With a quiet gasp, Lucy was awake again. She dragged in a deep breath, like a woman on the verge of drowning, and opened her eyes. It was a dream. Just another dream.
In front of her, Colin was half-hidden beneath the blankets, his back to her, his tattoos nothing but shadows as he slept in the low light. But even as she looked at him she could still feel it. A man?s hands squeezing around her neck, her fingers scratching and grabbing, the salt burning her eyes beneath the crashing ocean waves, desperate for breath.
But she was safe in bed now. Lucy tried another breath just to be sure. Because maybe she was still drowning.
As quietly as she could, Lucy escaped the sheets. It was snowing again. Barefoot, Lucy moved for the window and stared out, watching the snowfall in the dark. She couldn?t remember when the nightmares began. Everyone had nightmares of course, but these were coming so often she was growing accustomed to being tired all the time. Perhaps they had begun the night she?d watched Candy set the world on fire. Or maybe it was her stalker with his playful, taunting notes who seemed to just disappear in time for Christmas.
Colin had been so busy with his new project, she had actually managed to hide it from him. Hiding anything was a rarity between them. But hide she did. That she was tired. That she was afraid to stay out too late. That she hadn?t seen much of her friends, or spent much time at the Inn. That she spent most of her time with Scout, their faithful golden retriever, walking the footpaths around her oceanside house.
But still, the nightmares. Even with Colin kissing her to sleep each night. Even with his strong arms around her. Even with his strong arms pulling her close once more to soothe her back to sleep. Still, the nightmares.
Lucy didn?t know what was wrong. She didn?t know why she felt the way she did. But somehow, somehow, she could just feel it. Someone was out there. Something was out there. And it was coming for her.
In front of her, Colin was half-hidden beneath the blankets, his back to her, his tattoos nothing but shadows as he slept in the low light. But even as she looked at him she could still feel it. A man?s hands squeezing around her neck, her fingers scratching and grabbing, the salt burning her eyes beneath the crashing ocean waves, desperate for breath.
But she was safe in bed now. Lucy tried another breath just to be sure. Because maybe she was still drowning.
As quietly as she could, Lucy escaped the sheets. It was snowing again. Barefoot, Lucy moved for the window and stared out, watching the snowfall in the dark. She couldn?t remember when the nightmares began. Everyone had nightmares of course, but these were coming so often she was growing accustomed to being tired all the time. Perhaps they had begun the night she?d watched Candy set the world on fire. Or maybe it was her stalker with his playful, taunting notes who seemed to just disappear in time for Christmas.
Colin had been so busy with his new project, she had actually managed to hide it from him. Hiding anything was a rarity between them. But hide she did. That she was tired. That she was afraid to stay out too late. That she hadn?t seen much of her friends, or spent much time at the Inn. That she spent most of her time with Scout, their faithful golden retriever, walking the footpaths around her oceanside house.
But still, the nightmares. Even with Colin kissing her to sleep each night. Even with his strong arms around her. Even with his strong arms pulling her close once more to soothe her back to sleep. Still, the nightmares.
Lucy didn?t know what was wrong. She didn?t know why she felt the way she did. But somehow, somehow, she could just feel it. Someone was out there. Something was out there. And it was coming for her.