Blow Wind Blow |Tempy|

A storm was coming. The wind was terrible and already Tobias could smell the rain, which would fall in buckets and the petrichor would smell strong and crisp in the streets. He stepped into the church after finishing a cigarette and walked down the aisle to one of the pews and took a knee before sitting. He crossed himself over the chest and sat, starring at the heavy wooden cross that was illuminated by a solitary floodlight.

His hair was tied back into a small ponytail and he wore his best pair of jeans, though they were still tattered at the cuffs, and he had shaven the other day so only a thin layer of stubble was begging to show. Tobias hadn’t tidied himself up because he was going to visit the church, it had been on a whim, but since he was clean and groomed he thought that today would be the day to do it. Tobias leaned back in the old creaking pew and watched the stained glass grow dark as thick beads of rain began to slap across the high, ornate windows. He imagined that they would look beautiful at sunrise and sunset. He imagined that the colours would dance across the floors and ceilings and the Priest would be speaking on one of the gospels.

After watching the Priest walk up and down and talk to the few visitors that passed through the church, if only to get out of the rain, Tobias thought he ought to pray. He pulled the old rosary his more religious sister had brought to him from home, and threaded the dark beads through his hands. His thumb pressed over the small carving of The Christ and he sighed. It had been a very long time. Tobias glanced up and saw that the Priest was watching him, and grew uncomfortable in his seat.

It had been a long time since Tobias had sat in a church. He felt bulky and misplaced here, knowing that the church saw his kind as condemned to Hell, possessed by some unseen evil that could not be exercised. Yet the need to visit this town’s church was strong and had grown since he first arrived to Foresta. Like all good Catholic’s Tobias mourned his faith. He screwed his eyes shut, brow furrowed, and tried to think of a prayer. The only thing that came to mind was a line of scripture from 1 Corinthians and he couldn’t exactly recall where. “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”

He whispered so quietly that only the inflection of his voice was audible. He crossed himself again, knowing he ought to go to confession, and made to leave but the storm had grown worse. So, he turned toward the candles in the back. The flames flickered in the breeze and his boots scuffed slightly on the floor as he approached, taking out a coin to pay for his candle.

“I’ll be damned,” he muttered seeing the statue of Saint Christopher standing piously above the waxy rows. It was Tobias’ patron saint after all and he was surprised to see a church acknowledge the Saint. Not long ago the Pope had ruled out Christopher’s saintly hood and it had caused quite a controversy. Not many churches had a depiction because Christopher was a cynocephalus, a dog-head. In other words a werewolf. So the Pope called the Saint of Travelers to be a daemon, and so in turn was Tobias’ patron. He smiled and lit a candle gladly.

Caroline was the type of Roman Catholic woman who went to church when her guilt outweighed her discomfort around priests. Her mother was more pious than she and her grandmother practically lived in a church. Caroline.... well, Caroline considered her faith still under consideration. Could she still believe in this institution after she had left the influence of her parents, and after all of the shit she had gone through? The answer was still pending.

That, however, was not really why she slipped into the church today. Her forest green silk blouse clung to her uncomfortably, her plain black skirt doing the same. When she'd left the house that day to meet with a couple parents, she had not considered that the weather would take this turn for the worse. She had been heading back to the apartments when the storm hit.

The vice headmistress did what she could to wring out her hair and her skirt, but they were beyond drying through such paltry methods. Sighing quietly, she looked around the church. Perhaps she should confess her tendency not to go to church regularly, then start attending each Sunday? Caroline knew almost immediately that she couldn't make that promise.

She moved between the rows, nodding to the few who looked her way. When her eyes beheld a familiar figure, she made her way to stand beside him. St. Christopher. How fitting, she thought as she fished in her purse for a handful of spare change. Without taking a good look at the coins, she dropped them into the donation box as quietly as she could. When she was a kid, she'd always thought that the saints might whisper about the extra generosity. Despite the fact that she'd grown out of that notion, force of habit required that she always put a little extra in the box if she could afford it.

She lit a couple candles, focusing her short words of prayer on her mother and siblings.

Caroline tilted her head forward, as though in prayer, but it was just for show. Instead, she soaked in the minute heat from the candles and let her eyes rove over Tobias. He looked good... like he'd made some kind of effort in his appearance before going to Church. A pang of guild stabbed at her guts, but she pushed it away. And she also pushed away her embarrassment about looking so shabby and damp in comparison to the man standing next to her.

