[IC] A Little Shade Of Gray

[Love Dove]

Ciara looked up at him when he repeated her name softly a smile on her face, which was followed by a soft blush as once again his fingers reached out to stroke her cheek as he had done before, once again she felt the urge to just lean up to kiss him. Damn it, Ciara pull yourself together! He has a girlfriend! She thought to herself as his finger moved to run down her jaw line and he told her his name. She felt a slight twinge of pain when his finger landed on her jaw where he had grabbed to break her neck earlier. Ciara had a feeling it was the beginning of a bruise, but at the moment she could care less.

She couldn’t help but blink a little in surprise when he said she could ask him anything she wanted. Surely he wouldn’t answer anything that she asked. It took her a moment to get over the shock of his answer before she remembered her question. Why he would ever be with this Jay woman that hurt him. His laughter made her purse her lips slightly, her question might have been an odd one to ask, but it was one she wondered none the less.

“Yes. Well I could ask about your coven, but seeing that you want to destroy mine I wouldn’t want to answer your questions about mine. So, I would rather ask a question about you.” She said softly when he asked about her question. In truth there was another reason why she asked such a question before any of the others that were now popping in her head. Though his answer was enough to make her frown and roll her eyes at him. Yes the answer he gave was very obvious, in more ways than one in fact. “Really?” She said her tone annoyed and even a little judgmental. “You would be with this woman, who willingly hurts you. Because she is powerful, hot, and easy?! That is the most…” She started her tone raising a little not only in anger but jealousy, though she stopped herself before she said what she really thought it was. Stupid, insulting, moronic, unfair!! She let out a huff looking away from him. “typical thing I have ever heard. Never mind, just forget I even asked.” She finished softly letting out annoyed sigh. She was pretty too!

Ciara looked behind him hearing his name being called and he turned before cussing. She didn’t have time to react to his words before being grabbed roughly and pushed into the alleyway. She stumbled a little bit from being almost thrown, her hands reaching up to stop her from going face first into the brick wall on the other building. “Ouch.” She said annoyed again before he whispered asking her to stay hidden, he likely couldn’t see but she quietly nodded her head before the raven haired woman wrapped her arms around his neck. Ciara was forced to watch as he pushed Jay against the wall only feet from Ciara making out with her. She wasn’t sure which annoyed her more, that there was no way to not be forced to watch without moving and giving her hiding place away, or the fact that Jay was really beautiful and she had hoped Adam was lying. That she was really actually ugly and he was trying to make her jealous. It wasn’t fair that she had to watch this bitch make out with Adam when not but thirty minutes again she could have been the one pushed up against that wall.

Her sigh echoed through the alleyway after he whispered he was sorry to her, her eyes were closed as she leaned against the wall frowning. After seeing the way this Jay woman pushed on his chest, the evil smile that was on her lips as he groaned in pain, it made her have to close her eyes just so she would stay hidden as he had begged her too. Ciara would have been so much easier with him, so much better for him. “Just go Adam.” She said her tone angry. ”Please before I’m the reason you get in trouble again.” She whispered sadly before Jay yelled back at him. She didn’t want to be the cause of more of his pain and honestly she didn’t want to admit why she was angry to him, she just wanted him to go, she couldn’t talk to him right now.

After he left she stood in the alleyway for a few moments more leaning against the wall her fingers pinching the bridge of her noise as her mind played over the scene she was just forced to watch over and over again. She wished she could have set the woman on fire, she couldn’t point out why she was so jealous of Jay, Adam’s girlfriend, kissing him when she had just really met him only an hour ago. Finally she moved out into the crowded street, getting a few waves from the people, which made her frown and halfheartedly wave back. If she had other than this long sleeved shirt she wouldn’t have gone to do the shopping she had come into town for.

---

Hours later Ciara sat in the well-lit extremely large library that was to her the most comfortable room in the whole mansion, a charm was cast on the wall so that no noise from outside could be heard, she was truly alone her own mind. Her wet black hair pulled up into a tight ponytail, as she sat cross legged surrounded by piles and piles of books. If anyone were to come into the library they would think such a sight was normal, she seemed to be doing the same thing she did every night around this time. However, tonight was different for her because this yin on her arm was driving her crazy! Even though it no longer hurt, there was still the problem of it being there with no reason. Part of her wondered if Adam was looking for an answer as well. If he was looking through his own books? No likely not he hadn’t seemed like the type to go searching through books like she was.

She blinked frowning a little bit, before rubbing her tired eyes. What was it that she just read? Something she had found about symbols? Ciara sighed looking over it once more before putting on the pile of books she had found nothing in before standing up and yawning. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t found anything yet, though it wasn’t the easiest when she kept thinking about him, the way his blue eyes looked when he leaned down like he was going to kiss her. Frowning again at her lost train of thought getting away from her task, she muttered waving her hand, the books that sat on the floor flying back into their selves.

She would have to look again tomorrow she thought to herself as she stretched her hands above her head closing her eyes, when they opened they landed on the glass case that sat locked by Grace’s desk, there were more protection spells on the case than Ciara even knew. Inside the case was Grace’s spell book, it was off limits to even look at what was inside of the book, to even think about touching would get someone kicked out of the coven or worse. Still she couldn’t help but wonder, what if there was something there, inside that book, which could help them? Slowly she walked towards the book careful not to get to close to it, if only she could look inside of it. Ciara bit her bottom lip looking at it, Grace was almost like a mother to her, but she just wanted answers! “Show me what I seek.” She whispered lightly snapping her fingers not expecting anything to happen or worst to get hurt from the protection spells. Instead the pages of the book started turning roughly inside the case, Ciara watched surprised, had Grace truly put spells on the case but not the book? The book lifted inside of the case still flipping this own pages until it stopped pressed against the glass like it was going to break through.

Ciara’s eyes widen at the title of the page, her hands almost touching the protected glass as she read the prophesy that it told. Though cryptic for some reason she just knew it was about her, about Adam. “So treasured, you are what I seek. However, you do not belong to me. Nor I too you, so copy in my hand so that I might forever have you to peek.” She chanted holding her hand out before a puff of blue smoke appeared in her hand leaving a copy of the page as it cleared. Hearing the library door start to open she folded the paper and stuffed it her pocket, grabbing another book and flicking her hand and closing Grace’s book.

“Ciara? Child what are you doing in here? It is almost midnight.” Grace’s voice came loudly from the door making Ciara turn to see her and Peter watching her questionably.

“It is?” She said rubbing her eyes yawning. “I’ll go to bed in a minute Grace just let me finish this book.” She said turning away, to hear Peter laugh behind her.

“How much must we tell you child? There is such thing as too much reading. Go to bed!’ Grace said sighing and flipping her hand muttering, the book Ciara had flying from her hand back to Grace.

Ciara frowned a little but nodded leaving the room, she waited until she was out of sight to room back to her room. She shut her door as she used her power the light the candles around her room, feeling almost giddy and praying that Adam was still awake. Crawling up on her bed she took a calming breathe before picturing Adam in her head. “With hands that cannot reach, feel my touch upon your skin. With eyes unopened let me see your peaceful face. Hear my whisper in your ear so far away, so I may hear your voice, and you mine with no one that’s near. Hear me Adam Danvers!” She chanted before taking a shaky breathe feeling the same electrical feeling run through her body.

She opened her eyes to see Adam though everything around him was fuzzy and blurred. She reached over her finger tips running along his skin before leaning in and whispering in his ear. “Adam? Did it work? Can you hear my voice” She whispered her voice echoing, she had only used this spell twice and was unsure if it would work on anyone other than her sister.

