Chapter Forty-Nine
The Unmarked: Book One
Table of Contents:
[Prologue] [Ch.1] [Ch.2] [Ch.3] [Ch.4] [Ch.5] [Ch.6] [Ch.7] [Ch.8] [Ch.9] [Ch.10] [Ch.11] [Ch.12] [Ch.13] [Ch.14] [Ch.15] [Ch.16] [Ch.17] [Ch.18] [Ch.19] [Ch.20] [Ch. 21] [Ch.22] [Ch.23] [Ch.24] [Ch.25] [Ch.26] [Ch.27] [Ch.28] [Ch.29] [Ch.30] [Ch.31] [Ch.32] [Ch.33] [Ch.34] [Ch.35] [Ch.36] [Ch.36] [Ch.37] [Ch.38] [Ch.39] [Ch.40] [Ch.41] [Ch.42] [Ch.43] [Prologue] [Ch.1] [Ch.2] [Ch.3] [Ch.4] [Ch.5] [Ch.6] [Ch.7] [Ch.8] [Ch.9] [Ch.10] [Ch.11] [Ch.12] [Ch.13] [Ch.14] [Ch.15] [Ch.16] [Ch.17] [Ch.18] [Ch.19] [Ch.20] [Ch. 21] [Ch.22] [Ch.23] [Ch.24] [Ch.25] [Ch.26] [Ch.27] [Ch.28] [Ch.29] [Ch.30] [Ch.31] [Ch.32] [Ch.33] [Ch.34] [Ch.35] [Ch.36] [Ch.36] [Ch.37] [Ch.38] [Ch.39] [Ch.40] [Ch.41] [Ch.42] [Ch.43] [Ch.44] [Ch. 45] [Ch. 46] [Ch.47] [Ch.48]
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Dawn.
The world was dark and bleary, sounds distant and muffled. Her body swayed, tossed by imaginary waves. Dawn felt as if she had been plunged under water. A sickening pain gnawed at the back of her head. Consciousness began to drift away like smoke until time and space were once again no more.
Distorted voices echoed in her mind.
“…two hours...”
“…badly hurt… infirmary…”
“…still unconscious?
“Yes…”
Dawn tried to reorient herself, but she couldn’t open her eyes. Blood pounded in her ears and the pain in her head pressed itself against her eyelids. She feared that if she opened them, her skull would shatter. The rhythmic sound of hooves on ground was all she heard now. Shadows began creeping into her consciousness. As she slipped back into oblivion, Dawn couldn’t shake the feeling that something very terrible had happened.
The smell of woodsmoke and pine needles overwhelmed her senses. Dawn pressed her body against Wolfe as they rode through shadow. Creatures erupted into shrilling screams that caused her head to burst into agonizing pain. She tried to turn her head to see if they were being pursued, but it hurt too much. “Faster!” she tried to yell out to Wolfe, but she couldn’t seem to get the word out right. It was slurred, as if she were too drunk to speak.
Then they were dancing. Wolfe pulled her towards him. They looked into each other’s eyes. She took in his deep green gaze. His hand was firm on her hip, and she felt his breath hot against her skin. She leaned into him, but he pulled back, as part of the dance. She tried to get closer to him, but he twirled her, over and over and over again until she was consumed with dizziness. Her hand slipped from his, and then she was falling.
Falling.
Falling.
Falling.
She lay on her back, next to a fire. Its heat unbearable. Her body drenched in sweat. She saw nothing but the flames. “Wolfe” she called out in a small voice. “Wolfe, where are you?”
“I’m here, Dawn” a distant voice replied.
“Where? I can’t see you!” she yelled, panic welling up inside of her.
She felt a rough hand brush her cheek.
“I’m right here Dawn, just open your eyes.”
The voice seemed closer now.
The fire receded and smoke began to cloud her vision. She blinked furiously, tears spilling out of her eyes. Not sure if she was crying from the smoke, the pain of the fear.
She continued to blink until she saw a silhouette within the dark cloud. It became clearer and sharper until she recognized Wolfe. He was sitting, leaning over her.
“I’m right here Dawn”. He brushed the tears from her cheek with his thumb. His touch sending shivers throughout her entire body. His smell, pine needles and woodsmoke, filled her senses. His hair was ruffled, and his fang pendant dangled from his neck. He watched her; his gaze filled with… Dawn didn’t know.
“You left me” she croaked.
“I know”
“I…I…” Dawn didn’t know what to say. She wanted Wolfe to know how much she’d missed him. That he reassured her. That the reason for the horrible feeling in her gut wouldn’t be so bad if he was there, with her.
“Shhh…” Wolfe said gently, as he stroked her hair. His green eyes watched her, and she felt her heart flutter. She didn’t want to be alone. She wanted him, near.
Dawn reached for his pendant and brushed her thumb across its smooth surface. The prospect of being abandoned by Wolfe again filled her with dread. She didn’t know how she would survive if he were to disappear on her a second time. She couldn’t bear losing the only person she had left. Dawn needed to make him stay. She looked him in the eyes. Her heart pounded, and she felt the energy between them rise. Wolfe’s gaze darted from her eyes to her lips. His pupils dilated and he absently licked his lips. Dawn knew what he wanted, just as much as she wanted it.
“Stay” she whispered, as she pulled him towards her. Their noses brushed, and Wolfe’s breath was warm and heavy against her mouth. She gripped his pendant, the tip of the fang digging into her palm, a slight pain in her flesh. Dawn closed her eyes and breathed in his warmth. His smell. His presence. She felt both weak and invigorated by the closeness of him. She craved the taste of him.
“Stay” she whispered again and pulled him even closer so that their lips slightly brushed.
Wolfe lingered there for a moment. Dawn didn’t know what had happened for them to have found each other again, but she didn’t care. All she wanted was for him to stay. Dawn closed her eyes and waited to feel his mouth on hers. Instead, she felt his lips press against her forehead. Dawn savored the moment anyways.
“I can’t” he whispered, his mouth still brushing against her skin.
Her stomach twisted.
Her eyes fluttered open.
“What?” she breathed.
Slightly pulling away from her, Wolfe looked down at Dawn and she saw sorrow in his eyes.
“I can’t stay with you.”
“Why not?” she whispered; heartache made evident by the strain in her voice.
He didn’t reply.
She shook her head and a tear streamed down her cheek. “Don’t leave me again” she said quietly.
But the image of him was already beginning to fade.
Wolfe, the one she had grown to trust and care for, the one who made her feel safe and secure, the one who made her laugh and forget about the darkness in the world, was vanishing on her once again. Still holding onto his pendant, she watched in confusion and desperation as his presence drifted away like a rising pillar of smoke, until eventually, the faint and distant whisper of his last words to her were all that remained.
Goodbye Dawn.
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