Sacrifice for a Dream

Chapter 16

I woke with the smell of coffee saturating the house. I stretched my arms and legs and realized the bed was empty except for me and one other body. I turned my head to see Phoenix nuzzling my neck. He lay pressed against me, and I could feel the hardness in his pants pressing into my thigh. I blushed. I'm glad no one was looking because it was the kind of blush that makes your skin tingle.

"Good morning, Little Bird," Phoenix yawned into my hair.

"Don't we need to get ready for classes?"

"We still have two hours. How's your back?" Phoenix ran his fingers into my hair. He rubbed the strands between his fingers.

I did another experimental stretch of my arms and legs, and everything felt amazing. "Fine, it doesn't hurt at all. That medication must have really helped."

A slight frown marred Phoenix's face. I was already laying on my side, my front propped up on some pillows which had taken the place of Stone's warm body, Phoenix lifted my sleep shirt. He ignored my protests and removed the bandages. I heard Phoenix's sharp inhale, and then he bellowed for the other boys.

The Lost Boys rushed into the room moments later. After visibly searching the room for threats, and not finding any, they turned to us on the bed.

"You guys need to see her back!" Phoenix's skin was no longer it's normal tan but had taken on a pale hue.

"I already told Phoenix it doesn't hurt anymore."

He pulled up my shirt in the back. He was careful since I wasn't wearing a bra. I didn't want to flash anyone my boobs. After a few minutes of utter silence, I tugged down my shirt and turned to look at the boys and noticed that they all looked pale too.

"Why do you guys look like that?" I asked.

Saint was the first to speak. "Your back."

"Yes, I do have a back, what's wrong with it?" I turned my head to try and see what the big deal was, but I couldn't see much of anything.

Stone answered before I was able to have a panic attack. "It's healed."

"I mean that's what skin does; it heals. Why wouldn't it heal?"

"No, Wren, I mean it's completely healed," Stone explained slowly, none of the Lost Boys would stop looking at me like I had two heads and it was starting to bother me.

I huffed and crossed my arms over my chest. "Well, what about that pill you gave me last night? Could that have made it heal faster?"

Saint laughed but it was dry, and he didn't sound happy. "I gave you a pain killer, there's no way that a pain killer would have healed you."

"She's never been here before," Stone told Phoenix, but the statement came out as a question.

The room was quiet for a few minutes, no one spoke, no one even moved. Phoenix was the one to break the silence. "What if she had been here before?"

"That's not possible," Saint said, "she wouldn't have been able to leave."

"There's clearly some part of the puzzle we are missing," Phoenix mused.

"There's a ton about this we don't understand!" Stone's voice was harsh, but he looked scared. He sat down on the bed and pulled me into his lap. He cuddled me closely. I sat there unmoving, I could tell he needed comfort and with all the boys had done for me, I could sit here and give him comfort.

"Have you ever been here before?" Luck asked, his twin by his side.

"No, I don't think so."

"What do you mean you don't think so?" Legend followed his brother's question. His face tilted to the left, deep in thought.