The Black Flames

Chapter 16 - The Wound

Numb. 

Anxious at how the day was turning out to be. 

And a little relieved that she may not have to stay with Dan.

Kiara was a bundle of emotions. Too many thoughts sprinted in her head at the same time. But the most significant of them all was about the safety of her brother and herself.

And then, there's the thing with mom. Does she know? I mean, how much does she know?

And above all, is she involved in the plane crash?

She felt Ved's eyes on her. She was silent for a little too long. But she was busy trying to contain the storm within.

Should I stay with him? I mean, technically, a police officer will better be able to safeguard us. It makes all the sense to stay with Dan.

But...if he couldn't protect the box kept in his police car in broad daylight, how would he protect me and Ahaan?!

But I have known Ved for less than twelve hours!

But then...why do I feel this need, this urgency to trust Ved? Like every fibre in my being is getting attrac....I mean wants to trust him... Should I follow my gut?

She looked up and met his eyes. An unknown emotion emerged in the pit of her stomach and rose to her chest. She gave in to the force and blurted out,

"Yes."

Ved's expressions eased for a split second, but he tamed them once again.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Yes, Ved. I will stay with you," she cleared it out, knowing very well by now that Ved will not say it, "I will call my brother to your house too, if that's okay. I really don't want to stay with that police officer."

Despite his best efforts against it, Ved's mouth curved up a little. Kiara noticed his eyes sparkle in the dark. He gulped down the ecstasy building within him, but she saw that, too.

"I won't let you down, Kiara. You and your brother will be safe with me," he assured her.

An excitement began to build up in her chest, too. But she was not the one to contain it. She took a step forward and hugged him.

"Thank you, Ved," she whispered in his ear as she felt him stiffen at her sudden gesture, "I know you don't owe me anything, and yet here you are going out of your way to help me and my family."

She felt Ved's hand lift up to her upper back, forming a firm hold. Carefully, he let his other hand rise to her waist and complete the embrace.

He let out a deep breath but didn't say anything.

She retraced her face from his shoulder to look at him. She knew she should get away to avoid making it awkward, but the warmth emanating from his body paralysed her.

Something ricocheted just past her ear, making her head turn. It was followed by a scream just a few feet away.

***

Ved froze but then let go of her. He was no stranger to that sound. They turned around to see the source of the noise. Grabbing his shoulder, Pritam had doubled up on the ground. Kiara and Ved ran towards him, as did two more villagers.

Dan reached just before them and put his arms around him, trying to pull him up.

"Pritam, what happened? Why are you..." his words were cut short with the sight of blood between Pritam's fingers on his shoulders.