Among the Trees

Chapter 11 - Nightmares are Dream Too

"I want to go home now." I whispered as Adam led me into one of the guest rooms. I was still startled by my encounter with Lee, and slightly scared that he could do worse if I was left here alone.

"Please. I just want to go home." I didn't turn to look at him. I didn't want him to see me cry, not again.

"You're perfectly safe here Lily. It's just one night." I huffed and rolled my eyes.

"Yeah Adam, I'm completely safe! Your best friend only wants to take something I'm not willing to give him! Who's to stop him coming in here while I sleep?!" He sighed and the floorboards creaked as he moved. He put his hands on my shoulders, tiny fireworks dancing across my skin once again. I closed my eyes and was completed soothed by his touch.

"If it makes you feel better, I'll stay here with you." Even as the words left his mouth I felt every muscle in my body relax. I nodded, knowing if he stayed, Lee wouldn't dare come anywhere near me.

Adam began to rifle through various draws around the room and eventually pulled several pairs of pyjamas.

"Pick a pair and get changed. I'm going to get something from one of the other rooms." He kissed my forehead and must have noticed my confusion. "I'll explain everything in the morning." He added as he left the room.

Still painstakingly confused, I picked out a pair of velvet bottomed pyjamas and a jersey top with the words 'follow your dreams' in loopy writing on the front. I wiggled my bare toes into the thick plush carpet. There was a knock on the door and for a second I panicked.

"Who is it?"

"Just me Doll, I brought cocoa to help y'all sleep." I cautiously opened the door and looked beyond Gracie to check the corridor behind her. "Oh honey he ain't coming in here. Not after the fight that when on downstairs." She rolled her eyes then handed my the hot mug and smiled. "Sleep well Doll, tomorrow is goin' to be busy." She turned to leave and walked right into Adam. She threw her hands up in feigned annoyance. I sat myself in the centre of the double bed and sipped my hot chocolate. I burnt my tongue and Adam chuckled as he shut the door. For a moment I watched as the tiny marshmallows bobbed at the top of the drink., the edge of the mug had been sprinkled in sugar that had crystallised and the sweet scent of cinnamon rose from the mug. Adam walked over and took he mug from my hands.

"Ah yes." He spoke quietly as he sniffed the chocolate in he mug. "Aunt Gracie's famous calming chocolate." He placed the mug on the bedside table and pulled the covers back. "Come on, in you get." He patted the mattress and I did as I was told. He tucked me into the quilts and walked round to the other side of the bed, where pulled a blanket from the wardrobe, got on top of the quilt and covered himself with the blanket. He was such a gentleman that it kind of stung. I turned my back to him and lay on my right side, my knees curled up in front of me, and fell asleep.

I stepped towards the edge of the woods and watched in horror as my dad and his friends dragged a dead wolf through the dead leaves on the floor. A small crying baby rested in the arms of another of my father's friends.

I woke with a start but Adam soon soothed me back to sleep.

The room was almost a perfect square and completely unfurnished. There were windows and no doors, I was trapped. My breathing hing became rapid as the lights came up and revealed a second person in the room. Lee. His smile was sickeningly sly and his eyes full of a hunger I had only ever seen in men who wanted one thing more than life. I moved backwards, away from him, only for my back to hit the wall. I whimpered in fear, holding back tears. He moved my hair from where it had fallen across my face. Then he let his hand trace my neck and my collarbone, down to my breast. I closed my eyes tightly as he leant forward so that his lips grazed my ear as he spoke.

"Oh come on princess, you know you want it."

I woke screaming. The sun had risen and I was alone. I should have known better than to believe anyone with any shred of decency in them would stay by my side all night. Feeling stupid and slightly hurt, I threw the covers off of me and began to rummage through draw after draw until I found a decent set of clothes that fit me. I took them to the small en suite, took a towel from the back of the door and washed, still feeling angry and broken.

By the time I got down to the pub, a large plate of English breakfast sat at a table waiting for me and twenty other people stood bickering of paver something that I didn't bother to concern myself with.

"She should be here Aunt Gracie! Her and the baby! Why aren't they?!" Adam sounded furious and I realised I was so wrapped up in my own self loathing that I'd forgotten that other people have their own problems to deal with. Rather than sit at the table and eat, I stood at the back of the group and spoke without thinking.

"Who should be here?" Twenty odd sets of eyes fixated themselves on me and several whispers about 'who was the human' went around the group.

"My sister and her little girl. It's the baby's first winter. They need to be kept safe and warm." Adam spoke from among the group. "I was going to explain be we don't have time. This wasn't how I'd seen this in my head, but we need to find them before they turn human in front of someone."

"The wolf and her pup?" Adam nodded. He'd made his way through the crowd and took my hands in his. "Well, they said all dreams come true. They forgot to mention nightmares are dreams too." Without another word I turned and ran. I knew what was happening. I just couldn't afford to tell anyone.