Lunar: A Marauders novel

Chapter 75

Dysis wasn't aware of time passing as she fell in and out of consciousness, her body turning from hot to cold and back again within minutes. Seconds, even.

She could hear murmurs around her, but couldn't hear what they were saying in the slightest, so she focussed on trying to keep herself warm or cool, depending on the fever. Dysis also spent what felt like years running from nightmares, but it seemed every single time she closed her eyes, another horror arose.

Burning buildings. Charred bodies. Dark corridors. Empty, colorless bedrooms. Cold-looking children. Hands shoving her, pushing her down, forcing her down. Hairpins, dripping with blood. A burning sensation.

She cracked her eyes and caught sight of a tight-jawed, long-haired boy staring into the distance. She tried to reach out, tried to call him, to ask him for help, but she was swallowed up by terrors once more.

Dark. Everything dark. The sound of snarling, of quick, fearful gasps. Leaves rustling. Burning across her body as branches tore at her clothes and skin. A burning in her chest. A pressure over her mouth, stopping the rising scream. The scream of fear, the scream of pain as fire raced across her throat, sending warm sprays down her neck, down her throat, drowning her, smothering her scream, smother everything, smothering—

There were hands on her, pulling her up gently until they could sneak around her and hold her close to a solid chest.

Dysis thrashed, but stopped when the dark forest scent hit her and she relaxed, her chest throbbing painfully.

Sirius was murmuring quietly to her, rocking from side to side as he held her close, stroking her hair gently. Dysis was barely aware of what he was saying, just of the solid body against hers, of the comforting arms around her.

She let a breath out, noticing how it came easily, how her throat wasn't closed up or blocked. Soon the rocking, scent and steady heartbeat made her drift off again, although she was still very aware that she continued to clutch his hand, even as he laid her back down and her heavy body sank into the mattress.

Blood-spattered room. Bodies everywhere. Broken glass and shattered wood. The strong, powerful smell of other werewolves—of familiar werewolves. The feel of claws tearing her back, of canines sinking into her flesh, of pain through her entire chest. The want—the need to get somewhere. To get downstairs. To get to—

Dysis woke with a jolt, her body wracked with dry heaves. She twisted in the bed and clutched the sheets, shutting her eyes as her stomach twisted horribly. Her muscles convulsed and she retched, but nothing came up.

She heard quick footsteps and was immediately aware of people surrounding her. Someone was sitting beside her on the bed, rubbing at her back while someone else crouched in front of her.

She looked up and her vision swam, but after a few blinks she could make out the blurry features of a very concerned Remus. He reached out and she watched, trying to force down the heaves, as he took her hand and squeezed it gently.

She saw black lines snake up his hand, and soon her pain started to ebb. The pain—while good to be gone and one less thing to deal with—didn't get rid of the flipping stomach.

She clamped her free hand over her mouth and took a deep breath, forcing the rolling in her stomach down, forcing the tightening of her muscles to cease until finally, after a few endless minutes, she sagged onto the bed, her body still except for the shivers still crashing over her.

"You alright?" Remus asked gently, rubbing at his chest slightly.

Dysis nodded, although she felt far from alright. She slowly turned around and groped blindly until her hand met soft covers and she pulled them up to her chin, her body frozen.