Page 79 of Fate Awakened

My feet push harder into the tile as I leap entire staircases to get to the medical floor. My momentum propels me to Bri’s door before I collect myself, slowing my breathing as much as possible. I don’t want to frighten her by busting in there.

With all of the restraint that I have in me, I exhale, count to three, and slowly walk into the room.

Chapter 27

Bri

Consciousnessissuchafunny thing. The awareness of what’s factual or imagined all jumbled into a belief system that guides you into deciding what’s real. I never thought of myself as someone with a wild imagination. I never created made-up friends, conjured fictional worlds with my toys, or pretended to be a princess, astronaut, or dinosaur wrangler. I spent my childhood so focused on analyzing every threat that there wasn’t time for make-believe.

My world already had monsters.

As I replay the memory in the clearing, I wonder if I’ve distorted it somehow. Turned my protectors into loyal wolves fighting to free me, turned my captors into savage beasts deadset on taking me out. No matter the scenario that plays, it always ends with gun-metal eyes.

His voice has been filtering through this version of my reality, intruding upon the balance between what’s real and what I’ve conjured to be true. Words of adoration roll from his lips, and yet, no matter where my attention turns, he’s never there.

The vibration of his vocal cords, a cruel joke echoing in the space of my mind.

Cain.

I feel like I’m reaching for him, running in circles while standing still. The effect is dizzying, and it’s beginning to make my head hurt. The pounding in my temples becomes unbearable—the sound, a resounding cacophony that overwhelms my senses, followed by endless silence.

***

“This was it. This was how it ended. One glorious kiss, two beautiful nights, and a lasting ache for a woman that was never mine to…” someone says. The sweet high pitched tone of her voice bounces with an airy enthusiasm as she speaks.

I try to focus on what she’s saying.

Is she talking to me?

Her voice is close, and yet, still fuzzy somehow. I hold onto the notes in her timber, catching a strange beeping hum in the background.

Where am I?

It’s warm and uncomfortable as my joints protest against any movement. I reposition slightly, attempting to sit up. As I fight to open my eyes, her voice falters, and a gasp escapes her.

“Brielle?” I search for recognition, mentally trying to assign a face to the voice before my eyes begin to cooperate. My vision is fuzzy, and the room is brighter than my eyes are ready for, causing me to force them shut before making another attempt.

“Can you hear me?” she asks.

“Yeah. I can,” I say, and the words feel like sandpaper across my vocal cords. “Can I have a drink? Water?” I ask, forgoing manners while blinking several times to get my bearings.

I’m in a hospital bed.

The moment I realize this, I inhale, wondering why it doesn’t smell like a hospital, despite having the same equipment and style. It smells like fabric softener and vanilla. Turning my head, I wince at the pain. I hear the woman’s voice again, causing my eyes to move to her.

Her long blonde hair falls in beautiful blowout curls over her shoulders. She’s dressed in business casual attire with a navy silk blouse and dark gray pants. She’s my age and has warm dark-brown eyes, which are as big as saucers as she speaks to me.

I blink slowly, realizing she's asking me something as she holds up a small paper cup. Tipping it slowly when she reaches my lips, I find myself grateful she didn’t try to hand it to me. The effort of swallowing was wearing me out all on its own.

“Thanks,” I whisper, sliding my tongue across my rough lips as she sets the cup on a rolling half-table perched on the side of the bed.

My mouth feels weird.

Do I know her? Why can’t I remember what happened?

“Of course. Hang tight—just a minute for me. I’m going to call the doctor in. He’ll want to know you’ve woken up.” Before she can turn to do just that, the door opens, and my heart jumps into my throat as Cain tentatively walks in.

He stops on the other side of the door as if deciding what to do.

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