Broken Wings (Cruel and Beautiful World, Book One 1) by L. Stoddard Hancock

she had never quite been able to place. But, before he could reach her, she was knocked off her feet and being pulled away from him. Dragged farther and farther until his figure became nothing more than a speck in the distance.
    "No! Dax!" she cried.
    "Shut up, you toxic trash!"
    Someone grabbed Deryn by the waist and flipped her so she was facing him. She screamed as he stared down at her. The cold and angry eyes of Atticus Ruby. Eyes she could never forget. Saevus and Elvira watched her from over his shoulder, amused grins distorting their already hideous faces. The smell of death had never been so strong.
    "You belong to us now," said Elvira, cackling wildly as she stepped forward. "You will never see your precious Trigger again."
    No.
    "And your father's head will be mine," said Saevus. "It's over, Outsider. We have won."
    No.
    "Stop crying!" shouted Atticus, smacking her hard across the face.
    "No!"
    Those eyes ... Those piercing, cruel brown eyes.
    "No!"
    "Leon!"
    "NO!"
    "Leon, wake up! It's me!"
    Atticus's eyes continued to stare down at her. Deryn thrashed around violently as he tried to hold her still.
    "No! You can't have me! You will never have me!"
    "Leon, it's me! Xander! You're having a nightmare! Wake up!"
    Deryn's body eased slightly as the hold on her suddenly seemed gentle. She looked back into Atticus's eyes only to see them melt away and become Xander's. The differences were slight but they were there. A shade lighter with a gold ring around the pupil, slightly softer on the edges, and kind. These eyes were kind. Especially when waking her from a nightmare.
    "Again?" said Deryn, sounding frustrated as she breathed heavily in his arms.
    "I know," said Xander. "Third time since you got here."
    Once Deryn's breathing evened out, she looked at him and frowned. "I woke you."
    He shook his head. "I couldn't sleep."
    "Why?"
    "I rarely do," he said with a halfhearted smile.
    "Too much on your mind?"
    "No. Just a light sleeper."
    Deryn's frown deepened. She knew he was lying.
    "Any little noise'll wake me up and, once I do, I can never get back to sleep."
    "So no solution then?"
    "Of course there is. It's called whiskey," he said matter-of-factly. "Helps me during night's when sleep is necessary."
    She smiled softly. "How about tea?"
    "Whiskey is better but I guess I'll humor you."
    Xander got up from the bed and walked out to the kitchen. Deryn took a moment to compose herself. Her nightmares were always the same. A combination of her most horrible memories and her greatest fears. And it always felt so real. So painfully and hideously real.
    After wiping a single tear from her cheek, Deryn sucked back her nerves and followed him. She grabbed her favorite blanket off the back of the couch and leaned on the counter while he made tea.
    "So did you get your lady friend out before midnight this time?" she asked.
    Xander's shoulders bobbed as he chuckled. "You bet your sweet ass I did. I fucking took my eyes off the clock for two seconds the other night. Never again."
    Deryn rolled her eyes. "You didn't have to be such a jerk to her about it."
    "I thought I was a perfect gentleman."
    "You made her sleep on the floor."
    "I gave her a blanket."
    "And a pillow?"
    "Oh, right! I forgot about that." He glanced over his shoulder at her and smirked. "Whoops."
    Deryn huffed. "You're an ass."
    "Spare me your judgments, Leon, because I really don't give a shit."
    Once the tea was finished, he handed her a red mug - which she had already decided was her favorite days ago - and the two of them took seats on opposite ends of the couch, as they were accustomed.
    "Mind if I make one more judgment?" she asked as she settled into her seat.
    "You mean you haven't already?"
    Deryn narrowed her eyes.
    Xander rolled his, a habit he quickly realized he was picking up from her. Only eleven days here and she was already getting under his skin. "On with it, Leon."
    "I'm just a little surprised that you know how to make tea and -" She took a sip.