I can’t let her leave.
And if I have to do a bad thing to keep her here, so be it.
Nero laughs, eager to come out and play.
I walk out of the bathroom. It takes one look at her fireplace for the idea to come to me—so elegant and simple.
As I move back inside the dining room, I make a show of rubbing my arms. “It’s a bit cold in here. Mind if I start a fire?”
CHAPTER 13
BLAKE
Sam and Rowan leave around eleven p.m., and I’m so exhausted that I don’t have enough energy to even begin to process that kiss. As soon as I finish clearing the table, I collapse on top of the bed. My head hits the pillow, and the next moment, I’m out.
In my dream, I’m sitting in a lush, green meadow, book in hand. Beside me is a basket of ripe cherries. They look so wonderfully sweet that I can’t help but pop one after another in my mouth until I finish them all.
My back hits the soft grass. Above me, the sky is a clear blue peppered with white doves that soar high above. I smile. It’s the perfect summer day.
“That dress looks good on you, Sunshine.”
It’s Rowan. He’s here, lying beside me. I turn on my side to face him and meet his hazel gaze.
“Everything looks good on you,” I tell him. “It’s not fair.”
He smiles. “What’s not fair is that you pulled away from me earlier. Didn’t you like how I kissed you?”
I bite down on my lip. A pleasant buzz spreads through my body. “I liked it. I more than liked it.”
He props himself up on his elbow and tangles his fingers through my hair. “Then give me that mouth again.”
My lips tingle with anticipation as he leans in, his handsome face coming closer and closer to mine. My eyes flutter closed.
Hold on. What’s that smell? It doesn’t belong here.
It’s sharp and acrid… Is something burning?
My eyes spring open. Rowan isn’t here anymore. Smoke pours into the meadow through the trees around me, so fast that it fills my nostrils before I can even get to my feet. My lungs seize. I cough and cough and cough, and then I’m awake and still coughing.
The meadow’s gone, and I’m in my bed. I blink at my darkened surroundings, and even though I can’t see the smoke, I can smell it.
Oh shit.
Adrenaline surges through my veins.
I spring out of bed, disoriented and head swimming.
Crap!I trip on my slipper and tumble to the ground, my knees banging against the carpeted floor.
What the hell is going on?
That’s when I see it. Wispy white smoke oozes in from under the door to the hallway.
Fuck. Fuck. FUCK.
My heart in my throat, I force myself to get up.
I put out the fire in the fireplace before I went to sleep. I’m sure I did.
