Moonshine

Listening

I was snuggled on a cloud. If only my body didn't feel like it was full of thorns, I might have been comfortable. Muffled noises came to my ears, but all I could understand was the fluff I was on and the agony throughout my body. Everything felt heavy. I was conscious, but I couldn't move. There must be another cloud on top of me.
My head felt heaviest of all. My mind felt slushy like it was underwater, which would explain why the noise was muffled. My eyelids were heavy and sealed. My shoulder burned. All other pain felt dull compared to the fire raging from the crook of my neck.
Focusing on the burning seems to bring me out of the water. The noise was still far away, but I could tell it was voices. A smooth sad voice reverberated in my head followed by a soft frail whisper. The words all jumbled together. Suddenly, behind my eyelids, I saw the wolf again; he lunged at me while I screamed shrilly without making a sound. Fire raged from my shoulder as my arm dangled from my side, attached only by a scrap of skin and the sleeve of my shirt. The wolf cradled a chunk of flesh in its razor teeth. I looked on in horror as gasoline poured from my veins and I choked on the fumes. Then, the weight I felt before quickly coaxed me back into black, and I spent eternity tied to a pole screaming as a monster tore me to pieces.

**********

Voices lulled me out of sleep. I felt numb. The pain was much less, but I couldn't feel anything except pressure. I was still too smothered by the cloud to move or open my eyes, but I tried to focus on the noises.
"She will heal faster with you near," the frail voice whispered. "She's human, so she'll need all the help she can get if she's to survive this at all."
A deep, smooth voice replied, " I cannot stay. After what I..."
      "All the more reason for you to help her." The soft voice grew louder with authority. "She may still live if you do."
     Breath left quickly before the soothing rumble admitted defeat.
     "What would you have me do?"
     "She's human, but the bond was formed; contact between the two of you should help. If not, well, modern medicine can't do much more. Internal injuries are too severe. She lost too much blood. I'm certain she is only alive because you marked her."
     "So, contact?"
     I could almost hear eyes role as she clarified. "Lay beside her. Hold her. You know this is how the bond works with other mates. What is stopping you?"
     "I almost killed her! Brutally! I terrified her. I..." he stopped short.
      "And since this situation is too complicated for you, you'd rather let her die."
     "No!" My cloud shook at the outburst. The silky rumble was angry. "I just... She would not want me near."
     "Luckily, she is unconscious, and, hopefully, when she wakes up, she'll be grateful for the help. Now, lay down beside her, as gently as possible, of course, and get some rest. You haven't slept since your return."
     "I've been busy," was the sharp reply.
     Silence followed and my cloud dipped a little to my left. Suddenly, it felt like there was a space heater inches from me. The warmth seeped in, soothing my whole body.  Even though numb, I realized my body was still on edge. Gradually, the heat melted the tension. I felt myself sink deeper into the cloud and I let myself relax.
     I wasn't swallowed into black this time, I floated out under the sun and rested peacefully.

**********

Too hot.
Crust fell from my eyes as they slowly opened. Blinding light from a window had them keep mostly shut, but I wanted to know where I was and why I was so hot.
As to where I was... I was on a bed. However, the location of the bed was a mystery. I was burning up because there was an unconscious man squishing me. His head rested above my own on the pillow, so I couldn't see his face. His bare stomach and arm were draped across me. His arm wound around my torso and arms, and his hand rested on my right shoulder, effectively pinning me down. A blue jean covered leg entangled itself between my own.
No wonder I was too warm. Wait. The rumble voice. This was the rumble voice, right? Or was that a dream?
The touch of his skin on mine was strangely comforting, tingly almost, so the fear that came with remembering my kidnapping and waking up in a bed with a stranger sunk in a little too slow. Anxiety was there now, though, making my heart hammer. I lifted my hand to tap on the restraining arm.
Black hair appeared above me, followed by familiar blue eyes.
Fuck!
Faster than I realized I could move, I slid from his grasp landing on my butt beside the bed. I tried to stand, but my legs were jelly from not being used. I was vaguely aware of my lack of injuries, but adrenaline had me only focused on my executioner on the bed.