Heart's Redemption (MxM)

Chapter 28 ~ Sam

The  first thing I feel when I'm pulled back from the edge of the gentle, quiet darkness is a terrible pain in my chest. My body convulses, and I cough as my lungs struggle to remember how to breathe. Finally, I'm able to draw in some life-giving air, slip free of death's hold, and fight my way back to awareness.

Besides the pain, the next thing that reaches me is a stream of desperate words and the sensation of being held and rocked in strong arms.

"Breathe, baby, please—oh God, breathe for me—that's it, that's it—I've got you, baby—breathe."

As I manage to draw another ragged breath, and then another, and another, my senses return. I see Ian's pale, fear-pinched face close to mine, his blue eyes bloodshot and shining with tears as he continues to stroke my hair and beg me not to die.

"Ian." My mouth forms the word, and his eyes widen.

"Oh, thank God!" He crushes me to him, and I clutch feebly at his shirt as I feel his body shaking with relief.

"Jesus, is he okay? Is he hurt?"

I recognize Carlos's voice, and then another I don't know as well.

"Give him some space—let me take a look."

Ian's hold on me eases, and someone presses warm fingers beneath my jaw, feeling my pulse.

It's the androgynous-looking Walker sister—Cass—and her face holds a mixed expression of surprised relief and concern. Carlos stands at her back, his hands clasped before him as if he were praying.

"Sam?" Cass gently turns my face towards hers, searching my eyes. "Can you hear me?"

I nod as best as I can and whisper a soundless 'yes.'

She hangs her head, exhaling sharply, and brushes her hands over her short, closely-cropped black hair. "Wow. Thank fuck." She looks up again and gives me a watery smile, wiping at her eyes. "You gave us a scare. I really thought we'd lost you there."

At her words, Ian's arms tighten around me, and I feel him shivering—tremors shaking his whole body—and then I realize that most of the shaking is mine.

"Sam, baby, what happened?" he asks, tipping my face back towards his. "What were you doing out here?"

I swallow and try to speak, but I still can't quite manage it.

"What's this?" Cass asks, and I feel her tugging at my sweater. "Oh, wow."

"What is it?" Carlos leans closer, and Ian frowns at whatever she's holding.

"Stones. Luckily not enough to pull him down, but..."

"Just like the boy in the lake," Carlos says.

"Sam didn't do this to himself," Ian snaps, and I shake my head.

"No, I'm not saying he did," Cass agrees. "But if the stones had been heavy enough, and if you hadn't found him in time...it might have looked that way."

Ian draws a sharp breath. "I saw something—right before I spotted Sam. I thought it was an animal, but it might have been the killer. Maybe I interrupted him before he could gather enough stones."

Cass glances up at him and then out at the lake uneasily. "Let's go inside," she says, getting to her feet. "Sam needs to warm up fast—you too. We'll get you some rooms in the main lodge, though. I'm not comfortable leaving you out here anymore."

Ian nods and climbs laboriously to his feet, face twisting with pain as he lifts me.

"Sh-sh-sh-shoulder," I manage on a shaky breath, but he just shakes his head.