[ravenhuffle]

Even though Adam couldn’t see her in the darkness of the alley, he could hear her whispered words as they shot straight through him. He could hear the disapproval in her voice and it made him sigh. It really shouldn’t bother him he told himself, yet it still did. Not to mention he did not really want to leave. With another mumbled apology he took off after Jay and took her hand as they walked down the street. Adam didn’t dare risk looking back as he disappeared into the crowd of people with his fingers intertwined with a raven-haired beauty.

“Why does Elena want to see me?” Adam finally asked as him and Jay entered the edge of the forest that surrounded the coven’s compound.

“She has an assignment. She wants you to prove your loyalty to the coven.” Jay said as she pulled her hand from his. Her dark eyes glanced over at him for a long moment before she stopped walking. “What were you doing standing in the middle of the city anyway?” She asked as she put her hands on her hips.

“Trying to figure out how I screwed up so royally and how I can fix it.” Adam said stopping a little ahead of his girlfriend and turning back to her.

“Well Elena has a way for you to start atoning for your stupidity.” Jay stared walking again.

The rest of the trip was silent. Even in the halls on the way to Elena, the coven members remained quiet. Many stopped talking when Adam came within ear shot and others flat out refused to look at him. “What the hell?” Adam mumbled to himself as he followed Jay through the unnaturally quiet hallways. After what seemed like a long walk of shame, Jay opened the door to her mom’s office and pushed Adam into the room. The door slammed shut behind him, leaving him alone with Elena. Her back was to him as she swiped a paint brush across a canvas with expert precision.

“Have you thought about your mistake, Adam?” She asked without looking back.

“Yes ma’am.” Adam said as he bowed his head a little bit.

“I expect more from my greatest warrior. I want to see you become the leader of this coven with Jacqueline, but I will end your relationship with her if I think you have become unsuitable. You must prove your worth.”

“Of course, Elena. Whatever you ask, I will do.” Adam said with a hand over his heart.

“It is time we announce our presence and our intention. If you want to continue to see my daughter, and to keep your place as a future leader of this coven, you must kill a member of the weaker coven.” Elena put her brush down and turned to look at Adam. “You must kill the one that beat you to gain my forgiveness. Once this is done, we will start planning your wedding.”

Adam looked up with wide eyes. Kill Ciara? He couldn’t kill Ciara! There was no way he could pull this off. Adam looked over at the wall and focused on his breathing to keep Elena from making him tell the truth. She couldn’t know about Ciara!

“Adam? Is there a problem?” Elena stood up. Adam looked back at her and bowed with a hand resting on his heart.

“It will be done!” Adam turned and walked out of the room, his head spinning with the possibilities. Possibilities of what could happen to Ciara if he had kill her or someone close to her or what could happen to him if he didn’t kill her.

--

Later that night, Adam laid awake on his back with his hands behind his head with a sheet draped across his bare waist leaving his chest exposed to the cool air of the room. A naked Jay was curled up against his side, one leg draped across his under the covers, her head resting on his chest, and her arm resting on his stomach. While she was fast asleep, Adam had been lying awake unable to sleep. He had to prove his commitment to Elena, but he couldn’t hurt Ciara. He could kill another member of her coven, it wasn’t like anyone knew who had beaten him. But killing a coven member would piss off Ciara. Adam paused. Since when did he care if Ciara was mad? Adam groaned and closed his eyes. An image of Ciara flickered into his view as clear as if she stood in the room with him. She called out his name and asked if he was awake so vividly. Was he hallucinating?

Adam opened his eyes and sat up just a little, trying not to disturb his sleeping girlfriend. “Ciara?” He whispered to the dark room though there wasn’t anyone else in the room.

“Adam?” Jay mumbled as her eyes flickered open.

“It is nothing. Go back to sleep.” Adam said kissing the girl’s lips before she settled back down on his chest. Adam looked around the room once more before relaxing again and closing his eyes. As soon as he did, Ciara appeared again.

“The hell?” He whispered as he opened his eyes again. Why was he hallucinating?

[Love Dove]

When the spell was done and Ciara was finally seeing Adam clear as day, his eyes were closed and at first she thought he was asleep. She almost didn’t want to see if he was awake, he was actually kind of cute shirtless and all relaxed. Ciara didn’t want to ruin that however, this was important, more than important actually, mind blowing. She whispered his name softly, asking if he was awake and if the spell worked so he could hear her. Adam’s answer wasn’t exactly a yes, but from the way he sat up and whispered her name looking around, it was clear that it worked. Ciara let out a giggle at his react, finding it cute, until she saw the movement beside him. While Adam couldn’t see her without closing his eyes, even with her eyes wide open Ciara could see him.

Though she was able to make out some of the things around him through the blur, she hadn’t notice his girlfriend until Jay said his name. Ciara had been more focused on Adam than the horrible woman that was curled up against him. When he closed his eyes again after kissing his girlfriend he might had seen the look of annoyance and disapproval. Much like she had had before while hidden away in the darkness of the alleyway hours earlier. She couldn’t help it! Ciara just disliked the woman, with the things he had said Jay had done to him and the way she had smiled when she hurt him after making out with him. Ciara tried hard not to be judgmental, but she couldn’t help judging the woman. Because Ciara wasn’t jealous that she couldn’t be the one beside him, no, of course not.

When he opened his eyes again whispering what the hell, she couldn’t help but sigh shifting herself on her own bed in her room. Clearly he didn’t understand what was going on, though then again this spell wouldn’t be one that he could know. Seeing how it was hers and the first of its kind. “Wow, you are a little cute when you are confused, Adam.” Ciara teased with a slight laugh, watching him trying to figure out what was going on was a little actually rather amusing. She trying to keep her sight on Adam and forget about the….woman lying beside him, she wasn’t going to the sight of his girlfriend’s ugly annoying face ruin her excitement over what she found. “It’s called the Whisper spell, I needed to talk to you. To see you….and make sure you were okay. So close your eyes so you can see me and you can talk to me mentally so that thing beside you doesn’t wake up again.” She said sweetly though the jealousy felt came through a little as she roughly referred to Jay as “that thing”.

When he closed his eyes and she knew he could see her, Ciara gave a wide smile her hair still wet in a ponytail and a long t-shirt looking nightgown covering her body down to just above her knees. “I was afraid you were asleep when I popped in.” She said talking out loud herself looking ahead of her where he would be if he was here on her bed with her. “I found something in the books, I think you’ll be happy with me.” She said excitedly. “I mean with what I found.” Ciara added in quickly before he would be able to say anything about her choice of words. Why did it suddenly matter if he was happy with her?

[ravenhuffle]

Ciara’s voice floated into his head once more, though her words about being cute did little to relax him. Confusion was still written all over his face as he looked about the room trying to decide if this girl was so ingrained in his thoughts that he was hallucinating her face and voice or if she had hexed him. Once again, Ciara’s voice drifted through his thoughts like a soft caress, and this time she told him what spell she was using. Slowly Adam forced his back and shoulder muscles to relax as he closed his eyes. A smirk appeared on his face as she mentioned Jay currently laying on his chest. Absentmindedly, his hand began to rub the arm draped across his body.

“Do I detect a hint of jealousy, Ciara?” He asked with a cocky spin on his tone. “It suites you.” After a much deserved tease, Adam really took in the appearance of the woman in front of him from the dark wet hair pulled back to the lightly dressed body. “Any thinner fabric or a shift in just the right way and I would be able to see all that you have to offer.” Adam’s smirk turned into a full out grin. “Not that I would complain.” He added off handedly.

