Sanctuary . Amy Blankenship

the plan of reading a book that he’d picked up from one of the random shelves. The library people had inadvertently helped him learn how to read, which was much easier than he’d expected. Basically, he’d touched their minds to gain knowledge and could now read the thicker books within minutes.

      His perfect lips hinted at a smile when it dawned on him that it took longer to turn the pages then it took to read the stories. If he could seep knowledge from people’s minds then why couldn’t he try to do the same with the books? Laying the book on the top of the nearest box, Skye held his hand over it and closed his eyes.

      Dean sat on top of a nearby bookshelf watching the hybrid with curiosity. The man’s long pale hair lifted and floated around him as if he were standing in a soft updraft. He raised a dark eyebrow when that updraft illuminated around him in amethyst color and the hybrids body swayed relaxingly. It was beautiful to watch.

      Skye slowly inhaled as he drifted through the books, one moment being a pirate on the open seas and the next moment so in love with a faraway princess that he could taste her lips and feel the cloth of his pants tighten with need for her. His attention was quickly taken as he soared through the sky on a black dragon then was killed by a wizard that was more powerful than he was.

      “Figures,” Skye complained as he took a step back from what was obviously the fiction section.

      With a sigh, he moved to sit down and frowned when he noticed another set of clothing and a pair of sturdy black tennis shoes. Who in the world kept leaving things down here in the basement? He knew the workers came down here from time to time but he made sure none of them knew about him using the sofa and books.

      Skye cursed silently when he realized his exhaustion had caused him to overlook the other presence nearby. He looked around frantically, turning full circle, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Swallowing, he slowly approached the clothing items and reached out to touch them only to quickly pull his hand away suspiciously.

      Dean decided to remain invisible and see what the hybrid would do. He was a skittish one, but hell… being trapped with Misery for a few centuries would have driven a saint crazy. Dean couldn’t stand her for more than a few seconds and his patience level was pretty good… at least he thought so.

      He looked down at the box of books the hybrid had just scanned and almost smirked at the classic novel about the world’s most famous vampire sitting on top. Ah, the ironies of life. He glanced back at the hybrid when he moved away from the gifts.

      “Who are you?” Skye demanded feeling the hair on the back of his neck lift from someone else’s gaze. He’d felt that caress before… it was the eyes of the Fallen that had been stalking him.

      “Dean,” Dean whispered, making sure not to startle him. When the silence started to stretch Dean frowned, “Unless you want to be referred to as Boy… I need a name.”

      “What do you want?” Skye asked in a cold voice. His gaze darted around the room since the voice seemed to be coming from inside his head instead of a direction.

      “Just to talk,” Dean shrugged even though the other man couldn’t see it. He pulled his feet up and rose into a crouch seeing the ‘fight or flight’ light shining in the hybrid’s eyes.

      Skye gritted his teeth not trusting the faceless voice. “Is that all you want… really?”

      ”Unless you want more,” Dean’s voice was seductive as he let his gaze drift down the other man’s body without shame.

      How long had this boy gone without feeling the touch of another? He was almost full blooded Fallen and a Fallen felt no bond without touch… it was just the way they were made. That’s why he had stopped Kriss from touching Tabatha too much… why it had bothered him to see them curled up in bed together. He suddenly wondered if Kriss would become jealous if the tables were turned.

      “Why should I believe you?” Skye growled knowing this was not a game.

      “You don’t have to,” Dean informed him realizing he was going to have to be heavy handed if he wanted to rein in the wild child. “But what alternative do you really have? Either I kill you before you grow lonely and join the other demons… or…” he smiled wickedly looking forward to the fight with anticipation.

      Skye’s fear shot through the roof. He rushed for an opening between the bookshelves only to feel a pair of strong arms wrap around him from behind. The force of the hold against his momentum drove the air from his lungs and actually lifted his feet off the floor. He struggled in the hold not bothering to take a moment to catch his breath.

      The arms tightened around him and he gasped loudly at the hard body pressed up against him. He suddenly had flashes of the last time he’d been this close to someone… when he and Aurora curled around each other at night to stay warm… when they held hands or gave into the hug they both needed. He could feel everything and that made him all the more frightened.

      “Or… you could choose to join the Fallen,” Dean breathed into the shell of his ear.

      “Fallen kill beings like me,” Skye growled gripping the arm around his chest but was unable to break the hold. “Or you toss us in a cave or hole somewhere and forget all about us,” he raged as sorrow and anger clashed within him.

      Dean sighed and shook his head. It was times like this that he really wanted to beat some of his brethren over the head with his fist for their carelessness during the demon wars.

      “If I’d known you were down there with that monster… I’d have saved you!” Dean hissed meaning every word. “I still want to save you.”

      Skye stopped struggling but hardened his muscles to suppress the shiver that tried to rake his body. He slowly turned his head toward his captor but stilled when he felt the soft warm skin of the other man’s cheek press against his. He couldn’t stop the pain of loneliness from welling up in his eyes… the touch of this Fallen reminded him of what he’d lost in Aurora.

      “Why?” Skye asked in confusion.

      Dean brushed his cheek against the hybrid’s feeling the hot tear slide between them, “Because demons don’t cry… you are a Fallen. Even Misery could tell… can’t you?”

      *****

      Kane sighed and rolled over onto his back. Something wasn’t quite right and he turned his head to look over at Tabatha… that was when he heard it again. Frowning up at the ceiling, he closed his eyes and listened carefully. At first the sound was muffled, as though it were being heard through a mound of pillows. But slowly, the pounding became steady and strong.

      His amethyst eyes snapped back open hearing the faint sound of a heartbeat in the distance.

      He carefully tucked the covers around Tabatha and placed a whisper soft kiss on her forehead before sliding from the comfort of their bed. Pulling on a pair of black leather pants, he made his way through the darkness of the massive club to the security room, rubbing his eyes as he went.

      As soon as he opened the door, blue light showered him causing him to blink. Kane gazed at the split screen security monitor showing him every angle outside the club, including the roof. His eyes narrowed when the rooftop cam flashed, indicating something had tripped the motion sensors… something that wasn’t supposed to be there.

      Touching the screen, he brought the area by the rooftop door up to full view and tilted his head to the side. Now that was something he didn’t see every day. A beautiful woman was curled up just under the overhang on the roof and appeared to be sound asleep.

      “That looks comfy… not,” Kane made a face knowing the tiny rocks in the tar had to be biting into her delicate looking skin.

      Tabatha had felt Kane leave the bedroom and wondered what would pull him away from the comfort of her bed after she’d spent so many hours wearing him out.

      Curious, she sat up and followed his scent to the security room. Peering through the open door, she saw he was absorbed in something on the screen and tiptoed across the room in an attempt to sneak up on him.