“There’s nothing wrong with me.” I snap, sitting up and shoving off the blanket. Ms. Evergreen reaches out to grab my wrist but hesitates as I clamber to my feet. “See? I can walk just fine—” As I take a step forward, my right knee buckles.
Mr. Daniels’ is in front of me in a flash, cradling my body to stop me from falling. My mouth parts, eyes widening as I realize how close we are. If I tilted my head just a bit backward, we’d be kissing. My heart pounds and his eyes narrow slightly. That ghost of a smile still curving his lips. “What was that about being able to walk just fine?” He says in a teasing voice.
I feel myself grow hot all over. Whether it be from his eyes, his voice, or even being wrapped up in his embrace. I don’t like it when he helps lower me back down on the bed and takes a step back, a step away that I don’t particularly care for. I want him close by me at all times, and I don’t know why. I’m not sure if it’s because of the dream or because he rescued me from…
I swallow hard.
“You need time to recover.” Ms. Evergreen says in a gentle tone. “They did a number on your frail body…”
“What exactly didtheydo?” I ask, glancing over at her.
She presses her lips together and then darts her eyes over to Mr. Daniels.
He clears his throat, looking uncomfortable when I turn to face him. I pull the blanket up as if to somehow protect myself from what I saw.
What I had hoped was merely a nightmare. Not real life. They both don’t say anything, not that I expect them too.
“They’re real. Aren’t they? What I saw…” I trail off. I’m unable to say the word. If I utter it out loud, then it has to be real. Maybe if I kept it inside my head, it won’t freak me out as much.
His shoulders sag and he sighs softly. “Yes. They’re real.”
“What happened to me?” I ask again. “I deserve to know.”
Ms. Evergreen reaches out to touch the top of my knee above the blanket. “Yes, you do. We just don’t want you to feel overwhelmed. What with your injuries and subconscious…”
I jerk my leg away from her. “My subconscious?”
Her eyebrows furrow. “The dream you had of course. You were babbling about it in your sleep.”
I feel my face grow hot again. “It’s not what happened that caused me to have a nightmare. This nightmare has been reoccurring for a couple years now.”
“A constant nightmare? How intriguing.” Mr. Daniels says in a bitter tone. Then glances over at Ms. Evergreen. “I thought you said she wasn’t being possessed?”
She looks a bit flustered. “None of the original signs were there?—”
“Wait.” They both look at me, puzzled.Imagine how I’m feeling.“You thought I was being possessed?”
“What else would you call a constant nightmare?” Ms. Evergreen asks with a crooked smile, it doesn’t exactly reach her eyes.
I stare down at my lap, finding the thread blanket far more interesting. “I’ve always had dreams. This one has been the only constant one.”
“Why is that?” His voice is tender and gives me chills.
Looking up, I meet his gaze. “Because the dream involves you.”
Max
“Me?” I stand there in shock, looking down at Dakota as if she reallyhasbeen possessed.
“Dreaming what exactly?” Valdine asks Dakota, regarding her with burning curiosity.
Dakota hesitates and recounts the constant dream she’d been having of me. When she finishes, she can no longer meet my gaze. “You guys must think I’m crazy.”
Valdine reaches over to pat Dakota’s hand. “No one thinks you’re crazy dear. Maybe a bit eccentric, but most witches are.”
Dakota gapes at Valdine in surprise, snatching her hand away. “A witch? Wait…if those exist then…” She turns her startled blue eyes toward me and instantly I cave, giving a brief nod of my head.
“Yes, vampires exist.”