Throbbing pain in her head and neck pulled Aubree from the realm of unconsciousness. Bright light broke through the cracks of her eyelids and she grimaced.
Why did her head hurt so much?
"Aubree?"
She heard a voice, one she hadn't heard for a while and she squeezed her eyes shut, willing it to go away. She tried to turn over, but a hand pressed her shoulder back down.
Groaning, she blinked until her eyes came into focus.
Gwen stood over her with another woman and a man dressed in a white lab coat, checking her pulse with her left wrist as he stared at his watch, counting.
Aubree swallowed, wanting to open her mouth and speak, but Gwen's eyes widened and she quickly shushed her.
"Your glands are all swollen from the attack. The doctor doesn't want you to try speaking until the swelling goes down," Gwen explained.
Fear gripped Aubree as her memories came flooding back over her. The man standing in front of the car, illuminated by the headlights. His glowing red eyes and hideous sneer. His hands around her neck. Squeezing.
When the doctor released her wrist, both of her hands instinctively reached for her throat. It hurt to touch, even though she barely grazed it with her fingertips.
"What happened?" she mouthed, hoping that someone would be able to tell her.
"A lunatic attacked you," Gwen said. "He strangled you until you fell unconscious and tried to kidnap you."
She knew that but what happened after that? How did she wind up here? Where was she?
Looking around her, she noticed the bed next to her was empty. Panic began to fill her as she asked, "Where's Dan?"
All she got were stares in response. That made her heart rate spike even higher.
"Stop stressing the girl out," the doctor growled.
"Right," Gwen said, pulling up a chair to the edge of the bed and sitting down. "Say it again?"
Aubree mouthed the words again, her heart filled with dread.
Gwen's nose scrunched up. "Are you asking where your boyfriend is?"
Aubree nodded.
When Gwen didn't look relieved, that didn't help to lower Aubree's heart rate. Instead, Gwen turned to the woman next to her, who seemed to have no idea either.
Oh god! Where's Dan?
She struggled to breathe. Dan's unconscious face filled her mind.
Where could he be? Was he okay?
A man walked in then—a huge, burly, hairy man that reminded her of a Viking—and he spread his arms out wide. His voice boomed in the small room and everything felt more cramped with his presence.
"Welcome, my dear," he said in a loud, boisterous voice. There was a hint of an accent, but she couldn't place where it was from. "I hope you are feeling better. If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask. I'm Vincent."
Under normal circumstances, she would have looked Vincent up and down like he was some weirdo who stepped out of a sci-fi or fantasy convention, but she was too consumed by worry to notice the powerful vibes she got from him.
"Where am I? Where's Dan?" Aubree asked.
Her heart fell when Vincent's smile faltered. "Dan who?"
YOU ARE READING
Heart of Stone (Parts I & II)
Werewolf[COMPLETE] Some bonds can't be broken, even in death. -- He couldn't endure another heartbreak. "Accepting her would be a mistake," he said. "She's a human. I can't afford to have her blood on my hands." Gwen looked away, and he knew she saw the ima...
