Snippets of Eventide

No.1: Waking in Eventide

I whirled and doubled back out of the way as she fell. She turned with snarl and leapt, but I yelled and slammed my foot into her hip in a kick strong enough to feel bone crack through my shoe. I staggered as I landed, pain shooting through my leg. I could barely breathe, my chest heaving and heart beating too fast. Dakota might have been able to keep this up, but my body wasn't used to this.

But this time, the cat appeared and I lunged first. It yelped as I caught her by the neck and slammed her to the ground. Do it! She kicked with back legs, snarling and clawing at my arm as I held her down. Blood stained the white of her legs and pain radiated from my forearm but Dakota's hold held it firm against my will. Hurry! Now!

I clenched my teeth and shot the other hand forward, crying out as claws sliced the skin through to soft muscle. But her soul pulsed so close, right beneath my bloodied hand. I curled my hands to claws and her eyes widened.

"What are you—stop!"

The edges of her soul caught under my fingers and a growl tore from my throat as I tore it from her body, ripping edges as I dragged it through her chest. Her body went limp and I clutched her spirit between my hands, panting, sweating, as I raised it to my mouth.

It cracked between my teeth and the world stilled.

#

My eyes flew open and I gasped, laying on the floor of Dakota's living room. My arms burned and my heart beat too fast, skipping and irregular beside an icy hold clinging to the space between my lungs. I sat bolt upright, fighting for breath and clutching at my chest. Somewhere I thought I heard someone calling my name, but it was so distant, like I was deep under the water thrown overboard into crashing waves.

I was alive. Slowly, so slowly, the air returned to my lungs and my heart found it's rhythm. I slumped forward, letting my head fall as far as it could. Dakota's spirit shifted, and I felt for it with the tips of my fingers. How do I get back? I'll put you back. My body is beside you.

So it was. I dragged myself the two feet to where Dakota's body lay seemingly unscathed and intact beside me. He offered no resistance as I drew his soul from my chest and slipped it back into his, dripping from my hand like running water.

He woke as suddenly as I had, choking and shaking and curling to his side. But he was alive. I let my gaze fall from him to the floor in front of my stretched out legs. My mouth still burned, the skin of the inside of my cheeks hot and bleeding coppery on my tongue. What was that thing?

"Asher!"

Ginger's voice made me snap my head up as she crouched in front of me, her panic-stricken face inches in front of mine.

"Asher can you hear me?" She spoke too loud, and I cringed. "Oh thank goodness." Ginger sighed, shoulders sagging in relief. "What happened?" She swallowed. "I couldn't wake you."

I took a breath to speak, but stopped short. What was I supposed to tell her? I shifted my arm and winced at the pain. There wasn't a mark on my skin, but it hurt, stinging and burning like it'd been torn apart. I didn't know what happened, how was I supposed to explain it to Ginger?

Beside me, Dakota groaned and pulled himself to sit, wincing at the movement. "I'm so sorry," his voice was tight, pained as the wrenching of his face as he rested a hand over his throat. "If I'd, I wouldn't," he choked on his words and shook his head. "You shouldn't have... Had to do that."

"Do what?" Ginger looked between me and him in quick movements. "What happened?"

"I don't know," my voice was thin, tired, weak. "There was a cat and... And I don't..."