Troubled Soul

He sat upright in bed, drenched in perspiration, his heart thumping wildly- chest rose and fell with each breath he took. He shook his head fiercely to gather his thoughts but somehow, he couldn't get the awful vision out of his head.

That dream came again- he was a little boy, walking passed the dirty-faced kids who were clustered on the porch of a run-down house. One of them pushed him to the ground and they were all laughing at him. He tried to fight back but he couldn't, there were so many of them. They kicked him while he was on the ground, helpless, they even took his shoes. When he came back to that old shabby house, he found his father yelling and ripping the place apart. Then, there was his mother- crying alone. He reached for her shoulder and she looked at him, her eyes were bloodshot- it was too horrible to look at. He tried to wrap his arms around his mother's shoulders- but she pushed him away and screamed at him, telling him to leave her alone.

He glanced at the green illuminated numbers on the bedside clock. Two a.m. It had been less than an hour since he'd fallen asleep. He needed alcohol, it was the only thing that could knock him down to unconsciousness- the only thing that could bring him to the deep slumber.

Rolling out of bed, he pulled on the jeans he'd discarded earlier, crossed the floor to find himself standing at the dark corridor outside his bedroom. A streak of moonlight shot through the window, coating an eerie luster to the small hallway, but mostly everything bathed in shadows.

He took few steps- almost staggering. He stared blankly at the floor and rubbed the back of his neck with both hands. He was miserable- the vision of his troubled childhood kept coming back, playing inside his head. It was nothing but a painful journey of self-destruction.

For the first time in his life, he was absolutely petrified.

"Hey?"

He opened his eyes and stared down at a pair of most beautiful hazel-honey eyes he'd ever seen, gleamed in faint moonlight. And that tiny beam of light cast by the moon loomed over her form, allowing herself to manifest to life but partly in shadows. Inconspicuously, his hand blindly reached out to touch her arm- her bare arm, skimming the soft skin. She was no dream, she was no figment of imagination in his slowly deteriorating mind- she was real.

"What's wrong?" she cupped his face and wiped his forehead that was beaded with cold sweat. "Are you okay?"

He slowly shook his head and swallowed hard. The next thing he knew, she threaded her fingers to the back of his choppy dark strands and pulled him to her. He willingly went, encircled his arms around her waist to close a small gap between them. He felt the softness of her body beneath the thin slip of her nightgown, her warmth spread across his bare chest, making his muscles quiver. When her hand came to rub his bare back, a tinge of sensation washed through him at the feel of her touch- skin to skin.

"Take a deep breath. Close your eyes and breathe," her calming voice spoke just above a whisper.

He did as she asked and with every deep breath he took, her scent wafted up, filling him- soft, feminine and a little bit sensual.

"It's okay. Everything's okay now," she said softly, her words were soothing and calming.

She peeled herself away from him, finally registering that he wasn't wearing a shirt. Heat rose to her cheeks and neck- or was it the heat coming from his body, nothing between his skin and hers except a very thin piece of silky material she had on her. He kept his arms locked around her slender frame, not willing to let her go- and rested his forehead on hers. There were so many emotions zipped through him as he came in contact with her. She quickly tore her gaze from the hard lines and planes on his chest, tilted her head up and met his heavy stare. The faint moonlight made his green eyes appear dark, stormy and glassy, scrutinizing her with such intensity. Those planes and angles of shadow cast by the silver beam made him appear dangerous and mysterious. It almost made her lost her breath along with coherent thoughts.

His gaze lowered a fraction, to her lips- her luscious cherry red lips. He slowly slid his hand to her jaw, gently running his thumb over the plump of her bottom lip. He lowered his head just a little bit, his hot breath caressing her skin, their lips nearly touching each other. It took him few seconds before his mouth settled comfortably over her quivering lips.

So warm, so soft- he found himself craving more.

His one hand threaded through her soft long brown locks and held her steady, tilting it with just the right amount of pressure until her soft, full lips fit him closely. She moved then, hesitant yet willing, her hands slid up to his neck, encircling it and pulling his mouth closer to her. A low groan escaped him- a sound that rumbled through him was deep and feral. With strained control, he deepened the kiss. She barely opened her mouth, but his lips nudged hers to open and when his warm tongue touched hers, he tasted deeper and deeper until she could taste the faint ashy smoke from his mouth.

His kiss was strong, intense and desperate- almost left her breathless.

Together, they moved until her back rested against a wall. Strong arms tightened around her, keeping her from teetering. Her heart lunged when his hand grasped her bare thigh and pulled it up, wedging himself in, holding her in the right place. Slowly, he brushed his lips across her exposed skin- her shoulder, her collarbone, the crook of her neck. Nerves she didn't even know tingles with sensation. A rush of pleasure soared through her as his mouth settled on her neck, the tip of his tongue grazing her tender skin. All at once, a soft moan escaped her. That pleasant pressure moved gently from her neck, to her jaw, then covered her mouth with deep and long heated kiss.

They finally pulled away, breathing harsh.

"You know I love you, right?" she whispered against his mouth, fingers kneading his short midnight black strands.

His green orbs searched deep into her eyes. Those shades of amber seemed to glitter with amusement at his inability- his inability to be strong, strong enough to resist her charm and to defy his physical desire for her. But those were the eyes that only see him for who he was, no matter how miserable and messed up he was- her eyes that perceive his inner self and peering right through his soul.

And she was the only one who could ease his frustration and desperation. She had unleashed almost all the fear and power that bottled-up inside him- his troubled soul. It would take some other time before it all gradually ceased to exist.

He smiled against her mouth. "I love you too."

Thanks for reading and yes, review is very much appreciated :)

©2012 by champagne kisses.