"Planning on carrying small children across rivers?" Even as she murmured it, it kind of sounded vaguely offensive to her. Crap, she thought, and she added quickly, "It's funny. You can tell who planned on being here... and who are simply foul-weather Christians. You look nice, by the way." This was where her powers came in handy. Though she kept her voice low, she muffled the sound waves heading anywhere but to where her companion stood. That way, she would look like she was merely praying to anybody who glanced their way.

Tobias felt the heat rise to his face; of course he had smelt Caroline before she approached him and his insides squirmed when she acknowledged him. He hadn’t been the best behaved their last encounter and he had to remember to hold his tongue. There were only two and a half days left before the first full moon, and his nerves were sensitive. “Thanks,” he said with a small smile. He glanced at her and saw every pore slick with rain water, every detail of her face and her hands. He listened to her heard beat with abandon. This close to the shift, she was more like prey than an interest.

He blinked and shifted slightly, his fingers grazed hers. “Sorry…so, are you a rainy day Catholic?” Thunder clapped violently and the windows shook as a flash of lightning lit up the walls with a haunting brilliance. The wind whistled through, like a chanting prayer. This was the way of old churches somehow resisting the weather despite centuries of resilience. And this church looked like the only upkeep was casual pruning and dusting. It was cold inside for such a warm summer.

“You look very pretty too,” Tobias said returning to the conversation though part of him began to worry about the storm. He tried not to stare too long at the way her blouse clung to her skin. “I think I’d be the last person to trust with kids…not that I’m not good with them. It’s just, my nature complicates things,” he added in a casually after thought. He had been close to mentioning his daughter but that was a private matter that he never liked sharing with acquaintances. Thankfully Tobias had recovered quickly although he realized that if he were to start any sort of relationship, he’d have to share some of his thoughts. “Are you cold at all?” he asked turning to face Caroline now.

Tobias searched her face for any sign that she might be interested in him, and for a moment he swam in the gold flecks of light in her dark eyes. All this he attributed to the coming change, but he couldn’t help but drink it in. He noticed, for the first time, all the tiny scars on her skin and wondered if that had been a tribal thing, though she didn’t seem the type and Tobias dared not ask. He had his own scars he didn’t like discussing. He swallowed hard and felt guilty for looking at her, especially since the Priest was still watching him, and now Tobias assumed her.

When his fingers touched hers, she started slightly. Not because the contact was unwanted or unappreciated (accidental though it might have been), but because Caroline had a tendency to be just a little jumpy. This tendency could be augmented by settings of low-light. She gave Tobias a smile, hoping that he wouldn't take her flinching the wrong way.

Caroline managed to forestall a shrug in response to his question. If she shrugged, it would most definitely look like she was having a conversation with him. So far, she had managed not to turn to look at him more directly. "I'm a Catholic when the guilt catches up to me," she said. There wasn't much else she could say about it. "What about you? Perhaps I should envy your piety?"

His compliment brought forth the shrug she had held back earlier. "You're too kind. I probably look like a drowned rat." She folded her arms over her stomach, trying to hide the goosebumps on her arms. As her hair and clothes slowly dried, she found that the water had instilled quite the chill in her. She stifled a shiver and told herself to man up and get over it.

"I wonder if St. Christopher said the same thing," she said in a contemplative tone. " 'Sorry. My nature speaks louder than my choice. Go find a bridge, kid.' " She shrugged. "The stories are always vague about choices. They really never let us know if he hesitated, or if he ever made a choice he regretted. I think some of the power leaves the choice if we don't know how hard it was to make."

Caroline looked at him in earnest when he asked her if she was cold. A moment's decision and she said briskly, "Yes, and it serves me right for not paying attention to the weather." She could have lied and told him that she was fine. It would have been easier than to admit weakness... but lying in a House of God seemed like a particularly heinous offense. Better not risk it, right?

Her eyes met his and she felt mesmerized again by his icy blues. It was difficult, but she turned her attention back to the candles and away from the incredibly attractive man standing next to her. Crap, she thought, I'm having lustful thoughts in a church. Not a great idea, Caroline. Her fingertips absently traced one of the scars on the back of her other arm, reminding her that she shouldn't be so quick to yield to attraction. Leaping blindly had gotten her into trouble too many times in the past. Her mouth tightened and a haunted look passed over her face before she shoved those thoughts away.

