Chapter 6

As Damon tenderly massages my aching muscles under the warm cascade of water, I struggle to keep my heavy eyelids from drooping. It feels as if I”m drifting through some dream world as he carefully applies hair products, his fingers threading through my hair with a gentle touch.

With a graceful motion, Damon tips me back, supporting my weight as the warm water rinses through my hair, repeating the process with other products. Each gesture feels so very intimate.

As the water shuts off, a chill seeps into the room, causing me to shiver slightly. The misty air envelops me, and before I can reach for a towel, Damon wraps me snugly in its embrace. His touch is soothing, comforting, as he meticulously dries me off.

I”m then swathed in a soft, oversized shirt that I suspect belongs to Damon, the fabric a comforting embrace against my tired body. After he dresses himself, Damon effortlessly scoops me up, carrying me back to the bed where the welcoming softness of the mattress awaits.

”Are you comfortable?” Damon”s voice is soothing as he adjusts the pillows behind me.

I nod, a warmth spreading through me that has nothing to do with the shower. ”Thank you,” I whisper, unsure if my gratitude fully captures the depth of what I”m feeling.

Damon”s smile radiates genuine warmth, his eyes reflecting kindness and understanding. ”You”re welcome,” he murmurs, his fingers brushing tenderly against my cheek. ”I”ll let you rest now.”

As he moves to leave the room, a sudden impulse seizes me. ”Wait,” I call out, my voice wavering. Damon turns back, curiosity flickering in his eyes. ”Would you... stay for a while? Maybe read to me?”

A soft smile graces Damon”s lips as he nods. ”Of course, if that”s what you”d like.” He briefly leaves the room, returning with a book in hand. Nestling back into bed, Damon settles beside me, pulling me gently into the curve of his body, my head finding a comfortable spot against his chest. I feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath my ear, a comforting sound in the quiet room.

The soft glow of the lamp casts a warm ambiance, creating a cocoon around us. Damon opens the book, and his voice, a steady and soothing rhythm, begins to weave through the words on the pages. The Christmas story unfolds, and I let myself be carried away by the images it creates of a safe and happy life, the worries of the world outside the cabin disappearing with each passing sentence.

Gradually, my eyelids grow heavy, and the boundaries between consciousness and sleep blur. Damon”s voice becomes a distant hum, the story a fading echo. The last thing I remember before slipping into the embrace of sleep is the gentle rise and fall of our breaths, synchronized in the quiet intimacy of that moment.

That night is the first night I sleep without panic clawing at me and no nightmares that he would find me. Wrapped in Damon”s embrace, it”s the first true night of peace I”ve known in a year.

Awakening in the stillness of the night, a sense of disorientation washes over me. The room is cloaked in a gentle darkness, Damon”s peaceful breathing a reassuring presence beside me. For a moment, I lie there, trying to shake off the remnants of a dream that slips through my grasp like wisps of smoke.

As awareness seeps in, a subtle unease settles over me—the silence. The relentless storm that had besieged us for days, with its howling winds and relentless fury, has ceased. The world beyond the cabin walls lies eerily quiet.

Careful not to disturb Damon, who sleeps soundly, I slip out of the bed and make my way to the common area. Stepping from the warmth of the bedroom into the cooler air of the living area, I fumble for a light switch, casting a soft glow that bathes the room in a comforting embrace.

As I approach one of the windows, a voice, as gentle as a whisper, breaks the silence. ”The storm has passed,” Rayth murmurs, standing at another window with a telescope at his side.

I look at him, still adjusting to the sudden light of the room. ”Passed? But it was so intense earlier,” I murmur, my voice barely above a whisper.

Rayth nods, gesturing toward the window where he already drew back the curtain. ”Take a look for yourself.”

I approach the window, the view revealing a world transformed. The storm has given way to a tranquil night. The thick blanket of falling snow has ceased, and the sky is now a canvas of inky blackness, adorned with countless stars that glitter like diamonds.

”It”s... beautiful,” I whisper, awe replacing the remnants of unease that clung to me moments before.

