(Complete) **A MATURE FANTASY** Book #1 in the Elemental Heir Series.
Now published and available in PAPERBACK and KINDLE on AMAZON!! 🤍
"Your ready wit never fails to surprise and delight me, Brenya." He murmured, his lips only inches from my own...
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(The Dream Within The Dream)
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Dristan's lifeless body is cradled in my arms as I sit awkwardly on the bed. I hold his head to my chest, my face buried in his dark hair. I rock him to and fro. There is a strange, horrible sound filling the room. After an immeasurable amount of time, I realize that the sound is coming from me. Long, pitiful cries escape my trembling lips as I rock my mate, keening softly.
The towel wrapped around my body, once white, is soaked with his blood. It's warm as it seeps through the material and onto my naked skin beneath.
"You're okay." I whisper. "You're not dead. You're okay. You're not dead." I repeat the mantra over, and over, as if the words will somehow heal him. As if, by repeating the words enough times in a row, his eyes will open and I will feel his arms snake around my waist.
"You're okay. You're not dead. You're okay."
I hold him until his skin begins to feel cool. I press my cheek to his forehead. My hand trails down to his forearm. A strangled sound escapes me as I feel how cold and stiff his skin is.
The sticky blood covering my body is no longer warm. I shiver, pressing a tender kiss to his pale lips, squeezing my eyes shut and willing him to spring back to life in my arms. But he remains as he is...
Still and cold... Like death.
My body begins to shiver uncontrollably.
It's so cold... So, so cold....
"It's all your fault, you know." A cruel voice says from a dark corner of the room.
I look up, confused, and meet Ronan's eyes. My brows furrow and pull upward as fear courses through me. How did I forget that he was here? How long have I been sitting here like this? How did I get here...?
"You left him here, all alone and unprotected." Ronan says, his tone hypnotic.
I gaze at him, feeling my jaw go slack.
He smiles. "Your fault..."
"No..."
"You're fault. You're fault." His voice grows louder, echoing around the room."Your fault. Your fault. Your fault."
I shake my head violently and cover my ears. My eyes screw shut. The voice grows louder still, and soon it's invading the confines of my mind, rattling my brain painfully. "YOUR FAULT! YOUR FAULT! YOUR FAULT!"
"NO!" I scream.
I open my eyes. Ronan is gone.
My nose wrinkles as a sudden, putrid smell fills my nose. It smells like rotting flesh. Dread seizes me and goosebumps run from the crown of my head to the back of my heels. Slowly, I lower my eyes.
