Mate. Set. Match.

Chapter 21

Twisting and turning did nothing for the overwhelming flare of heat fanning her body. Even sleep deprived Hannah stretched trying to cool her skin. Her skin radiated heat like the sun itself. Prickling fear gnawed at her senses. She froze paralysed staring wide eyed in terror at nothingness. In her dream time seemed to escape her but in reality however the alarm clock on her bedside table signalled that she'd only been asleep for ten mere minutes.

Hannah reluctantly lay down on her Egyptian cotton sheets and let out a huge sigh of relief. It wasn't real. She pulled the sheets higher across her body effectively shutting out the cold. Her body refused to obey and she lay rigidly atop her mattress feigning sleep. The icy cold did not relent and Hannah wondered if she'd ever get enough rest for the day ahead. Before too long Hannah was burning up again as if a raging inferno was lit up inside the room. 

Heavy, dark grey clouds of putrid smoke filled the room and Hannah felt as if she might cough up a lung. Teary eyed and breathless roaring flames surrounded her. The flames each liked, crackled and spat at her from all sides caging her in... 

However hard she tried Hannah could not reach her Dad on the other side. No matter how loud she screamed Hannah could not be heard over the raging fire. The fire blazed bright for hours dashing all hope in Hannah that her father survived the flames. The only remains they found after the laboratory fire had been put out were a few animal bones and parts of a chemical compound reported to have been what orchestrated the fire.

Hannah shook awake again anxiously huddled in the middle of her bed. Resolving to forgo sleep altogether she straightened the strap of her chemise and slipped from her bed quietly. She'd had enough of being haunted in her sleep to last a lifetime. 

Creeping into the kitchen, Hannah saw a big, dark silhouette sitting at the table and gasped in surprise. 

"You're not thinking of trying to hit me again, are you?" Callum asked quietly humour laced in his voice. 

"No" Hannah whispered, immediately letting go of the heavy object she had picked up to defend herself against an intruder. Only Callum could make her feel foolish.

"I couldn't sleep." 

"I know," he said, watching her. "I heard." 

"How could you . . . ," Hannah began, and broke off when she saw the gleam of his smile in the dark. Of course he could hear her tossing and turning in bed. After all she had been making enough noise to wake the entire household. Still a nagging inkling in her head thought it strange Callum heard her restlessness from all the way on the other side of his wing. 

Callum's searching expression startled Hannah momentarily erasing all her niggling doubts and fears in the wake of reliving her nightmare. It burned through her clothes and didn't stop until it seared into her skin.  Granted she was dressed in nothing but her silk chemise however there was no escaping his gaze as he silently evaluated her. The thought made her want to turn tail and run back upstairs, but instead she stayed rooted to the spot, staring at his shape while her eyes adjusted to the dark.

"Get a cup" Callum gestured to the kettle brewing on the countertop and the plate of cookies in front of him. She took down a mug and slid in next to Callum at the breakfast bar. He was only wearing a pair of low slung pyjama pants. She had to admit to herself apart from his less than desirable personality towards her  sometimes there were other areas of his lean defined body that were very appealing. 

"Don't you ever wear a shirt?" she asked. She was attempting to joke but her voice came out shaky and breathy, ruining the cool-girl effect she was going for. "Not to bed." He smiled and took her mug to fill it.