“What’s going to happen with her?” Another person asked.
“For the time being, she’s staying in medical, at least until she is awake and moving around.”
“Is she going to be sent back when she wakes up?” Yet another person asked.
“Not straight away. It’ll be a couple of days before she’s fit enough to travel. Until then, she will be supervised. The less she knows about where she is, or what we are, the better.”
Rush answered every question that was thrown at him. Connor stopped paying attention when they started to repeat the same ones, albiet worded differently.
“Can you believe it? How the hell did she find her way through?” Aidan said.
“It’s not impossible.” Kellen replied.
“Well, it should be. The last thing we need is more of them finding their way here.”
Connor had to agree. The humans had done enough damage to their own realm, tearing up the ground and polluting the air and water, they didn’t need another realm to destroy. Not only that, but last time the humans found out about another species living among them, they nearly wiped them all out of existence.
Connor still remembered the witch hunts as if it only happened yesterday. He didn't have a problem with them, but the last thing the shifters needed was for the humans to find out about them and then go on another killing spree.
“Any more questions?” Rush asked finally.
When no one replied, he dismissed them all.
Connor started to leave with the rest of them but stopped when he heard Rush call his name.
He walked over to Rush and asked, “What’s up?”
Rush waited until they were alone before answering. “I want you to come with me and tell me if you recognize this female from your dream.”
Connor didn’t know why he would be dreaming of a human, it was more likely to be another shifter. Either way, it wouldn’t hurt to have a look.
“Okay, I’ll give it a go, but I still haven’t been close enough to get a good look at her.”
“From the description you’ve given me, I have a feeling you’ll know if it’s the same person or not.” Rush said as he started walking.
Intrigued, Connor followed him. It was a long short at best, but if it did turn out to be the same person, then maybe she had some insight as to why he was dreaming of her. Did that mean the dreams were finally going to stop if it was her? He wished it did.
When he left his parents’ house the previous night he had gone for a long run, hoping it would help wear him out enough that he would sleep peacefully. He even stopped off for a swim in the river near his home on the way back there. None of it worked. The dream still bombarded him as soon as he drifted off to sleep.
The center was situated next to the main building where they all socialized. It didn’t take long to reach the medical center since Rush preferred to live close to the main compound, it was so he was within easy reach in an emergency.
When they arrived at the center, there was a couple of people milling around the reception desk. Rush walked over to where they were gathered.
“Has she woken yet?” He asked Candi, who was one of the Healers.
“No. Not even a twitch when we cleaned her cuts with antiseptic.”
“Okay. Is she still in the same room?”
“No, we moved her to a more secure room down the hall. We didn’t want to risk her seeing something that would need an explanation.”
“Good idea.” He said. “Is there still someone guarding her?”
“Yes. Dominic took over about half an hour ago.”
“Good, show me which room she’s in.”
Candi lead them down the hall to the furthest room from the reception. Connor knew the room they were keeping her in, it was mostly used as a store room because it was easy to restrict access. The window was a small slit high up in the wall and the door could be locked from the outside.
The door to the room was closed and Dominic was sat outside on a chair against the wall when they walked up.
“I haven’t heard any movement.” He told them.
“That’s okay.” Rush said.
Candi unlocked and opened the door, then she stood back so they could enter. Once in the room, Rush moved to the side so Connor had a clear view.
He started moving towards the bed, then stopped dead in his tracks.
What the hell?
Connor couldn’t believe his eyes. As soon as he looked at her prone form laying on the bed, he knew without a doubt it was the same female from his dream. Even without getting close enough in the dream to see her facial features, he knew it was the same female.
He understood now why Rush thought he might recognize her; her hair was a dead giveaway. There was no mistaking the long strawberry blonde hair and pale skin, no matter how much the dirt and bruises tried to hide the colour of both.
“I take it from the look on your face, this is the same female.” Rush said.
Connor didn’t know how it was possible, but… “It’s her.”
He didn’t realize he’d spoken aloud until Rush said, “I thought as much.”
Rush stepped out the room to speak with Dominic, returning a moment later to say, “I’m going now.”
“I’m staying.” He replied without thinking. Then added, “I want to be here when she wakes up.”
“I thought you might. I told Dominic that you’re taking over watch. Let me know when she wakes up.”
Connor just nodded.
He didn’t know how long he stood there watching her, he was so fixated on her that he didn’t even notice when Rush left. It wasn’t until one of the Healers came in with a chair for him to sit on did he finally take his eyes off her, and that was only long enough for him to sit down, then he was right back to watching her.
A faint spattering of freckles covered the bridge of her pert little nose. Dark lashes stood out against her porcelain skin, hiding the worst of the dark circles under her eyes. Strawberry blonde hair framed her face. She had a few grazes and some bruising on her face, arms, and neck that he could see, but that didn’t retract from her beauty.
