Dream [h.s.]

seventeen

Soft moonlight pools on the dark carpet and illuminates the room. Katerina's still not awake yet and Harry's watching her with a sea of sadness in his eyes and a steady stream of anxiousness coursing through his veins.

He can still taste her blood on his tongue.

Everyone that was watching from outside is long since gone, but he still feels their heavy presence as he waits for stolen life to return.

Katerina stirs, a fragile sound passing her lips as she regains her senses. The pain hasn't settled in yet, but it's only a matter of time and Harry's heart aches for her.

She shouldn't have to be like him because he screwed up—shouldn't have been forced to choose a life of damnation or a terminal end all because he grew too attached.

Dark eyes open with a surprised snap. Katerina shoots up in bed, like she's had one of those 'falling' dreams. A loud gasp breaks the silence as she looks around in panic.

Harry offers her a warm smile, "Welcome back, love."

Katerina's already scared and he's trying to show her some comfort and familiarity before the pain of the final transformation takes its hold on her.

Her eyes search his to reaffirm that this isn't just another dream—that she really died and returned as a vampire. The sorrow that fills his eyes is enough to reassure her that this is reality and that there's no going back now.

Everything is too bright and she can hear better than she ever thought possible. She's absolutely terrified and overwhelmed.

Harry's smile fades like the stars after the moon swaps places with the sun. Katerina looks at him much like a wild animal caught in a trap, her eyes covered in a shimmering gloss and her lips trembling slightly.

The pain has started to make an appearance and she's nearly petrified because of what she knows is coming. She takes hold of his wrist desperately, her fingertips digging into his skin.

"Promise me you'll stay."

A gentle laugh wants to emerge, but it can't in the current reality. Harry's on the verge of telling her that he's been here the entire time and that he wasn't planning to leave any time soon, but he knows that isn't what she wants to hear right now and he decides to keep it short.

The corners of his lips lift ever slightly as he removes her hand from her wrist and entwines their fingers, "I promise."

Katerina relaxes, but her eyes are darting around the room like she's following a game of ping pong. Harry brings their hands to his lips and presses a gentle kiss to the top of hers, "You'll get used to that soon."

Before she can make the words in her mind come to life, pain strangles every fiber of her being and a scream falls from her lips. She's not aware of it because she doesn't know her strength yet, but she breaks Harry's hand after only a few moments of squeezing it.

Despite the pain, he doesn't make a sound. A broken hand is nothing compared to what she's going through and he knows that better than anyone.

Katerina feels like every bone in her body is breaking one by one, each more painful than the last. Harry warned her about this, but there was no way she could've ever been prepared for this unrelenting agony.

She's broken a few bones before, but it never felt like this—never made her want to die. The worst part is that it's only just begun. Harry's silent as he watches her try to ignore it and push through the unyielding agony that's claimed her body as its home.

There are a lot of things that hurt in the world, but the transformation required to reclaim life as a vampire is the worst that he knows of. Getting hit by a semi-truck is less painful—he knows because he tried it once when he wanted to feel something other than a dull ache in his chest.