Adam found that he liked this Whisper Spell thing, it allowed him to really look at Ciara without her really being able to know what he was doing. Or so he hoped. Jay shifted beside him, pulling herself closer to him so that half of her body was laying half on top of Adam while her face rubbed into his neck. Without really thinking about, Adam tightened his grip on his girlfriend while he continued to talk to Ciara.

“I haven’t been able to sleep. I have a lot on my mind, and my body is so stiff and sore I cannot seem to relax. You probably could have found me awake at any point tonight.” Since when was he comfortable enough to tell her how he was doing? Adam shook his head to banish the thought. “Though about thirty minutes earlier, you might have caught me in the middle of something. Anyway, onto why you are up and what you need to talk about so badly.” Adam started tapping his index finger on Jay’s arm as he contemplated what could be so important as to warrant Ciara contacting him in the middle of the night. An eyebrow raised when she mentioned that he would be proud of her, but before he could make a smart a** remark, she corrected with him being happy with what she found. With a shake of his head, he waited for her to explain herself.

After a few seconds of silence Adam lifted his hand and make a circling gesture with his hand that meant to continue. “Are you goanna tell me what was so urgent, witch? Or did you just want to disrupt my night?” Adam waited impatiently for what had the girl so excited. What had she found? And why did she think he would want to know? Adam’s mind flashed to the mark on his arm that he had been careful to keep out of Jay’s sight all evening. “Does it have to do with the mark on my arm?” He asked with just a little bit of enthusiasm.

[Love Dove]

Ciara was fully able to see the smirk on his face as she mentioned the woman lying beside him, her eyes drifting down to where he was rubbing Jays arm. The same look of annoyance and disapproval showing on her face as she pursed her lips before he spoke. Her eyes went back up towards where Adam laid, as well as where she would be looking at him if he was here. Ciara bit her lip softly as he asked if she was jealous, a slight blush starting as he said it suited her. She wasn’t jealous! Adam clearly wanted her to be, the way he was acting. Right? Or maybe that was in her head. “I am not jealous Adam, I told you, you are not my type.” Ciara said rolling her eyes. Though…..she wasn’t even sure anymore. Even when looking for what the symbol was earlier, Adam kept crawling his way into her mind. “I do find it ironic that you are petting her arm like a dog. Clearly what I think she seems to be is true?” She added quickly, trying to subtlety call Jay a bitch.

When Adam said something about almost being able to see her body Ciara’s eyes widened slightly, her lips parting a little and face turning a dark red as he once again today made her blush like a school girl. Ciara blinked cutting off her sight of Adam, her eyes becoming clear again as she looked down at herself. In truth if it hadn’t been for Adam’s comments she wouldn’t have noticed how thin the fabric was, it wasn’t something she ever wore out of her room. She started to shift her body, but stopped as he added that he wouldn’t mind. Ciara’s clear glaze looked up, as she pulled the blanket out from under her and covered her body from his view. “Hmm too bad you already have a girlfriend huh?” She thought to herself, only to hear it echo and knew he heard it as well.

Ciara gave an awkward laugh, before changing the subject to being afraid he was already asleep closing her eyes again, them looking foggy when they reopened and she could see him again. Her sight coming back in time to see Adam tightened his hold on Jay. She frowned a little taking it as a reaction to what she had said, she wouldn’t slip up like that again. “Oh? She asked tilting her head a little. “I’m sorry that you are still hurting.” Ciara got out before Adam went on, she sighed and pitched the bridge on her noise. “And thank you, for that mental image.” She muttered. Ciara waited for him to reply to her word about finding something, only to get a shake of the head, she raised an eyebrow, he really wasn’t one for enthusiasm was he?

She started to bend over to get the paper from her jeans, only to see him circling the air with his hand. Ciara pursed her lips. “If you could be a little more patient Adam, that would be great. I can barely see half of what is going on, on my side with this spell after all.” She said slightly annoyed as she found her pants. She smiled widely digging for the paper, finally hearing a little bit of enthusiasm. “Yes it does, actually both of ours. It is a set.” She answered still smiling, though as she sat up with the copied page in her hand, Ciara frowned thinking of something she hadn’t before.

“You can’t see this good enough to read can you?” She asked knowing that it would be unreadable with the blur. She really needed to figure out what was causing the blur in her spell so she could fit it. Ciara sighed sadly thinking, she really needed him to see this! For him to read it! Oddly she needed him to see that she was useful enough to keep around. “I really need to meet you tomorrow! This is important, it can be in the woods if you are worried about her, but we really need to meet Adam.” She finally said loudly through her mind not wanting anyone on her side to know either if they were listening, her tone almost pleading with him.

[ravenhuffle]

Not her type? Adam highly doubted that considering she was always blushing around him and those times when she looked as if she was just as ready to kiss him as he was her. Just as he finished the thought, she mentioned the way he was stocking Jay’s arm and his hand came to a complete stop. He had not even realize that he was rubbing her arm, though the disgusted tone in Ciara’s voice made his all-to-familiar smirk appear again. “What is wrong, Ciara? Is it that you dislike Jay or that you dislike that Jay is with me when you want to be in her place?” He asked in a cocky tone.

Adam found it adorable as a shocked look came across Ciara’s face shortly followed by a bright red blush. Honestly, he could get used to seeing her look so flustered it was incredibly cute. A full and genuine smile stretched his mouth upwards as he watched her look down at herself and at what she was wearing. Her voice rung out through his mind, but it was different than when she spoke because her mouth did not move. Instantly, Adam knew she did not mean for him to hear the thought, which lead him to believe that she was starting to like him. “Are you wishing that you could be my girlfriend?” He asked bluntly though a smile still turned the corners of his mouth upwards a little.

Adam nodded at her apology but did not say anything. He did not know what to say, really. He could say it was okay, but it’s not. He could say it was not her fault, but it kind of was. So instead he just kept his mouth shut and allowed the comment to pass. The moment passed quickly though as he continued to tell her about what she might have found just a little while earlier and smirked as she closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. Once again she was flustered and it made Adam smirk. “You are so very welcome! If you want I could give you more details.” He offered with a laugh.

Ciara pulled out a piece of paper and held it out for him to see. “I can tell that there are words but I cannot make them out.” Adam sighed softly and slowly rolled Jay off his chest and onto her back then sat up slowly. Her mental words drifted though his head and he shook his head with a small laugh. “I am not worried about Jay, I can handle her. Though if this is as important as you say it is, then we need to meet tonight.” Adam pulled the covers off his legs and swung his feet to the ground. A shift in the bed caught his attention and he opened his eyes and looked behind him to see Jay rolling her back to him. Good, she was fast asleep. “I wasn’t going to get any sleep tonight anyway.” He mumbled as he grabbed his pants and slipped them on.

With a smirk, Adam closed his eyes so that he could see Ciara’s face. “Would you prefer me to put on a shirt or go shirtless, darling?” he asked in a flirting tone. Meanwhile he slipped on his shoes and started to tie the laces as he got ready to head out. “Meet me in the alley way I pushed you into today. From there we can find an abandoned building.” He told her than opened his eyes and headed out the door.

[Love Dove]

"Truly? I dislike the woman, and kind of want to set her on fire." Ciara answered him quickly frowning still despite his smirk. Sure there was a small, tiny, jealous, and petty part of Ciara that wished she could be the one by his side. That she could be the one cuddled up to him. However, for the most part, she just really hated Jay despite never actually meeting her face to face.

