Chapter 67: Late Night

"So, what exactly are you going to tell her?" I looked out of the window of Caspian's sleek BMW.

He didn't respond, and instead clenched and unclenched his jaw. I noticed the lights were off in the Grays' house, signalling that they either weren't home or they had all gone to bed; it was pretty late.

"Well, I suppose you could just tell her that by running for mayor she's putting her own life at risk." I suggested going with the truth, since it was more likely to work than any lie we conjured up.

"What happened to sabotaging her campaign?" Caspian reminded me.

"And how do you propose we do that?"

"We just have to make sure she doesn't make it to the next round," Caspian ominously stated, opening the car door and getting out. I followed his lead, not sure what he was planning. "She's supposed to give a speech tomorrow at the town hall," Caspian smiled deviously, and I could see the core of a plan making its way into his head.

"So, we hide her cue cards?" I asked, with some degree of sarcasm.

"Knowing my mother, she has a million different copies," Caspian stated, missing my sarcastic tone. He rapped on the door. Caspian swore under his breath, after it became clear no one was coming; it seriously looked like he was considering bringing the door down.

"Maybe we should come back tomorrow?" I gestured towards the night sky, trying to tell him it was way past the usual calling hour.

But Caspian was obstinate and sunk down to the floor, with his back resting against the exterior wall of the house. "Take the car home." He swung the car keys from his pinkie finger.

"I can't." I sat down next to him. "The HQ isn't home, you're home." And I was prepared to wait the whole night, until Caspian got a chance to speak with his mother. He still loved her, no matter how he tried to hide it; and he deserved the chance to protect her.

I rested my head on Caspian's shoulder and closed my eyes. Caspian was my promise of life in this darkness, I couldn't leave without him. God knows where I'd end up. Lying dead in a dark alley, mugged by vagrants? It was safer for me here with my protector lying right next to me. I giggled at the thought of Caspian in shiny silver armour, with a sword in hand and riding a white stallion. I imagined his blonde hair hidden beneath a helmet, his gorgeous face making every young maid swoon, as they offered to give him their handkerchief to tie to his horse during the time of warfare.

Caspian nudged me and shrugged, wordlessly asking me what I was thinking. I shook my head. Big mistake. Caspian moved away from my side so quickly I thought I had angered him, but it wasn't long before his warm breath hit my cheek. Caspian hovered over me. My head was against the cold wall, and my legs stretched out under his. He didn't touch me, but his nearness sent a tingle of reassuring heat through every cell in my body.

"Tell me," he ordered, trying to get me under his control by putting his fingers on the small of my back and rubbing little circles.

I shook my head, wanting to see what he'd do when I refused to be swayed. The night sky was an array of blue colours, ranging from indigo to cobalt. There was no sign of life, except for us, making it seem like we were the last two people on earth.

"I can make you tell me." He gingerly brushed his lips against mine, and that mere whisper of a kiss was enough to make me want more. I wrapped my hands around Caspian's neck and cupped his neck, drawing his face closer to mine.

"Tell me," he whispered in my ear, taking my ear lobe between his teeth.

"No," I responded, struggling to remember what it was he wanted to know. His proximity had done what it always did, make me suffer from short term memory loss.

"I can hear your heart beating." Caspian rested a hand on my chest.

"Hands above your head."

It was too dark for me to see anything, besides the pistol that was pointed at the back of Caspian's head. Fear clutched at my throat, stopping the scream that was about to erupt.

"Jeez like," Caspian breathed heavily. "It's me."

"Caspian?"

The man with the gun stepped into the light of the moon. His eyes were bloodshot and drooped with visible lack of sleep. "What are you guys doing here?" Noah shakily lowered the gun. His hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat, and he reeked heavily of alcohol.

"Need to speak with mom," Caspian replied.

Noah was too drunk to ask us why we were waiting outside, so Caspian didn't bother telling him.

Noah walked around the back of the house and slid open a window. He put a hand on his lips and motioned towards the window.

"I always leave this window open," Noah whispered. "For all the late nights." I noticed that there was a lipstick mark on his cheek, and his lips were tinged pink, the same colour as the mark on his cheek.

"So every night?" Caspian didn't bother matching his brother's hushed tones.

Noah chuckled, before putting his hands on the windowsill and pulling himself up. He squirmed a bit due to his drunken state, so Caspian shoved him harshly. Noah landed with a thud on the other side of the window. Caspian picked me up by my waist and gently helped me enter the house. I stopped myself just as my feet were about to collide with Noah's face.

"He's out cold." Caspian knelt down by his brother's face.

"Should we move him?" I asked.

Caspian shook his head. "We'd need at least ten people to lift him."

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