Enduring Light (The Afterglow Trilogy #3)(22)
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

“Possibly.”

“You should get your shower done then. You can come in.” I grabbed some clean boxers and tentatively opened the door. She was dressed in only a towel, and I forced myself to avert my eyes even though it was the last thing I wanted to do.

“Have a nice shower.” She gave me a knowing smile before slipping out past me.

I took as fast a shower as possible, half out of fear that the lights would go out and half because I wanted to get back out there with Samantha. She was fully dressed when I walked out, and I enjoyed the look of surprise on her face when she saw I was in just my boxers. Considering what she’d just made me see, she could handle me with my shirt off.

“How was the shower?”

I sat down next to her on the bed. “Nice.”

“If I tell you something, do you promise not to get too upset?”

“Sure.” I would have agreed to anything she asked.

“Yesterday, the reason I couldn’t sleep is that I had a terrible nightmare. I had it twice and then again on the plane. I have it every time I sleep.”

I pulled a leg up on the bed, positioning myself so I could face her. “A nightmare? About what? When did you start having this dream?”

“They started when we left Energo. The dreams almost feel like a flashback, like I am remembering something from my past. Only I can’t be.”

I scooted closer to her. Samantha had never opened up so much. The dreams had to be really disturbing.

“In the dream, I am in a clearing, and there are three men. One man—” She stopped, and a tear streamed down her face. “One man dies.”

I wiped the tear off her cheek, still in shock that a dream had upset her so much. Samantha usually kept such a tough exterior. “Did you recognize him?”

“No. But I recognize the others.”

“Who were they?” I tensed. Something told me I wouldn’t like her answer.

“Blake was one, and the other… this is the part you might get upset about.”

“Just tell me.”

“Monty.”

My stomach clenched. “How does the third man die? Is he killed by one of the men?”

She nodded. “Yes. But I don’t know which man killed him. It all blurs out.”

“It has to have been Blake. Or it’s just a dream. Monty would never—”

“I know, but I think I know who the dead man might be.”

“Who?” I asked.

“Emma’s Gerard. He is killed with a Guardian sword.”

I got up and paced the room for a second. I wanted to believe it was just a dream, but nothing with Energo was ever like that. Nothing could be written off. “Blake killed her Gerard, but why was Monty there?”

“I do not know.”

I sat back down. “I’m sorry you’ve had this dream.”

“Me too. I want to trust him.”

I swept some wet hair away from her face. She looked so vulnerable in that moment—wet hair all messy around her face, tears on her cheeks. I just wanted to make everything better.

She brushed her fingers against mine. “That is one of the reasons I wanted you to stay with me.”

I edged closer. “I’m glad I’m here. I’d be worried about you otherwise.”

She crossed her arms over her chest, pulling the thin T-shirt tight, and I discovered she wasn’t wearing a bra. “Just because I am a woman doesn’t mean I cannot take care of myself.”

I forced my eyes back up to her face. “I know you can take care of yourself.”

“I know you know it. It is one of the reasons I like you so much.”

I leaned in closer. “Like me, huh?”

“Yes.”

I couldn’t wait any longer. I kissed her. Her cool lips responded immediately, and her mouth welcomed me. I wanted things to get back to exactly where they had been the day before when we were interrupted. She wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her body against my naked chest. I put my arms around her to get closer and to warm her. She released my neck with one hand and tentatively touched my chest.

I groaned. Giving in to my need to touch her, I slipped a hand under her shirt, running it first over her stomach before moving up just below her br**sts. She broke the kiss and let out a surprised sound.

“Do you want me to stop?”

She shook her head. “No.”

I cupped one of her br**sts, loving the moan my action caused. She kissed me, her touches no longer tentative. I lost track of everything else—the storm, the fact that we were in a road-side motel—and just lived in the moment. Her body was as amazing as I knew it would be, and I wanted to explore every inch of it. I needed her in a way I’d never needed a girl—raw, and desperate, and real.

Then the lights went out.

Samantha jumped. “Did we lose all sources of power?”

“Yes.” I tried to dial down the disappointment. Another perfect moment ruined—or was it?

I found her lips again, and she responded. If anything, the darkness made it better.

Our kisses grew more frenzied, and I moved both hands under her shirt. She lifted her arms up, making it easy for me to remove it. I gently moved her down onto the bed, hovering over her. I wasn’t thinking; I was just doing. I’d wanted Samantha for so long.

I stroked her stomach, forcing myself to keep my hands away from the drawstrings on her pants. If anything like that happened, it was going to be when she wanted it. I felt her finger slip underneath the elastic of my boxers. Her hand started moving down, and I pulled her closer. I waited for the contact I knew was coming.

I heard several loud noises from outside. “What the hell?” I sat up. “What was that?”

Another round of loud banging had me searching in the darkness for my clothes. I found my pants, but I’d never unpacked another shirt, and the old one was still in the bathroom. I located Samantha’s shirt and tossed it to her.

“What is going on?” The alarm in her voice matched the way I felt.

“I don’t know. If I could see anything at all, I’d say we need to find everyone else, but we could be running into anything.”

Samantha took my hand. “We cannot just stay here. What if they are in trouble?”

“I know. I wish I had brought in some of our new gear. We have flashlights. Wait.” I felt around for my cellphone on the nightstand. I hit the power button, but nothing happened. I could have sworn it still had some battery left. I heard a howl followed by a deafening scream. A second later, the window was lit with a bright light. It was eerie, and it definitely wasn’t something from our world.