What Sleeps in Shadows

Chapter Two

"We need to talk."

Raven was startled out of her conversation, and she looked up at Damian as he stepped closer to her. Light from the massive bonfire was sliding across his face, casting shadows and creating lines and curves that weren't always there. He was clutching onto a plastic red cup, but like hers, it was empty - more for show than actual drinking. The rest of their classmates might be blitzed, but they were both stone-cold sober. His eyes drifted to Karen's curious, almost sly expression, and he looked back at Raven, setting his mouth into a thin line.

"Alone."

Karen's eyebrows lifted, and her lips split into a knowing smile. She flicked her wrist at the two of them, and turned away, crossing her legs."Oh, don't let me stop you two. I'll just be over here, minding my own business."

Damian rolled his eyes and wrapped his arm around Raven's upper arm,dragging her to her feet. Karen looked like she was going to say something, and her hands flickered with the pressure of her powers,but Raven shook her head, calming her roommate down. Raven could practically feel what this was about, and she knew that it was better that they get this conversation out of the way sooner rather than later.

Damian pulled her away from the clearing packed with kids from the Academy and local residents, to the thick line of trees, ignoring a few of their drunken classmates making out against trees. Miguel was barely sober enough to offer her a thumbs up as he watched her disappear into even darker shadows. He mouthed good job as him and his boyfriend headed back to the bright ring of light in the clearing.

Great,now everyone was going to think Raven was making out with Damian,the one guy in school who knew her secret, and the one guy in school who seriously wanted her dead. He glanced down at her and pulled her even further away, so that none of the light from the bonfire touched them, and instead they were bathed in nothing more than shadows and the occasional beam of moonlight that slipped through the nearly-bare branches.

It was here that Raven realized how utterly alone they were. She looked around, hearing the wind rattle the trees, and the skittering sounds of creatures in the leaves. Swallowing, she looked up at Damian as he pushed her against a tree and crowded her space.It frightened her, but it was more out of anger than anything predatory.

He took in a sharp breath and breathed it out of his nose, his mouth setting into a dangerously thin line. "What the fuck is this?"

Raven swallowed as she felt the bark of the tree bite into her back, even through her thick sweatshirt. She took a shaky breath and looked up at him, ignoring the wild pace of her heart. "What? What are you talking about?"

"This."

Damian shoved up his sleeve on his right arm, the one she had healed last week, exposing what looked almost like a tattoo. It was an intricate lattice work of curls and sharp edges, each part bleeding into the next. It certainly hadn't been there last week, she would have seen it when she healed him, but worst of all, it was glowing.Raven's heart dropped into the pit of her stomach and she stared at it, unsure if she should touch it or not. It looked like a seal, and she wasn't sure if she was the one that was supposed to break it.

"Ah...nice ink?"

His eyes narrowed. "This isn't a joke."

"I never said it was." She reached out, her fingers trembling just a little as she touched the inside of his forearm, feeling smooth skin under her touch. His magic reach out to her again, whatever it was,trying to bleed into her. It wanted to be part of her, to wrap around the broken parts of her soul and find all the cracks and pieces she was missing, and fill them with bits of himself. This time, Damian seemed to notice his own body respond, and he ripped his arm away from her touch. He was breathing heavy, his chest brushing up against hers with each gasp. He was furious with her, with the situation, and yet he somehow knew there was not much either of them could do about it.