Lightning Bringer: (Lighting Seeker Book 2)

Unwanted Warmth

Vale did her best not to slap Dash across the face at his next set of words. He had warned her to try and stop herself from cutting him to ribbons, and even with the warning, it proved to be a challenge. But what made it worse was the fact that the idea was more flustering than appalling, which made her more irritated than anything. Body warmth. That was the only thing he had said, leaving her staring at him, mouth opening and closing as she attempted to shut down and edit every potential set of words that came to mind until she let out an exasperated sigh.

"No." was the one word she finally settled on.

His eyes flashed with amusement. His green eyes sharp for a moment, pushing past his exhaustion and grogginess. "Afraid you might like it?"

Vale moved, her hand flying towards him, needing to slap the ridiculous look on his face to oblivion. But she had forgotten just how fast he was, his hand wrapping around her wrist inches from his face. "Woah, what happened to trying not to cut me to ribbons?"

"You turned out to be far more irritating than I had mentally prepared for," she snapped.

Dash loosened his grip and Vale yanked her hand away, ignoring how warm his hand was. She hated the cold chill that ran around her wrist, pushing away the warmth that his hand had offered for a brief moment. Dash gave a one-shoulder shrug and rolled away, wincing at the movement. "If it's worth dying over, suit yourself."

Vale blinked, surprised by the lack of followthrough. He really must be tired. Vale settled back down, curling into a ball and placing her hands between her thighs, hoping to get feeling back into her fingers. She laid completely still, waiting for her body to warm, to feel anything other than the prickling numbness that grew into a fire. It was becoming impossible not to shiver.

She noticed Dash's breathing change and temptation won out. She moved hesitantly towards him, feeling his warmth as she moved within a breath of his body. Just for a moment. Just until I warm up. But the moment was cut short as Dash turned and reached out, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulled her to his chest.

Vale gasped, startled. She was on the verge of shoving him off the mattress until she realized he was still completely asleep. 

The warmth of his body against hers was intoxicating, the smell of soap and pine wafted off of his skin, making it hard to think. She had never noticed how nice he smelled before. She had never been close enough to breathe him in. He was clean and earthy all at once, his body heat melting away the cold and replacing it with a comfort she needed and hated. It was an unwanted warmth. Or rather the company was unwanted but the warmth she could live with.

Pushing her pride and stubbornness aside, she buried her face into his chest and let out a relieved sigh, promising to push away before he woke up the next morning. She allowed herself this weakness. A moment to need someone else, to rely on someone else. Something she hadn't done for a long time. "Goodnight Dash," she murmured as her lids began to close. "Don't get used to this."

"I won't," he exhaled, his face against her scalp as he breathed into her locks. She went to push away, but Dash winced. "Careful. I was shot a few hours ago." Vale moved back more carefully, instantly cold again. "If it makes you feel any better..." he said his eyes dusky in the dark as he blinked his green eyes in an attempt to focus on her. "I won't remember most things that happen this evening. So the odds of me reminding you of how you snuggled up to me to survive is pretty small."

Vale nodded, too cold and tired to protest. She moved towards him, stopping an inch away from his chest and laid perfectly still as Dash wrapped his arms around her, careful not to touch her upper back where her wounds sat.