Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 68024 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68024 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
“Me, too.”
I don’t like the dreams.
And I know that I’m dreaming, but I can’t seem to pull myself out of it.
“Don’t go down that road.”
I spin in the middle of the street and find my mother standing behind me, but her face looks…wrong.
“Mom?”
“Don’t do it,” she says again. “I can’t save you if you do.”
“I’m not hurt.”
“You will be. Stop walking.”
I look down and see that my feet are moving without me even realizing it. “I’m not trying to.”
“Luciana, do as I say. Stop it, right now.”
“I can’t.” I look up and reach out for her, but she’s gone. “Mom? Mom! I can’t stop.”
“You’ll die.”
The words are an echo in my mind. I search around me, but there’s no one there.
“I will not! Mom? Help!”
Water. Water’s flowing around my ankles, and my feet are sinking into the concrete below as if it’s turned into sand and I’m on the shoreline.
Because I am at the shoreline.
“How did I get here?”
“Lucy?”
My heart is beating so hard, it feels like it’s going to explode.
“Lorelei! I’m over here!”
“Lucy?” She calls and calls as if I’m lost, but I’m standing twenty yards away from her. “Where did you go?”
“I’m right here!” I try to run to her, but my feet are stuck in the sand, and the water is rising. “Help me get out of this.”
But she doesn’t hear me.
“Lucy!”
Breena and Giles come rushing out of the woods.
“We can’t find her,” Giles says, his face white, and his expression grim. “She’s not anywhere in the forest.”
“And the bridge is gone,” Breena adds as Xander, in the form of a raven, lands on a log and then changes into his human form.
“She can’t have just disappeared.” His voice is edged with both anger and fear. “Where’s Jonas?”
“Gone,” Lorelei whispers. “Just gone. And I can’t find Lucy.”
“I’m here!” For the love of Thor, why can’t they hear me? “Just help me! I’m stuck!”
“They got her.” Breena buries her face in Giles’s chest to weep. “Oh, goddess, what will we do without our Lucy? She won’t meet our baby.”
Her hands smooth over her rounded belly.
Breena’s pregnant?
“I’m here.” I’m crying now, trying to reach them with my mind since they can’t hear my voice. “Please, I’m right here. I love you. Help me.”
Suddenly, I’m plunged into blackness. Into nothing.
There’s no beginning and no end. No light. And I feel so cold and alone.
“Where am I?”
The words echo back to me.
“Hello?”
I blink.
And look into terror.
“Lucy.”
I’m screaming and flailing, trying to run, but strong arms hold me tight, and Jonas’s voice is in my ear now.
“Only a dream, baby. It’s just a horrible dream.”
“Don’t touch me.” I squirm away and then fall to the floor, backing myself into the corner of the room, my knees pulled up to my chest. I need to make myself small. To hide.
“Luciana.”
His voice isn’t gentle now, it’s strong, and I look into his blue eyes.
“It wasn’t real,” he says, still in that firm tone. “It’s not now.”
My chest is heaving as I try to catch my breath. I have goose bumps all over my body, and Nera, my sweet Nera, carefully joins me and nudges me with his head.
Love you, he says in my mind.
I bury my face in his fur and give in to the sobs of grief and worry leftover from the dream.
Finally, Jonas simply joins me on the floor and holds us both. He’s whispering, and from what I can hear, it sounds like a spell of calming and protection.
After what feels like forever, I start to warm up, and the tears stop.
“I hate the dreams,” I say at last.
“Darling, that wasn’t a dream.” His voice is grim. “That was a premonition. One I don’t plan on letting come true.”
“Oh, goddess.” I tip my head onto his shoulder. “I’m so tired, but I’m afraid to sleep.”
“You’re safe.” He kisses the top of my head. “Will you let me put you back to bed so you can rest?”
“Nera, too.”
He nods, and the three of us climb onto the bed, huddled together.
And with the protection of my boys, I slide into a dreamless sleep.
“You’re here.” I bounce on my toes and then rush across my shop to scoop Lena up into a big hug. “Oh, it’s so good to see you.”
“Same here.” She squeezes me. “When Gram asked us to stop by, I was so excited. Salem’s awesome, and so are you.”
“Where’s Mason?” I glance behind her, but I don’t see him in the doorway. “Did you ditch him somewhere?”
“He’s just getting the box out of the car,” she explains. “I hear you guys have a lot going on.”
“More action than any of us wants,” I agree and smile at Mason when he walks in holding a box about the size of a shoebox. “Hey, Mason.”
“Hi, Lucy.” He smiles and leans in to kiss my cheek as he passes me the box. “There, it’s out of my hands and no longer my responsibility.”