Page 25 of His Blazing Witch (The Silver City #3)

"...Are you jealous? Is that why you don't want me to speak to that guy?"

"He's just a douche!"

I start laughing uncontrollably. My God, Liam Black is jealous of a guy I haven't even met yet! I can't stop laughing, but he's back to his grumpy face and goes to lie on his stomach, his face in his pillow. I can't help wanting to tease him. I crawl to get next to him, leaning on his back. I pull on the lower strands of hair on his nape.

"Why? Is he handsome? More handsome than you? Is he tall?"

I'm so excited to see Liam Black jealous, I can't stop. Liam turns around suddenly, annoyed and pushing me off his back.

"He's not handsome! He's average and an ass!"

I can't stop laughing. Gosh, now I have to meet this guy! For him to make Liam so pissed and jealous, he has to be his rival or something. I'm so curious now. Moreover, his expression is so grouchy and cute, I can't take it. I keep laughing, trying to fight him off as he pushes me down.

We keep bickering like this, Liam trying to stop me from laughing, me laughing even more to see him so annoyed. We start fighting for real, like two kids playing on this gigantic bed. I try to push his torso, but he’s holding on to my wrists and trying to get me off of him. I know he's being gentle because size-wise, he's much larger than me. After a while, though, something slowly changes in our movements. We are pulling more than pushing. We gently caress each other. I put my hand around his neck, and he slides his arm under me, wrapping me in his embrace. His lips venture on my neck, making me tremble. He can't go any further, though, the sweater covers everything else... which doesn't stop his hand. I feel him venture under my heavy clothes, caressing my back. I shiver, wondering if I should say something or not.

My heartbeat may not be able to endure this for much longer, but my stomach is going even crazier. When did I eat a bunch of butterflies for it to go all crazy like this? It's resonating all the way down to my toes, making me curl up a little under him.

Yet suddenly, Liam stops moving. What the hell? I glance down, and he is frowning, his eyes lost and staring at nothing. I'm confused until I realize.

"Seriously?" I whisper.

After a couple more seconds, he sighs and shakes his head.

"Sorry. I didn't exactly tell them I had company tonight so..."

I bet. I think Nora might have caught on to something between the two of us, but for his brothers, it will probably not be so well-received that I'm spending the night here... Liam sighs and rolls on the side, still frowning, apparently not done mind-linking whoever is disturbing us. I sigh, and roll to the side to face him, although now we have put a clear safe distance between our bodies. I put my hand under my head and stare at him. Even when he's frowning, he's super attractive... it gives him that serious bad boy look. I bite my thumb nervously while staring, but he grabs my hand away from me, locking his fingers with mine. I really need to stop that bad habit of mine...

Now that I have to watch him frown and make all kinds of expressions without anything happening, I'm getting a bit sleepy. It was a rough day indeed. I'm hot with all these clothes on, I don't even need to roll under the covers. I feel like I'm going to fall asleep like this, but I fight it, staring at Liam. After a while, he starts to smile, probably noticing my heavy eyelids.

Gently, he keeps caressing the back of my hand.

"Go to sleep, bad witch," he whispers.

"I'm... okay..."

He chuckles and brings my hand to his lips to kiss it gently. I should slap myself for falling asleep with that guy half-naked next to me... It feels like a crime.

"Okay, they are done," he suddenly whispers.

I re-open my eyes. I hadn't noticed they were half-closed already. Liam comes closer, wrapping an arm around me.

"I'm really letting you off easy," he chuckles.

"You're the one getting... calls," I yawn. "Who was it?"

"My older brother... Sadly, his voice is too strong for me to ignore. He wanted to ask what happened at the north border today, some other wolves told him about that other witch."

"Oh... What about me?"

He sighs, and gently kisses my forehead, coming closer.

"...I didn't tell him you're with me. I think your friend Kelsi lied and said you're back at the apartment because they seem to believe that."

Did she? What about Ben, then? Is he lying with her? Those two idiots... I chuckle. Now that I'm not with them, I realize those two have been a big part of my life for the last few days. The two little snitches. I close my eyes again, but Liam suddenly moves. I open an eye to see him get under the covers.

"You don't have a right to be cold when you make me dress like this," I mumble.

"It's an extra precaution. I'd roll myself like a burrito if I could..."

I chuckle, but I know he's half-kidding. An extra sheet between us probably wouldn't be enough to tame the big bad wolf in him if he truly wanted to do anything... I close my eyes once more, and feel Liam coming back closer to wrap an arm around me, the other sliding under my pillow. Gosh, I'm snuggled against his chest, cozy and warm. Heaven must feel something like this, or it's a scam...

I'm in a bubble.

A big, pink bubble. I feel a bit strange. It's warm. I feel like I'm floating in something... something like water. There are lights dancing around. But there are sounds too.

Someone is screaming. I want to cry. The voice of that woman screaming in pain is making me so sad. I want to cry, but I can't. I can't move, I can't talk. I can't do anything. I want to stop this... I want to help her. I'm sorry I'm so weak. I'm sorry. I want to help you, I really want to.

I hear those screams again, and something violent hits me. It burns... It burns so much, I'm suffocating. All of my body burns, it slowly disappears. Somebody help me. Somebody let me out of here. Help me. Help me. I can't breathe, I'm hurt. It's so painful. I'm sorry. I'm sorry...

"Mara! Mara!"

I suddenly open my eyes, Liam holding both of my arms, looking panicked.

"Mara, for fuck's sake, breathe!"

I open my mouth, and suddenly, a big airflow comes in. I take several deep breaths, realizing I was out of air until just then. I keep gasping and trying to calm myself. Liam looks crazy worried, rubbing my arms and not letting go of me for a single second.

"W-what happened?"

"I think you were having... a nightmare. You kept crying, and suddenly, you stopped breathing. I freaked out..."

"S-sorry..."

"What were you dreaming about?"

I look at him, a bit out of it. I need to wipe my eyes, I realize they are wet, so are my cheeks... I take deep breaths again, and take off the sweater. I'm drenched in sweat, but Liam helps me get it over my head.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have made you wear so much clothes to sleep... You probably had a nightmare because you were too hot..."

"No... No, Liam, wait. Did I say anything?"

"What?"

I grab his shoulder, trying to calm myself a bit. I don't want to let that nightmare go. It felt so... familiar...

"Did I say anything?" I ask again.

He pauses and shakes his head.

"You kept saying sorry... and... I think you called out to your mom once."

"...My mom?" I repeat, shocked.

"Yeah. You said, ‘Sorry, Mom,’ at least once."