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The voice is soft and gentle, yet it has a strength to it.
Angelic.
Calm washes over me as she grabs my hand. Easing the tightness in my chest. Quieting the memories that are always lurking when I wake up from these dreams.
Mira.
I didn’t hear her wake up, much less climb down the ladder from the loft bed. She wraps my bare chest in her arms, Chroma instantly passing between us. I latch onto her, burying my face in her hair. Her scent brings back other memories: the warmth of her smile, the feel of her beneath me in the Dreamshare. It centers me, reminds me where I am.
Who I am now.
My fingers tighten in her hair as my ragged breath returns to normal.
“Thank you,” I whisper so quietly I’m not confident her human ears can hear me. But in response, she rubs my back in soothing circles.
Regretfully, I release her and lean back on the couch, running my hands through my loose hair.
“Do you get a lot of nightmares?”
“More lately.”
“Can I ask what they’re about?”
I shake my head in the pitch dark, not daring to look over at her as she sits next to me.
“Memories better left in the past.”
Her soft hand rubs my back, returning the Chroma slowly to my body in small trickles. I breathe in deeply before adding, “Sorry to wake you. I’m fine. Go back to bed.”
She hesitates for a moment, but grabs my hand and pulls me up with her.
“Come with me.”
In dark I can see more than she can. Her outline but also the sad furrow in her brows.
Pity.
“No, I’m fine,” I mutter. Am I really passing up the opportunity to bed her?
“Not like that… Just… It would be nice to sleep with Chroma, is all. I like it too much probably.”
My eyes flick to hers at the sheepish tone of her voice.
I nod, following her up the ladder. The rat bastard cat is still asleep somehow, curled into the far corner. Mira lays flat on her back, pulling the covers back for me to join her. My heart is racing as I slide in next to her.
I swallow the lump in my throat as her hand finds mine beneath the sheet.
A contented sigh flows from Mira after a moment, as she settles back into sleep. I don’t know how long I stare at the low tin roof overhead. Her breathing slow as sleep takes her, and a steady calm settles inside of me.
I don’t know if it’s Chroma or Mira, but this thing between us is getting out of hand. I know she’ll betray me, and I still can’t keep my distance.
Mother always said I was weak for a pretty girl. But this is different, right? This is my mate.
It’s ok to feel something for my mate.
Eventually, my thoughts are still as sleep takes me.
Awareness blossoms around me, as if it’d always been that way. But this is no Dreamshare.