Ciara hadn't meant for him to hear her thought. Most of her thoughts were quiet, though because the thought was directed at him, it echoed to him. She gave an awkward laugh before Adam spoke, his question made her laugh softly at him as she tilted her head. "It was meant a smart ass comment. I choose not to say out loud.” She answered her fingers grapping the sheets under her blanket as she fought the urge to look away or bite her lip, anyone that knew her well knew to look for her tells. Luckily Adam didn’t know her that well yet, because she really wasn’t the best liar. ”Though...you have asked me that question twice now, Adam. Are you starting to wish I was your girlfriend?" Ciara asked with a smirk, she knew his answer would likely be no, but it was a way to hopefully get him to change the subject and keep from embarrassing herself even more. It was embarrassing enough that Ciara didn't think about what she was wearing before she whispered out to him.

Ciara’s hand moved away from where it was pitching the bridge of her nose and laughed a little bit at Adam’s offer, opening her eyes and shaking her head. Even while she was flustered she couldn’t help the fact his offer was slightly funny. "No! Please don’t, I’m quite comfortable without knowing the details.” She said softly before getting the piece of paper out of her jeans and showing it to him. Only for him to say he could see the writing but not make it out, making Ciara frown as she sighed. It was slightly disheartening that she went through all that work for him to be unable to see it.

When she started to plead with Adam to meet with her, she didn’t expect him really to agree. Or at least not to agree so easily. So when he shook his head and laughed, Ciara pursed her lips a little bit listening to him, though as he finished her lips turned up into an excited smile. "Tonight?” Ciara looked at the wall beside her where Taylor’s room was, wondering if her sister was asleep or not. "Okay, that works. I just…” Ciara started looking back at him only for Adam to uncover himself, her eyes instinctively looking down before she gasped her eyes looking away and her face turning a bright red again. "Um…you…you could have given some warning not to look Adam.” She complained even though truly if he had warned she wasn’t sure if she wouldn’t have looked anyway. Ciara saw him open his eyes out of the corner of her eye and blinked cutting off her line of sight, taking that time to uncover herself and slip her jeans on.

Ciara could still hear him muttering able not being able to sleep anyway, though she didn’t respond to it. Honestly, she was tired, her body still felt like it was drained, and if she didn’t start seeing Adam every time she closed her eyes, she would have fallen asleep easily while they were talking. Ciara had her night shirt pulled up to almost her chest when he started to speak to her again, her hands dropped the fabric back over her body as she listened. Ciara’s face turned bright red again at not only his question, but the tone he said it in. She wouldn’t mind seeing him shirtless in person really. “It’s up to you Adam, it is going to be cold out there.” Ciara answered before biting her lip again though she didn’t focus in on him again, knowing that she would have been tempted to look him over again.

“You mean you threw me in?” She corrected him frowning. “Sound good to me, meet you there.” Ciara finished nodding her head a little before breaking the spell so she could get dressed the rest of the way, she quickly slipped a shirt and her shoes on before heading towards the door however, she stopped on turned back heading for her window instead. Ciara didn’t want anyone else knowing that she was leaving, and part of her said that the window would be a better choice. Directing her shield below her, she easily jumped out her window, shield breaking her fall so she didn’t hurt herself before headed to town.

The town was quiet and empty with it being so late, something she was thankful for as she sat in the alleyway. A tiny bit of light showing in the alleyway, as she sat on the ground absentmindedly throwing a small fire in the shape of a ball, up into the air, bored and waiting for Adam to get there her mind thinking over the page in her pocket.

[ravenhuffle]

Adam had his pants half pulled up when Ciara gasped and turned a bright red. A small smile pulled at the corners of his mouth as he watched Ciara look over his body. A laugh rang aloud from his mouth but he quickly stopped and looked back at Jay who did not seem to be disturbed. He pulled his pants up all the way and closed his eyes again. “I could have warned you, but surprising you was just so much better.” He replied in a cocky tone that still held a hint of laughter. Honestly, he had not thought to warn her, he did not think she would care, much less react so strongly. “Have you ever seen a male naked before?” He asked as soon as the thought occurred to him.

Flustering Ciara was starting to become second nature to him, and he couldn’t help but smirk as he asked if she would like him to go without a shirt. Her flustered cheeks and cold response were exactly what he was hoping for. Shortly thereafter, they decided on a place to meet and broke off the communication. As he was leaving, Adam turned around to make sure Jay was still asleep before he slipped out the door and began to make his way silently through the echoing halls. What he did not realize, however, were a pair of eyes watching him from the shadows. Once he started getting closer to the door he pulled his invisibility over his body and walked right in between the guards that were posted to keep members in rather than enemies out.

Back in the building, a man moved from the shadows and followed Adam out into the night. With a few quick moves, the man had silently knocked out the two guards and continued towards the forest. Adam let his invisibility slip once he was safely in the comfort of the forest, and as he walked he allowed his mind to wander while his hand rubbed over the mark on his arm. In the fresh air of the forest, he was really able to start pondering over the marks that Ciara and him shared and what she could have possibly found.

No conclusions came to mind before he found himself standing in front of the alley way from earlier that day. As he slowed down and came to a stop, he had to reluctantly admit to himself that it was just a little too chilly outside to go without a shirt. Nor did he think about all the cuts and bruises on his upper torso that would be more visible now than they were in the darkness of his bedroom. It was too little too late though, so Adam stepped out of the shadows and into the small ring of light cast by Ciara’s magic.

“Fire can be dangerous, you know?” He said as he crouched down on the back of his heels. “It makes it harder to see what is coming in the distance, and it is a beacon to those who are trying to find you.” He reached out his hands and let the fire warm his hands.

[Love Dove]

Ciara blushed even brighter at Adam's question. Of course she had seen other males naked, she after was a grown woman. She had had quite a few crappy boyfriends, still Ciara was a good girl, and she hadn't slept with more than two people in her whole life. Seeing Adam's body had taken her off guard, more so than truly she had even expected. "Yes, Adam I have seen a males naked body twice. It still doesn't mean I was expecting to see yours." She answered her voice a soft whisper.

Once the two of them decided where to meet and they broke off communication, Ciara quickly finished getting dressed. Slipping her slightly oversized jacket on before climbing out of the window. Not long after she sat alone in the mostly dark alleyway, other than the small bit of light that her fire gave off. Her mind on the page in her pocket, it wasn't the clearest, and part of her wondered if Adam would understand or not. If he could, how would he react? Would such a little thing have any meaning to him like it did her? Would it change anything?

Ciara covered her mouth letting out a small yawn as she heard movement in the shadows of the alleyway. Her eyes tried to focus enough to see, she was able to see the slight movement in the shadows around the light from the fire. Before Adam stepped into the light, a soft smile growing on her face. "Oh?" Ciara asked as she tilted her head slightly at his words. Her lips turning up into a smirk as he spoke again, eyes looking up over his shoulder behind him into the darkness. "Well honestly it was in a way a beacon, I wasn't sure if you would be able to remember which ally you threw me into." She answered with a slight laugh, truly she didn't know him well enough to know how good his memory was. "Although I'm not foolish, Adam. I put up a shield. I just let you in." Ciara added before the ball of flames flew up into the air making a sound like a coin hitting glass before bouncing back down to in between them.

