taylor

The night was fading. It was too early to be called dawn yet, but Taylor could just make out the outline of Will's weary, unshaven face. His deep blue eyes were the only color in the gray world of rain and shadows.Will leaned in, and his mouth covered Taylor's, rough but sweet, his tongue seeking Taylor's. Taylor opened willingly to that kiss, forgetting for a second his scratched, scraped hands and the rain running down the back of his neck. They kissed a lot these days, especially for men who had never been much for kissing. Taylor had become expert in all Will's kisses, from the hungry, lustful kisses that always made his own cock rise so fast it hurt, to the tender, almost cherishing kisses that Will generally saved for when he thought Taylor was sleeping. That dawn kiss beneath the pine trees rippled through him like an electric shock, a reminder that, tired, wet, and lost as they might be, so long as they were together, they were all right.

Hunter__ dead,_ Taylor said without preamble. __t was these . . . these things. They came crawling up out of him and were eating him, oh God, I mean, it was like . . . I mean he was crying and Dekka prayed with him and he tried to fry his own brain just like he did with Harry only I guess it didn__ work, I guess he couldn__ do it, so Sam . . ._ She swallowed. __nyone have some water?___hat about Sam?_ Astrid demanded.__e did it for him. Sam. I mean, he . . . Hunter was, you know . . . so Sam._ She pantomimed raising her hands, like Sam, like he would do when using his power.Astrid closed her eyes and crossed herself.__est in peace,_ Edilio said and crossed himself as well.__am burned the boy?_ Howard asked. Then, bitterly sarcastic said, __eah, you all pray to Jesus. Because Jesus is really providing a lot of help here. Sounds to me like Sam was the one doing what had to be done.

Hannah, do you think that your mum and dad and Tate's mum and dad and my mum and dad and Webb and Tate are all together someplace?' she asks earnestly. I look at Hannah, waiting for the answer. And then she smiles. Webb once said that a Narnie smile was a revelation and, at this moment, I need a revelation. And I get one. 'I wonder,' Hannah says.

To an onlooker, his face would be unreadable, but to me I know that look. His thoughts roll around his head like a frantic ball as he considers each excuse he'll give me. At this moment I wish I were the onlooker, a stranger, I know he can't quit for good, not yet. He's searching for the perfect sentence, the perfect touch to bid time until I'm safely sucked into his trap. When he reaches me, he doesn't ask for permission, he pulls me into a hug, wrapping his arms around my back and pulling me into his chest. He's willing me to forget__o forgive because somewhere deep down, he knows this time I won't.

Why are we sneaking out in the night?_ Jack repeated.__ already explained,_ Sam snapped. __f you don__ listen___aylor jumped in to say, __ecause otherwise Astrid would find some way to stop him._ She mimicked Astrid__ voice, injecting it with steel and a tense, condescending tone. __am. I am the smartest, hottest girl in the world. So do what I tell you. Good boy. Down, boy. Down!__am remained silent, walking steadily just a few feet ahead.Taylor continued, __h, Sam, if only you could be as smart plus as totally goody-goody as I am. If only you could realize that you will never be good enough to have me, me, wonderful me, Astrid the Blond Genius.___am, can I shoot her now?_ Dekka asked. __r is it too soon?___ait until we__e over the ridge,_ Sam said. __t__l muffle the sound.___orry, Dekka,_ Taylor said. __ know you don__ like talking about boy-girl things.___aylor,_ Sam warned.__es, Sam?___ou might want to think about how hard it would be to walk if someone were to turn off gravity under your feet every now and then.___ wonder who would do that?_ Dekka said.Suddenly Taylor fell flat on her face.__ou tripped me!_ Taylor said, more shocked than angry.__e?_ Dekka spread her hands in a completely unconvincing gesture of innocence. __ey, I__ all the way over here._____ just saying: you can see where that could make a long walk just a lot longer,_ Sam said.__ou guys are so not fun,_ Taylor grumped. She bounced instantaneously to just behind Sam. She grabbed his butt, he yelled, __ey!_ and she bounced away innocently.__o answer your question, Jack,_ Sam said, __e are sneaking out at night so that everyone doesn__ know we__e gone and why. They__l figure it out soon enough, but Edilio will have to have more of his guys on the streets if I__ not there playing the big, bad wolf. More stress for everyone.___h,_ Jack said.__he big, bad wolf,_ Taylor said. She laughed. __o, when you play that fantasy in your head is Astrid Little Red Riding Hood or one of the Three Little Pigs?___ekka,_ Sam said.__ah! Too slow!

He reached over and took Taylor__ hand. She did not pull her hand away.He moved his hand up her arm. She stiffened a little and glanced around, making sure they weren__ seen. Or, maybe, hoping they were.His hand reached her neck. He leaned toward her and pulled her to him.He kissed her.She kissed him back.He kissed her harder. And she slid her hand under his shirt, fingers stroking his bare flesh.Then he pulled away, fast.__orry, I . . ._ He hesitated, his wallowing brain arguing against a body that was suddenly aflame.Sam stood up very suddenly and walked away.Taylor laughed gaily at his back. __ome see me when you get tired of mooning over the ice princess, Sam.

But hope, I can tell you, is an exhausting emotion; perhaps, along with fear, the most exhausting of all. It is like juggling eggs: the hope is the shell, and inside is despair. A single crack and the despair might spill everywhere, stain everything.