Darling Ellie

Chapter 8

Elaine

The Lost boys returned from their fruitful hunt a few hours before sunset. Each boy had some animal, or another slung over their shoulders. I had been reading in Pan's Cabin for some time after our tour, he of course had disappeared.

He had taken me through the forest to Neverpeak, Mermaid lagoon, Crocodile creek and back down to the coast. The beach was one of my favourite spots. I hadn't gone swimming, but I knew that I wanted to, I wanted to dive into that crystal-clear water and never emerge again. I think Pan knew it too.

Yet those things paled in comparison to the moment I found my mind wandering too most often. Pan had kissed me. I had spent most of my time after it considering what it meant. Why did he kiss me? Did he do it just because he could? To control me? Or was it something deeper? The worst thought of all was that I liked it. It was nothing like the tiny kiss Daniel had given me through the wooden bars of that infernal cage. Nothing like the softness and quickness of Daniel's. It was sultry and intense full of heat and promise. The promise of what I didn't know. Perhaps worse than liking the kiss was all the muddled feelings I had to deal with now. I could be falling for hm, for a villain. I could be falling for Peter Pan.

Pan waltzed into the cabin to beckon me outside. I put my book down on the chaise I had been lying on and followed him. We reached the fire pit where the boys were gathered. Pan placed his hand on my lower back the pressure sending sparks dancing along my spine.

"Boys, this is Elaine." He announced.

They all looked at me quizzically. "Elaine is Wendy's niece. I know you will have questions for her, but I don't want her overwhelmed just yet. Not until I've had time to properly question her tomorrow."

He then leaned down to whisper in my ear, "I'll be watching, don't do anything stupid."

I bit my lip and looked at him. A strange look flashed over his face before disappearing. Maybe I had imagined it.

"Dinner's in thirty minutes, don't be late!" Pan shouted before slipping away from the group.

The boys looked at me for a moment before recommencing their various activities. They each came up to me at one point or another, some saying hello and some apologising for my beating the other day. I told them not to worry. The boys were Felix, Pan's second. Alex, Roy, Eugene, Jonny, Toby, Will and Billy; the seekers. And the rest of the Lost boys, Rick, Anthony, Henry, Jack, Stephen, Raymond, Eddie, Joseph, David, James, George and of course Daniel. Daniel came over to me last, pulling me away somewhere more private.

"Ellie, thank God you're out of that bloody cage." He smiled.

"I'm happy to be out, but Pan hasn't asked me anything yet. So, I guess use Elaine for now, just until Pan gets it out of me himself, I don't want either of us getting in trouble."

"Yeah of course, I understand." He smiled.

I felt so comfortable with him. Like I could tell him anything. Like we could be anything together. I stood up a little taller to kiss him on the cheek. He held the side of his face before looking around and kissing me quickly on the lips. I smiled around out kiss.

"I think I could come to like it here after all." I grinned.

Though at the same time I had a strange feeling that what I was doing was wrong. Perhaps my fear of Pan was making me feel like he was the only one who could have me. He would say that the kiss didn't matter. So, I would make it not matter. I'd spend time with Daniel. Maybe it would even make Pan jealous. I placed my hands on either side of Daniel's face kissing him again. I knew we were hidden now but we wouldn't be for long.