Consuming Fire

Chapter 58

"Bloody hell," he grumbled. "I thought you were a fire truck."

Hunter blinked in surprise, too shocked to laugh. "Are you actually drunk?" She could smell the scotch on his breath and his eyes were struggling to stay open. "How much have you had?"

"Jusssssss ... you know wha'? I'm not sure. Thiss bottle comes from England. Hey!" He raised a hand. "Guess wha'? Both me an Chev come from East London, did you know tha'?"

"No, I-"

"Chev said I could 'ave as much as I want. So I will."

"Um, it was probably not a great idea to have so much on your-"

He pushed her away when she tried to take the glass from him. His movements were sloppy and he swayed toward her. "No! It helps Hunter."

"Yeah, for like an hour and then you have a horrible hangover and life hasn't changed."

"Not me, I'll just heal up an' be rain as righ'," he chuckled.

What? Hunter released the glass and it slipped from his fingers, spilling scotch across the plush red carpet.

"Whoopsie," said Will with a chuckle.

"Okay, I think you've had enough. You need to sober up before the funeral-"

"No no no no. No. Nnnnno. I'm not going."

Hunter gripped his shoulders and peered into his sleepy face. "What do you mean, you're not going?"

"I'm not. I don't need to say goodbye, I already-" hiccup, "-said it."

"It's what they'd want Will. Benji, Mosi and ... Fearne."

Will's eyes filled up with tears, and in a sudden outburst, he jumped to his feet with a near-empty bottle of scotch and threw it against the bookcase. It smashed and sprayed glass over the floor.

"I said I DON'T WANT TO GO!" He screamed at her. "I don't want to because I can't, Hunter! I can't lose her, she means everything to me!!"

"You're not the only one she meant something to," said Hunter gently, trying to calm him. To see him so hurt was worse than knowing Fearne was gone.

"You don't understand, I ..." He gripped his long hair, his chest heaving as tears rolled down his cheeks. "She was ... only one who saw me for who I really am. Who came out of nowhere and lit up my darkness with this ... light. And the light never wen' out. Not until now."

Hunter approached him, slowly so as not to startle him. She put a hand on his shoulder to steady him as the rest of his body leaned against the bookshelf. He breathed so heavily as she tucked his hair behind his ears, flinching at the touch, his eyes flickering with uncertainty.

She remembered what Fearne once said to her about moving on when she was consumed with grief. You can never truly move on until you've said goodbye.

"I know what it's like to lose someone I loved with every part of me." She held him steady, consumed by his gaze, her heart pounding for reasons she did not understand. "But you know what? The love they give you will never leave. Fearne will never leave you. Remember that, okay?"

Will nodded, focusing so intently on the curls that splayed out over her shoulder.

"I know that you'll miss her," she said. "But after everything we've been through in this life that keeps hammering us around like we're nothing, I'm going to choose to be thankful for the people I'm with. And the most important person is you."

Though he was under the influence of strong spirits, she could see the warmth and understanding in the glow of his shadowed, haunting eyes. In that moment it was just the two of them, two broken people trying to battle life together. Hunter tried to keep her heart from thumping out of her chest as he moved closer. His footing suddenly became strong and sure. With both hands he cupped her face. His thumbs stroked her cheeks. Then, as gently as he could muster and with a feather-light touch he brushed his lips against hers. The kiss sparked a new blaze within her of a longing so strong, she was left breathless and dizzy.

Apparently it left him dizzy also, for at that moment Will's legs caved in and his body slumped against hers, his face pressed into her chest.

"Will?" She gripped the shelf of books for support but he was heavier than she could handle and her wrist was throbbing from the weight of him. "Will, please stand up."

A part of him responded to her and his feet moved, one after the other.

"Okay, let's get you to your room."

Their rooms were only one floor up, and as she dragged him along, they passed two random older women giving them stunned looks.

"He's okay," she said as she punched the up button on the elevator.

Will's long legs were bent awkwardly as she hauled him into his room and onto the bed. His head hit the wall hard and she winced, thankful that he could heal himself.

Hunter hoisted his legs onto the bed and lifted the quilt over his body, ignoring the fact that he was still covered in dirt.

Suddenly, Will reached out to grasp her hand and she froze. She looked into his sleepy face and took a mental picture, knowing she would never see Will so vulnerable and sweet.

He mumbled something and she had to lean down closer to hear.

"What?"

"I have a secret," he said.

"What's that?"

"I want to go ... to paradise ... with you."

Hunter flashed back to her dark cell in the Death Caves. He wanted paradise more than freedom. What did paradise mean exactly?

If anything were ever more beautiful than the sincerity and love in his words, Hunter would search the world to find it. 

"One day," she replied. "I promise."

He fell asleep with a smile on his lips.