Masquerade (Heven and Hell #1)(57)
Author: Cambria Hebert

Only then could I sleep. I should just wear it to bed, but I was terrified that it would catch on the sheet or my PJs, and the clasp would break again. If it broke again who would fix it? I sent Sam away, and the bracelet was all I had left – except for the whistle. I still wore it every day; I wore it now, but it didn’t give me the same comfort.

Grandma stopped coming in after a while, because I learned to quiet my sobs of fear. Sometimes I think she suspected I still had bad dreams, because every morning we would have breakfast together, and she would ask me how I’d slept. I didn’t bother lying like I would have to my mother. Grandma knew better, and I didn’t like the fib. She assumed my dreams were because my mother thought I was evil, and other than dropping off camp registration papers to Gran one day while I was at school, she hadn’t been by to see how I was at all.

But I wasn’t having nightmares because of my mother.

I was having them because of Sam.

I missed him. Like a ghost, pain haunted me day and night, no matter where I went. He did come back to school, but he didn’t bother me; he didn’t even look at me. It was like he completely forgot I existed. Kimber was sure that it was just a fight (I didn’t tell her otherwise) and that we would make up, like her and Cole. I spent most of my lunch hours avoiding one of her schemes to get Sam back.

I was so grateful when Friday came. I was exhausted and depressed. The weekend stretched before me, and I looked forward to being able to nurse my broken heart. It was a stroke of luck that Gran had her monthly bridge meeting at a friend’s house, and I was going to be spending the evening alone. Grandma made some noise about not going to stay with me, but I protested, saying I wanted to read a new book I found at the library.

Once she was gone I changed into a pair of cotton pajama pants and a tank top and crawled into bed. I tossed and turned for a while, but my exhaustion won out, and I slipped into sleep…

The dream began as it always did. I tried to wake up, but I was caught between the dream and reality. I got to the part where I was running and running, knowing that something was after me, and then I fell, scraping my knee on the hard pavement.

This was where I always woke up.

But the dream continued…

The sting on my knee was burning, but it was the least of my worries. Whatever was chasing me had caught up and flipped me onto my back. I screamed and fought, flailing my arms and kicking my legs. I was no match for what had me, but I didn’t stop fighting.

Until I heard the growl.

I went still, peering up at my attacker. I thought my heart would pound out of my chest because the person who had me wasn’t a person at all. It was an animal: a large black animal that was snarling and showing its very lethal-looking teeth. Danger was screaming in my head, and I just wanted to get away. I tried to roll myself out from under it. Razor sharp claws bit into my arms, pinning me down. I felt the first warm trickle of blood on my skin, and I knew then that it would kill me.

So I played dead.

I lay utterly still, holding my breath, praying the thing would lose interest in its game if it thought it had already won. Miraculously, the creature began to back off. It took everything in me not to whimper from fear and pain. I lay there still as I could, barely breathing for long minutes after it left.

When I was sure it was gone I opened my eyes and sat up. But the creature hadn’t left at all. It tricked me, and now it crouched before me ready to finish off its prey. Right before it launched I saw two others just like it approach. Their golden eyes glistened in the dark, almost hypnotizing me.

Agony searing through my body made me scream. I felt blood oozing all over me, but I had no idea where it was coming from. All I heard was snarling and high pitched screams as my flesh was torn again and again.

Then it was over.

The screaming stopped.

Something warm surrounded me, making me feel safe.

“You’re going to be fine,” he said.

I liked his voice. It was raspy and deep. I tried to open my eyes to tell him to run away. It took several tries and when I did my vision was blurred.

Even so, I would know him anywhere.

Sam.

“Help,” I choked.

“Shhh. You’re safe.”

“A…animal.”

“I scared it away. I’m going to get you some help.”

“Th-thank…you.”

“I’m so sorry.”

I didn’t understand why he sounded so sad. I couldn’t hold onto the thought because the pain was so bad that I began vomiting. Minutes or hours could have passed, but the next thing I knew I was at the hospital.

“Please take care of her.” The warm safety of my savior’s arms was being taken away, and I wanted it back. Don’t leave me here!

“Strap her down, she’s hysterical!” someone yelled.

I began to scream and fight.

“Heven, it’s me!”

His voice was a lifeline, and I fought even harder to get to it. I heard a grunt and a swear before I managed to open my eyes. “Sam?”

“You’re safe, sweetheart. It was only a nightmare. A dream.”

I sagged against him and sobbed, griping fistfuls of his shirt. He held me for a long time while I cried. I couldn’t even be embarrassed because the dream was still so fresh in my mind. After a while my sobs quieted and I just lay against him, boneless. “I had a nightmare.”

“I know.” His voice was hoarse. “This was the worst one yet.”

I pulled back and looked up. “You know about my dreams?”

“I hear you every night, crying. It’s horrible. Every night I pace the grass beneath your window, willing myself to stay outside. The fact that your grandma was here held me back, but tonight, she isn’t here. And…”

“And?”

“I just couldn’t bear to hear you scream like that.”

“It was horrible,” I whispered. “I remember all of it now.”

He stilled. “The attack?”

I nodded against him. “Usually I get halfway through the dream and wake up. Tonight I dreamt it all…”

He held me tighter.

It felt so good to be in his arms again. He was warm and strong and safe. It made me remember… “You saved me.”

“I didn’t get there soon enough,” he whispered.

I fought his embrace and as he let go, I sat up. “It’s true?”

“What did you dream?” His face was drawn and pinched.

“Something was following me, but every time I turned around, it wasn’t there. I was scared, so scared, and I started running. But I wasn’t fast enough, and the beast caught up. And it was so heavy, its claws felt like broken glass against my skin.”