"I think you're part cat. You sleep like one."
I groaned against the exhaustion in my body, recognizing the voice immediately. How many times had he woken me up on the weekend like this? Why did he always wake me up like this after long nights of studying or a late shift? "Let me sleep, Damien."
His tone was soothing as he spoke. The mattress sunk as he sat on the bed I lay on. "It's a beautiful day, Em, you're wasting it in bed."
"No," I sighed against the comfortable silk sheets, refusing to open my eyes. "I'm spending it doing my favorite thing."
I felt a brief, gentle touch against my temple. "Sleeping?"
"Yes," I mumbled.
He laughed softly and I could hear the longing in his voice. "It's a shame I can't join you, love."
Then it hit me. I wasn't home. I hadn't had a late shift at the bookstore. I wasn't sleeping in because it was the weekend.
I shot up in bed, grasping at the sheets around me where I knew he sat previously.
Except it was empty, undisturbed.
Was I so tired I had I imagined him? Did I dream him? Was I reliving a memory?
But what he said ... He never said anything like that to me before.
My heart ached. Damien.
I looked around the empty room, disoriented, unable to focus on anything.
He was here, I heard him, I felt him.
I groaned as I moved, my head pounding mercilessly.
I wasn't in my room.
Then I remembered. It was Julian's room.
And he was nowhere in sight.
Panic set in. The last time I used my magic like that ... I lost Damien.
And if I lost someone else ...
Fear made me jump from the bed. I pushed past the slightly ajar door that led to the hallway and raced through the halls following the chorus of voices through the house.
Please be okay, I begged. Please. Please.
I pushed through the door that led to the kitchen and was met by both Naida and Julian.
Naida was swatting at Julian with a spatula as Julian drank juice straight from the carton.
"You're such an animal, Julian." Naida was still trying to reach the carton. "That was for Emmy! Do you know what it took to get that?!"
They both turned to me as Naida finally was able to get it in her hand.
Naida sighed. "Good Morning, Emmy - I tried to have orange juice for you but this cur decided to be an animal and drink it straight from the carton. We have water instead, I hope you don't mind."
I shook my head. "No, don't be silly."
A new orange juice carton appeared on the kitchen island and Naida turned to Julian. "Gods, I hate you so much sometimes!"
I didn't pay attention as Naida continued to screech. I watched Julian as he took the first carton back, finished it and chucked it into a nearby trash bin as Naida continued to swat him with the spatula.
"It's that easy for you to conjure it? That easy?! Do you know what I had to do to get it?! I didn't even know where to find it!"
He seemed all right as he shrugged, closed the refrigerator and walked around the island away from Naida. There was no scar on his face. The wound had been so bad ... I was so sure he would have had some sort of scar. His face was flawless.
