The Demon's Lover ✓

Lover - Eleven

2011 © Sonia Bartlett ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Chapter 11

"No!" Serlina woke up screaming, knowing inherently that something was extremely wrong.

Jolting straight up, she put her hand to her racing heart before raising it to shakily wipe the beaded sweat from her brow. Breathing heavily, harshly, she tried to steady herself. Nightmares were few and far between for her, but this one shook her to her core.

And of course, she thought wryly, it centered upon her greatest fear: Christian.

Oh she wasn't scared of him, naturally... nor even for him. Rather, she was scared what he could do. And what he would do.

She turned her mind reluctantly back to the dream she'd been so frightened by. Perhaps there was a chance she'd read it wrong? It couldn't mean what she thought it did, surely! Her father had told her that while others laughed, those who listened knew the truth.

Wincing slightly at her father's memory, Serlina acknowledged he'd been wise to tell her such. Maybe, just maybe, she could learn something from the dream... no matter how terrifyingly her heart beat and her body trembled.

She'd been in her tiger form, slowly padding through the densely lush undergrowth. Everything was green and wet... as if she were in the middle of the rain forest, yet one sadly lacking the colorful exotic blooms that were so numerous in any Serlina had ever been in. The soft moss damply squished underfoot as she tried to remain as dry as possible. She was a cat after all...

With no real aim of place or direction she wandered to and fro. Hours went by unnoticed as the sky steadily darkened, the shades of green slowly lapping into a mix of grays. With a notion to find somewhere to rest soon, Serlina veered from her straight path, heading toward the faint sound of water that had been getting steadily stronger for the past few minutes.

Twisting and turning her way through the low-hanging branches, Serlina followed the gurgling of the water as it steadily turned from a dull, muted sound into a full-blown roar. Making one gigantic leap, she broke from the confines of the forest into the soft grass before a cliff face.

A huge rushing waterfall towered above her, the breeze caused by its thundering water blowing her fur back in a constant stream. Reveling in the feeling of complete freedom, Serlina lifted her face to the wind and took the few steps necessary to reach the edge of the cliff.

Serlina shook the water from her fur and glanced down. The white foam rapids that met her eyes looked every bit as beautiful as they were deadly.

Pity, she thought. They reminded her of something... or rather of someone.

Just then a noise cracked behind her. Spinning around in one effortless motion, she landed on all fours in an defensive attack crouch ready to attack, and bared her teeth at whomever her assailant happened to be.

The problem was, there was no one in sight. Disappointed and wary, Serlina relaxed her crouch wondering what had caused the startling noise. Cocking her head to the side she decided to check it out, cautiously padding back into the forest.

Shouldering aside the thorny branches, Serlina headed in the general direction of the noise, aided by her acute senses and pin-point hearing. She wove her way through the dense foliage soundlessly until she broke free of the tangle once again.

Only to come face to face with Christian.

In shock she looked up at his handsome face, perfectly symmetrical, irresistibly masculine. The impassive, yet gorgeous, face slowly half-turned to face her. With a slight tilt of his tips he lifted his hand and offered it to her.