My Sweet Shina - Book One

Chapter Twenty-Seven

I woke up to thunder roaring outside the building, my eyes puffy and my throat sore from crying myself to sleep earlier. I'd never felt so alone, not even when I had believed Leon to be locked in a cell. At least I had still believed he was mine at that time. I'd still thought his heart was mine back then.

Slowly pushing myself upright, I winced at the sharp pain in my hand. Looking down I saw blood staining my hand, a small pool of red on the bed nearby. Ignoring the pain, I pushed off the bed, standing wearily as I moved about, grabbing an umbrella before heading out the door.

I had to find Leon. Life wasn't worth living without him.

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The rain poured down, drenching the world around me as I scanned the streets on each side, peering into each building I walked past. I wouldn't give up.

I wouldn't stop searching for him. I needed him back far too much to let him go. I shivered as I felt the wind pick up, nearly ripping the umbrella from my hands as it whipped my drenched hair into my face. I ignored the stinging in my eyes as I brushed the hair from my face.

I needed Leon like I needed air... And right now my lungs were burning.

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I leaned against the wall of the alley, my clothes filthy from searching every alleyway I had found, digging through dumpsters in desperate hopes of finding something, anything, that might tell me where Leon had gone.

My hands had gone numb hours ago, uncaring of the cuts from shards of glass that had been buried in the trash.I was exhausted, my body growing weak from the lack of food and rest.

I was barely able to make out the sound of someone calling out to me, lifting my head just enough to see that it wasn't Leon before slumping to the ground.

"Leon... Where are you..." I whispered quietly as the world grew dark around me.

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I woke up to a pounding headache, my eyes clenched shut in pain before I slowly eased them open, squinting in the darkness around me. I started to panic at the feel of the mattress beneath me, unfamiliar sheets falling down as I bolted upright. This wasn't my bed. This wasn't my home.

Light flooded the room, blinding me for a few minutes as I heard footsteps slowly move towards me. I couldn't hold back a whimper of fear as I slowly opened my eyes, feeling a hand slowly brush my hair aside before trailing down my cheek. I looked up into the face of a stranger, his eyes dark with emotion.

"Don't worry love, I'll take care of you. You don't need anyone else. You'll never need anyone else again."