Chapter 51 – Vale
DANCE UNDER THE STARS LIKE NO ONE’S WATCHING
VALE
The tower isn’t a large space. It looks like it was built as a soldier’s lookout, which is weird because it doesn’t have windows. I’m surprised when he tells me to step down. I squeeze his hands tightly as I walk down a set of steps. Five in all. Then Oliver tells me to open my eyes.
The first thing I see are thick cream candles scattered around, their flames protected by deep glass shades.
There’s another burgundy bedspread laid out, creating a pallet on the floor.
All the pillows that were missing from his bed are spread around it.
It’s romantic and sweet. It looks like he planned this.
When did he have the time to think about it?
I smile brightly as I look up at the stars.
Twinkling stars seem to pierce the heavens, lit up like diamond dust. The full moon is a cool white light in the distance. It’s so big and bright with a rare lunar halo.
There’s a gentle breeze that makes the candle flames flicker and dance, casting shadows across the rooftop. Music plays softly. Oliver tightens his hold on my right hand, pulling me around to face him. I almost fall into him when I recognize the song, “Wonderful Tonight.”
“Dance with me under the stars, like no one’s watching,” he says, and the way he looks at me, as if with all the love that exists in the world, makes my heart speed up.
Oliver steps closer and places his left hand at the base of my spine. My hips tilt back to meet his touch. With his right hand, he takes my left and lifts it up to his lips. He presses a kiss to my knuckles, then he takes one step to the left.
I’ve never slow danced. I don’t know what I’m doing, yet my body moves instinctively with his. It feels like a dream. I feel buoyant, floating along the current of his very existence. If this has all been a dream, I don’t want to wake up. I want to feel this way forever.
I swallow hard while I look up into his beautiful green eyes. As he leads us in a circle, I try so hard not to cry. “I’ve never danced with a man. I don’t know what I’m doing.”
Oliver smiles, and it’s that soft, content smile I rarely see. He looks so happy right now. “You told me you wanted to dance under the stars like no one was watching, but I’ve been watching, Vale. I’ve always seen you. I thought, perhaps, you’d dance with me.”
The tears do come then. I can’t help it.
I remembered yelling those words at him.
I’d been too afraid to tell him what I wanted, that I wanted him.
I’d been so mad that night. I didn’t want a chaperone.
I’d wanted to be alone so I could figure out how I felt about him.
I had wanted him so much. He’d been right next door, yet he’d felt a million miles away, completely unattainable.
“I said that because I couldn’t admit”—I take a deep breath—“that I wanted you. You were all I wanted, all I needed, but I didn’t know how to say it. I was afraid you’d run away,” I confess.
“I knew that, sweetheart. You didn’t have to say it.
I felt it too. I can’t guarantee I wouldn’t have run away.
I was afraid of what I felt for you. I would have come back to you though.
I’ll always come back to you, Vale. I promise,” he says, and I’m grateful for that promise.
I don’t want him to run away ever, but as long as I know he’ll be back, I’ll be able to deal with it.
I wrap one arm around his neck. “Why are you so perfect?” I ask, fighting back more tears.
His smile gets wider. “I’m not perfect, Vale. Far from it.”
I shake my head in adamant denial. “You are,” I whisper, and the tears fall hot against my cheeks. “I love you so much sometimes it feels like my heart genuinely hurts. It’s swollen with all the love I have for you. I didn’t know it could feel this way.”
He wipes the tears from my cheeks as the song ends. “I love you, Vale. I will love you when the world ends and the dust of our soul floats free out into the universe amongst the stars you love so much.”
I drag him down to my level and steal his breath deep into my lungs, then brush my thumb across the top of his high cheekbone. The song repeats, and my smile gets bigger. This is heaven. I wasn’t in Hell after all.
We’re silent as we watch each other, still dancing. I can feel the magic all around us. I feel his love and isn’t that magical enough? I have a soulmate and, by some miracle, we found each other in this life. I love him so much. I hope I get to spend the rest of my life with him.
I stand on my tiptoes and kiss him with every bit of love in my heart. That energy swirling inside me grows so bright I can see it even through my closed eyes.
“Vale, look.”
I step back. “What?” I ask. His eyes are half closed.
“It’s you,” he says in awe, smiling sweetly. “You’re glowing.”
I lift my hand up and stare at my palm. The energy is flowing over my skin, like gentle flames. I smile as it twirls into the air above my palm, dancing happily. I’ve seen the flames of my energy before, but I didn’t realize he hadn’t until this moment.