A smirk played on her lips, as she reached her hand into the flames, twirling her fingers and making the flames dance before pushing the fire closer to him. “You are right though fire can be just as dangerous as it is beautiful, just one little slip of control is all it takes and…” The fire grew brighter and hotter before quickly calming down and coming back to her “everything burns to the ground or in some cases just explodes. If I was afraid of danger I would be afraid of my own power.” She said her smile widening as she finished, this was actually her feeling comfortable around him. Ciara sharing a tiny little thought that might have explained why she found that she liked being around him. “Also my old coven leader used to throw the children that misbehaved in a dark cellar for a few days, so I really am not fond of being in the dark, even if it’s just waiting for you.” She added as an afterthought.

She finally let her eyes roam over him slowly in the light of the fire, her mind quickly being brought back down to earth as a blush covered her face, the fire only making it more apparent she smirked again looking up at his face. “Sorry, I tend to get a little philosophical when I’m exhausted. I was trying to explain why I found you so amusing.” She stood up from the ground she sat on, and took off her jacket before offering it to him. “Here Adam, I told you it was going to be cold out without a shirt. You want this?” Ciara said as she let her eyes roam over him once more when he stood.

[ravenhuffle]

Adam knelt down in front of the fireball to take in more of the warmth it had to offer. “Of course I still remember where the alley was, it was only a few hours ago. My mind is far sharper than that, silly girl.” He told her off handedly while his bright blue eyes watched the swirling red and orange of the flames in front of him. His hand reached out as if to touch the flame but stopped just before the edge. “And how exactly did you know I was here in order to let me into your shield? And for that matter, how far can you stretch said shield?” Adam finally stopped looking at the flame as it bounced up and looked across to Ciara with a piercing gaze.

Though he watched the fire with a weary look, he didn’t flinch as the heat spread across his chest and the bright light took over his whole vision. “Fire suites you, little witch. You are as dangerous as you are beautiful. And one mistake can cost me dearly.” He settled to the ground completely and continued to split his attention between the flame and Ciara. His eyes settled on Ciara when she continued in a softer voice about her former coven and part of him felt for what she must have gone through. But then again, he had faced so much worse than being thrown into a dark room. This time though, Adam allowed her the sad moment without any comment.

While she played her childhood again inside her head, Adam took the moment to peer into the darkness. For a moment, he thought he saw a shadow moving through the darkness but it happened so fast that he shook it off. It was probably the lingering shadows left on his eyes from staring into the fire. Adam tuned back just as Ciara was explaining her slip of her childhood and he smirked at her. “Maybe you should be tired more often then, you are amusing when you are physiological.” Once more he glanced back into the darkness only to see nothing. Adam stood up to get off the cold concrete, it was cold enough without a shirt that he did not need the cold concrete causing his pants to become cold as well.

Ciara started pulling off her jacket and he started laughing. “I am not going to take your jacket. For starters, it would not fit me, and I would rather be tired then see you shiver. Besides, I am the one who walked out into the cold night without a shirt. Though I have to say, your expression was totally worth being cold.” Adam reached out and pushed her outstretched hand back towards her. “Keep it.” He told her simply. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the side of the nearby building. “So what is that you found?” He was finally done beating around the bush and sincerely wanted to know what had gotten her so excited that she contacted him in the middle of the night.

[Love Dove]

When Ciara saw Adam start to reach out to touch the flames, she started to pull it away from him. Although she was fully able to control the fire enough not to burn herself, she wasn’t quite sure if she was able to do the same for him yet. However, seeing his hand stop at the edge she did as well, not wanting to take the heat from him as he had to be cold without a shirt. Ciara smiled at his questions and shook her head. “I didn’t have to see you to let you in my shield. It is a mental power not physical, Adam. I simply had to remember your face, and set in my mind that it was welcome, it comes in handy when I can’t see because of my fire.” She explained softly with a smile, though the second question took a bit more thought. “As for how far, the last time my sister measured it, thirty-two feet, sixteen in front and behind. Though I was quite young back then, so I am not sure how far now.” She answered finally.

Catching his piercing gaze, and her fingers fidgeted with the sleeve ends of her jacket. “How far away are you able to lift things from?” Ciara asked wanting to know a little about his powers as well.

The fact he didn’t even flinch when she caused the fire to burn hotter and bright was actually impressive, she had done things like that to others and even used it to scare a few men off. However, instead his worlds were a compliant and she gave a soft laugh as the fire died back down, a happy smile on her face as she blushed ever so slightly. Her next words were sad, and truly it had been like when he had told her to ask him anything earlier. Ciara wasn’t sure why she even shared it. Perhaps Adam had been through worse, and she didn’t really care that he didn’t say anything, but it had been enough to make her terrified of the dark.

She smirked when he said that her being tired was amusing, before looking around into the shadows he was staring at, she didn’t see anything though and looked back at him. “Really? Well you will be the first than to find it not annoying.” She said with a slight laugh watching him get up, before getting up and offering him her coat, her lips pursing a bit as he laughed at her. She had only been trying to be nice. Though his own words shocked her a bit, and she stood there for a moment holding the jacket out like a moron until he pushed her hand back. Had he just said he would rather him be cold than her shivering? That was actually really sweet, and Ciara hadn’t expected it from the man that said he would kill her the next time he saw her. “I’m starting to think you actually enjoy making me blush, Adam.” She said softly has she started to put the jacket back on quickly feeling its warmth around her again.

“Right! Now I couldn’t bring the book because I wasn’t even allowed to look at it. But I copied the page.” She said smiling excitedly as she dug the page out of her pant pocket. Ciara smiled up at him and held the piece of paper out to him, before leaning against the opposite buildings wall, putting the fire between them. “I’m sure you would rather read it yourself.”

The Coven of Ying and Yang

There will come to pass that a coven that will out shine all others in strength, balance, and power. The true balance of light and dark. The yin and the yang. Opposites that create a perfect balance. Written in the stars is the meeting of two individuals whom are ordinary but when put together have the power to create and destroy. All should be weary of the coven written in the stars. Like the sun and the moon, the two leaders of the Yin and Yang coven will be. One with have control of the dark while the other will have control of the light. A hawk will rise to meet the stars and the stars will drift down to greet the hawk. Together these entities will create the most powerful and dangerous duo ever known.

“I honestly thought nothing of it when we fought, but whatever it was that I did with the light, I’m not even sure what it was. But I’ve never done anything like that before. I don’t know about if you have.” Ciara said slowly watching him carefully, she wasn’t sure how he would react to such a thing. If he would even care or understand what it was saying. “But whatever it was, was amazing and I think that is why it happened. Because I don’t have a third power.”

[ravenhuffle]

A smile formed on Adam’s lips, but it held no warmth. When he was little, he was not able to lift anything with his mind except light weighted items, but when Elena got a hold on him she would not let him rest until he could lift anything he could see. “I can lift anything if I can see it.” He said finally as the lifeless smile left his face. “Nothing is too heavy or too far away, Elena made sure of that.” His eyes were distant for a moment before looking back at the girl across from him. “It has proven to be pretty useful though, so I guess I should be thankful that she pushed me so hard.” He added as an afterthought.

For a moment Adam stared into the fire as it grew brighter and then dimmed once more. It was as if she was trying to push him away with her fire, but he did not budge. Being close to a hot burning fire was not even in the top ten worse things that had even happened to him. A small conversation passed between them about the fire and Ciara revealed her fear of the dark and Adam glanced at her from the corner of his eye a little surprised that she admitted to a fear in front of him even though he remained silent about it.

He paid her a soft compliment when she apologized about her behavior, he actually was quite enjoying this side of her. Though her comment surprised him, he would have figured more men in her coven would have found this side of her more enduring. That is when it started to occur to him that she might be purposefully pushing the men in her life away. After offering the warmth of her jacket, a blush once more formed on her face. A light pink coloring across her cheek bones at his compliment and it made the wheels in his mind start turning. Slowly he pushed off the side of the building and took a step towards her and brushed her hair away from her face with a light brush of his fingertips. “Yes, I do indeed enjoy making you blush.” He admitted softly. His eyes looked down into hers intently, dancing with the flames of the fire, as if trying to figure out some secret in her eyes.

