Christian sat in Aspen’s apartment staring at the dark blue curtain and the way the sun made small lines where it parted. The curtains in Gabrielle’s room used to do that, he thought absently. Aspen was curled up on the couch behind him, a blanket tossed hastily over her. Even in her sleep there was something needy about her. But it was a foolish need. She said she needed Christian but he often, if not always, scoffed at this. They’d been together two weeks and Aspen had been more than eager to jump-start the relationship. Then again, it was Christian who insisted he spend days at her apartment rather than at home. It was he who told her quite plainly that he was moving in only days after they’d met. Not that she offered any protest. Aspen thought it would be a better way to get closer to him, and to get what she wanted. But the further away he was from Gabrielle, the more he dreamt of her and wanted her once again. Three hours had passed since the encounter in the bathroom, and he wanted her still. He started entertaining the idea of going to the club every night in case she showed up. That way, he could stop pretending it was Gabrielle beneath him, when it was really Aspen.

Gabrielle rolled out of Edges arms sometime in the late afternoon. He didn’t notice, and merely stirred. She sat at the end of the bed watching the small remnants of sunlight peek trough the curtains, making patterns on the floor and the wall. Like when Edge had left her before, she ached for Christian. It was heightened only by the fact that not even half a day ago, she had been with him. She wanted him again. Downstairs, she could sense Kael’s drunken rest. Why was he still here, she wondered. Gabrielle expected him to leave after Christian did, when things got bad. There was no point in him staying, at least none Gabrielle could see. Why was she even here? She meekly decided she should be with Christian, wherever he was. Sighing and rising slowly and quietly, careful not to wake Edge, she padded down the hall, and down the stairs. She stopped to peer into the kitchen, to see Kael sleeping at the table, half a bottle of whisky beside him. Same old Kael, she thought, smiling to herself as she absently turned and tugged on the front door. Closing her eyes against the sun that spilled out, she walked slowly outside, to find Christian. As the sun hit her full in the face, she screamed and flung her arms up to protect her face, but continued walking. Slowly and painfully, the sun began to blister her body, and only halfway down the steps, Gabrielle collapsed, still bathed in yellowish sun.