Rayth”s smile mirrors the brilliance of the night sky as he gazes out alongside me. ”Clear skies after a storm. Nature”s way of bringing balance,” he remarks, his tone filled with a reverence for the natural world. His attention shifts to the telescope nearby. ”Would you like to learn about the stars?” he offers, genuine curiosity coloring his voice.

I hesitate for a moment, contemplating the offer. The idea of delving into the mysteries of the night sky with someone who seems intimately familiar with its secrets is enticing. ”Sure, I”d love to,” I reply, a faint smile playing on my lips. As we stand side by side, I can”t help but reflect on how comfortable I”ve become with him.

Rayth”s eyes light up, and he begins to explain the constellations, tracing invisible lines in the sky with his finger. He points out Orion, the Hunter, and Ursa Major, the Great Bear. His voice is a gentle guide through the celestial landscape, weaving tales of mythology and wonder.

As he speaks, Rayth adjusts the telescope, aligning it with specific points in the night sky. With each constellation he introduces, he invites me to take a look through the telescope, revealing a magnified view of the stars and their intricate arrangements.

Time seems to slip away as we stand close together, our eyes focused on the telescope. Rayth”s explanations are both informative and captivating, turning the vastness of the night sky into a spellbinding story.

Then, as Rayth leans in to show me a particularly elusive constellation, our faces are unexpectedly close. My heart skips a beat, the proximity stirring something within me. For a moment, time hangs suspended as our eyes meet.

Without a word, Rayth”s gaze dips to my lips, and in that breathless moment, he closes the distance, pressing his lips to mine with a soft and tender kiss.

Brushing kisses against my lips, his touch is as gentle as the night breeze. He threads his fingers through my hair, deepening the kiss briefly before pulling away. His eyes meet mine, and a soft smile plays on his lips, the warmth of the moment lingering in the air.

”You should get some more sleep,” Rayth whispers, his voice a soothing murmur. ”Killian will be up early, wanting to clear the snow from around the cabin. The noise might wake you.”

I nod, a sense of contentment settling over me. ”Thank you, Rayth. I appreciate everything.”

His thumb traces a gentle line along my jaw as he speaks softly, ”It was my pleasure. Now, would you like to return to the bed with Damon, or join me in mine?” His eyes hold a warmth that mirrors the cozy atmosphere of the cabin.

”Why do I have to choose?” I tease, a playful smile tugging at the corners of my lips. ”Can”t you join me in the same bed as Damon?”

Rayth”s smile broadens, and he chuckles softly. ”I don”t see why not,” he agrees, his eyes sparkling with mirth. ”Let”s not disturb Damon. We can make sure not to wake him.”

With that, we quietly make our way back to the bedroom, Rayth and I slipping into the bed beside Damon. The mattress embraces us as we settle in, finding a comfortable arrangement that accommodates all three of us. In the soft glow of the lamp, the room is serene.

As I lay there, the warmth of Damon on one side and Rayth on the other, I marvel at the unexpected connections that I”ve found since stumbling, beaten and bruised, away from my stepfather.

Damon, still asleep, seems to sense my return to the bed. In the quiet of the night, he adjusts, drawing my body against his in a protective and comforting embrace. His arm drapes over me, offering a sense of security that I never felt before this cabin.

Rayth, mindful not to disturb his friend, molds himself against my back.

As I drift in and out of sleep, a subtle awareness lingers in the edges of my consciousness—the absence of Killian. I wonder where he disappeared to after leaving the room earlier, a question that dances in the shadows of my drowsy mind.

Then, as if materializing like a ghost, I notice Killian silently entering the room. He moves with the grace of a quiet breeze, his presence going unnoticed until he settles into an armchair. His eyes, keen and observant, watch over us with a quiet intensity.

My eyelids grow heavier, and a comforting wave of drowsiness washes over me. Despite the questions lingering in my mind, the room feels like a sanctuary. The protective embrace of Damon and Rayth, and the watchful gaze of Killian offer a sense of security that I haven”t known in a long time.

As sleep beckons, I find myself surrendering to its gentle pull, cocooned in the warmth of the bed and the quiet presence of those around me. The last coherent thought before drifting away is a profound realization that, despite the unknowns about these men, about their pasts and the intricacies of their lives, it couldn”t be anything as sinister as the horrors I escaped—the nightmares of my stepfather.