"We've been standing here too long. People will notice that we're not praying now," she mumbled, suddenly recalling that Tobias wasn't the only other person in the room. "I suppose I should leave you to your votives."

Tobias let out a bark like laugh. “The day someone envies my piety is the day Jesus turns his back on the whole world and gives up…no, don’t envy my piety. I’m not even sure I should be here.” If he had had a jacket, he would have given it to her, but he only had his buttoned shirt. So, he took that off and draped it around her shoulders. At least it was dry and at least he was wearing an undershirt.

He listened as Caroline theorized about Saint Christopher, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He watched the candle light flicker in her sweet breath and envied the tiny flames. “I suppose he would have those days. Just because he’s a Saint doesn’t mean his perfect, so.” Outside the storm was turning from terrible to extremely awful and the trees were bending sideways, scraping their arms against the darkened stained glass. Tobias switched his gaze to the high rafters of the building, and thought how wonderful it would be to watch the storm from the safety of the bell towers.

“Don’t worry about my votives. I’ve said my piece…have you somewhere to be now?” he asked quickly, wondering if he could steal her away to the pigeon strewn towers or at least the second level where they could talk in privately without worrying at the priest’s piety.

Tobias didn’t mind the thoughts going through his head in a church. Something about churches had a dark romantic feeling to it and God did invent sex after all…not that he was planning on having her then and there. He wasn’t even sure she fancied him, despite the faint scent of longing lingering between them. It could just be a physical want for her. That thought saddened Tobias ever so slightly and he hoped it wasn’t the case.

He gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Do you have some place to be?"

Caroline smiled at Tobias's conviction that his piety was nothing to envy. He was still here, wasn't he? She started slightly at the weight of his shirt dropping over her shoulders. It still held his body heat. She looked at him, one eyebrow lifting.

Ooooooh. Dammit, Tobias. Why'd you go and make it so much harder to behave!?

With every bit of willpower she could muster, she kept her eyes locked on his face. Even if it meant that she would continue to look up awkwardly (Tobias was tall) when his chest was at eye-level. Easy access.

Her struggle was interrupted by the sounds of the storm growing steadily worse. She glanced at the windows and murmured, " 'Wild nights are my glory.' " She was quoting Mrs. Whatsit from A Wrinkle in Time, naturally. Even if that particular quote could be misconstrued, it certainly fit this situation. Her all too-human heart beat more quickly when she heard thunder, saw the play of stained lights on walls when lightning flashed. She became so distracted, she didn't answer his question the first time he asked it.

She did pay attention, however, when his fingers brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. Her stomach gave an indignant little twist and her mouth went slightly dry. Despite the sudden bashfulness (her cheeks were coloring,) she answered softly, "Nowhere pressing. I was headed home when the deluge started. Why?" A note of challenge (or was it suggestion?) entered her voice and she countered, "Do you?"

Caroline, I know what this is turning into. You need to stop before it's too late. You DO remember the last guy you let get close, right? He seemed nice too. You don't attract nice guys.

But I have to give him the benefit of the doubt! I can't go assuming that everybody is out to get me. That's no way to live.

The alternative could mean a premature end to that life. Came close last time.

Ugh. Caroline hated this nagging inner voice of hers. It was beginning to complicate things. She couldn't deny that it had a valid point. Tobias seemed nice now, but he had already dropped one hint indicating that there was more to the picture. “I think I’d be the last person to trust with kids… my nature complicates things,” he'd said. It probably had something to do with that doublespeak in the teacher's dining room about catnip and dog treats.

No, no. She wouldn't give in to meaningless paranoia at this point. Tobias had given her several indications that he was interested in her. The least she could do was see where this would go. Besides, she was stronger now. Wiser. She could take care of herself if this turned out to be a repetition of what happened last time.

Caroline's frame relaxed a little; she hadn't noticed the tension building in her shoulders and down her spine. She glanced at the priest and said to Tobias, "Walk with me." With that, she turned and began a slow stride around some columns near the back of the church.

Tobias wasn't as well read as Caroline apparently was, but he had recognized that she was quoting from a book. The comment caused a twisted, wicked grin out of him and he thought of all the things she could have been implying. Clearly the storm, but was there something deeper too? Less profound and more animal then her conciseness permitted?