Seeing her laying there like that, all bandaged up with cuts and bruises, affected him more than he would like to admit. He didn’t know what it was about her, he was even more drawn to her now that she was here in person than what he felt in the dream. When he was dreaming of her, it was as if he was compelled to save her. Now, he feelings for her ran deeper, and it confused him. He wanted to protect her and keep her safe for as long as he lived.
He was mesmerized by the rise and fall of her chest. She looked so peaceful laying there. He was torn between wanting her to wake up so he could speak with her, and wanting her to stay asleep so she could recover quicker. Not that he would wake her up anyway.
No, there was going to be plenty of time to speak with her when she woke up on her own. Connor had a few questions he wanted to ask her, Rush would also have plenty of questions of his own for her as well.
For now though, he would just be content to watch over her.
***
“What do you mean she disappeared?” He shouted at the demon.
This would never have happened if the witch was still following her, but apparently, she had a pressing matter that needed to be dealt with.
He was tempted just to kill the witch and find another one, because she was turning out to be more trouble than she was worth.
Unfortunately, that would take time, time he didn’t have.
The demon tried explaining what had been happening when he lost sight of her, but he was too pissed off to pay any attention.
Instead, he demanded, “Find her!” and hung up the phone.
Everything would have been running smoothly if she hadn’t decided to take an unexpected trip away. She was a crucial part of the plan, she wasn’t irreplaceable, but it would be a setback if it came to that.
He had a feeling he knew exactly where she was, it wasn’t going to be imposs
ible to get to her, but it would take a bit of finesse.
CHAPTER TEN
Sasha knew something was wrong when Anya didn’t return in time for dinner. It didn’t take long to figure out where she ended up. Knowing the portal to the shifter realm was on the mountain Anya went to explore, it was the only logical place. The only other possibility was someone with the capability to teleport kidnapping her. Luckily enough, that wasn’t the case.
It was a good job Sasha wasn't human. She knew where all the portals were located and which realms they lead to, every fae was taught about them when they were young, but more so for her. Otherwise, Anya could disappear of the face of the planet and Sasha wouldn't have been any the wiser.
Since the other day when Anya had been late for work, Sasha has kept an eye on her. If not physically, then with the aid of magic. So, she knew the moment Anya left the human realm.
There has been something off about Anya since that day. Sasha couldn’t put her finger on what it was, but there was something different about her now. The first clue was not turning in to work on time. In all the years they have worked together, Anya hadn’t once been late. Even sick, she'd always called in before her shift.
The second was the fact Anya managed to find the portal, either on purpose or by accident, when it was heavily concealed by strong magic. Not as strong as hers, but still, it shouldn’t have been found by a human.
Cloaked by a veil of magic, Sasha navigated her way through the shifter realm until she came to the home she was looking for. With the portal being in his territory, Rush would know where Anya was.
There was no doubt in her mind that she was in the right place when she arrived. Rush’s house was full to bursting with shifters. Standing back so not to accidentally get bumped into, she watched as they talked about upping patrols because of Anya’s appearance, before being dismissed. All except Connor.
Sasha was surprised when Rush mentioned Connor might be dreaming about Anya. Intrigued, Sasha listened intently for more details of the dream. Disappointed when neither elaborated, she followed them to where Anya was staying.
Seeing Anya lying unconscious on the bed, covered in cuts and bruises, was the last thing she was expecting. Sasha has never seen her friend in such a bad state.
From the look on Connor’s face, Anya was the female from his dreams.
Why would a wolf be dreaming of a human? She wondered. Did the dreams have anything to do with what was happening with Anya? If so, she might be able to get to the bottom of it sooner.
Unfortunately, they didn’t mention anything else. Instead, Rush left Connor to stare at Anya. Since she wasn’t here to see Connor, and now that she knew Anya was alive and safe, she didn’t need to stay any longer.
Still keeping the veil in place, Sasha followed Rush back to his house. He didn’t stop until he reached his office.
Dropping the veil, she said, “Hello Rush.” And couldn’t help the smile as he jumped.
“Who the fuck are you?” he demanded. “And what are you doing here?”
“I’m Sasha, and I’m here because of my friend.”
Sasha could see the wheels turning in his head as he asked, “Who’s your friend?”
“The lovely mystery lady you just left, Anya.”
“So that’s her name.”
“What happened to her? When I last saw her, she wasn’t covered in cuts and bruises.”
“We would like to know the same thing. She was found in that state.”
“Where was she found?”
“Why?”
“Don’t worry, little wolf, my interest is solely in Anya.” She could see that her nickname for him did not amuse him, but his reaction to it did amuse her, so it was all good.
“Fine.” He said after a moment’s hesitation. “She was found in the cave by the portal.”
“Do you know how she found her way through?”
“No, but I would like to.”
So would she. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Where are you going?”
“Keep her safe.” With that, she disappeared. If she was going to find the answers she was looking for, then she couldn’t stand around chatting all day.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
It didn’t matter how hard she tried to fight it, Anya could feel herself being dragged awake. Then the pain came rushing back with a vengeance, making it even harder to stay asleep and waking her up better than any alarm clock ever could.
