Poisoned Rose

Chapter ten: In bed with the devil

Chapter 10:

Deeper and deeper I fell.  

The current caught me, making it harder for me to reach the surface as the waves were fighting over me, jerking me back and forth between them trying to pull me in half. I couldn't tell which way the surface was.

The angry water was black in every direction; there was no brightness to direct me upward. I fought to keep my breath in, to keep my lips locked around the last store of oxygen. The cold water was numbing my body, draining me of energy. I tried to kick, but the current was to strong. But, the longer I stayed under the water, failing to bring myself up to the surface; I had lost my last reserve of oxygen. Salty water flooded down my throat, choking and burning. Darkness consuming me, unavoidably.

It wasn't before I lost to my full unconscious self that I felt a tingle spread through my body. Soon I wasn't consumed and surrounded by water, but my comatose body was dropped onto warm soft sand. "Breathe," a voice, wild with anxiety, ordered demandingly. My heart was being pumped frantically, a hand trying to beat the water out of my chest until my mouth released the swallowed water, yet, and I was still unable to catch a breath as my body shook violently.

"Breathe, Arianne! C'mon," said another voice, pleadingly, I recognised this one - Karlie Camlin.  

Black spots dotted my vision and I cringed at the pounding pain in my head. I couldn't see anything as a blur of voices surrounded me. I wanted to wake up, to hear that sweet musical voice that had told me to breathe the first time.

And there it was, speaking up, again.

It was a voice that was impossible not to recognise.

I could hear Derek Mace's low, frantic voice in my ear calling out to me, but my tongue was numb, my lips frozen shut and I could not respond. "Arianne?" Derek asked, his voice still tense, but not as wild as before. My heart slightly fell in disappointment. "Dammit Arianne, can you hear me?"  

"How long has she been unconscious?" again, Karlie's voice, constantly filled with worry and panic.

"A few minutes? It didn't take long to get her here on the beach. Shit, who the fuck was supposed to be on duty tonight? Where was Jeremy? He was supposed to have been - " His voice cut when I began to shiver. A thousand sharp, icy beads were striking my face and arms, making the cold worse. "She's breathing. She'll come around. We should get her out of the cold, though. I don't like the colour she's turning..." Yes, I sang in my head: speak more. I realise I love hearing it.

"You think it is okay to move her?" I recognised Karlie's voice again.

"She'll only get hyperthermia if she stays out here any longer," he replied. Derek arms slid under me and lifted me up effortlessly as if I weighed nothing, the ground disappearing beneath me. His chest was bare and warm; allowing our touch to shiver down my spine. I felt safe and comfortable here as he held me against his hard, warm chest where I could feel his steady thumping heartbeat and my hands reached up on their own accord and locked around his neck, holding onto him. I could hear and feel him chuckle softly. I moaned, only making his arms around me tighten.  

"You got her?" asked Karlie walking up from behind.

"Yeah," he replied in a soft murmur and I almost swore Derek was nuzzling his chin into my hair. I suddenly felt sick and a wanting feeling to throw up consumed me.  

"Put me back on the sidewalk," I whispered through my dry throat. The rocking movement of his walk was not helping ease my queasiness. I closed my eyes again and fought the nausea with all my strength, shivering against him. But he ignored me completely.