Saving Leah

Chapter 3

Nightime fever

A cold wind blew in from the east and I shivered in my clothes. We'd been talking for hours.

Goosebumps erupted on my skin. I curled into a tight ball, my teeth chattered in the frost.

I don't remember clearly what happened next. All I remember is the cold, the dark and my fall.

"Leah!" Aidan shouted as I fell.

The branches tore at me, catching bits of jean and shirt in the process. The pain was surreal. I can't believe I'd fainted. How embarrassing.

"I'm coming to get you!" Aidans voice sounded very far away.

It felt like someone was pouring liquid into my ear. I could hear sort of sloshy sound beneath everything. I dipped in and out of conciousness.

I remember being carried bridal style.
"Leah, can you hear me?"

"Oh no."

I could hear the fear in Aidans voice.

"Ambulance?... no, I'll take her home."

I could feel one of his hands gripping mine tightly as he drove. "Hold on Leah. Hang in there." He said.

He rubbed my hand gently, running his fingers over my knuckles.

I could feel him tense as the sound of police siren rang through the night.

He turned into a close, then eased up on the ignition.

"Come on Leah." He carried me into his home.

Gently he lowered me into a soft bed.

I forced myself to open my eyes.

"Aidan." My voice was hoarse.

"Leah! You're okay!" He pulled me into a hug.

He gave me a glass of water. The cool liquid soothed my throat. I downed the glass, savouring the feeling.

I tried to put the glass back on the bedside table, but then felt a sharp pain in my back.

"Agh!" I let out a cry.

Aidan came back to the room in an instant.

"What's wrong?" He said,"Are you hurt?"

"Well duh! I did fall from a tree Aidan."

Aidan rolled his eyes. "Why didn't you just tell me you were freezing- you drama queen. Let me get you some salve."

He turned round really slowly and walked at snails pace.

"Aidan!"

"This is payback for that sass-mouth of yours." He said smirking.

I hit the pillow in annoyance, then threw it at him.

His face was comical. He ran out of the room.

He knocked on the door. "Can I come in now?" He said warily.

"Yeah. Okay."

"I brought the salve." I peered at the label. Tiger balm. Hmm.

Aidan opened the lid, taking a little of the product and warming it with his fingers.

"I don't need you to put it on for me." I said stiffly.

Aidan pouted.

"Come'on." He whined. "I promise I won't hurt you."

I narrowed my eyes at him. What if he had malicious intent. Should i believe him?

I bit my lip, undecided.

"It's just salve." Aidan reassured, seeing my indecision.

"Fine. But make it quick."

Aidan knelt the bedside. He gently lifted up my shirt. He sucked in his breath when he saw my scars.

"These can't all be from the tree." He said carefully. I could see the worry in his face.

"No they were." I lied.

Aidan looked unconvinced. Regardless, he began to rub the balm into my skin with small circles. I hissed at the pain.

"Easy tiger." He joked.

"That's not funny." I said, shutting him down.

He carried on laughing. His laughter came to a screeching halt when my shirt rode up.

"Leah. These are pretty deep." He observed.

"Just leave it, okay?" I snapped, tugging my torn shirt further down.

Aidan stormed out of the room.

He returned soon after with what looked like a first aid box and a shirt.

"You don't have to do all this." I said.

He shrugged lightly. "I don't mind. Besides, I'm pretty good at it being in all the fights I have. You have to clean yourself up."

Opening the first aid kit. He brought out rubbing alcohol and a cotton round.

He then applied the alcohol onto my skin with the round.

I gripped the sheets in agony. It stung like crazy.

"Did you cut yourself, Leah?" Aidan asked.

"No."

He pressed the round deeper into my cut, increasing the pain. "Tell me."

"It was leverage. Okay? To stop me from sleeping around. No one would want to have sex with me if i was cut like this. Just another thing, he's ruined. It wasn't enough just to sleep with me, he has to attack me too."

Aidan releases the pressure completley. I touch the area he's treated gently and wince.

"I'm sorry Leah. I shouldn't have pushed you."

Damn right he shouldn't have.

I turned away from him, lost in my thoughts. Was it always going to be like this? Would I always be suspicious of people. Would I always be scared to open up?

"What if i can't-  What if i can never move on?" I said.

"I know you can." Aidan replied. The conviction and rawness in his voice told me he believed in me.

"You're you Leah. No-one can take that away from you. It'll just take time to heal. And when you do everyone will see what I see. That you're beautiful. Inside and out." He said softly, his warm eyes on me.

That's when I kissed him. Pulling him down onto me, I tugged at his bottom lip, nibbling it. He flattened his body over mine, closing the distance between us.

He didn't stop kissing me for a second.  His hand caressed my face as he deepened the kiss. I let out a low moan as his tongue slid over the surface of mine. I could feel Aidans smile against my skin.

He pulled away, then pressed his lips against my neck. His teeth nicked against my birthmark. When they broke the surface, I felt a wave of pain. I clutched his shirt. "Patience." He said teasingly. His tongue ran over the mark he'd made and he sucked on my skin gently. I couldn't contain the pleasure I was experiencing.

"Aidan." I cried out his name as another wave of pleasure ran through me. Aidan hummed in response as he peppered my skin with more kisses.

"How'd you do that?" I said breathily. He pulled away and his lips travelled to my ear.

"A magician never reveals his secrets." He whispered, his amazonian green eyes catching mine.

My head fell back into the pillow in defeat. This boy.

He laughed, bopping my nose.

"G'night."