Page 12 of Fated Wings
The pressure increased. Newt felt the delicate membranes of his wings straining against the pressure.
If they tore, if even one tiny rip formed, he was dead. Not injured. Dead. No healing magic powerful enough would mend what couldn’t be mended.
“Vaughn!” He screamed the name, struggling against the iron grip. “Wake up! You’re hurting me!”
Desperate, Newt pounded against Vaughn’s chest, his fists making no impact on the solid muscle. The grip only tightened, making it hard to breathe. Newt’s heart hammered against his ribs with such force he thought they might crack.
“Please,” he begged, voice breaking. “Vaughn, it’s Newt. You’re safe! Wake up!”
His wings—his fragile, gossamer wings—felt seconds away from tearing under the strain.
But his mate remained trapped in his nightmare, eyes screwed shut, breath coming in harsh pants. When Vaughn spoke, his voice was barely recognizable, a guttural rasp filled with hatred and fear.
“I’ll kill you if you touch me again, Vex.”
Vex? Who was Vex? Newt’s blood froze. Vaughn wasn’t seeing him at all. He was fighting someone else entirely, someone who had hurt him badly enough to haunt his sleep.
“It’s Newt!” he cried, desperation making his voice crack. “I’m not Vex! I’m your mate! Please, Vaughn, my wings. You'll tear them!”
Heavy footsteps pounded down the hall. The bedroom door crashed open, banging against the wall as two enormous men rushed in.
“Shit.” The first one dropped to his knees beside them. “Vaughn! Let go!” His hands moved to Vaughn’s wrists, fingers digging into pressure points like he’d done it plenty of times before. “It’s Zeppelin. You’re home. You’re safe.”
“My wings,” Newt gasped, tears stinging his eyes. “Please, I’ll die if they’re torn!”
The second man circled to Newt’s head, his movements careful despite his size. “I’m Quinn,” he said quickly, voice steady despite the urgency in his eyes. “Try not to move your wings, hon. We’ll get you free.”
“But he won’t let go!” Newt wiggled then cried out.
“Look at me,” Quinn said. “Breathe with me, Newt. I’m not going to let them tear, okay?”
Newt quickly nodded, using the heels of his hands to wipe at his eyes. “Okay.” He took a few deep breaths, trying his best to calm down, even though Vaughn had yet to ease his hold. “Thank you.”
Quinn smiled. “You’re very welcome.” He tilted his head toward Vaughn. “Our boy is just having a hard time right now, but we’ll get your free.”
Vaughn!” Zeppelin's voice cracked like thunder. “Wake up!”
Even though he was already awake, the authority in that one command made even Newt want to obey.
Vaughn’s eyes slowly opened. He blinked several times, glancing around as if trying to get his bearings. A deep beath expanded his lungs, making his hold a fraction tighter before the pressure relaxed slightly around Newt.
“What…” Vaughn glanced around then down at Newt.
The nightmare receded. Clarity returned. Newt watched each stage reflected in Vaughn’s eyes. Recognition dawned. He released Newt immediately, scrambling backward until his shoulders hit the wall, horror flashing across his features.
Newt quickly examined his wings, running trembling fingers along the delicate edges. No tears. No rips. Just the lingering ache of being compressed. Relief made him dizzy. He tucked his gossamer wings into his back, blending them seamlessly into his pale skin until they vanished.
“Your wings okay?” Quinn asked as Zeppelin squatted next to Vaughn.
“They’re okay.” There was a tremor in Newt’s voice. That was the first time his wings had been that close to ripping. “I’m okay.”
But Vaughn clearly wasn’t. His chest heaved with each labored breath, sweat soaking through his shirt. His eyes darted around the room as if expecting someone to materialize from the shadows.
Whatever Zeppelin was saying wasn’t helping.
Newt pushed to his feet, putting distance between himself and Vaughn. Not from fear, though perhaps that would have been sensible, but to give his mate space to recover.
Vaughn looked utterly destroyed. He curled in on himself, drawing his knees to his chest, hands pressed against his face. His entire body trembled with the force of an earthquake contained in human form.
