Shaffron

CHAPTER 23

"Shaffron, wake up." A distant voice called.

Her eyes snapped open at the sound of the voice. The bass deep voice that could only belong to Jerry. Her heart race sped up and she sat up and looked around. Empty.

Everywhere was white. Endless walls of white. Her head started spinning.

Is my mind playing games on me? Is this some sort of dream?

"Jerry?" she whispered and her voice echoed in the place.

"Shaffron! Can you hear me?" she looked around again but still, nothing was around. Sweat broke on her fore head.

"Jerry, is that really you?"

"It's me, Red." Hope bloomed in her heart. But the bubble busted almost as soon as it was filled.

"You're still alive" she smiled "but...where am I? why can't I see you?"

"I've been waiting for you to fall asleep. I don't have much time to explain everything now. I'll come back for you, Red. I promise." His voice was frantic but she found it somewhat soothing.

"But where are you? Where is Ebuza? How will you get me out of here? Its surrounded by guards and-"

"I'll come for you. I'll get you out of there. I don't know how but I will." She opened her mouth to ask more but he cut her off again. "Take care of yourself Shaffron. Survive. I'm coming for you." His voice faded with that promise, leaving her to face her new reality.

Bright light burned on her eyes. A groan escaped her lips when she tried opening her eyes.

"Too bright." She choked, turning her face away from the glare of the sun.

She rolled, burying her face on the soft material of what her head was on.

Soft?

She sat up fast.

Bad move.

The whole place spun before her eyes; her head pounded. She held her head in her hand, taking calming breaths. When everything seemed stable enough, she opened her eyes again, looking around.

She was still outside, where she'd fainted. The two dead guards were not there anymore though. A soft material from the skin of an unknown animal laid beneath her. Someone covered her with it. She let her gaze travel into the big house.

Soft breeze was blowing but the heat if the sun was burning on her skin. She stood up and folded the rug.

Jerry's voice kept playing inn her mind. She did not even bother to think about how he was able to appear in her dreams. The things that happened on this side were beyond her.

At least he's alive. Hope bloomed within her and for the first time since they got stuck there, she dared to let herself think about a possible future where she was far away from this side.

"I see you woke up on the right side of the bed." A voice said from behind. Her spine froze at that.

Of course, he just had to spoil my little moment

"You can't have any moments here." The prince replied, seemingly reading her mind.

With a huff, she faced him.

"You..." the rest of her words stuck on her throat. He was naked. Well almost naked. He had on leopard skin as shorts. Really short shorts.

His chest was completely bare, the primitive marks beautifully tattooed on his body looked like they where moving as water dripped from his hair mixing up with the droplets already on his bare chest that was dusted with light hair.

His honey brown eyes looking even more prominent I under the glare of the sun with his full lashes providing a shield to them. His brows pinched and she willed her self to keep her gaze on his face and not on those long-muscled legs, or the way the fle...

Nope, not there Shaff!

"Cat cut your tongue?" the arrogant drawl in his voice broke her daze.

She glared at him. He was leaning on the door of his hut with an apple in one hand and an arrow on another. He was using the arrow to slice the apple.

How much stranger can this man be?

"What do you want from me?" she asked instead, squaring her shoulders.

He raised a perfectly carved brow at her. "Do you really want to hear my answer?"

She locked her jaws and nodded. "I don't want part of your silly games. Tell me what you want and let me go."

Laughter bubbled from deep within him. Deeply rich laughter. It was a nice sound. Shaffron caught herself wondering how Jerry's laugh would sound like.

He was bent over as he laughed but his gaze was anything but amused. Shaffron looked away from him, trying to ignore the anger that was brewing within her. She needed to survive. For Jerry.

She waited till his laughter died down and opened her mouth to speak again but he doubled up in laughter before a sound could come out of her mouth.

Her fingers fisted on their own accord and she was right in front of him before she could blink, her hands around his thick neck.

This time, he did not pretend to choke. He raised a brow at her.

She knew better than to keep going against him if she wanted to survive.

Slowly, the anger rolled off her and calmness took over.

"Tell me what you want and let me go." She repeated herself, taking a step back from him.

"Every song has a particular sound it retains till it ends." He paused. "You're trying to change your beats, it wont work with me, you will have to dance to my tune." He covered the space between them.

The familiar ache came back to her in full force. Her heart clenched and strained in her chest, blood flowing too fast from her heart and she began feeling lightheaded.

"What are you doing to me?" she could not even recognize her voice as she spoke in breathy pants.

He raised his arrow right on her face, tracing the curves on her face, his eyes zeroed on her lips. Shaffron froze. Her mind screamed for her to move back but her body betrayed her, leaning into his touch.

The tips of his lips tugged up in a smirk. He knew his effect on her.

"I'm not doing anything, Bun, its all you." He whispered; voice thick with more emotion than she ever heard him speak.

His arrow caught her hair, twirling it, almost unconsciously, the same way Jerry had done. Her eyes closed on their own accord, her hands finding their way to his chest. She sighed, leaning into his heat and the comfort it provided from the clenching of her chest.

All at once, he was gone. It was almost as if he was never there. He'd disappeared by the time she opened her eyes. Even the ache in her chest was almost nonexistent.

What just happened? What's going on with me!

"What does music have to do with all these!"