Bloodlines: Blood Link

Settling In

I opted to sleep on the couch again. Finn again promised that he would clean out his mother's old room, even though I told him not to stress out about it. The fast food he had brought home the night before tasted horrible after emerging from the microwave, but I was really hungry. After a quick glance at the trash can, I determined that he primarily lived on takeout. Well that would change. I liked to cook, and that junk he was eating was not healthy at all, especially with an occupation as active as his.

“I'm going back to work tomorrow,” he told me before heading back to his shuttered room. I had watched as he completed his nightly routine, checking the windows, drawing the blinds, banking the fire, and locking the door. I was wrapped up in my two warm blankets on the couch.

“I will too,” I said. It seemed too soon to go back to everyday life, but I knew that it was what I had to do.

Finn nodded. “I'll take you to your house to pick up your car tomorrow morning.”

“Thank you.”

“Goodnight, Eryn.”

“Goodnight.”

I snuggled down under my blankets, staring at the glow of the coals peeking through the ashes in the fireplace. So this was my new home. Alexander's face flashed into my mind, and I immediately pushed it away, but not before tears welled up in my eyes. I was grateful to be here, but I wanted to be home, lying with Alexander, not sleeping on a couch by myself. Guiltily, I realized that I had been pushing away any thoughts of Alexander all afternoon. Was trying to ignore the pain the right way to deal with it? I didn't feel like I could continue on though if I didn't push it down, cover it up, hide it. It would have to be dealt with sooner or later, but right now, I tucked it away and closed my mind.

Someone was shaking me. I was cold, freezing, actually. Finn really needed to invest in a central heating system, because the fireplace obviously wasn't effective enough.

“Leave me alone,” I muttered, pushing ineffectively at the annoying person. Alexander had called, and I was on my way home to meet him.

“Eryn?”

At the sound of my name, I snapped awake. Or was I already awake? No, my eyes had already been open. I was dreaming? No this was real. Finn stood in front of me, gripping my arms and staring down at me.

“What?” I snapped, thinking that he had asked me a question. I was a little irritated at him for trying to stop me. Alexander was waiting for me.

“What are you doing?” he asked, clearly confused. I noticed then that I wasn't in the cabin. I was standing outside, under the clear night sky, in my shorts, t shirt, and socks.

“I'm going home to be with Alexander,” I told him, trying to edge around him. Alexander wouldn't wait forever. But the memory of his phone call was quickly fading, replaced with doubts. The reality came crashing in – I was sleepwalking. Alexander was dead.

Finn relaxed a little when he saw my clear eyes.

“Oh,” I murmured, painfully disappointed. “I was dreaming.” Tears threatened my eyes and I blinked them away, wrapping my arms around myself.

“You sleepwalk?” Finn asked curiously. I shrugged, refusing to meet his eyes. I hadn't since before I met Alexander.

He hesitated for a second before pulling me into his warm embrace. I stiffened, wanting to hold onto the dream of Alexander, but the illusion had been broken. I was here, standing out in the cold, held by a man I didn't even know. I closed my eyes and pressed my face into his shirt, grasping at the lingering threads of the dream. I had found Alexander. He had been waiting for me at the house. He wrapped me in a hug as soon as I stepped inside, and he held me tightly to himself.