Deprived

Chapter 28 - Possible allies

A soft phantom touch brushed over his cheeks seconds before Jesse slowly blinked. He was almost surprised to see it was already morning and that, for once, he had a night void of nightmares.

He only vaguely remembered James' voice, the laughter of his mate when they had their little impromptu food fight and how lovely it felt to wake up wrapped securely in his arms.

To wake up either to the sun gently caressing a sleeping James' face, or by the gentle touch of his lover as he slowly caressed the features of Jesse's face, as if memorizing every inch of his flesh.

It was that part of the memory that made him wake up, the sensation of fingers gently brushing over his jaw, that would always be followed by a tender kiss against his skin.

His fingers raised up to trace a hollowed cheek, frown pulling at his brows as Jesse slowly sat up. His mind wasn't as clouded as it had been before, but he considered that to be a curse rather than a blessing.

There was nothing there to dampen the blow of the pure desolation and despair, the mournful pain that webbed through every cell in his body. The very sensation that had altered him, changed him and put Jesse in his predicament.

Jesse slowly pushed himself upright in bed, fingers mindlessly scratching at his throat. They bumped into the multitude of scars and healing wounds. Clear marks of what exactly Jesse had become.

Whore.

He shivered, attempting to block out the memory of the multitude of clients that had been forced upon him. Pulling his knees to his chest, Jesse dug his fingers into the soft fabric of his shirt, eyes flitting from side to side as he fought of the mental barrage of memories that threatened to break his mind.

For a moment, all Jesse could hear was the voices of his memories, hissing in his ear, along with the overwhelming thumping of his heart.

But then he started to hear a voice, monotonal singing what seemed to be a lullaby. His shivering and rocking stopped and Jesse stilled on his bed, blinking with confusion.

Without really knowing why, Jesse was drawn out of his bed, bare feet padding over the wooden floors before he pressed his slender fingers against the door, pushing it open slightly.

His arms instantly came up to hug himself protectively at the sight of the small congregation at the end of the hallway. The hairs in Jesse's neck prickled with awareness, magic crackling in his veins.

Slowly Jesse approached, eyes wary and skin prickling at every gaze that swept over his body. His eyes were lingering on the young woman, a fellow Deprived, singing the tune that had halted his mental self-destruction.

Jesse shivered as some of the warlocks and witches cast him wary looks, mixed with pity. He hugged himself tighter as he watched the scene from a safe distance, feeling oddly jealous.

To have someone there that loves you... to hold you in their arms and support you. Jesse swallowed thickly as he bit on the inside of his cheek and turned away from the scene, eyes fixed on the forest beyond the doors.

The only one he had left behind was his father, a stranger he'd never met before and couldn't truly trust. Then there was Lucca, one of the very few friends Jesse had.

But how long would the Incubus linger around him, wasting precious time and energy away from his own mate? There was only so much pain Jesse could withstand...

He inhaled deeply as he pushed open the door, the gentle wind ruffling through his hair and warming his skin. And yet, to Jesse, it felt like a cold winter breeze that froze his body on the spot.