Bound

Chapter 74 - Awake

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Skylar

I'm running, but then I remember I don't have to, so I stop running and casually walk to the cliff's edge, once again peering into the darkness.

"Just jump." I spin around, the voice behind me one I know well. It's my own. And it's coming from me. Except this version of me is dressed in a skin-tight black leather one-piece, with a black cloak hanging to the floor. My eyes are no longer hazel but a fiery orange. I also look smug, and a thought crosses my mind that if this person were real, I probably wouldn't be friends with her. The look on this duplicate's face is arrogant and overly confident. She looks a lot tougher than I will ever be. She stands next to the hooded figure, her hand in his. While his other hand is outstretched, beckoning me to take it. The snake emerges from his sleeve and intertwines around their hands.

"Go on, jump. Into the darkness. It's easier if you just give into it." Her head is motioning toward the edge of the cliff.

Before I see him, his scent engulfs me, mingling with mine, tingles shooting up and down my body.

"Don't, Skylar. Stay with me." Dmitri stands to my side, his hand outstretched, a questioning look on his face.

"It won't end well for you or him. And it will be so much harder. So much more painful when everything disappears," she says, a softness to her voice that I didn't expect, tearing my gaze from Dmitri. A tear runs down her face as the hooded figure beside her steps forward, his hand still outstretched.

Still looking at her, I take a step sideways, my hand reaching for Dmitri's as I hear her whispered words in the wind. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

And just like that, I wake up. 

Sun is streaming in through the open curtains causing me to squint my eyes. Disorientated, I shoot up into a sitting position, my head throbbing at the movement. I try to lift my hand, but I can't. Someone is holding it.

"Dmitri?" I croak out, my eyes pressed shut in an attempt to dull the thud in my head.

"I'm here," he says, shifting off the bed to stand beside me.

"Here, drink." He grabs my hand, placing a glass of water in it. I gulp it down while slowly opening my eyes.

My eyes are blessed with a view of his chiseled stomach, his glorious packs on display.

I let my eyes travel up while I continue gulping water down, until they land on his face. His stubble is a little longer than usual, and my eyes follow his hand as it runs through his deliciously messed-up hair. His hair looks messier than usual, and looking at him closely, he looks stressed, like he hasn't really slept properly.

"What happened? How did I get here?" The last thing I remember was the knife to my neck and Dmitri standing naked by the tree line after shifting back from his Lycan form.

My hand flies up to my neck, but not even a scab can be felt where the skin was nicked. Maybe I imagined the cut?

He pulls up a chair close by, taking a seat so he is more at eye level with me.

"You passed out, and I brought you here. You have been out for two days." He keeps quiet, letting me soak that information in.

"Two days. You're serious. What happened, Dmitri? The last I remember was those Hunters breaking in, and then all hell broke loose outside when you came running through the tree line. After that, nothing."

He tells me how I had another one of those episodes, similar to what happened in Spain. The Hunters were taken care of, and the one alive will be questioned once he has recovered from an operation.

He hasn't said how the other Hunters died. I assume he and the other two wolves with him had somehow taken care of that.

"I've been so worried about you, Skylar," he says, his hand snaking out to take mine. He leans forward, both hands cupping mine as he kisses my knuckles. Wow, I am sort of taken aback by this display of affection.

"Do you want to have a bath?" He asks me. Geez, this man must be a mind reader. I was thinking to myself that my breath must stink, not to mention the rest of me.

"I'll have a shower, I think." I slowly swing my legs off the bed, Dmitri holding my one hand as he helps me stand up. I actually feel stronger than I probably look. I must look like some scarecrow. My other hand flies up to my hair, a groan escaping my mouth when I feel the nest that has formed there.

"You look amazing, Skylar." Dmitri laughs when I level him with a look of disbelief.

"Okay, you have looked better, but I also like this look. Very 'I woke up and didn't give a shit' vibe going on."

I let go of his hand and make my way to the bathroom. While I take stock of myself in the mirror, Dmitri leaning against the doorframe.

"You're such a liar," I say, looking at him in the mirror's reflection. I looked as bad as I had envisioned in my mind. He laughs before passing me a towel. He asks if I need anything else, and once satisfied that I am okay, he disappears, giving me some privacy. I know he will be hovering in the other room just in case I need help.

First things first, I brush my teeth thoroughly and vigorously. Then I hop in the shower, taking my sweet time as I try to untangle the mess of my hair and get two days' worth of stink off my body. Dmitri's poor oversensitive senses must have been tortured.

My body feels remarkably great. There is no bruising. I must have imagined the small cut on my neck because nothing is there.

While showering, my mind goes back to the dream I was having and the new addition to it. The hardcore-looking duplicate of myself. Her cryptic words about everything disappearing and everything being harder have me on edge. Things with Dmitri and I were just getting back on track, except for this incident, which actually seems to have brought us closer. So why would everything disappear? A shiver runs down my spine at the thought of losing Dmitri. Shaking my head, I try and clear my mind. I didn't want some dream to impact my reality. I was in control of what happened in this world, not some wanna-be imposter Skylar who only existed in my nightmares. 

After finishing with everything, I grab a gown from a hook by the door and tie it tightly around me. As I exit the bedroom, the smell of eggs, fried tomato, mushrooms, and toast hits my nostrils. On cue, my stomach rumbles loudly. I blush, looking from my stomach to Dmitri, who is standing by a small table by the window, a smirk on his face.

"Good thing I made food." He walks over to me, grabs my hand, and drags me over to the table, pulling a chair out so I can sit.

He dishes up for us, adding sausages and bacon to his plate. Once I start, I can't stop. I devour my entire plate and some. When I look up, beautiful green eyes are staring at me, a smile on his gorgeous face.

"Mmmm, it's so good," I say, laughing in embarrassment.

"I really missed you, Skylar." His look is peculiar like he has something more to say. Instead, he just leans over and kisses me gently.

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