Chapter 9

"Are you still worrying about lunch?" Talon's smooth hand rubbed down my bare arm as we laid together in my bed.

"Yes," I admitted, my eyes on a stray moonbeam that had made it's way past my dark curtains, spilling silver light across the floor. My fingers playing in the illumination, I said, "I wish I could just put it aside to think over later, but-." I sighed, giving a little shrug.

"We each deal with things differently." His lips left a trail of kisses across my shoulder.

"You're right." I sighed again. "There's just something about the whole incident that doesn't sit right. Cryptic warnings and prophetic threats are things Witches deal in, not Vampires." Vampires dealt in blackmail and political intrigue, for some reason unfathomable to me. "None of this makes sense."

"Come here," he called softly, holding his arms open in an invitation to lay my head on his chest. "Whatever comes to pass, it's not going to be your fault." He held me tighter. "Whatever happens, happens and there's nothing to be done about it."

"I know." exhaling heavily, I readjusted so I could better hear his heartbeat. "I'm sorry, Talon. I'm not trying to be all gloom and doom."

"I don't mind. I'm happy that you feel you can confide in me. Besides, I like hearing you talk. Your voice is very beautiful to me, just like the rest of you."

I couldn't help basking a little, letting his words wash over me as I fell into a doze and finally sleep, listening to the beating of my lover's heart.

Dreams involving Talon weren't unusual, especially now that he was mine. We were walking hand-in-hand down a stretch of moon-lit beach, gazing out across the colorless waves, when I felt a slight tug on my hand. I never really "saw" people in dreams, but I "felt" that he was concerned. About to say something, he was suddenly ripped out of my grasp, leaving behind a surge of pain so intense it brought me up out of the dream and into full consciousness.

Gagging so hard I couldn't see, I groped for the little trashcan I kept beside the bed, falling onto my knees before it just in time.

Searing pain crawled inside my skull as I heaved, choking on my screams, spasms wracking my body so that it was all I could do to stay marginally upright.

The torture continued even after I stopped hurling, my senses disappearing as wave after wave of burning agony washed through my body. I never noticed when I finally collapsed, nor how long I laid there before the pain suddenly cut off without warning.

Using muscles gone to mush, I dragged my quivering body over to my pants, my fingers clumsily digging out my cell phone. I couldn't focus on the small screen, couldn't see what button I pushed. It felt like forever before someone picked up, by which time I'd fully collapsed, barely summoning enough energy to whisper one word before the darkness took over.

"Talon-."