The Berserker

Chapter 1

The screams from the dream woke me up my eyes flying open. It had been five years since I had gotten out, but they still lingered at the back of my mind coming alive at night. I threw off the covers and went to the kitchen to drink something. The fridge light blinded me momentarily before I took out a beer to drink. I shut the door and rummaged through the top drawer next to it for the bottle opener. My fingers clasped the cold metal of a hand-gun and I pushed it aside finding the opener underneath. I popped the cap off and gulped half of the bottle down.

"You want to grab me one too?" Peyton's voice broke the silence of the night before I heard him trudge into the kitchen.

I grabbed him one and popped it off without saying anything. He took it from my outstretched hand sipping it. He advanced on me trapping me into the corner of the kitchen. Cold marble pressed against my thighs as he embraced me.

"That bad?" He asked his raspy voice blowing in my ear.

"Don't you know it?" I muttered leaning into him inhaling his musk that mixed with the scent of beer.

"Which one?" His hands roamed my back tracing the tattoos that decorated them.

I sat up on the counter facing him his hazel eyes gleaming in the dark. I wrapped my legs around his waist securing him tightly before wrapping my arms around his neck.

"He was beating you after that messy mission." I skimmed the scar line at the back of his neck that ran along his spine. "Now what about you?" I asked redirecting the attention to him.

"You were being whipped," he whispered harshly his nails digging into my back.

I laughed lowly drinking some more beer. "We're alive. Scarred, bruised, probably mentally unwell but alive."

"Cheers to that," Peyton clinked his beer bottle to mine before taking a huge gulp. "I'm glad I have you when night comes."

"Me too," I whispered pressing my lips to his forehead. Tilting his head back, Peyton allowed me to kiss his face softly without protest.

I kissed his temples, nose, eyes and cheeks. "You are a beautiful human Peyton. Don't forget that." I kissed his forehead again.

"Atla, thank you for staying with me." Peyton murmured against my skin.

"Don't thank me for something as stupid as that." I hugged him closely. "We're in this together for the rest of our lives."

"But you're family ..." he quietly protested hugging me back.

"I know. My dad is there with his new wife and two daughters, but they can't understand what I'm going through. I visit on weekends don't worry," I reassured him.

Peyton kissed my cheek and moved lower till he reached my shoulder. "What do you have planned for tomorrow?"

I glanced at my watch reading three twenty-three. "You mean today?" I chuckled. "I have work to do at the shop then I'm going to pick up some stuff I ordered for Nicky."

"It's killing me, Atla. She's coming in a week and I'm a nervous wreck. I don't want to hurt her unintentionally."

"Peyton, Nicky knows what she's doing by moving in with us. She loves you a lot and you're going to be a great husband to her."

I pushed on his shoulders making him look at me. "You'll learn together and you'll be great."

Peyton sighed leaning my forehead to his, "Thanks Atla."

"Of course. I love her too. Both of you mean a lot to me." I pinched his cheeks lightly. "Just let me know when you need me out of the house for your guys' privacy."