The Vale

C9

As my lips touch Roman’s I feel his sharp intake of breath. His mouth tastes just like I had imagined. I can taste the faint hint of mint on his tongue as he opens his mouth and kisses me. Really kisses me. His warm tongue runs along mine and I can feel his tongue in the corner of my mouth. My entire body feels like it’s been ignited; I have never felt like this before. He brings his hand to my face, cupping my flushed cheeks, before both of his hands go to my hips. He pulls back a little and plants a small kiss on my lips. “Cami,” he breathes out, then quickly brings his mouth back to mine, his tongue sliding in once more.

Roman pulls me by my hips closer to him as he lies back on the bed, never breaking our kiss. Unsure of what to do with my hands, I put them against his chest, and then climb onto his torso. His skin is hot and his chest is moving up and down with his rapid breaths. He pulls his mouth away from mine and I whimper at the loss of contact, but before I can complain he’s at my neck. I feel every swipe and lick his tongue makes. His breath moves across me. He grabs hold of my hair to keep my head just above his as he continues to kiss my neck. His teeth graze my collarbone and I moan, the feeling shooting down my whole body when he begins gently sucking on my skin.

I push him away slowly and lock gaze with him. We are both out of breath, staring at each other. "We...um..we can't," I whisper.

He smiles and reach to caress my cheek with the back of his hand. "I know," He grins. "And we can't because this isn't real.”

I frown. "What isn't-" that's when everything starts to make sense, things I hadn't noticed before like how I'm in my new room and suddenly missing Roman because he isn't here with me. "Roman? Rom–"

The outburst of fire with no source and origin alarms me.

Where is the fire coming from?

I jump out of bed and run to my door on instinct. Holding the door knob, I pull it hard enough to break the handle but breaking it is the least of my worries.

"Let me out!" I bang the door aggressively. "Dean!" I scream loud, calling the headmaster by his first name. "Let me the fuck! Can anyone hear me? Let me out!”

The door just rattles at my impact but won't open, realizing I'm trapped and don't have enough time to make an escape, I turn around and press my back against the door, watching as the fire spreads around the room with the knowledge of what will happen next.

"Camille!" I feel a hand shaking my shoulder frantically, my eyes snaps open to meet the headmaster's brown eyes.

I pull the blanket away and move to the headboard of the bed, curl in a tight ball. I can feel tears streaming from my eyes, and the fear is still lingering in me even after knowing it was a dream. A nightmare. I can't help but surrender to my fears.

No. No, no, no, no, no! This cannot keep happening. This cannot keep happening to me. Each dream is so similar and yet very different. One might think I've dreamt enough about fires to know when I'm dreaming, but no, I never know. It's always so original.

"You are okay now." The headmaster calms me, giving me assurance that nothing can harm me here. He doesn't know how many times I've heard my dad tell me the same thing and each time I have my nightmare I think about how no one can truly save me from this curse because to me it is a curse.

I'm still a little bit shaken from the terrible dream and show it by shaking my head frantically. "No, no, no-" I shut my eyes and look around the room. "No fire."