“I've got nowhere else to go,” he responded with a shrug. After saying it, he realized that he fancied the word 'nowhere'. It was very interchangeable. “Nowhere...now here.”

He was quite surprised that she kept her eye contact with him. Generally speaking, most people found his gaze harsh and threatening, and he had begun to think thats how he looked. He scratched the stubble on the underside of his chin and watched the stained glass light up the walls. He couldn't see the colour and he wondered how the depictions of Christ would look in the multi-faceted hue. Tobias enjoyed seeing Caroline's expression when she watched the lightening and he wondered if he could find relief in such simplistic things.

“Alright, where are you taking me?” he asked with another wicked grin. As he made to move, his insides twisted and he winced. He hated cramps, as ever, always starting unexpectedly just before his change or sometimes not at all. Tobias leaned against the votive stand for support, aware of the sympathetic simper on Saint Christopher's face. He straightened up and took in a deep breath. “Jesus...sorry,” he mumbled before putting a smile back onto his face. He wasn't about to let this ruin his day, out of all the moments, no not today.

His smile was like thunder and lightning. It caused her heart to beat just a little bit faster, and she was not sure if it was from fear... or something else. An answering wickedness in her? Was anybody as clean and sophisticated as they acted? Caroline didn't know whether to increase the distance between them or grin. She opted for biting her lower lip, something she wasn't used to doing.

Luckily, wordplay was very familiar territory. Her teeth lost their grip on her lip so she could shoot her tall companion a wry smile. "Clever. Shakespeare would have been proud."

He asked where she was taking him and she returned his shrug, trying to ignore the frequency of wicked grins he produced. "Nowhere." She turned so she could look over her shoulder and saw Tobias's moment of weakness. Her brow furrowed slightly and she asked, quite serious now, "Are you okay? Need an aspirin? I have some in my purse."

She had a lot of things in her purse, though the bag was relatively small. Ahhh... the one mystery that nobody may ever solve. The mystery of the bag that holds more than it should. Perhaps all purses had some pocket dimension inside them that held as much as was put in. Caroline held tightly to this train of thought. It had narrowly saved her from thoughts of how Tobias's mouth might feel on hers.

“Grand…I’m grand,” Tobias said though somewhat breathless. Another shock of pain went through him and reached his toes. He clenched his teeth and a muscle in his jaw twitched. He inhaled slowly, turning his attention to the votives, and the praying people dotted in the rows of old wooden pews.

And her hair, God if there was anything to worship in His house, it would be how her hair fell thick in the light and shimmered like precious stones. How would her skin feel under his rough palms? Tobias didn’t think that her skin was smooth, not with all the scars, but there was a gentleness to her skin anyway and he wanted to feel that gentleness somehow.

“So, what part of nowhere are we going?” he asked coolly as he collected himself once more. Tobias couldn’t think of anything else to do, he had to take her chance now before someone else took it for him, or another part of him betrayed his lovesick self.

He slipped his fingers into the palm of her hand and was glad she was cool to the touch. “I don’t need anything, only I just want to know where we’re going.” And with another ounce of courage, Tobias leaned close and whispered into her ear, “will you take me away into the night?”

Caroline let the worry linger in her features for a couple more seconds, then let it go. If he was going to play his pain stoically, then she should not ruin her own mood with needless preoccupation. If Tobias decided that he did, in fact, need an aspirin, at least now he knew that she could provide.

She started walking again, headed again to the rear of the church. The entrance was set aside from the pews somewhat, and she was sure she had seen a couple doors back there. That part didn't matter so much as the fact that those corners near the rear of the church were not quite so well-lit. With
any luck, they should avoid notice there. Caroline was very interested in continuing their conversation now that she had Tobias to herself. She liked Amy, truly, and all of the crowd back in the cafeteria were nice, but she had wondered if the conversations back at the school were skewed due to a pervasive sense of wariness.

Nobody at the school truly trusted one another, she figured. And could she blame them? The sense of alienation didn't always end when one became part of a community of gifteds. It was a taint, lingering in the words and actions of all who had experienced it. And there was no proof that anybody you met, normal or gifted, was a good person. Caroline shut this line of thought down, hard. She didn't need to get introspective now.