Every inch of her hurt. It was painful to breath too deeply, which she found out the hard way, so she tried to keep her breathing as shallow as she could.
Her head still felt like it was about to explode. She tentatively reached up and touched her head where it hit the wall. Instead of hair, her hand came in contact with a bandage. It was only then she realized she was no longer in the cave. The rock floor she had fallen asleep on had been replaced with a mattress. Anya froze, listening for the slightest sound to indicate that she wasn’t alone. She was about to sigh in relief when she heard a rustling noise coming from somewhere close by.
Slowly, she lowered her arm and cracked open her eyelids just enough to see. She definitely wasn’t in the cave anymore. Now she was in a room, a very white room from the look of it. And she definitely was not alone. Even without being able to see clearly, she could make out a large dark blurry form in the left hand corner opposite the bed.
“You can open your eyes, I know you’re awake.” Came a deep male voice, confirming her suspicions.
Opening her eyes, a little more, she looked directly at him, and instantly regretted it. The man was drop dead gorgeous. Light blue eyes were framed by dark lashes. Full lips, perfect for kissing… or biting… softened his strong jawline. The five o’clock shadow on his face gave him a rugged look. Shaggy brown hair, the perfect length for grabbing when in the height of passion, framed his face nicely.
My god! He’s fucking gorgeous! And huge! Even sitting, there was no mistaking the size of him. At least a foot taller and well built. The way he slouched in the chair gave her a great view of his powerful body.
Her eyes took on a life of their own as they drank in the sight of him. Broad shoulders and muscular chest were barely being contained by the dark shirt he wore. She followed his shirt down to where it tucked into faded blue jeans that hugged large strong thighs.
Her gaze was drawn to his crotch like a magnet. Anya could feel her eyes widen at the size. If the bulge beneath his jeans was any indication, then he was huge everywhere.
Fuck me!
She would not have been surprised if her mouth was wide open at that moment… and possibly drooling a little… while her face turned a nice rosy shade of red as naughty scenes flashed through her mind.
Anya jumped when he cleared his throat, her eyes shot straight back up to clash with his.
Her face was on fire with embarrassment. She didn’t need a mirror to show her how red it was, she could feel it burning up. Even if her mouth had been closed and there was no drool, she still couldn’t deny what her eyes had been focused on.
It wasn’t that much easier to keep her mind out the gutter when looking at his face either.
“Um…where am I?” she asked, hoping to break the uncomfortable silence.
He didn’t answer her, just sat there watching silently as if he didn’t have a care in the world, and as far as she knew, he didn’t.
Just then, the door opened. Anya finally managed to drag her gaze away from the piercing blue eyes that held her captive, just as a petite young woman with brown hair peeked her head around the door. When she saw Anya was awake, she smiled.
“I thought I heard talking.” She said to Anya. Then she turned to the man and asked, “Does Rush know she’s awake?”
A curt “Yes” was his reply
“That’s good.”
Anya resisted the urge to look at him again. Instead, she took the opportunity to survey her surroundings. There wasn’t much to look at in the room. Apart from the bed she was layin
g on, and the chair the man was sitting on, there was a couple of empty shelves and nothing else.
The walls were an off white colour and looked like they could do with a fresh coat of paint. The bed frame was metal and had seen better day, luckily the mattress was in better condition.
There was only one door in the room, and Anya could see a small window close to the ceiling. From the angle that she was looking at, it wasn’t big enough to fit through. Anya hoped there wouldn’t be a fire blocking the door, otherwise she was screwed.
“Do you want help sitting up?” the woman asked as she walked over to the bed carrying a couple of pillows.
“No, it’s okay, I can manage it on my own.” Anya attempted to sit up like she normally would, she made it an inch or two off the mattress before she fell back. When that failed, she tried rolling onto her side. When that didn’t work either, she gave in and said, “Yes, please.”
The pain in her chest was making it impossible to do it by herself. She didn’t want to be a burden, but laying down while she was surrounded by a bunch of strangers left her feeling vulnerable, so she reluctantly accepted the help.
“I’m Candi.” She said as she put the pillows down on Anya’s lap.
“I’m Anya.” It might not have been the best idea to give them her real name, especially since she didn’t know them from Adam, but it just slipped out before she could think.
Candi slid her hands under the back of Anya’s arms until she had them beneath her shoulder blades. Then, without any effort, she lifted Anya into a sitting position.
Anya wasn’t a large person by any means, but it should still have taken Candi a little more effort to move her.
“You okay?” She asked before letting go.
“Yes.”
“Good. Just hold there a sec.”
Grabbing the pillows from Anya’s lap, she rearranged them behind her, then helped her move back in the bed until she was could easily lean against them.
“Can you tell me where I am, please?” She asked Candi.
“You’re in medical.”
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