally too much.
But just as I was about  to give in I felt a cool pair of lips gently touch mine. It was the first time feeling something that wasn't pain.
And that lack of pain seemed to blow over me like a cool breeze of sweet relief.
Suddenly I didn't feel any more pain and the screaming had finally stopped.
The relief was so immense I was certain that I was dead until I felt Peter kissing me again. For it had to be Peter.
And this time it wasn't relief that washed over me. With his now warm lips gently against mine again I felt warm comfort spread through me and heat my very bones. It was exactly like laying in the sunshine and feeling that sweet warmth saturate my entire being.
He pulled away for a moment and my heart ached to feel him again.
No sooner had I thought this then my wish was granted.
Finally I felt strong enough.
Slowly and gently I reached my hand up to his face and felt his warm cheek.
Peter pulled away from me and stared in wonder.
"Caeli!" He gasped breathlessly as tears filled his eyes.
He pulled me to his chest and I could feel his body shaking as he tried to suppress his sobs.
He took several deep breaths and then kissed me again and again.
I kissed him back as if he were my life support.
"Ahem!"
For the first time since consciousness I noticed something besides Peter.
It was Rayden, who had a massive swollen bruise on his cheekbone. He was standing at the foot of my bed with his arms crossed and an unidentifiable expression.
Something like a mix of concern, annoyance, and relief. There was another emotion but I couldn't put my finger on it before he broke into a grin.
Peter glanced at him and suddenly adopted a protective demeanor but as suddenly as it happened he relaxed again and smiled.
Rayden came up to my bedside and smiled down at me but his eyes were sad and suddenly his whole face was troubled.
I reached out to touch his cheek.
"What happened?" I asked.
He shook his head as if to brush away my question.
His eyes welled up with tears but unlike Peter's they were tears of sorrow.
"I'm so sorry." He managed to say.
He took my hand in his and kissed it.
"I'm sorry that you went through that. It's all my fault."
He stared at me in fear as if he were waiting for me to blow up at him.
I grabbed his hand firmly and yanked him down so I could hug him.
"I'm sorry too, that you had to endure that for such a long time. Now I understand. And I know that you are so much stronger than I thought you were. You're stronger than I am. You're the strongest person I know." I whispered all of this through his curly black hair which I was gently stroking as if to somehow make up for his years of torture.
He pulled away and quickly wiped a tear from his face.
"You mean you don't hate me?" He whispered.
"No. I don't hate you." I exclaimed before being overtaken by a coughing fit.
Peter, attentive as ever gently patted my back and handed me a small cup of water which I drank thirstily.
I lazily wiped my mouth.
"No one hates you Rayden." I looked at Peter who awkwardly nodded in agreement. The room became so quiet that you could have heard a pin drop.
Thankfully the silence was broken a moment later by Gina who had slipped into the room and was shocked to see me awake.
She stared in wonder at Peter and Rayden and then suddenly shooed the brothers out.
"She needs rest now. You two go on and leave her to me I'll take care of her don't you two worry."

She turned back to look expectantly at me.
"What happened?" She asked in bewilderment as she dropped her bossy fairy act.
"He kissed me." I whispered, before being assailed by another violent coughing fit.

Well hello there. Yes, I AM still alive 😂😅

Okay first I have questions!
Do you think Rayden kissed Caeli?
How do you feel about him so far?
What about Peter?
Comment below!!

Okay now I'll do some rambling if you're interested

I'm sorry it's been forever but I don't imagine anyone has been too upset about it.
This was an important chapter and is going to shape a lot of the remaining storyline. Ugh this wasn't even supposed to exist though I just HAD to make another plot twist but now I have to go through with it all. It's crazy to see how much a story can stray from the original plan.
Anyways even though a lot of what is to come wasn't supposed to happen that doesn't mean it won't be good. I'm pretty happy with the way I've decided to unfold the rest of this book. (Now if only I would actually DO IT)
Also, the rest of THIS particular book may get a bit messy or sloppy but that's kind of because I am planning on rewriting it when it's finished, cutting the unnecessary stuff and cleaning up and making the necessary stuff better. (So if you have a favorite scene or something let me know!)
Anyways much love CaeBae