Such a measure was unnecessary, it seemed. Her palm now held a hand, large and rough... and warm to her cool fingers. Her heart, poor abused organ that it was, skipped a beat. A bizarre cocktail of emotions swirled through her, leaving her knees feeling slightly weak. Elation, surprise, nervousness, hope, and fear, plus a couple other feelings she couldn't name. How long had she known Tobias? Suddenly, she was aware of all the thoughts she had been entertaining and how inappropriate they were. He was her coworker! She shouldn't be thinking about doing beyond PG things to him.

He was a janitor, though. Did that count? Somehow, it felt like condescension to make an exception because he wasn't a teacher... Caroline frowned inwardly. She knew that she should ask herself why she was making this a lot more complicated than it needed to be, but she also knew that she probably wouldn't like the answer. She would go with the flow for now. There was still time to back off if she didn't feel like it was right.

A little hand-holding was harmless, right?

She smiled, not answering his question until she reached the back of the church. "Now... here." Caroline stifled a anticipatory shiver at his breath on her ear and the whispered question. But she had to be firm, for both their sakes. She played dumb and merely answered, "Only if you want to get soaked." She couldn't help herself, though, and she added, "You'd probably have to warm me up."

Drat!

“A little rain water never hurt anyone,” Tobias said gazing out into the dark afternoon, or was it midmorning? The rain was still heavy and the winds strong but at least the thunder had slowed. The storm seemed less violent now, but maybe it was all in his perspective. Lightening darted from cloud bank to cloud bank and earth, both frightening and beautiful.

The door to their right seemed to lead of to a slightly covered courtyard and Tobias pushed it open slightly, taking Caroline with him. He loved the wet and the rain, and even the squelching mud on the bottom of his boots, though the aftermath of sopping socks was an entirely different matter.

Rain slid off the slopping rafters, pooling in the supersaturated grass, and creating a sheer waterfall effect. It was like gazing through a curtain into the little garden with the ceder tree and the creepers and delicate lace-like flowers. It put a happy, warm glow in the pit of his stomach as he once again thought of home.

One day, if things worked well for him, he would take her there. If things worked well, Tobias would want her to meet his daughter, but part of him worried that Caroline might not like kids, and worse than that, be a relationship breaker for her. He didn't want that. What he wanted was too see Caroline the dull light of his bedroom, to touch her, to match his breathing with hers. Afterward, maybe, let her into all aspects of his life. That would be very nice indeed.

Tobias had never been the type to be shy or play it cool with women. He usually got the girl he wanted, on the rare occasion he went out to seek company, but suddenly felt awkward and shy around Caroline. It annoyed him. Tobias wrapped his arms around her middle, “Is this good and warm for you?” he asked, looking down to the swoop of her forehead and nose. He threw all caution into the wind at that point, knowing that Caroline wanted this. Screw his sudden bashfulness.

Men. Give them an inch and they'll take a mile.

Caroline had traced Tobias's line of sight to the lightning, and had stood there watching it until he had tugged her to a door and out of it. The wind was still strong enough to make her sodden skirt slap against her legs. As she moved with Tobias, she let the sight of the courtyard sink in. It was very enchanted-nook-like here and she would have let herself fall into the illusion of peacefulness had it not been for the same wind that toyed with her clothes and hair causing the bottom of the curtain of water to sputter and split, like burnt fabric. The plants beyond the waterfall also moved with the storm, flowerheads shaking their heads at her behavior.

God, this was so incredibly inappropriate. Even if they were off the clock and nowhere near the school, this was inappropriate. The flowers knew, the patronizing things. Caroline should be acting with more decorum, more class. This was a flirtation that could lead nowhere but heartache. The English teacher was steeling herself to tell Tobias that she had forgotten that she had an appointment right now and, so sorry, but she had to go back to the school. Some kind of excuse like that.

Tobias embraced her. His arms were around her waist. Her breath caught up in her throat and all intention to halt this situation that was spiraling out of her control fled. She studied his face for a moment before answering in a husky voice, "Yes, very nice." She leaned into him, no longer letting her mind operate her actions so much. All her mind was capable of doing at the moment was sputtering some indignant things about trusting all the wrong people and how the time, location, companion were all wrong and how this would undoubtedly come back to bite her in the ass.

She reached up to touch a lock of his hair, then run the backs of her fingers over his stubble. Her dark eyes practically smoldered as they drank in the sight of him. Eye candy. Mmmmm. This little vacation from thinking meant that the repercussions of what she was doing wasn't going to inhibit her. Nor was the fact that she knew relatively little about Tobias except for his being a Were, his smoking habit, and his being somewhat religious. Oh, and he didn't think he could carry small children across rivers. Her internal warning systems had been triggered, but she was ignoring them.

