The Nightingale: Wings of Ink

Forever Gone

Her heartbeat stops, and she's gone. I can't breathe. My chest feels constricted, and I gasp for air. Finally, I find my voice and I scream.

"Night! Nightingale, wake up!"

I wake to find clear gray eyes staring into mine and hands on my shoulders, shaking me awake. Alive. I'm alive. But is that really a good thing? I lost her..forever. I start to cry. I don't want to, but one tear falls after another. Strong arms wrap around me in the dark, pulling me closer. Eric.

"Night . . " he murmurs, kissing the top of my head. "It's okay, I've got you."

I sob into his shoulder, and I can feel my own body trembling.

"Who was it, baby?"

I don't have the strength to answer. I just keep crying.

"Was it Macy?" he asks softly, pulling away to look into my eyes in the dim light. He brushes a strand of hair behind my ear.

I nod, tears dripping onto my comforter. I wrap my arms around his middle and press closer to his chest. I breathe in his scent. Spearmint, heat, summer nights, the outdoors, and the comforting smell of coming home. The tears slowly begin to cease, and I take shuddering breaths.

He strokes my hair and holds me close. My heartbeat still races from the horror, but my breathing begins to even out while he speaks softly to me. He knows that talking--just talking--calms me. I listen to him tell me stories, and I can feel his soothing voice reverberate through his chest.

He tells me about life in Erudite, his brother Alex, and his parents. I listen to him talk about the food they had, the jobs they did, and what they did for fun. My favorite stories were always the ones about how he and Alex would pull pranks on people in the Tech-Development offices, and all the trouble they got into.

"Eric?" I say when he pauses.

"Hm?"

"Do you ever miss your family?" I ask hesitantly. He stays silent for a time, but finally responds.

"Every day," he says soberly.

I snuggle even closer to him. His warmth spreads throughout my body, and my breathing shallows. I know that sleep will come soon, but I'm not sure which nightmare will. Just as I begin to slip away, Eric kisses my lips gently and whispers in my ear.

"Go to sleep, Celeste. I'll keep you safe."

My eyes open to the sound of my real name, my old-life name. The one I left behind, and the one I entrusted him with so long ago.

"I'll always keep you safe," he whispers again. "Forever."

"Forever?" I echo, but exhaustion closes my ears to any answer. My eyelids slowly droop again, and then my mind gives way to sleep.

* * *

"Night!"

"Meh," I grunt from under the comforter. Then strong arms slip under me, tearing me away from my cocoon in the shelter of the bed. I latch onto a corner of the beloved material. "No!"

"Baby," the voice comes again. "Night, you've got to get up." Soft lips brush mine and a sweet, minty scent pervades my senses.

"Mmm," I sigh, nuzzling into his chest and breathing him in as he plants kisses on top of my head.

"Don't get too comfortable," his deep voice is affectionate. "We have to get moving." More kisses are scattered along my exposed arm and I cuddle deeper.

"Eric," I mumble.

"Hm?"

"I'm very comfortable."

"I guess that's my fault," he laughs, and I'm dumped back onto the bed. I whine, my eyes still shuttered against the dim light as if it were a blinding sun.

But I am not left alone for long. Arms hold me down, and steady eyes lock with mine. He leans down, and my eyes slowly flutter closed as our lips touch. The kiss is long and loving, my arms reaching up to fold around his neck, pulling him closer.

"You seem to be feeling better," he smirks as we pull away. "But those dreams appear to be more frequent of late."

I smile. I loved when he let his Erudite roots show around me. He seems to guess what I'm smiling at, because he grins sheepishly.

"I can't help it," he mumbles, tapping his forehead to mine playfully.

"I know, and I love that about you," I say as he picks me up again and sets me on my feet.