Mortis

14.

I awoke abruptly and gasped for air. I could feel my hair stick to my face and my extremities trembling.

"Fuck," I whispered to myself. My chest rose and fell as I looked up at the ceiling in my dark room. I swallowed hard and sat up, my head was spinning.

"Jesus Christ!" I screamed.

My heart tightened in my chest as I stared at the tall figure at the end of my bed. I could hear it in my ears, my face grew hotter. I was paralyzed by fear. He just stood there, watching me. His eyes were large and I could see the whites from where I lay. I couldn't make out any facial expression, but I could feel his eyes on mine.

He was watching me sleep.

I wanted to scream.

I couldn't move.

I have been this afraid before. But, this time he was here. In my bedroom. My safe place. My home.

My mind shot back to when I was in the bathroom at the hospital and he had stood behind me.

"Easy now, Hayden," came the familiar voice from across my bed.

My breathing remained rapid, I was unable to calm myself down.

He was here. He was watching me while I was asleep.

The thought raced through my mind repeatedly, never slowing, only picking up more morbid thoughts along the way.

Had he done something to me while I was asleep? Was I even awake? Was he messing with my mind again?

I could see his tall, black frame move away from the edge of my bed. He walked over to my bedside, his footsteps making no sound on Julie's expensive floors. He sat down beside me on my bed. He was nothing but a figure in the darkness. Pale skin and the whites of his large eyes were all I could make out.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to run.

I remained still.

My heart was begging to crawl out of my throat. His backside touched my leg but he didn't seem bothered. He just continued to stare at me. He looked intrigued. He simply sat there and watched me. I believe this was the closest we'd ever been physically.

"I said 'easy now, Hayden,'" he lifted a pale hand and placed it on my leg. I tried to flinch away but he caught me.

It was cold.

I could feel my heart instantly begin to slow as a new warmth crept over my body. My eyelids drooped slightly and I could feel my mandible relax. What was going on? How was he doing this?

"Much better," he cooed. He removed his hand from my leg and placed it in his lap.

"My dream," I mumbled. My jaw was so relaxed; I could feel a drool drop leaking from the corner of my mouth.

"Your dream," he reflected. "Tell me about it."

"Julie...Viv...Shane, and Cobalt."

"Yes, they were all there. What else, dearest Hayden?"

"Cobalt was dying...you...you...saved him," I tried to say as properly as possible without drooling on myself. My eyelids felt heavy, my blood was hot.

"Yes. Yes, I did." His voice was softer than I'd ever heard it. But, his eyes gave away a deep hunger I couldn't understand.

"But...it hurt..." I swallowed what felt like cotton in my mouth as my eyes drooped down some more, "you."