Page 20 of Hunted By Fear

Who has a hold on me?

Before I can think too much about it, the pain in my head hits a crescendo, and I can’t hold back the tears that leak from my eyes.

“Shit, Aeri, are you okay?” I hear them both move closer before Talian lays a hand on my arm, and everything goes blissfully black.

I awake with a start, unsure what woke me but grateful for it all the same. I’d been relieved to meet the darkness earlier, but all I found was more pain, questions I can’t seem to figure out the answer to, and a deep longing for Rome.

Despite how unrested I feel, I find that the pain in my head isn’t as severe this time, and I almost cry in relief. Blinking open my eyes, I slowly test to ensure it stays that way. The room is exactly the same dark stone walls and floor, with candles on every surface, and the chandelier that hangs from the ceiling,which I can just make out past the top of my bed. My very large bed with a heavy red blanket and matching pillows that are so soft I feel like I’m lying on a cloud. Everything I can see that isn’t dark stone is instead dark wood: the bed frame, the bedside table, the bench at the end of the bed, and the dresser that sits below a window on the far right wall. A fire burns in the fireplace across the room, casting a glow around the room, making it seem cozy despite the fact that I have no idea where I am.

The two men from earlier are gone, and for a moment I think I’m alone. I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing, though. Should I make a run for it or wait for them to come back? I wasn’t lying when I said they seemed familiar, but I still can’t seem to put my finger on it.

“Go back to sleep, little mortal.” The deep, gruff voice startles me, and I dart my eyes toward the far corner where it sounded like it came from.

It’s dark; the fire isn’t doing enough to give me a clear picture of him, but again I feel that tingle of awareness the same way I did with the other two.

The longer I look, the more my eyes adjust, and with every new thing I see, my body heats.

Why would I react like this to a stranger?

“You were at the shop!” I say, unable to stop myself, because if I look past the horns and wings, I’m positive he’s the guy who came in and later disappeared.

In the low light, his hair looks black, but I remember it being a deep green, and I bet if he walked into the low light, that’s what it would be.

It’s hard to forget someone who looks like he does, even if he has a resting bitch face like I’ve never seen before.

“Sleep,” he says again, and I hear his annoyance loud and clear.

Well, that makes two of us, I guess.

Instead of listening, I throw back the blankets and jump out of bed…before almost eating shit.

My legs give out, but before I can hit the floor, a hand grips my arm, yanking me back up and dropping me on the edge of the bed.

I’m both shocked and not when I look up and find the man from the corner. It’s just us in the room after all.

How had he gotten to me so fast?

“I said go to sleep,” he hisses, and with him this close, I can, in fact, see the green of his hair, the point of his ears, and his fangs. He stares down at me, a scowl on his face, his lips pulled down in a frown, but even still, the green of his eyes draws me in like I'm under a spell, unable to look away.

“Kai…”

He drops his hold on me like I burned him, taking a step back, but he doesn’t look away as his eyes narrow.

Memories push to the surface, fast and hard, making my vision blur and my head pound, but I can’t look away from the pull of his eyes holding me captive. He might not be touching me anymore, but I remember when he did, and I want him to again.

I fight against the pain in my head, but eventually it wins, and I sag forward, dropping my head into my hands to try to stop the world from spinning so damn fast.

Fuck.

“Aerilyn.”

God, if there’s one thing I should have remembered, it's what an asshole Kai is. He doesn’t seem to care one bit that my head is about to split in half as he commands my attention.

I force my head up to meet his gaze through my lashes, and damn it, he shouldn’t be allowed to look like that with an attitude like his.

My nose is running, probably from the chill in the room, and I reach up to swipe it away. I don’t need to give him another thing to be an ass about after all.

His eyes widen, and he quickly grips my wrist, pulling my hand away from my face. He looks down, then back at my face, his brows drawn together.