Her hand drifted to his neck, but stopped where it met his jaw.

A warm shiver ran down his spine and he got goosebumps when Caroline touched his hair and jaw. Anywhere else, Kurt Elling would be thumping out a classic through unseen speakers, but now here…the music was the whistling haloed halls and the gale. Though the wind began to die down, a hurricane was building in Tobias’ stomach. He wanted so much to kiss her and find comfort in her embrace but he couldn’t. There was just no way Tobias could start a relationship without sharing just a little precaution with her. She deserved that much to know and to leave him if it was too much.

But how did one go about saying this sort of truth? He sighed heavily, perhaps he ought to treat this moment like she were Mother Superior, and he was confessing. Forming the words proved to be much more difficult than the idea itself. His tongue felt glued and heavy in the back of his throat. Tobias decided he shouldn’t approach the question so directly and asked, “Out of curiosity, why me?” He hoped the question didn’t put her on the spot, and to soften it, he added, “Only I don’t know what it was about you. I saw you that first time in the entryway and I thought there was something. I don’t know what it was…what made me want you so bad, but I’m keen on finding out.”

||Ooc: Sorry for the short post. Hopefully the next one will be more epic.||

Caroline felt herself holding her breath. Wasn't there something supposed to be happening? Her body felt coiled up, wound tight from all the innuendo and suggestion without action. Now that they had the chance to act, why weren't they? The attraction was certainly there... but it needed a catalyst of some kind. Either they were too caught up in social norms or were too afraid to move on... something.

Then he asked a question that brought back her analytical self and all of her inhibitions. Caroline's expression went blank and she pulled away, taking her gaze away from his face. Damn, she needed a... cold shower.

God provides. She took off Tobias's shirt as to avoid getting it any wetter than it was already getting, tossed it over one of his shoulders, and stepped beyond the curtain of water. The rain was cold, but the chill was now welcome. The bitter truth was cool too. She answered his question as best she could, her voice distant. "I don't know. You seemed nice, cute." Her mouth tightened and she continued, "Attractive. And, miracle of miracles, you seemed interested in me."

At this point her tone took on a bitter cast. "Should have known better, though." She came to stand just beyond the waterfall, somewhat pleased that the liquid gave Tobias a more washed-out look. From where she stood, making out any certain detail was almost impossible. She smiled wryly. "I don't attract nice men. Far be it from me to deny you the benefit of the doubt, but I have a lot of baggage. And, with my abysmal luck, you'd be particularly bad. Perhaps it would be better if we remained colleagues, Tobias. You don't want to deal with the likes of me."

Again, mixed emotions. She felt safer, distancing herself from this potential mess... but it left her with a sense of profound regret to do it. It could have been messy, yes, but it could also have been very beautiful. No, no, she would have f***ed it up. Too much baggage, too many nightmares.

Why the in the Hell had she stepped out into the rain? Tobias arched a thick brow and listened to her. He hadn’t intended to ruin anything or for her to run from him. He never intended things that turned against his favour. A wicked glint shown in his eyes and matched his crooked grin. “The thing is, Caroline…my sweet song, I don’t want to be just colleagues.” He stepped out into the rain with her and the constant drumming felt wonderful, like fingers on his head. His bangs fell into his eyes and little jewels of water dripped from his thick hair.

This was suddenly a game to him, she was playing hard to get. Of course she was scared and unsure. So was he, but someone had to take a leap and Tobias was foolish for second guessing himself. Caroline had already shown interest, and he needed to just man up and show her just exactly why he didn’t want to be ‘just colleagues’.

His voice was teasing and he pushed her gently up against one of the stone pillars, which was slick with years of rain and wind that turned to veins of moss and vine. Tobias put a hand on either side of her and nuzzled her neck as he spoke. “Our lives are stitched together now, whether you want it or not,” he grinned and kissed her neck. “I will just have to deal with the likes of you.”

Tobias breathed in her scent and the rain. He was soaked and it felt free to be caught up in the storm with her. There was passion and something animal that ran through him. He ran his large, square hands through her hair and he brought her head up towards him to kiss her as long as he needed too. Tobias needed to feel her hot breath fill his lungs and her lust and passion on the tip of his tongue. “Oh I am most certainly bad.”