The Silent Killer (A Finnick Odair Love Story)

Chapter Twelve

It's late, far later than I originally thought it was. Because when the national anthem plays and the faces begin filling the sky. Gloss, Enobaria, Wiress, Mags, the female from Six, Blight, and the District Ten male.

"Blight?" Finnick asks.

"We saw the lightning storm coming in," Johanna explains. "Thought that meant rain. But what came was thick, hot blood. Couldn't open your mouth without getting a mouthful of it, couldn't see, either. Blight stumbled into the forcefield and that was that." She sighs. "He wasn't much, but he was from home."

"Cashmere didn't die?" Katniss asks. Johanna grumbles under her breath.

"She moved just in time," she says angrily. "My axe got her right in the shoulder."

"Peeta and I can take watch," Katniss offers after we all eat the second batch of District Three rolls that were sent. Everyone agrees, so once we find places to lay down, Finnick hugs me close to him. My face is against his chest and the steady beating of his heart calms me.

"Del?" he whispers. I slowly look up at him. "Tomorrow, don't leave my side." I tilt my head slightly, curious as to why. "Just...please. Stay right next to me all day. Promise?" I nod instantly and he breathes out, relieved. "I love you." I look up at him and kiss him softly as my way of saying it back.

After we pull away, I reach up and gently touch his face before cuddling back into his chest.

"Go to sleep, baby," he whispers. "I'll wake you up for guard in a few hours."

I nod and instantly drift off to sleep, wrapped in Finnick's arms.

•••••

When Finnick wakes me up, it's a few hours before sunset. He tells me he had asked if we could be up to see the sunrise, since Katniss and Peeta got to be up to see the sunset. Everyone agreed.

So as we sit in the sand, in a dark, Finnick has me sitting in between his legs with my back up against his chest.

"What's your favorite color?" he asks me. I position myself differently, turning so I face him and am still sitting comfortably.

Green, I sign. I blush, but add, But it has to be the same sea green your eyes are.

"Favorite food?" he continues.

Strawberries with sugar and cream, I instantly answer.

"Favorite memory after winning?"

The crashing of the waves on the shore catch my attention first. My throat still hurts from my six-month-old wound, but I'm slowly becoming accustomed to my new way of life. I wear a one-shouldered, draped, slate gray dress with black heels. My Victor's crown is placed on my head.

"Asphodel! Come, come! Meet your fellow victors!" Valentine squeals and I breathe out, in a futile attempt to sigh. I follow her anyway.

As I walk into the room, several pairs of eyes instantly train on me. Me, the fourteen year old victor. Me, the girl who no one thought would survive longer than a day. Me, the girl who turned out to be a vicious murderer after only hours in the arena. Me, the girl that is too clever for her own good.

"Asphodel Lethe," a woman says, smiling as she approaches me. She's maybe forty years old and has curly brown hair. "I'm Delphin."

I nod, accepting her outstretched hand.

"I must say, you're a phenomenal fighter. Very brilliant," she compliments. I nod again, in thanks. I like her already. Next to greet me is a heartbreakingly handsome young man. He has bronze hair and sea green eyes. Everyone in Panem knows his name.

"Finnick Odair," he smiles, taking my hand and kissing my knuckles. "It's wonderful to finally meet the girl that has Panem so worked up." He pulls me into a hug and whispers in my ear quickly, "Be careful. Snow will be after you. Give it a few months. Trust me." Pulling away, he gives me a smile, but I see the worried look in his eyes. "For the record, I was hoping from the start that you would win."

I give him the best smile I can manage, which isn't much. His warning worries me. What does he mean?

Meeting Finnick was the first good thing that happened to me. I felt like someone other than myself was watching my back.

Meeting you, I admit. Back on my Victory Tour.

"When I warned you about..." he trails off.

I wish I had listened, I sign, frowning.

"No," Finnick says, shaking his head. "You were fourteen. They would've...They would've ruined you. If you would've...agreed...and they did that to you..." He tightens his arms around me.

"They would've been merciless with you. Having you hurt like that...It would be worse than dying."

When I look back at him, his eyes are shut tight as he tries not to envision that happening. I reach up and lightly kiss his lips. He opens his eyes and stares directly into my eyes, looking as if there's a million things he wants to say.

But all he does is press his forehead to mine. That's how we sit, for what feels like an eternity. Eventually, he starts talking again and I learn more about him. He tells me about Four and I find myself wishing I could've been born there. By the time the sun starts rising, we've been sitting in a comfortable silence for a long time.

I feel something drape over my head and hang around my neck. I see a dark blue braided cord necklace, with a triangular, upside-down, brown shell hanging from it.

"My sister made it for me when I was younger," he says, looking directly at me. "It was my token in my Games. I know we're only allowed one and I already had the bangle, but...I snuck it in." He kisses my forehead. "I used to wear it everywhere I went.

"But...I want you to have it. So you know I'll always be there for you." I'm shocked, to say the least. He's giving me something that means so much to him. It's times like these I wish I had a voice to thank him with, to promise him that I'll never take it off.

Instead, I wrap my arms around his muscular torso and hug him tightly. He laughs softly and kisses the top of my head.

"My beautiful girl," he sighs contently. Even though we're in the arena, the definition of 'not safe', I feel like nothing can hurt me as long as I'm in Finnick's arms.

Then, quiet enough that the cameras can't catch it, he whispers in my ear.

"We'll be safe soon."