I didn't know if I wanted to blink, scream, or groan. Every inch of me ached. When was the last time I changed fully? The last time I had been so injured that the Phoenix was forced to rise? The gunshot wound mixed with the broken wing and loss of blood was too much and I could no longer suppress it. The instinct to survive kicked in and I was forced to release my phoenix in order to heal, from the ashes a phoenix rises.
With another begrudging moan I opened my eyes to the harsh light. After a few minutes of staring at the ceiling of my chambers of the orphanage I sensed another presence in the room with me and slowly pushed myself up to a seated position and saw Nathan sitting in a chair, his legs propped up on the bed next to me and his arms crossed over his chest, he was snoring softly and wearing different clothes than what we arrived in which let me know that I had been asleep for a while, although I still wasn't sure exactly how long. The door opened to my room and Sarina walked in wearing jeans, a hoodie, and a light blue hijab. She eyed Nathan suspiciously but smiled when she saw me awake. She had a pitcher of water and a pair of glasses to drink from.
"Rafad alrahil." She said in her Arabic tongue, letting me know that Nathan had not left my side.
"It's ok," I said softly. She scowled again as she set the pitcher and glasses on a small table in the room next to the window. I couldn't blame her for her discomfort. One look at Nathan and you could immediately tell that he had a military background, and she didn't have a good history with soldiers.
"Are you sure he is safe?" she asked, this time in perfect English. I noticed that Nathan's breathing had shifted and he was no longer snoring but didn't want to make her more nervous than she already was by letting her know he was awake so I smiled instead.
"'ana 'athaq bih fi hayati." I said gently. Her eyes were wide with surprise, and I couldn't blame her, but rather than say anything else she simply nodded before taking her leave. After she shut the door behind her I turned my gaze on Nathan who was still feigning sleep. After a moment I saw his lips curl upwards in a grin he could no longer suppress and he glanced at me through hooded lashes.
"So you trust me with your life?" he asked and I felt genuine surprise.
"I didn't know you spoke Arabic," I stated. He shrugged,
"Enough,"
"Anything else I should know?" I questioned and he dropped his feet from the bed.
"Shouldn't I be asking that," he asked with a tone of horror. I leaned back as he jumped up from the chair and sat on the edge of the bed towering over me and staring at me with burning eyes. Then the grin re-appeared and let me know that he was teasing, but his eyes held something in them, something deeper that I couldn't understand.
"After all," he whispered leaning in until his mouth was right against my ear, his hot breath rushing over me, "it's not every day you find out that Phoenixes exist." I startled and the memories flooded of us in the woods and I pushed him away so that I could see his face.
"Why are you the one who looks so surprised all of a sudden?"
"Many reasons," I answered as he leaned back, obviously expecting me to elaborate.
"You're still here," I said, and he scowled at me.
"Why would I leave?" he asked sounding offended.
"You saw me like that," I said feeling dumbfounded. I expected threats and screams not his usual teasing and albeit infuriating demeanor.
"And you're a very beautiful phoenix," he said. I felt my face get hot and my fire blazed inside of me with a mixture of pride and embarrassment. He chuckled and touched my cheek.
"I didn't think you could get embarrassed," he said with a lopsided grin.
"Everyone here is used to your wings," he said softly, "but is there anyone who as seen you in that form?" he asked. I pushed away from him and got out of the bed, instead moving to be able to look out the window. I watched the wind shake naked branches and snow fall in large clumps from the branches.
"No one alive." I said softly. I heard him shift his weight on the bed.
"How old are you?" he asked and I rolled my eyes at my reflection in the glass.
"This again?" I shook my head.
"Alright then answer this, what's your real form, this one, or the phoenix?" I turned to look at him and was shocked to see that he had laid back in my spot, his arms crossed under his head causing his shirt to raise up just enough to see the unmistakable v-shape muscles of his lower abdomen. I wanted to groan at the sight of him. He was deliciously sitting there and studying me with genuine curiosity, not knowing how much he affected me.
"Both of them are." I answered, staring as he nodded as if it made perfect sense to him. I was beginning to wonder if maybe there was something wrong with him. He caught me staring an raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop?" I said and he simply laughed which unfortunately finally caused me to snap.
"Why are you so damn phlegmatic?" I grumbled, finally unable to contain myself.
"Oh, ho, another big word?" he grinned and I felt a growl bubble up in my chest.
"Are you always this, this- ?" I grumbled unable to decide on an appropriate word as he continued to smile.
"I'm not sure how I'm supposed to behave," he answered, "since you don't seem to approve of the way I'm currently behaving." I glared at him and growled then stalked up to the bed. I climbed over him, pinning him below me so that he couldn't move. But instead he moved his hands to my waist to hold me there and suddenly I was no longer sure who was trapped.
"Is this behavior more to your liking?" he asked and I detected a huskiness to his voice. I leaned down over him and grabbed his face in my hands and held him still, our noses nearly touching as I stared into his eyes.
"Stop hiding behind this façade and answer me seriously," I commanded and his smile disappeared. Instead I was left with his burning gaze filled with what looked like an insatiable hunger.
The answer I received was not what I had expected.
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