Elemental

Chapter 32

Ned had made Christine another jacket with some minor improvements and Maria had sewed her a new bodysuit. It had been Damien's idea. He thought the bright colors of her other jacket and bodysuit would put too much attention on her. So, her new jacket and bodysuit were black with the symbol of the resistance sewed on the breast of her jacket.

Christine looked at her hair in the mirror. It was an awkward length. Her bangs were falling in her eyes and her hair kept getting in her face. It was too short to pull back properly. She could use a headband but that would easily fall out. She sighed and turned to leave when the door to her cabin opened and Silvia walked in. She wasn't wearing the resistance symbol and neither would anyone else on her team.

"Hey," she smiled. "Are you ready?"

Christine glanced back at her reflection and shook her head. "Not quite. Do you think you could help me with something?"

****

Christine grinned when she looked at her hair in the reflection. Silvia had cut it into a pixie cut that with a little heat from Christine's hands, was able to spike back and away from her eyes. She used to hate the look of her sharp features but she felt more in control with the hair out of the way. She had thought of her hair as a shield but knew now that it was a mask and she was done hiding.

"I think the hairdo makes you look like a badass," Silvia said, brushing some stray hairs off her shirt. "Well, more so than usual."

"Thank you, Silvia," she said and Silvia grinned.

"'Course. I'll see you soon."

Christine nodded as Silvia left and not long after, Damien came in as if he had been waiting outside the door. He stopped dead when he saw her.

"Holy shit," he said.

"That's exactly what you said to me last time I got a haircut, Goldilocks."

He grinned. "Well, I would appreciate it if you told me every time you go and change up your look so I'm prepared."

She laughed. "Okay, I'll give you a calendar."

"That's all I ask, sunshine," he chuckled and stepped closer to her. "So, what prompted this change?"

She shrugged. "I don't want to hide anymore and my hair had always been one of the things I hid behind."

He ran his thumb across her cheekbone. "Not that you need mine or anyone's validation, but I think you look beautiful."

She smiled and blushed. "Thank you."

Christine could feel the space between them like a charged energy. They hadn't kissed yet and being this close to him, she wanted to. They were heading into battle with no idea what lay ahead. There was a chance that either one of them could die. The possibility of him dying terrified her more than her own impending death. Their entire life was living on the edge between dying and living. She had accepted that but right now, she wanted to be vulnerable and take a leap of faith with Damien. She didn't want to die knowing that she never got a chance to tell him how she felt. He knew a sliver of what she felt for him but he deserved more than that.

Christine didn't know what she was waiting for. She was already in love with him. She couldn't stop her feelings as much as she could stop an avalanche from cascading. Well, actually, she'd be better at stopping the avalanche.

She's not entirely sure who stepped forward first but there was no longer much space between them. It would take only a slight tilt of her head to rest it on his chest. Instead, she looked up at him, wanting to trace his jawline with her lips. But her arms stayed glued to her side, too nervous to move or breathe.

"Christine," he breathed and that's all it took.

He had promised to wait for her to make the first move and she was ready. She wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him down to her level. She had never kissed anyone, could tell by the way she pushed her lips against his without any real intent other than to feel his lips against hers. He, luckily, knew what he was doing. He wove his arms around her waist, bringing her flush against him as his lips formed around hers. Warmth spread through her veins and she closed her fists to keep flames from forming in her palms. She'd never experienced anything like this, her body was being introduced to new feelings and the power shifting in her core didn't know how to react to it all.

"Damien," she breathed as he broke off to brush kisses along her jawline.

"You don't know how long I've wanted this," he murmured against her skin.

"Damien," she said again, feeling the heat forming under her skin, wanting to break free.

"You're so beautiful."

She put her hands on his chest and pushed him back. "Wait," she panted. "I'm going to set this whole cabin on fire."

"That's hot," he grinned and a breathless laugh escaped her.

"You're ridiculous."

He took her hands in his and brought them up to his face. He kissed each palm before pulling her closer.

"We'll take it slow. Just let me hold you awhile."

She did. She knew that they had to go and prepare to set out but she allowed herself this one moment of peace.