With a deep breath he stepped back and took the paper she had pulled from her back pocket and went back to lean against the wall again. His ears picked up on the sound of her voice but his mind did not process the words she said as he read and then re-read the words over and over again until they had been branded into his brain. “I think I might have heard of the Yin and Yang power before. The ability to control the light and the dark. I always assumed it was one person…” Adam trailed off and looked down at his feet. He had used a third power when fighting Ciara the first timed, he had made a solid object out of nothing and made light completely disappear. He had not honestly thought about it since the fight because of the beating and because of Ciara herself. Slowly he looked up at the witch across from him. “What do you think this means?” he asked.

[Love Dove]

Ciara froze a bit as Adam took a step closer to her, the blush still on her face. Though she didn't let it show on her face, or even allow her body to tense up, her mind screamed danger. It was only for a moment though and went away completely when his fingertips brushed her face. Ciara's eyes closing few just a second as she felt his touch, still warn from the fire against her face. They quickly opened after only a moment, before he spoke, and she truly hoped he hadn't noticed it. Her blush only deepened as Adam admitted enjoying making her blush.

"Well...I..I don't see why, it's rather annoying." She stuttered a soft whisper as she looked up into his blue eyes. She leaned in a little bit, before she stopped herself. Ciara quickly turned her face away from his touch though, looking away and her nails playing with her coat sleeve again.

Damn it, pull yourself together! She was starting to become a little annoyed by the affect this warlock had on her, it must had been because she was tired. Yes, that had to be it, she was so tired that she wasn't thinking straight. She had worked so hard to be a good girl, and good girls didn't miss with non-single men. She pulled the paper out and handed it to him, taking a bit of a deep breath still blushing as he took it and stepped away.

Even though he didn’t respond to her words, she didn’t dwell on that for long because of what he said when he started talking again. "You have?” She asked quietly her voice a little bit shocked. He had heard of this Yin and Yang thing before? How come she hadn’t? She had read every book that her coven, talked spells with every witch and wizard that had come to their coven, and yet, she had never heard of this Yin and Yang power.

Honestly she was a little surprised that he wasn’t nearly as excited or happy with what she had found as she was. She had found something amazing! Something that explained the marks on their arms, something that explained the sudden third power! Yet he seemed a little more let down or depressed by it? When he looked up at her, he likely saw a confused like on her face, but she couldn’t help it really, she didn’t understand his reaction. "Well, for one I think it means we won’t get rid of these marks.” She answered sadly, having hoped that once they found what the rest was for them, they could get rid of them.

"Though I mean this could be, I mean that says that we can have control over perfect balance if we work together. Do you know how powerful that would be? There isn’t supposed to be anything on earth that could have that, because it would be too powerful. We should start meeting up and practicing our new powers.” She said softly and thoughtfully before closing the gap between them and taking the paper from his hand and looking at once more memorizing it, before letting her fire burn any trace of it and stepping back a bit. "Or you know, you could go back to your coven with your bitch of girlfriend.” She said with a hint of jealousy again. "And I’ll leave you alone.”

[ravenhuffle]

Ciara’s skin was cold beneath his fire-warmed fingertips, but he did not mind. Any chance to touch her or make her blush was worth any price he had to pay so far. His fingers spread out across her cheek until his palm was cupping the side of her face and her soft dark hair was brushing the tips of his fingers. “When you blush, it enhances your cheekbones and makes your eyes sparkle. You come to life when you blush.” Adam responded in the same soft tone that he used when he admitted to enjoying his game of making her blush. Her head tilted into the perfect angle as she leaned into he touch and a shock ran through his whole body. Before he knew what he was doing, he was leaning down to press his lips against the woman in front of him. Until she turn her head away from his touch and broke whatever spell he had been under.

While she busied herself looking for some imaginary dirt in her fingernails, Adam half walked and half stumbled to the other side of the alley way taking the paper she offered with him. Putting as much distance between himself and the witch as he could. I was really about to kiss her! He ran a hand over his face before shoving his hand in his pockets to hide the shaking that was starting. There was a fine line between flirting with the enemy and falling for the enemy, and maybe he needed to show himself which side he was truly on. In just a few months he coven would wipe hers out anyway and he could not afford to have any mixed feelings going into that battle. Adam closed his eyes and mentally pulled down his shields that he had spent years learning how to hide behind. Never again would he let himself become so venerable around the witch. The enemy.

Once he was confident he would not forget a word of what it said, Adam fed the paper to the flame watching as it burned silently on the concert. He listened to everything she said with a new found coldness in his eyes and posture. It might be a good idea to work with her to develop this new power, but if what this paper said was true then he would not have access to this power unless he was near her. His ice cold eyes flickered towards her, he could kill her and see if that would give him both their powers. Though he doubted it would. He could kidnap her, keep her, and use his powers as he saw fit. No. Enemy. His eyes drifted back to the dying embers of the page he burned. He would let her die with dignity and with her coven.

“I would choose my bitch of a fiancé over a weakling like you any day.” Adam said harshly as his boot covered foot reached out and smothered the remaining ember. “Enjoy what left of your remaining days. We will come for you soon.” Without looking back Adam took off into the dark streets.

[Love Dove]

Ciara blinked a little surprised by the sudden coldness from the warlock in front of her, one moment ago he was cupping her cheek and almost kissing her. The next moment he was calling her a weakling and saying he would rather be with that bitch. She wasn't sure what she had done wrong, but she almost felt a pull to apologize for whatever she had done and beg him to stay. That is crazy, I didn't do anything wrong. She thought to herself as she watched him stomp out her embers. It made her frown and she opened her mouth to speak, before he threatened her and took off. Ciara stared after him for a moment.

"Fine you can just go to hell then! You egotistical prick." She yelled despite the fact he likely couldn't hear her, her flames spreading up the alleyway in her anger as she turned to head back towards the woods. Not even seeing the man that had followed Adam, and had been listening. As she headed home muttering to herself, and climbed back into her window.

--

Ciara let out a groan in pain as she held her head, even the sound of her sister coming into her room to check on her and bring her some tea without even knocking. It had been over a little over a week since she had met up with Adam. The egotistical jerk that she still wasn't able to get off her mind, even after he left her standing in the ally confused and unsure how she upset him this time. Three days after they parted ways the nightmares started, and the next day the mark on her arm was burning again. Part of her knew, knew what she needed to do once the burning started, but the other part of her was stubborn and angry, and glad that Adam was likely having the same problems. Because she had done nothing for him to be so cold to her.

It had gone from simple nightmares, to night terrors, to were she couldn't close her eyes without seeing something from her dreams, her arm was in pain unstopping, she was to weak to do anything. It didn't help that she was having trouble breathing. But in her mind as bad as it might have been, he deserved it. In truth Ciara was more upset that he would rather have his fiancé then deal with her.

However, now it had moved to a migraine that made her want to crawl up in a ball and burn the whole world to a crisp. She hadn't had a migraine in years, ever since she was a child learned her first power. Not that she even had control of her powers at the moment, like anytime that she felt any mental pain her powers were flaring up and acting on their. It had gotten to the part earlier this morning that Grace had told her to stay in her room until she had it under better control.

