Drowning with Fire #3 ✔

Chapter 12 - Ember

Pressing my lips against his, I stopped his rambling in one swift action. After a moment of initial surprise, Theo kissed me back, his arms tightening around my waist and drawing me ever closer.

"I love you Theodore Jonathan Oakenbank Aquila." I muttered mid-kiss, betwixt his lips.

"Can we make a promise not to lie to one another or hide truths anymore?" Theo broke the kiss to ask me.

"Deal." I agreed, sealing my unspoken promise with a tender kiss that was promptly returned.

"You can tell me anything, Em." Theo rested his hand on my cheek; speaking as if he knew I had something to confess.

"Well. This is going to massively ruin the mood, but," I began, inhaling deeply. "I came here to see if Al and the other pixies could help me with a memory of the night of the full moon. A memory I lost."

"Ri-i-ight..." Theo frowned, loosening his grip on me.

"I was up here, on the moors. I don't know how, but Kade–, I mean, Killian was up here too." I watched Theo's face intently, "He...spoke to me..."

"What did he want?" Warning flashes of red-hot anger sparked in his eyes. "Did he hurt you?"

Internally, I winced. Telling him what happened would tear him apart. Equally so, not telling the truth would tear us apart.

"He kinda, urm...made a move on me." My voice squeaked at the end.

"Oh my God, Ember." Theo ran his hands over his face and stepped away, "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Because I didn't remember – the memory got wiped from my head or something." I exclaimed, "Please don't get mad at me, Theo. I didn't do anything to provoke him. He just...came over to me and started chatting shit about wanting to make me evil."

"Where did he touch you?" Theo asked, eyes flashing quickly over my body.

"Just on my arms." I rushed out. "He angered my Phoenix before he could get any further."

"So that's why your hands were on fire when I found you..." He trailed off.

"Found me..." Echoing his words, I mused over them before coming to the conclusion; "You were looking for me even though I asked you not to?"

"Yup." Theo crossed his arms over his broad chest and rested his back on a tree.

"Theo. I was the one who burnt the thicket." Shaking my head, I sighed heavily – willing him to open his eyes and see what was really going on. What is really going on? "It was me."

"It might not have been really you." He merely shrugged, seeming surprisingly calm. "Killian got inside your head; you can't blame yourself for that."

"You're talking about...possession here? And you're so relaxed about it all?" I questioned incredulously, one of my eyebrows quirked up at him. "How are you so relaxed?

"Maybe because I know you still love me." Theo unhitched himself from the tree and drew me closer to him – so close until I could almost taste his breath mingling with mine, an exquisite sensation I never wanted to end. "Maybe 'cos right now, all I can think about is how beautiful you are."

A concentrated blush painted my cheeks, "But what about Killian, or Kaden?"

"I spoke to Wednesday earlier, she told me how he disappears for a week or so after the full moon. Completely drops off the grid." Theo explained his nonchalance in the same manner, "Nothing any of us can do until he reappears."