Page 32 of Beneath Scarred Vows

My eyes start to blur, tears forming in them.

Beyond the alarm, a smooth voice cuts through the mayhem and pulls me firmly into my current reality.

"Katerina!"

I don't turn. Can't turn. The flames hold me captive.

I feel a hand on my shoulder, and Ares storms into view.

"Katerina. Are you okay?" he says, but it sounds like he's speaking to me underwater.

I want to tell him about the fire, to warn him, as if he doesn't know, but I have no voice.

He looks over his shoulder and lets go of me.

In two strides, he's at the stove. He shuts off the gas with one quick twist and grabs a large metal lid, slamming it over the flaming pan. Then he yanks the burning towel from the counter, tosses it into the sink, and blasts it with water.

The flame is extinguished with a hissing sound that makes me flinch.

He leans over the sink and opens the window, giving the smoke a chance to flee. Within seconds, the alarm stops—but in my head, it's still ringing.

Throughout all of this, I still haven't moved.

Every cell in my body remains locked in terror. My heart hammers against my ribs like it might break through. I'm breathing—I think—but each shallow gasp feels insufficient. My skin burns with phantom heat.

"Katerina—look at me. Are you okay?" Ares asks.

I can't respond. My brain is still stuck in panic mode, but I feel his hands on my arms—not aggressive or hard—they're warm and steady.

His touch starts to steady me.

He steps closer, voice low and even now. "You're safe. The fire's out. You're safe."

I blink once. A tear rolls down my cheek.

Ares cups my face, and his thumb brushes gently across my cheek, wiping the lone tear away. "Hey," he murmurs. "Come back to me."

His touch is careful. Different. He's different. Not possessive, but protective.

I stare at him. The kitchen is still spinning slightly, but he's the only thing in focus.

"I… I didn't mean to," I finally say. "It just… it caught."

"You're okay," he says. "It's going to be okay."

My knees give slightly, and he catches me without hesitation, pulling me into his chest. I don't realize how hard I'm shaking until I feel his hands tighten around me.

"I've got you," he says into my hair.

He leans back slightly, searching my face again and then my body. "You didn't get burned, did you?"

I shake my head. "No."

He exhales, a quiet relief passing over him. His hand lingers on my cheek, thumb brushing just beneath my eye.

The moment stretches.

There's something in his expression that overtakes me, flooding my body.