“What are you, sweetheart?”
When I look up at his face, I see the reflection of my light in his eyes. He's looking at me like I’m the most beautiful woman in the world.
“Can you touch me?” I ask, holding my left hand out to him.
I hold my breath as he lifts his hand over mine. The flames soften their glow, the tendrils like wisps of smoke. He gasps as they wrap around his fingertips and slide over his skin. They look like glowing ribbons rippling over his hand.
“They like you,” I say with a smile.
His smile is huge when he looks up from his left hand. “It’s a part of you, Vale. That’s why.”
“This is what I give you when we’re together. I didn’t see them myself at first. I only felt them, but they’ve gotten stronger whenever we touched. They got so strong I could see it when I gave them to you.”
“I feel them, but this is the first time I’m truly seeing them. They’re beautiful, just like you.”
Our hands lock, and I notch my fingers through his as the heat grows.
The glow becomes brighter, and one tendril connects us, wrapping around our hands, pressing them closer together.
It tightens around our fingers and wrists, the ribbon knotting.
Suddenly it burns me and I wince. It must burn him as well because he hisses but doesn’t let go.
The tendrils flash and a small puff of smoke floats up and dissipates in the breeze.
His breath becomes shallow and quick as he stares at our joined hands with wide eyes. I try to pull away, but he doesn’t let me. “Oliver, are you okay?” I ask, worried.
His eyes fill with darkness. “Vale,” he gasps. “Don’t move.”
“Why? Are you alright? Am I hurting you?”
“Let it finish,” he says, and he closes his eyes. His mouth opens as if he’s freeing a silent moan.
I look at our joined hands, and that’s when I see it. The marks. I’ve burned him. I’ve hurt him. My eyes go wide with fear. I should have known because he never closes his eyes like that. He sees everything and right now, he can’t.
“Let me go,” I cry out. “I’m hurting you, let me go!”
I jerk at my hand, but he holds it tighter. “No,” he growls and the sounds slithers down my spine, making me shiver. He falls to his knees. I scream, so scared of what’s happening.
“No! No! No!” I cry, tears spilling from my eyes. “Please let me go!”
Why? Why won’t he let me go?
I fall to my knees in front of him, still tugging at my hand, trying to break us apart. The flames over my skin glow brighter. I shake my head as he bows his head, taking great gulps of air.
“Don’t hurt him! Please! Please stop!”
Steam rises from his skin as it heats up. The skin across his chest and face turns a mottled red as the air around us sizzles. I’m afraid at any moment he’s going to go up in flames, and I’ll lose him forever. I don’t want to lose him.
He’s silent but for those quick breaths. His lips tremble around his open mouth. Then suddenly his jaws snap shut. Once again, he moans and it sounds so painful, it hurts my soul. Please let him be okay.
“Oliver, I love you. Please let me go. I’ll never be able to forgive myself if I hurt you.”
He doesn’t let go. In fact, he reaches out and pulls me forward, wrapping his other arm around me tightly. “I’ll never let you go,” he groans, each word filled with pain.
“Then drink from me, maybe it’ll heal you,” I tell him. “Maybe it’ll heal you like you healed me.”
“I’m not hurt,” he growls, finally opening his eyes. “Your magic is binding us, marking me. It’s just—” He has to take a deep breath. “It’s very strong, give me a minute.”
I can’t wait. I lift his head and kiss him.
If I can nick my lips with his fangs, he’ll be able to heal.
I know it’s hurting him. I can feel it deep in my gut.
I close my eyes, and he thrusts his tongue into my mouth.
I do the same, slicing my tongue against his fang.
The moment blood flows, he moans into my mouth.
I’m lifted into the air, and we fall back onto the pallet made of blankets and pillows. Oliver presses me down into the blankets, but all he does is hold his weight against me, essentially stopping most of my movements.
I stare down at the top of his head, clutching his hand in mine as he shakes and groans.
The music filters into my consciousness.
I watch the candle flames dance and sputter.
My heart calms a bit. I curl the fingers of my free hand in his hair, petting him, trying to calm the pain I’ve caused. Between sniffles, I hum with the music.
My flames calm, dimming, and eventually sinking back inside me. He’s still pressed against me, but his breaths are calming, his hand still holding mine. Finally, he lifts his head to look at me. He reaches up with his right hand and caresses my cheek.
“Vale, don’t be scared. I’m alright. I promise.”
“What happened?” I lean into his hand, comforted by his touch.