Darkness Within(A Loki Love Story) Book 1 in Darkness Series

Welcome Home

(Her point of view)

I am running through the field. It is dark. Everything around me is withered and gray. Lifeless.

I am alone. Utterly alone.

Where is everyone?

I am gasping for air as I continue to run, searching desperately for any signs of life. The fog is so dense, I can barely make out the tallest peaks of the castle as I turn to make my way towards it.

A crushing blow suddenly strikes me across the back of my head, thus knocking me to the ground in pain.

I can barely roll over to my back. As I finally do, I am met with a demonic set of blood red eyes glaring hatefully down at me. His laughter is sinister, full of pure evil. An evil so insidious, it almost causes my chest to cave in from its torturing weight. The fog has somehow thickened so much that I cannot even see the creature's body. The only thing that is clear within my vision are those terrifying eyes and blinding, white teeth. I want to scream, but the air in my lungs has evaporated.

I feel icy cold fingers around my neck, squeezing with a horrendous force as his menacing cackles fill my body with the most disturbing fear I have ever known.

I attempt to reach up and pry his fingers away, but I am too weak to move. I cannot fight him, this foreign monster that I cannot see. All I am certain of is that he is trying to kill me. I want to scream out for Loki so badly. I know that he will come to save me if I can just somehow let him know where I am. But my voice is literally being crushed as his hands continue to press into my throat.

I am going to die.....I am going to die. I am struggling for breath, my vision is blurring. His cynical chortles fill my senses as I fade, suffocating, praying for the end. Loki...please.....help me.....help......me........

I fly forward into a sitting position. Oh thank gods....just a nightmare. Not real.

"Christine?"

I turn to see that I am still in the floor by the fire with Loki at my side. He is now sitting up, caressing my arm with his strong but gentle fingers. I cannot find the will to speak at first. Instead, I lean forward, placing my elbows on my knees as I pull them into my chest. What the hel was that?

"I....I'm sorry," I finally stutter. "Just a nightmare." My head is pounding, causing me to wince in pain.

"I figured," he responds, his voice laden with concern. "You were jerking in your sleep and talking." I turn to look at him over my shoulder. He is still caressing my arm, his lips pulled up in a humorless smile. He is worried for me.

"What did I say?" I ask, rubbing my temples.

"You were begging for someone to stop, then you asked for help." He pauses for a moment, pressing his lips together in a tight line. "You were asking for me to save you." He reaches up and places his hand on my temple. His expression turns to one of focus as I suddenly feel the ache in my head subside, then disappear altogether. What the....

"Did you just......take my pain away?" I practically gasp. I do not know why I keep letting him surprise me. I know that he has the ability to heal.

He offers me a kindhearted smile as he lowers his hand from my face. I lean back against him as he pulls us back down to lay across our sea of blankets. I cradle my head on his bare chest, breathing in his magnificent scent. Then, I close my eyes and allow it to engulf me. After a time, he kisses the top of my head.

"I wish there was a way that I could enter your dreams and fight him with my own two hands," he says. I press closer into him. I feel so safe and secure here. But a disturbing thought suddenly comes to mind. Something that leaves me oddly feeling uneasy.