章 43: I Need You

Amanda's heart raced. Her eyes opened to a familiar voice. When she saw it was Christopher, she felt the weight on her shoulders disappeared. She easily saw his handsome face despite the darkness.

Light only came through the window from the lamppost outside. Other than that, Christopher's home was fairly dark.

He did not have his wings out, and he wore a metallic-like armor on his chest. While his features remain striking, she could tell he had not had a good rest in days, base on the dark circles around his eyes.

At the sight of him, she cried instantly and embraced him fully, not minding the men that were walking past them.

"Chris, thank you for coming back," she said while burying her face in his neck.

Christopher was taken aback by her actions. Amanda never took the initiative to hold him, but while he was happy to feel her hold, he was concerned about the tears that she shed.

He caressed her head and ran his fingers through her hair. He turned to her side and pecked on her cheek before he asked, "What's wrong, Amanda? Why are you here?"

Amanda tried to stop her tears, especially since they quickly dried on her cheeks. She wiped her face with her hands and said, "I'm dead. That's the reason I'm here. I have no home now - no job - I am a nobody."

Her breathing became labored, and she frantically wiped her face before hugging Christopher again. She said, "You are the only one - the only one I could hold and cry on like this."

Amanda continued to hold Christopher tight for minutes. She wanted to tell him more, but eventually, she turned her attention to the men who had the same armor as Christopher. They too had wings on their backs. They were walking inside the house, carrying large fishes by their tails.

Her gaze followed them as they walked into the kitchen. With her eyes wide open, she turned to Christopher and asked, "Who are they?"

"They are my men from Aeros," Christopher softly said. "We are taking fishes from the seas here and bringing it to our world. Our people are in need of food, especially since the recent attack from the devils of Oscoria."

"Right! What happened to your enemies? They were so many! Were you able to defeat them?! Were they scared?" Amanda asked impatiently. Her eyes beamed even wider as she spoke.

Christopher frowned. His eyes moved from side to side, thinking, Amanda was speaking as if... she was there. He leaned back and awkwardly said, "They - they retreated temporarily. It's a long story, but we think a spirit of Pelagy appeared before the battle and scared the Oscorians away, or at least some of them."

"Temporarily?" She asked with her brows furrowed.

"I -I doubt they will give up," said Christopher. "But for now, they retreated. We don't know for how long, but we hope it will be for a while."

Christopher put a hand on her face and said, "but enough about me and my world - "

"Where are they taking the fish? Why are they taking it to the kitchen instead of the gate into your world in the middle of the town?" Amanda had to ask after getting distracted by the sight of more men with wings walking in like she was never there to begin with.

Christopher cleared his throat and said, "Um. Amanda, let's go upstairs - Amanda."

Amanda stood up to follow the men who carried fishes. She was utterly curious where they were taking them.

"Amanda, wait - "

"You lied to me," said Amanda. She turned to him after seeing the men go down to the basement. "Is there a gate to your world down there?!"

Before Christopher could say anything, Amanda attempted to go down into the basement, but she felt herself being carried by his weight in just a matter of seconds.

"Put me down!" She demanded repeatedly.

Christopher carried Amanda over his shoulders. He instructed his men to continue bringing as many fish as they could for the next half an hour before heading to the second level.

The entire time he carried her, Amanda was practically complaining, yet she did not let herself down when she was capable of doing so.

Only after entering Christopher's room did they speak to each other.

"Why are we here? It's so dark here! And you have not answered my question," she grumbled.

Christopher put his hands on Amanda's shoulder and said, "I did not lie to you. There is in fact a gate in the middle of the town, but." He sighed and said, "There is also one in the basement."

"Whaattt?! I went searching for that underground spring for nothing! I was going to the park when I wake up and jump into that sunken cave -

"Wait. What? You found the spring?" Christopher asked in horror. Should it happen that Amanda would cross his word without the potion, she could easily die.

"Yes! I found it, or at least I think I did," she answered while maintaining a frown on her beautiful face. "The one behind the large rocks at the back of the park!"

Christopher threw his head back and closed his eyes for a second. He tightened his hold against Amanda and said, "Don't ever do that! What if you - what if. Amanda, I might lose you if you go travel to another world unprepared? I said, I am waiting for the potion and I will come and get you."

"But, I want to help you and." She stopped herself and looked down, realizing what else was the reason for her longing over him. "I - I need you."

Her face turned fragile, quickly forgetting the about the gate to Christopher's world. She placed her hand on his chest and held to her armor, saying, "I don't know - I - I just badly need you, right now."

"I want someone to talk to," she said before taking a deep breath. She gulped and added, "I want somebody to hold and... I can only do that with you."

Amanda had the most serious look on her face before she looked up to him. She earnestly wanted to be with someone that day. The spirits might have abandoned her for long, but her longing was answered by Christopher's return.

"I did not think you missed me that much," Christopher said with a smirk on his face.

He reached for her cheeks and caressed them with both his hands before he leaned over for a kiss.

Amanda's heart fluttered, seeing his lips become inches from her. She gulped and said to herself, 'I might as well splurge.'

The second she felt Christopher's lips, she closed her eyes at the tenderness of his touch. She slowly kissed back and parted her lips. They ultimately allowed the intrusions to their mouths as their desires became apparent.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he did the same, encircling his arms around her waist. He pulled her closer to him and gradually deepened the kiss.

As the intensity of their kiss tightened, Amanda began to slide his hand to his chest, but when she felt a metallic armor, she let go of the kiss and said, "This - this feels uncomfortable."

Not that she wanted to feel his bare chest, but the hard surface on her arm was truly awkward for Amanda.

Christopher was still taking heavy breaths after a hot kiss, but when she suggested that he take off his armor, he felt a sudden urge to do more than just a kiss.