Marked Claws (Mystic Bonds #2) | COMPLETED

1. Cara

There was this pull. 

Like it wouldn't let me remain where I am.

I don't know where I am though.

But it keeps manifesting into a stronger anchor, willing me to follow its lead and climb back up. Something tells me I have to be somewhere else. That's what this pull is, this call is.

But there's another part of me which isn't settling well with the thought of returning.

Returning? Where?

Do I even want to? Do I have to?

But I rather like this place. It's familiar. But it's not death. It's someplace else.

There are all those I love and they all cherish me, respect me. They'd fucking die for me. But I wouldn't let them.

That's why I was here again. It was all a part of the plan, wasn't it?

But what plan?

But then I was no longer in that plane of existence.

Wrenched away from that swirling pit of.....memories?

Almond eyes lit up with mirth and a beaming smile promising me days of joy.

That's the first thing my blurry vision and disoriented mind conjured up when I fluttered my eyes open.

And then those eyes became lifeless, the radiant smile slipped away and only horror and pain remained.

Gasping and wide awake, I shot up with eyes wide open before the drumming pain inside my head and the blinding light made me close them right away.

I wanted  to groan loudly but with how weak and unsteady I felt even that wasn't possible. Unknown hands rested on my shoulder and pushed me back to lay down again. I didn't protest.

Perhaps because I felt like someone had sucked all the life out of me and then put me through a several hundred lashings so I felt like my body was broken beyond repair. 

I parted my dry as sand lips to breathe in.

My nostrils tickled with the smell of fresh grass and open lands, fragrant flowers and lively breezes. Someone's warm feminine hand felt my forehead and murmured to herself.

I wanted to open my eyes but it was as if they were sewn shut and heaviness clouded my eyelids, rendering me helpless to see the world. My body wouldn't respond to me. I was feeling like an intruder and the restriction of my body's movement was at odds with how my soul and mind seemed to be racing, floating.

My senses awakened when I thought I scented sage and wood but then I was struggling to keep my wits again.

Sunlight strummed over my lids, making me feel the warmth all over my body. It was golden light that I could see even with my eyes closed, a glaring contrast that I was both thankful for and felt it was unwanted with the headache and the sensitive state of my eyes.

Was I covered in sheets? This bed was soft. Softer than I remembered.

Remembered...what? That bed of violent sheets in some other place...

Or the hard chest pressing into mine, tucking me away from the world, like he could keep me from leaving. 

Who was he?

I moved my lips but nothing came out. I tried to swallow but my throat was too dry.

I couldn't remember anything.
Or could I?

"Rest, Cara. Sleep."

A disorientated voice spoke to me and I tried to move my head in the direction of the sound when her hand rested on my cheek affectionately but my body disagreed.