Sitting up she felt no choice but to contact him even though she had said she would leave him alone, she needed this headache to go away. She half whispered half chanted her spell. " “With hands that cannot reach, feel my touch upon your skin. With eyes unopened let me see your peaceful face. Hear my whisper in your ear so far away, so I may hear your voice, and you mine with no one that’s near. Hear me Adam Danvers.

She closed her eyes slowly as she spoke the spell, Adam coming into focus but the blurriness got the better of her and she opened her eyes. "Oh god that blur hurts." Her thoughts broke the silence before she even spoke and her eyes closed again to look at him. She could tellbhe was hurting just likevher just from one look. "Adam? You're hurting too aren't you?"

[ravenhuffle]

The wombs left on his body from his fiancé were slowly healing, but they were not getting him special treatment around his coven. Elena doubled his training regimen. She told him it was to be sure he would be ready for the next time he would face the Night Sky coven. Though everyone knew it was an extension of his punishment for losing a valuable coven member. Now he had to prove himself to be worthy to lead beside the next coven leader and his fiancé, Jay. Every day he was ran through several mental exercises meant to strengthen his telekinesis ability, then he would fight his covens’ best fighters using both physical and magical abilities, and at the end of his day when he was ready to fall into bed and sleep, Jay would crawl into bed beside him demanding his attention.

Yet, through all the exhaustion the only thing Adam could seem to think about was Ciara. Even when he was in bed with Jay, his mind drifted back to the witch from the other coven. Her words had drifted through the darkness as he had walked away. You can go to hell. Hadn’t she already known that he was in hell? Over and over again, he replayed those last minutes with her and he swore he could still feel her soft skin under his fingers. But then he would remember the way she turned her head away from him. She knew the kind of monster he was and she was right to want nothing to do with him.

It was three days after he had parted from the witch when the nightmares had begun. He had sat straight up in bed sweating and breathing heavily with terror the first night. Jay had just rolled her eyes, turned her back, and went back to sleep. Later that day, his arm started burning again like it had when the yin symbol first appeared. Adam wrapped his arm to keep people from noticing the new mark and how red and irritated it was looking. Each night the nightmare got worse until Jay stopped staying his bed after their nightly activities. Soon a physical weakness set in, and during training Adam found he couldn’t hardly lift a penny off the ground or defend himself against six of the covens’ best warriors.

Later that week, Adam laid on his bed sporting a whole new canvas of cuts, scraps, breaks, and bruises. Not that that they seemed to compare to the burning sensation radiating from his arm or the dryness that was starting in his lungs. Jay did not come check on him after he got his ass handed to him in the arena, probably to ashamed of his performance to be seen sneaking into his room. To be honest though, he was glad because he was not in any kind mood or shape to entertain his fiancé. The next day was even worse. After waking up drenched in sweat, Adam added a migraine to his growing list of ailments. He shifted on his mattress and let out a cry of frustration which only made his head throb more and make it even harder to breathe.

As he rolled over to his side to catch his breath, a vision of Ciara materialized in front of his opened eyed. Great, just what he needed. He closed his eyes to cut off her image while he regained his breath. The pain in her initial statement was not hard to mistake, but what he couldn’t figure out was why she was in pain. His eyes was cold as ice when he opened them to look her over. Her breathing was ragged like she was having a hard time breathing too, and there was a thin shimmer to her skin that suggested she had been sweating. Not to mention the clear pain behind her voice and the tightness in her face and eyes that suggested a headache. Or a migraine.

“No. No pain at all. I just thought lying here pretending to die sounded like a fun way to pass time.” Adam snapped with sharp tone that ended with a cough. Then it dawn on him. She had the same symptoms he did. Yin and Yang. They were dying without each other. She had figured it out already though, and that is why she was contacting him. His blue eye looked back up at her once his coughing finally stopped.

“I have to meet with you if I want to live.” He said simply after a long moment of silence. Slowly he sat up, letting the covers fall off his torso in the process and revealing his new array of cuts and bruises.

“Whatever. Let’s just get this over with. Met me in the alley way in twenty minutes.” Adam grabbed his black jacket off the ground and left his room.

---

Twenty minutes Adam stood in the shadows of the ally leaning back against the brick building. His breath came in ragged intakes and there were bags under his eyes, but there was still a coldness to the way he held himself and his eyes looked completely dead. Still he waited for the witch that he had not been able to get out of his mind for the past week and a half.

[Love Dove]

Ciara frowned hearing Adam sarcastic snap at her and rolled her eyes sighing, it hurt her head even more but she felt it was worth the pain. She barely knew him, and this was the fourth time that she felt like slapping him already. “Well excuse me for giving a damn.” Ciara thought as she did, wondering why in the world she had even bothered to be nice and check on him. “Don’t be an asshole, Adam. I’m not in a good mood either.” She snapped back at him her hand going to her head at the loudness of her own voice, and loudness of his coughing.

Ciara was still holding her head when Adam spoke again. His words were stated the obvious and she wondered if he was doing it because it would annoy her or if he was stupid enough to just realize this. Her brown eyes looked up at him as she titled her head a bit. ”Really you don’t say?” She said being the sarcastic one this time. Though her eyes widened a little as he uncovered himself and the new cut and bruises all over him, she leaned up a little out of instinct even though he wasn’t actually with her.

Ciara opened her mouth to say something about them before he told her to meet him in the ally. She sat back up frowning for a whole new reason and nodded. “Okay, Adam.” She said quietly in response deciding not to fight with him anymore right now after seeing the shape he was in. She grabbed her jacket and a pair of sunglasses to block the sun out of her eyes, before heading towards the door, opening the door to see a couple of guards standing in front of her door. “What are you doing here Elijah?” She asked crossing her arms talking to one of the guards that she always around Riley this last week. He turned and looked at her, noting the jacket and glasses. “Grace said to stay in your room.” He answered standing in front of her.

Ciara frowned not only not feeling well enough to fight with him, but knowing Adam was likely going to beat her there now. She let out a huff throwing her jacket down for show before closing the door, going over to her window and smiling she grabbed her jacket again climbing out of the unguarded window and heading towards town.

--

By the time she got to the ally it had been about twenty four minutes but she couldn’t help but run late, she frowned heading up the ally looking at him behind her sunglasses. He looked almost worse than her, even with the beatings he had taken accounted for, and she wondering if it was because he had turned his back on her. The thought of that night pissing her off even more, making fire appear a little ways from the entrance behind her.

It made her stop and turn her head a little to look at the flames before her hand went to her head. “Damn it, stop.” She said annoyed the fire dying down slowly before she looked at him. “You look that hell, Adam.” She said watching him for a moment before moving a little closer to him, the closer she got the more her head eased up.

[ravenhuffle]

Adam could see the frustration building behind her soft chocolate eyes and even in his fuzzy state of mind he couldn’t help but enjoy the fire behind her irritation. It made her eyes sparkle just a little bit more than usual. His amusement quickly vanished when she snapped back at him with true anger. “Your right, Ciara.” He replied softly. For a moment he opened his mouth to say something more but stopped himself before he said something he would later regret.

Just a little while later, Adam managed to ignore the pain he was in just long enough to sneak out of the fortress his coven was living in. It took all of his will power and remaining strength to pull his cloak in over himself long enough to escape without being caught. By the time he made it to the alley way he could hardly stand. Every bone and muscle in his body ached as he sagged against the brick wall struggling to take a deep breath. Eventually his eyed fell closed as he waited for Ciara to show up.

