Dark Moon Rising

Chapter 68

Alex fell backwards with her chair. Someone grabbed her arm and she punched.

"Whoa!" Xander exclaimed. She jumped to her feet, backing against the wall. "Hey, it's me." He tried to calm her. She growled and her lips curved back. "You have fangs!"

Blinking. "Xander?" Her knees buckled.

He rushed forward, steadying her. "Are you OK?"

"Where is he?" Her voice shaken.

"Who?"

"Raven!" She snapped.

He pulled her into his arms. "You are safe." He soothed. She pushed her face into his chest and held on tight. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I had a bad dream."

"Sounds to me as if it were more than just a nightmare." He stroked her hair, pulled back his hand. Red sticky liquid covered it. "You're bleeding."

"I am?" She touched the wet patch. "Damn."

He turned her around, pushed her head down, flipped her hair over, and inspected the cut. "I think we should get it checked out."

"It's just a cut." She pushed away. "I've looked worse." She reminded him." Probably happened when I fell over."

He frowned. What are you hiding? "You had to have hit something sharp otherwise you would only have broken skin."

Her insides tied into knots. You can't find out. "Stop faffing!" Late afternoon sun filled into the room. "Breakfast time." She changed the subject. "Let's go."

"Alex?"

"Yes?"

"You will be in a roomful of vampires, even if they are not dead." Xander stated a fact.

She considered this for a moment. "You're right. Give me 15 minutes." She rushed into the bathroom, took a quick shower, and joined him in a new T-shirt. Hair dripping.

"Ready?"

He nodded and they walked to the dining hall. Only a few huvirs were busy having breakfast when they entered. Wonderful! No stares or gossip. Eat early. She made a mental note and fell in the back of the queue with a smile. When her time came to dish up, she smiled like a treasure cat. Beacon, eggs, toast, and cheese were some of her favourite food on the menu. She heaped her plate and started to consume it while they walked over to a quiet corner.

"Do you remember how you used to eat bacon?" she asked him.

"Yes." He made a face. "Now I prefer blood."

The dining hall started to get busy. She sighed, creating a sandwich with the left over's.

"Aren't you going to finish." He said as she wrapped her sandwich in a napkin and stood.

She held the sandwich up. "Breakfast on the run. Let's go before it gets too crowded." He frowned. "I don't like people who stare." He seemed as if he wasn't going to move. "Besides, I want to see if I can find the place in my dream."

"You mean your nightmare, don't you?"

"Whatever." She turned and started to walk in the direction of the exit, but stopped. "Are you coming?"

He glared before nodding. Why is your nightmare such a touchy subject? He joined her and they continued back in silence. He watched her consume her meal as if she had not eaten in days. Concerned, he studied her. What is going on with you Alex? Why are you shutting me out? She licked the runny yoke before it fell to the ground. He shivered in disgust. His stomach turning. Human food, he thought disgusted. "Have you ever thought about what you will do if you change completely?"