Chapter 16
Salem
The storm outside wasn’t the only thing raging. I could feel the crackling energy between us, like a live wire about to snap. We've been holed up in this spooky farmhouse for hours.
The wind howled, rattling the windows and sending chills down my spine as we made it back to the main room, but it wasn’t the storm that had me on edge. It was him. Heresy. Sitting there in the dim candlelight, all brooding and silent, like he wasn’t a walking hurricane himself.
I couldn’t help but steal glances at him, watching the way the light flickered across his face, highlighting his sharp jaw and those damn intense eyes. He was trouble, no doubt about it. A Seville Slayer through and through. Everything about him screamed danger, but here I was, drawn to him like a moth to a flame.
“How long’s this storm gonna last?” I muttered, pacing around the room. I needed to move, to do something to burn off the nervous energy after all the shit we just saw. Being in close quarters with Heresy, knowing what was simmering just beneath the surface, was driving me insane.
Heresy shrugged, leaning back against the wall like he wasn’t fazed by anything. “Could be awhile.”
I bit my lip, resisting the urge to snap at him for being so calm when my insides were in chaos. But I wasn’t about to let him know how much he was getting under my skin.
"Great," I grumbled, running my fingers through my hair. “Stuck in a farmhouse with you. Exactly how I wanted to spend my night.”
He smirked, one corner of his mouth lifting in that infuriating way. “Could be worse, Salem. You could be out there in the storm.”
I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms over my chest. “Yeah, well, I’d probably take my chances at this point.”
The truth was, I didn’t mean it. Being here, in this dark room with Heresy, even with all the shit we’ve seen, felt safer than being anywhere else right now. But that was dangerous in its own way, wasn’t it? Safe wasn’t something I was used to feeling. And being around Heresy… it wasn’t just safe, it was intoxicating. And intoxicating was dangerous as hell.
We lapsed into silence again, the only sound the rain pounding against the windows and the occasional rumble of thunder in the distance. My heart was beating too fast, my pulse drumming in my ears. I told myself it was the storm, the uncertainty of being stuck here, but deep down I knew better.
It was him.
Every time he shifted, every time I caught a glimpse of those dark eyes watching me, it felt like my skin was on fire. I couldn’t stand it anymore.
I turned to face him, hands on my hips, trying to look more confident than I felt. “Why the hell are you even here, Heresy?”
He raised an eyebrow, like he knew exactly what I was really asking. “Just keepin’ an eye on things. I already told ya.”
“Bullshit,” I shot back, stepping closer. “You don’t give a damn about what happens to me. So, what’s your angle?”
He stood up, and suddenly the room felt a lot smaller. “Maybe I care more than you think,” he said, his voice low and dangerous.
I froze, the intensity in his eyes locking me in place. There it was. The truth. He did care. And that was the most dangerous thing of all.
My breath hitched as he took another step toward me, closing the space between us. “You’re a Slayer, Heresy. I’m a Heelz prospect. This shouldn’t be happening,” I whispered, but my voice was shaky, like I didn’t believe my own words.
He didn’t say anything, just reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers brushing my skin in a way that made my whole body light up. I felt that touch all the way to my core, and I hated how much I wanted more of it.
“You feel it too, don’t you?” he murmured, his voice rough, like he was fighting against it just as much as I was.
I took a deep gulp, struggling to think of something, anything to say that would halt this. But my brain wasn’t working. All I could focus on was the heat radiating off him, the way his hand lingered near my face like he was just waiting for me to make the first move.
“Heresy,” I started, but before I could say anything else, he was kissing me.
It wasn’t gentle or soft. It was hard, raw, and full of all the frustration and tension we’d been holding back since the moment we met. I didn’t even think, just grabbed his jacket and pulled him closer, pouring every bit of confusion, anger, and desire into that kiss.
His hands were on me, rough and demanding, and I melted into it, letting myself get lost in him, in the moment. The storm outside raged, but it was nothing compared to what was happening between us.
I should’ve stopped. I should’ve pushed him away, told him this was a terrible idea. But I didn’t. I couldn’t. I didn’t want to.
He pressed me against the wall, his body flush against mine, and I moaned into his mouth, my hands tangled in his hair, pulling him even closer. I needed more. I needed all of him.
Fuck, I could feel his hard cock against my thigh.
“Fuck, Salem,” he growled against my lips, his breath hot and heavy. “This is insane.”
“Then stop,” I whispered, even though I didn’t mean it.
He pulled back just enough to look at me, his eyes dark with desire. “Do you really want me to?”
I stared at him, my chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. I didn’t know what the hell I wanted. But I knew what I didn’t want to stop.
“No,” I admitted in a breath.
He kissed me again, and this time, there was no hesitation. It was hungry, desperate, like we were both trying to drown out all the reasons why this shouldn’t be happening with the sheer force of our need.
I had his belt undone in a flash, and my fingers wrapped around his hard length. At the same time, his fingers were down my pants and breaking into my panties. I moaned into his mouth as he pressed a finger inside. But then, just as quickly, reality crashed back in. I broke the kiss, pushing him away with a shaky breath.
“Fuck,” I muttered, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. “We can’t… we shouldn’t be doing this.”
He stood there, breathing hard, his hands clenched into fists at his sides like he was holding himself back. “You’re right,” he said, but the look in his eyes told me he didn’t believe it any more than I did.
We stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, both of us knowing exactly what we wanted but too afraid to go any further.
I shook my head, trying to clear it. “This is too risky. For both of us.”
Heresy nodded. “Yeah. I know. Whatever is up with Riptide and the truce, the members don’t like it.”
“Well, likewise. Rage might be fooled but the Heelz won’t patch me if they find out about this.”
But the truth was, it didn’t feel risky. It felt inevitable. Like no matter what we did, no matter how hard we fought it, we were on a path neither of us could control.
And I wasn’t sure if I wanted to stop it.