Sacred Flame: His Enemy, His Mate (BL)-Chapter 64: Kissing

Kain Locke

I couldn’t fall asleep after what he said. I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, my mind restless. Beside me, I could tell he wasn’t sleeping either because I could hear his breathing, which was too controlled for a person who’s fast asleep.

Goodness! Why was it so hard to close my eyes and sleep? Why can’t I do just that? Was it what he said? Or that a stupid part of me reacted strangely to those words. Which was all wrong in the first place.

He was playing the sleeping games, but I can’t play it like he does. So since we’re unable to fall asleep, I think I better use this moment to make my enquiries than waste it out doing nothing but staring up.

"You’re still awake," I said quietly as a start, waiting for him to catch the bait.

The silence continued, nothing could be heard aside from his breathing and mine then after a short while, he breathed "So are you."

I turned my head slightly, watching his back that was now turned to me, although he appeared calm and unbothered, but I could tell he was tense.

"Can’t sleep?" I asked, not willing to end the conversation, notwithstanding his disinterest in the whole thing.

Kael let out a quiet huff and unexpectedly answered sooner than I expected this time, "Not with you sighing every five seconds."

"I’m not sighing." I denied.

"Yeah, not."

I exhaled sharply, shifting onto my side. "Fine. Maybe I am. But I can’t sleep...." I trailed off quickly before I could say it was due to the fact that I couldn’t take what he said off my mind, "because the bed’s too soft." I added instead.

That earned a quiet scoff from him. "The floor was too cold, Now the bed’s too soft. What exactly do you want?"

I opened my mouth to speak but shut it back because I couldn’t come up with another reasonable explanation.

"See? You don’t even know what you want," he said lazily, still not turning around. "Everything about you is... complicated."

A small scoff left my lips. "Says the guy who picked a fight over a simple greeting." I taunted and he went still. I expected him to snap so I could have more reason to rile him up but he wasn’t giving me that opening which I could slip through to get to him, "Why do you even do that? Act like you don’t care, but then get mad over the smallest things?"

Finally, I guess that had an impact because he turned his head, just enough for our eyes to meet in the dark. "Why do you also let it get to you?"

I froze.

His gaze lingered, sharp and unreadable. "You’re the one who said it just a few moments ago that we’re just two individuals capable of making our own choices. So why does it bother you so much?"

I opened my mouth, then closed it.

Because I don’t understand you. Because I don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to feel when you act like this.

But I couldn’t say that.

So instead, I looked away, exhaling. "Forget it."

Kael didn’t push, but I felt his gaze on me for a long moment before he turned away again. "Whatever goodbye you have to say to these people, I expect it to be done tomorrow. Because we will go back to the base the day after it."

Why must he be so curt about it? Why is he such an ungrateful bastard?

These people, he was referring to them like they were nothing. Like they hadn’t risked themselves to give us shelter, treated his wounds, and fed us when they didn’t have to. And all he could say was that he expects me to say goodbye? Like it was some chore I needed to get done before we left?

My fingers curled tighter around the blanket. I wanted to tell him off, but what was the point? It’s not like he ever cared about anything

Therefore, I turned onto my back, staring at the ceiling. "You really have no heart, do you?"

There was silence. For a second, I thought he wasn’t going to answer.

Then, his voice came, quietly, "Having a heart gets you killed."

I frowned. "That’s a sad way to live."

Kael didn’t say anything. Maybe he thought that was the end of it, that I’d roll over and stop talking. But I wasn’t done.

"You’re not even grateful to them, not even Irene! Do you know they could’ve handed us over, but they didn’t. They didn’t even care to ask where we are from or how we got those people chasing after us! Even I, you don’t even tell me any fucking thing!"

He sighed. "You think I don’t want to?" 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"No. I think you just don’t care. Forget it. I don’t even know why I’m wasting my breath on you." It wasn’t as though whatever I want to say next is capable of changing anything.

Kael turned his head slightly, his eyes meeting mine again. This time, his gaze was unreadable, and dark, "Yeah I don’t care! As if it’s easy for me to just smile it out and say that fucking bald bastard might’ve been the one who killed my mom!"

His mom?

I blinked, my breath catching in my throat at his statement, of course, Kael wasn’t some monster who just fell from the sky, someone had to give birth to him, someone had to have cared for him once. But this... this was the first time he had ever mentioned her. And just the way he mentioned it reflected some rage he was trying to conceal... which made me realize that If that man had something to do with her death, then...

"Is that why you brought me back to the base, even though I’m over it?" I whispered. "To avenge her death?"

He shook his head, "Coming back was inevitable. If I didn’t bring you back, someone else would’ve done it." His tone was even, but his fingers twitched slightly against the sheets. "The reason I brought you back... it’s actually more than that."

More than that?

I swallowed, my heart pounding. "Then what is the reason?"

There was a pause. Then, his gaze dropped low,

However, just when I thought he was going to say the reason, he only repeated what I’ve heard in enough time for it to bore me out, "I’ll tell you when it’s time."

I clenched my fists under the blanket. When it’s time? How long was I supposed to keep waiting? Was it going to be when my hair turned gray? Or worse when I was nothing but ashes?

I scoffed, muttering under my breath, "That’s If I even get to have a future."

Kael turned his head , shifting his gaze away. He had heard me, but he didn’t comment on it. Instead, silence stretched between us,

Maybe it’s really time to go to sleep, so I also turned my back to him, pulling up the blanket even upper and shut my eyes, expecting sleep to claim me, but something else entirely came when I heard him say, "And... thank you."

"For what?" I questioned, turning back hurriedly, frowning as I stared at his back as though the answer were written there,

"For pulling me out of the water." he answered in a low voice.

I stared at him, eyes widening as my mouth flew open. Was this really Kael? The same Kael who acted like gratitude didn’t exist in his vocabulary? Was he affected by something?

Or is this the legendary possession? I mean only that could explain him saying Thank you! As in thank you!!

Before I could say anything, he added flatly, "I just feel the need to, so don’t go putting a tag on it."

Who was he kidding? I was definitely putting a tag on it.

I smirked. "Damn, I wish I had a camera to record this moment so I can play it for future generations."

Kael groaned in frustration, "I should’ve drowned." he murmured,

I bit back a laugh. "No, no, this is great. I might even carve it on a stone. ’Here lies Kael, the man who said thank you once in his lifetime.’"

"Kain!" he seethed but I only grinned, knowing I was getting on his nerves, a one time thing , why wouldn’t I take advantage of it and enjoy it to the fullest, "Or maybe I should start a fan club..."

Before I could finish, Kael shifted, moving faster than I could react. And before I could process what’s happening, he had already pinned me to the bed, his warm lips pressing against mine.

My eyes widened, my mind blanking. What... what just...

But then, his lips moved, firm but unhurried, and when his tongue licked over my lips, parting them to gain an access into my mouth, my heart stopped beating in that tiny moment. Then it raced. My breath hitched, my fingers curling into the sheets as I arched my back.

I should’ve pulled away. I should’ve said something.

But I didn’t.

Because Kael was kissing me. And, god help me, I don’t hate it!