RAVEN FYRE

Chapter 16 Part 1

"Woah, woah, woah. Have to tell who? Take it easy, Raven."

His words sent a flood of relief coursing through her she had never felt before.

"Massacre?" The sun in her eyes hurt like railway spikes were being hammered into them. She didn't care. She just wanted to see his stupid mug one more time.

"Woah. Take it easy. You have to take it easy. Okay?"

She felt a hand press down on her shoulder as another swiped a few strands of hair from her sweaty face. After a rustling noise, Raven heard the sound of a leaf flapping in the wind and felt cool pulses of air hit her face.

"Shhh. Take it easy. We went down pretty hard back there. I thought I lost yah. Shhh, just breath. Nice and easy - but please just come back if you can. Ease on out of it, okay? Come on back."

"W-what?"

"Got a few drops of water on a leaf. Here, open up."

Raven parted her dry lips. The cool droplets soothed her throat and tongue.

"Sun hurtin'? Let me get yah some shade. Uugh, I'm so glad you're awake. You have no idea." A few rustling noises later he came back with, "Okay. Try, real nice and slow, to open your eyes."

Green. A huge shade of green was all she could see. The finer details soon came into view. It was a big leaf keeping the brunt of the sunlight out of her eyes.

"Sorry I couldn't heal you. Something strange about this forest."

Raven snatched his forearm and moved the leaf to see his face.

"Ahh! Shit. What the hey, babe?"

"Massacre." There he was finally. Those warm brown eyes. They were like chocolates, her guilty pleasure. The sight of his thick lips sent spots of tingles throughout her body. Thinking about using them on herself was always so arousing. Confident smile, strong brows, light olive skin, smooth and clean cut, a fair jaw. Her heart fluttered and her cheeks warmed with blood. Yet, she would never, not in a millions years, reveal his growing powers over her. He had no clue, at all, just how much Raven wanted him. And that's the way she liked it.

"Yeah?"

"Where are--? What's goin--"

"Why won't you calm down? Y'know what? Do what you want - I'm just glad you're awake." He gazed into her eyes and held her hand. It made her feel like she was sitting by a warm fire on a cold winter day. "We're ... y'know. In the middle of nowhere. You might not remember this but here's what happened in a nutshell. WarFairy and Ghost are busy with talks at the UN. I wanted to check this place out and you demanded to come along - even though you don't believe in this stuff. We were in the StealthFlyer headed up north, when we encountered some kind of light. It looked like the sun at first....

I lost all power, and so did the chopper - which is insane. I pushed us out and floated us down as best I could. I blacked out and ... I guess I dropped you. Dropped us both? We went through the trees. The chopper went over a cliff and ... well it's gone. So is all our stuff." Mike scratched behind his ear with a finger as he spoke.

Raven looked around. They were surrounded by bushes. Big leafy ones. Tall trees were all around them as far as her cloudy vision would allow her to see. Mud, wood and fauna made up the rest of her view from the ground. Massacre had long, nasty scratches all cross his face. The blood had long clotted and dried. Bruises and other scuffs littered his head, neck and hands. He was wearing his combat suit and so was she.

"Damn," was all she could say when she laid eyes on the damage.

"You got banged up pretty good, too. Please don't try to move. Please."