All of a sudden breathing became a little easier and the mark on his arm seemed to stop throbbing as intensely. Just then he heard her voice at the end of the ally way asking him to stop doing something. “I am not doing a damn thing, darling.” He muttered sarcastically while turning to look at her. A laugh trickled out of his mouth at her assessment of how he was looking. “You do not look much better.” He told her wearily. Slowly she inched closer to him as if she were afraid, but once she got close enough he reached out and grabbed her arm turning it so that her Yang symbol faced up.

The contact instantly erased the pounding his head and for a brief moment all the pain in his body eased. Slowly he let his breath go enjoying the ease in which the air left his lungs. For just a brief moment nothing hurt but then like a trucking slamming into him all the physical pain he had collected over the past several days returned. Once again he leaned back against the brick wall and let go of her arm. “You are going to be the death of me.” He mumbled. “They have me on extra training duty to make sure I never lose a fight again.” He paused for a moment before continuing. “I am told to fight against four other coven member, all of whom through their all at me, and the moment they knock me down I have to start over again.” Once again he paused. “And if I manage to knock them all over, the get free reign to beat me up for several minutes before starting again.” He had long since forgotten to not trust the woman beside him.

“What about you? How has your past few days been?” He asked looking up at her.

[Love Dove]

Ciara looked down the alleyway at Adam as he muttered something about not doing anything. A confused look crossing her face before she shook her head ever so slightly despite the fact it was still hurting. "No, I was talking to you I was...kind of talking to myself." She muttered softly before commenting on how he looked, a smirk on her face as she rolled her eyes hidden behind her dark sunglasses. "Ah yeah, well what can I say exhaustion fits me a lot better than migraine sweetie pie. But you're supposed to be the pretty one." She joked back with a soft laugh.

She started moving slower when she got closer to Adam, it wasn't really that she was scared of being close to him, as much as a little scared of him. The last time he showed once again how quickly he could switch between being sweet, touching her face, and stealing her breath away to mean, rough, and scary. Her body tensed up a little bit as he reached out and grabbed her arm, giving a slight wince at his rough grip again before there was instant relief.

Ciara took a deep breath filling her lungs with as much air as possible, it felt so wonderful to be able to breathe without her chest hurt. Her headache went away as well, and the burning of her arm, and the images from her nightmares when she closed her eyes. She let the air back out of her lungs with a relaxed and happy sigh. Though soon he let go of her arm, she felt the how tired and worn her body was, as well as the dull throbbing after effect of her headache. It wasn't anywhere near the pain Adam was likely in but still it was hard on her.

She was quiet as she watched Adam, listening to him speak a frown on her face. She didn't want to be reason all of this was happening to him. The more he spoke of his leader and clan, the more she disliked them, no more than just disliked them, she hated them. With what they did to Adam, it was a wonder no one had tried to kill the leader, and her bitch of a daughter too. When he asked how her last few days had been she shook her head slightly still frowning. "It sounds like not as bad as yours Adam." She said sadly as she reach out no longer afraid to be near him and ran her fingers softly along his cheek.

With a sigh she leaned against the wall beside him, pulling her glasses off, letting her body slide down it slowly. Oddly she..she just wanted to be near him even if she shouldn't trust him, she didn't care. "You make it where I can't even think straight." She muttered softly before a yawn escaped her lips her hand coming up and covering it. "I haven't even been able to read a book for the last week because my mind wonders off. Which might not mean a lot to you, but I'm a horrible fighter, I'm not strong like you, and knowledge is all I have." She said looking up at him before continuing. "Other then that it I wasn't to bad, I don't have physical powers so it wasn't a problem until the headaches started." She said before letting out a sigh. "I lost control of everything more and more as it got worse. Until they caged me up in my room, I've been there for about four days with guards outside."

She looked at Adam and a small little smirk showed on her face. "I might have got pissy and tried to set someone on fire. It ended up almost burning the whole house down." She said a slight laugh coming out of her mouth before she shook her head. "I'm tired. That isn't funny, I could have really hurt someone else in the house actually important." She added before looking at her hands and a quiet small little laugh coming out before she shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair and sighed knees coming up. "What are we going to do Adam? We can't live apart that's how balance works and you don't want to deal with me."

[ravenhuffle]

When Ciara turned around the corner and came down the alleyway, Adam could feel the stress leaving his body. For a moment he just forget about all the hell he had been through the past week. He pushed off the wall slightly as she came closer even though every cell in his body groaned in agony. A trade mark smirk pulled at the left corner of his mouth at her self-proclaimed insanity. “Well they do say it is safe to talk to yourself, sweetheart, but when you start answering yourself that is when you are truly going insane.” He paused and took a moment to look over her figure noting the dark glasses that she had not removed since coming into the shade of the alley and the way she seemed to walk as if every step was painful. “Though from the sound and looks of it, you not too far away.” He finished.

Adam leaned back against the wall again, it took to much energy to stand on his own two feet. A laugh fell from his lips at her comment about his looks and without much thought he returned the sentiment. All the while though, he was truly taking in her appearance and, despite himself, he found that he was worried about how she was truly doing. After a snide comment, anger came from her lips in the form of an insult and was all he could do not to clap at her bravery and her cunning comment. “Well said, darling. And I will thank you for your complement too. One of us has to be the ‘pretty’ one after all. Though, according to your comment, you are self-proclaiming you as the prettier one.” Adam leaned his head back against the wall and gave a short laugh.

When she got close enough, Adam had reached out and grabbed her wrist a little roughly. He could both see and feel her flinch as his fingers wrapped around her. If it had not been for the instant relief the touch brought, he probably would have let go. It was easy to read the fear that lingered in her eyes and the tense way she walked was a testament to how terrified she was to be around him. Once the dull ache of several days training resettled on his body he let go of her wrist and relaxed once more against the brick welcoming it support. He was unsure of how long he could keep up with this new training regimen they had put him on. Before he could stop himself, he spilled the days he had been enduring back with his coven and for some odd reason, being able to tell her seemed to ease some of the tenseness in his body.

Ciara reached out and gently touched his cheek and Adam froze. Her skin felt soft against his. He leaned into her touch slightly. Then it was gone as quickly as it came. It took a moment for him to register that she had leaned against the wall and sank down next to him because he was still caught up in the fact that she had willingly reached out and touched his face. A few seconds later he slid down the wall to sit next to her and listened to her recount her past few days. He almost made a comparison to the easiness of her days compared to his but he stopped himself. She had genuine concern in her eyes when she had looked at him, the least he could do was try to understand how her days had been difficult for her.

Adam laughed when she mentioned that she had a hissy fit which resulted in her lighting someone on fire. It would have been applauded in his coven, but he reminded himself that her coven did not work in the same way. It still amused him though. “I am sure they deserved it. On the bright side, next time the person will not risk pissing you off.” Adam told her in a slightly joking manner. Adam turned to look at her as she pulled her knees up to her chest and asked him what they were going to do now. Honestly, he had no idea what they could do. His coven would not tolerate him spending too much time out of the coven, not to mention what they would do to her if they found out. The fact that he cared what would happen to her scared him and for a moment he debated getting up and walking away from it all.

For a moment he did not speak but just looked at her. “I don’t know.” He finally admitted as he let out the breath he had been holding. “It is all too complicated.” He whispered softly. Slowly, as though not to scare her, Adam reached out to put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his body so that she could rest on his shoulder. It was painful to have her weight against his body but he didn’t let it show as he closed his eyes. “You need to understand what would happen to you if my coven found out. You would not just be killed quickly…” He sighed and pressed his face into her hair. “I shouldn’t even care if you get hurt.” Silence hung around them heavily but he didn’t dare move nor speak.