How to Make a Sinner Sleep

52 | fleeting; beneath the lake's surface

Wandering deeper into the dark, very likely to be haunted, forest was probably a bad idea. And they did it anyway.

How else would they prove that it was a terrible idea?

Kaden blended in easily with the night, strolling as if he were made from the darkness, born and raised. In an open space with fresh air filling his lungs and freedom to run as far as he wanted, he couldn't be scared.

It was in dark and confined spaces that his lungs begun to burn, and his hands clawed his neck to breathe. This sort of darkness, haunted or not, was a blessing.

Noah noticed Kaden's wandering mind, no doubt reaching dark and gloomy pits. The wailing child came nearer, its cries grating in their ear as if the sound was rebounding against the trees, filling the entire space around them.

Distracted, Kaden didn't notice a protruding root in front of him and slammed his foot against it, dramatically falling forward. He was an embarrassment, and he was going to humiliate himself in front of that dragon—as if he hadn't done so already.

Shame burned Kaden's ears before he hit the ground.

However, instead of eating dirt, a steady arm stretched out and stopped him from falling. Kaden lifted his gaze, and realized, in the grey of Noah's eyes that scattered with moonlight, it really did look like the dragon were made of stars and dreams.

His snowy hair caught and reflected the moon's gaze, luminous and ethereal, while the ends tinged with an inky darkness, a contrast more vivid in the night than the day.

Noah's voice was gentle, or perhaps that was an illusion made by the evening's winds. "I'm wearing gloves." He said, and Kaden looked down and realized he hadn't even been concerned of Noah's touch, when he would flinch previously.

He supposed, after lying down beside the dragon's warmth for so many weeks, his body had become accustomed to the feel of Noah's body.

Of course, direct skin contact was another issue.

He glanced back up, smiling as he pried himself away, dusting his pants awkwardly.

"Yeah. Thanks. Actually, is it a recent fashion statement to wear gloves? You used to wear them occasionally, and now you wear them almost all the time that I see you. Isn't it stuffy?"

Noah's gaze contained a look that seemed to state, 'you're a fool.'

Instead, the dragon dragged his gaze over to the gloves resting over Kaden's hands, enclosing the slender joints in captivity. "And you? Why do you wear gloves?"

"Avoiding my question?"

"Are you avoiding mine?"

The back and forth answering questions with questions made Kaden tired, and he squinted at the dragon, feeling as if he couldn't win. He spun around, walking backwards as he teased the ends of his glove.

"I wouldn't dare." said Kaden, mirth spilling into his pale green gaze that curved with faint laughter. As he walked further backwards, a light blue glow embodied his figure.

Noah's eyes widened and he reached out his hand. "Kaden—"

Kaden turned at the sight of the glow, the sudden light that broke through the darkness sharp in his eyes. He flinched as the heel of his foot touched not solid ground, but a wet substance.

Normally, it wouldn't have been a problem for him to twist his body around, avoiding falling into the lake. However, the sudden light made his already weakened head throb and he stumbled.

Noah rushed forward to catch him—really, the dragon was doing that far too often recently, and Kaden was getting a little too used to the feel of the man's arms.