In my dreams he visits me again, comforting me and tormenting me with his memory.
His strong body melds against mine and all I can think about is the concern that’s hidden in his fiery eyes this time. There isn’t that look of love or desire. Not this time. This time there’s only a deep appearance of worry lining his sharp features.
Confusion drifts through my mind. Small details of the dream changes from time to time but one thing always stays the same.
That damn life destroying, soul consuming, terribly beautiful kiss.
Despite the peculiar look in his eyes, my heart hammers hard, begging to be near him. I lean into him. My gaze holds his as out lips nearly touch.
But then he speaks.
“Arrie, wake up.” The whispered words feel warm against my skin.
My mouth parts, my brows pulling low as I process what he just said.
“Wake up now, love.”
“What?” My fingers tighten into his soft shirt. Heat radiates from him and into me.
“Wake uprightnow.”
I feel him. I feel him all around me, more than I have in five straight years.
“Sinister …” Confusion tinges my tone and a trickle of fear sinks through me. It’s something I can’t explain. It’s the sensation of prickling anxiety and just knowing that something bad is about to happen. It’s a feeling of knowing, despite not knowing.
That feeling only intensifies when he speaks again.
“Arrie, he’s coming.”
My eyes flash open. A heaving breath shutters in my lungs. The slamming sound of my heartbeat drills through my ears.
And fiery red eyes look down on me.
Grim’s big paws are against my shoulders, his weight held above me as he lets out a low, whimpering whine that crawls through the room. The heat of his body suffocates me despite the front door that’s swinging open in the wind. The breeze chills the room but his nearness stifles the feel of the cold night air.
His soft fur is fisted in my fingers just as Sinister’s shirt was. Chaos’ hand is low against my stomach. Kain’s chest is solid against my arm as he holds me against him.
Flat on my back I look up at the hellhound and those words claw through my mind on repeat.
He’s coming. He’s coming. He’s coming.
The smoke wafting off of the beast’s fur starts to intensify, burning brighter in the pale moonlight until it fogs the room entirely.
“Grim, are you okay, boy?” I push my fingers through his thick black fur but he only cries more. The sound carries on and the fear within me shifts to worry as the dog’s eyes close with pain but I don’t understand why.
Boots sound heavily against the floor but all I can focus on is the flinching agony in his features.
“He started yelping a few minutes ago. I opened the door and he ran right to you,” Rime whispers.
My attention shifts to him for only a moment before stroking my palm back and forth along Grim’s ears.
“It’s okay. It’s okay.” A tightness constricts in my chest because I have no idea if it’s really okay.
It certainly doesn’t look okay.
More smoke clouds the room and I stifle a cough but my shoulders shake enough to jostle the two men at my sides. I sense it the moment they wake. I don’t know when I became so aware of them. The simple change of their breathing is enough for me to know. It’s the subtlest change of their bodies but I’m immensely aware of it. Chaos’ fingers tense against my skin and Kain shifts until he’s nearly sitting up.
“Are you okay?” Chaos looks from me to the hellhound above me.
