The Scarlet Hunter II

Chapter 6-1

Jackson's face with greedy red eyes circled her, haunted her, mocked her fear. She pumped her legs with everything she had, but was stuck in place. Air thick as stew entered her throat and drowned her lungs. She was away from everyone she knew, loved, and trusted. She caused this. She messed up. She knew what was coming and deserved this.

He was no longer in sight, but he was there, watching her. Be placid. Be adoring. Be willing. Survive this.

She threw open the lid that was over her head and climbed out of a familiar wooden box. It destroyed itself in front of her now as she had seen it destroy itself with the vampire and Jax watching: Disintegrating into smoke that flowed along the floor, around her feet, and then spread out until it blended in with the too thick air she was still struggling to breath.

Don't look. He's behind you.

His grip on her arms sent a shock through her system that jolted her away from the scenario she had created in her mind.

Gulps of fresh air filled her lungs, cooling her from the inside out. The images of the psychopath she had spent weeks with were gone. Blinking eyes saw the fading image of her tormentor, but the anxiety remained. She couldn't see him, but she couldn't see anything. Never did she know darkness until she was limited to human senses at night.

You're not in a box. This is... a hospital room. Look at the equipment. You think Jackson would treat your wounds? Hell, he wouldn't even let a doctor assist with childbirth.

Was that really going to happen to her?

No, because she was going to end him. She was always going to end him.

Not able to walk, but able to sit up and clutch her arms around her own heaving chest. They weren't the only arms embracing her. Warm, strong, and familiar arms also reached around and grounded her to a place that she wanted to be.

Pulled in and surrounded by a chest, arms, legs, and a face, all holding onto her, showing her that she was not there. Her breathing calmed and she could now hear the voice guiding her back to her reality.

"You are with me," his voice lured her. "You are with Alec."

Alec.

Alec Alec Alec.

Her trembling stopped and she let out a frustrated cry. "I know. I'm here. I had a nightmare."

He released her a little and thumbed a button on the controller to raise the head of the bed. After the humming of the motor stopped and they were leaning against the inclined mattress, he asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Thick thighs sandwiched her hips and his torso offered support. "No, I don't. I don't even remember this nightmare really. Just feeling separated and scared." And red eyes, and a box that held her determination to kill herself.

His gravelly voice was fresh from his own slumber. "I have nightmares too, sometimes."

"Maybe you can tell me about yours."

"Every mark on my back is a nightmare. I thought I was going to have to add yours to it and I don't know if I would have survived. Jackson might have won." Alec positioned Isla so that she was able to lean against him, but his face was still in her line of sight. Even in the darkness, she should be comforted by his different face. "Jax's dad was the first."

No. That can't be. Jax? Her Jax?

"The playing cards," Isla pondered.

"Yup," Alec nodded. "The Bellefluer warrior tattoo theme is cards. Well, now they're cards. A couple generations ago it was any game of chance, like dominos or dice. They've settled on cards lately though."