The Demon's Gift

Untitled Part 5

 I was shocked to find Colton still in my arms when I woke up. I pulled him closer, making sure he couldn't run away, and watched him sleep for a while before pulling Pride and Prejudice from my bedside table and holding it in one hand while keeping my other arm wrapped around Colton. He stirred at one point, and I thought he'd woken, but he settled back down and I went back to reading. He didn't even wake up when Nat burst into the room, about to say something, but she stopped short when she saw him, her jaw dropping.

"Well you're getting... close to your partner," she said, looking between me and him. Colton started to move again, and I closed the book and shifted a bit.

"Nat, can you close the door please?" I asked. She raised her eyebrows, slamming it behind her, which woke Colton up. He sat up when he saw her, shuffling out of my arms quickly, a deer caught in the headlights.

"Auden, would you mind explaining?" Nat asked, crossing her arms. Colton jumped in before I could.

"We were talking late last night and ended up falling asleep," he said. I sighed quietly.

"Yeah, and that's why you were curled up in his arms," she stated, rolling her eyes. She stepped forward, carefully placing herself on the bed. "You don't have to worry, I'm not going to tell your girlfriend. Although you should."

Colton relaxed slightly, letting me place my hand on his lower back. "What do I do?"

"You don't have to tell her," I told him. "But you do have to break up with her, because this isn't fair."

"I know," he sighed. Nat gave him a sad smile before standing.

"I'll leave you two alone. Sorry for barging in." She looked at me for a second before turning to leave, closing the door again behind her. Colton scooted to the edge of the bed and sat up.

"I should go too," he told me, "I have to check for activity in the area. Give people missions for tonight. Break up with my girlfriend at some point."

"Alright," I said, sitting up at last. "See you for clean up duty?"

"See you for cleanup," he agreed, giving me an unexpected kiss on the forehead before heading out the door.

I wasn't allowed out of my room unless I was on a mission. Guards were stationed at my door, and though most kept the silence demanded of them, some of them would talk with me through the barred window. A guard a couple years older than me, Dimitri, always spoke with me. His English was broken, but he understood enough. He was the first person I had ever liked, and it was, quite frankly, ridiculous. Any time I heard his name on the rotation my heart rate would spike, and his presence outside my room was enough to drive me insane. Our talks were the only consolation I had in the confinement. It was as if God had sent me an angel to get me through, but I knew that God wasn't looking out for me after everything I'd done. He was a gift from Satan, cleverly disguised as an angel. I didn't care much about his origins, though, because either way, he saved me.

He had the night shift one night, and he must've felt it too, because he unlocked the door and slipped in, making me jump. He smiled sheepishly when he saw me, coming up to where I was and touching my arm gently, as if to calm me down.

"Privet," he greeted, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. I shivered.

"Privet," I said back shakily, absentmindedly shifting closer to him.

"Can I... how do you say... potseluy?" he asked nervously, his smile growing awkward. I froze.

"Potseluy? Kiss?" He nodded. My heart tried to dive out of my chest.