Bonedust

and…no. No. No.” He ran both hands through his hair, fingers snagging on tangles as he began to pace. “Please, let’s go.”
    “Go where?”
    “Away! Far away from here. We’ll go back to the motel and pack up our stuff. We’ll skip town. Find another motel, anywhere, just please!” He took a shuddering breath, pressing his thumbs into his eyelids. “Please. I don’t want to go back there. I’d rather die. Please.” The world sounded strangled and terrified.
    Urban’s heart twisted. “Okay. Alright, calm down. We’ll go. Pandora!” He gave a shrill whistle, looking out across the moonlit landscape. She galloped towards them as Gabriel fumbled with rolling the sleeping bag up, his breathing uneven.
    “Shit, what do we do about the fire?” It flickered, tongues snaking into the sky, sending sparks floating. He grabbed the jug of water they’d brought with them and poured it over the flames. They hissed and spat, steam and smoke rising to the sky in tendrils.
    “Urban,” Gabriel turned towards him, his face haunted by the lack of light. “I’m sorry.”
    “No problem.” He flashed a quick smile and hoisted the bag onto his shoulder. Gabe grabbed the other one and took off into the woods at a fast clip. Pandora loped after them as they left the still-simmering campfire behind. They made it to town in record time and Gabriel all but ran into the motel room, gathering up everything they needed. Urban went around to the front and paid the man sitting behind the desk, turning in their key.
    They met in the parking lot, Gabriel’s face tight with fear. Urban reached out, looping an arm around his shoulders in a snug hug. “You okay? It’s alright. It’s gonna be fine. We’ll hop onto the bus and skip a few towns. Start over. It’s good, okay? Gabe, look at me.” Gabriel shivered, but stared into his eyes. Urban kissed him. “I promise. It’s okay. Let’s go.”
    They found a cheap motel over in Angel City, but they didn’t bother to unpack. Without a TV to drone on in the back ground, silence crowded them. Urban curled up behind Gabriel on the bed, one arm wrapped around the other man’s stomach, fingers trailing across the warm skin even as Gabriel trembled. “It’s okay,” he murmured, over and over again, each time kissing Gabe’s neck.
    It wasn’t until dawn cracked the sky that they were able to fall asleep.
    The crow didn’t follow.

Chapter Twelve

    Gabriel woke to the hum of the furnace, the hot air rising from the vent on the floor. It fluttered against his hair and tickled his face. He breathed in the musty smell and stretched, toes pointing away from him. Urban’s arm lay looped across his waist, holding him snug even in sleep and Gabriel relaxed back into the pillows. He didn’t want to ruin this moment of pure peace.
    Turning slightly, he gazed at Urban, whose lower lip pouted out as he snored softly. His blue hair was mussed with sleep and a line of drool trailed from his mouth to the pillow. Gabriel wanted to memorize every line, every curve of the man’s face. Just in case.
    He stared at the cracked ceiling, the brightness of the sun illuminating the whiteness of the tile and walls. It gleamed down around them, bouncing off the sheets and Gabriel turned his face to stare out the window, his heart skipping a beat at the thought that trilled through his mind: It was too bright to just be the sun.
    “Urban!” He shrugged off the man’s arm, slipping off to pad barefoot across the floor. His hands found the glass, icy cold, and he stared into the blustering winter wonderland just beyond his reach. Urban mumbled something unintelligible behind him and pulled the covers back over himself. Gabriel laughed and tugged them back, then pounced. “Urban. Wake up.” He straddled the Shifter, hands cupping Urban’s face as his eyes flickered open.
    “Well this is a hell of a way to wake up,” he said with a grin. “To what do I owe this pleasure, babe?”
    “Get your mind outta the gutter,” Gabriel chided, scrambling off like a child on Christmas morning. He grabbed Urban’s hands to pull him up. He led him over to the window and Urban merely gaped. “It’s beautiful! But it’s a little early for snow. C’mon, let’s get dressed and go outside.”
    “Out…side?” Urban’s head tipped in a way that reminded Gabriel of the dirgehound sprawled on the floor.
    “To play?” Gabriel watched him, curious now. “In the snow? My inner kid is squealing, Urban.