to thrash against him. Barret pinned her body to the bed, using a thigh to hold down her failing legs before she did him an injury. He gripped her wrists in one hand and held it against the mattress above her head.
"Sharon, wake up. It's just a dream. You're safe, here with me. With Barret. You're safe."
With his free hand, he cupped her cheek as she cried out and her eyes cleared. Her lids slid closed as her whole body shuddered. Tears leaked down her face and tore at his heart. They were a pair, both waking up in remembered horror. When the tension left her limbs, he released his hold on her and scooped her up in his arms. He sat cross-legged on the mattress with her cradled against his chest.
"It's okay, Sharon. I've got you. I always will."
As her shivers eased, she moved in his lap, nuzzling into his chest. Barret was still feeling rattled from both his nightmare and hers, so he welcomed her apparent need to be as close as possible. Sharon rearranged herself, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his hips. She was doing her best to mold her warm body against his cool one. He entwined his arms around her back and held her tightly against him as she crossed her ankles behind his back. With one hand loosely in her hair and the other cupping her soft bottom, he finally began to relax.
"It was horrible, Barret. I was back there, that first time... When will this hell stop? I'm free, but not."
Barret's heart ached for her. How could he fix this?
"I guess it will just take some time for your mind to fully accept that you're truly free." He paused a moment as an idea occurred to him. "I doubt you're the only Bride to be feeling this way. Perhaps Darcy might know of a therapist that can help you all adjust."
"What about you? How did you sleep?"
He didn't want to admit his weakness in having a nightmare but knew Sharon needed him to be honest.
"I woke only minutes before you, from my own nightmare."
"Maybe it's not just the Brides that need help."
Yeah, he was pretty sure they were all going to need some serious therapy.
~ * ~
Sharon wasn't focusing on her breakfast but instead on Barret. He ate slowly, scrutinizing everything he put on his fork like he hadn't ever eaten it before. She mentally shook her head. He hadn't seen food in twenty-seven years. Of course he wasn't simply going to wolf down the massive breakfast that had been delivered a few minutes ago.
He hadn't eaten much at all when he pushed his plate away, declaring himself full. Sharon guessed his stomach was so unaccustomed to food it would take a while before he would have his normal appetite back. Whatever that was for a Vampire. Good thing Vampires didn't have to eat food to live. She took in his face and bare chest—he'd only put on a pair of loose-fitting track pants when they'd risen from bed this evening. Barret looked just as he had all those years ago. Well, aside from the long hair. He'd fed from her twice last night plus the full bag of her blood before the rescue, so he was definitely at his full strength.
"So, you're totally recovered now? I mean, you've had enough blood?"
His heated stare bore into her, focusing on her neck. She raised her hand to run a fingertip over his bite mark and he growled.
"I have completely regenerated physically...but I will never have enough of your blood, love."
"Um, how often will you need to feed from me? I can’t remember if you mentioned it before. We didn't really get to discuss much before everything went to hell all those years ago."
His gentle smile made her insides melt like the butter had on her pancakes earlier. His eyes darkened with emotion.
"No, we didn't have nearly enough time before the Nobles interfered, did we? And to answer your question, at least every third day."
Sharon's cheeks heated with shame. "I'm sorry I left that morning. I should have woken you and let you explain. I should have trusted you." She paused to sigh and rub the bridge of her nose. "I was so
"Sharon, wake up. It's just a dream. You're safe, here with me. With Barret. You're safe."
With his free hand, he cupped her cheek as she cried out and her eyes cleared. Her lids slid closed as her whole body shuddered. Tears leaked down her face and tore at his heart. They were a pair, both waking up in remembered horror. When the tension left her limbs, he released his hold on her and scooped her up in his arms. He sat cross-legged on the mattress with her cradled against his chest.
"It's okay, Sharon. I've got you. I always will."
As her shivers eased, she moved in his lap, nuzzling into his chest. Barret was still feeling rattled from both his nightmare and hers, so he welcomed her apparent need to be as close as possible. Sharon rearranged herself, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his hips. She was doing her best to mold her warm body against his cool one. He entwined his arms around her back and held her tightly against him as she crossed her ankles behind his back. With one hand loosely in her hair and the other cupping her soft bottom, he finally began to relax.
"It was horrible, Barret. I was back there, that first time... When will this hell stop? I'm free, but not."
Barret's heart ached for her. How could he fix this?
"I guess it will just take some time for your mind to fully accept that you're truly free." He paused a moment as an idea occurred to him. "I doubt you're the only Bride to be feeling this way. Perhaps Darcy might know of a therapist that can help you all adjust."
"What about you? How did you sleep?"
He didn't want to admit his weakness in having a nightmare but knew Sharon needed him to be honest.
"I woke only minutes before you, from my own nightmare."
"Maybe it's not just the Brides that need help."
Yeah, he was pretty sure they were all going to need some serious therapy.
~ * ~
Sharon wasn't focusing on her breakfast but instead on Barret. He ate slowly, scrutinizing everything he put on his fork like he hadn't ever eaten it before. She mentally shook her head. He hadn't seen food in twenty-seven years. Of course he wasn't simply going to wolf down the massive breakfast that had been delivered a few minutes ago.
He hadn't eaten much at all when he pushed his plate away, declaring himself full. Sharon guessed his stomach was so unaccustomed to food it would take a while before he would have his normal appetite back. Whatever that was for a Vampire. Good thing Vampires didn't have to eat food to live. She took in his face and bare chest—he'd only put on a pair of loose-fitting track pants when they'd risen from bed this evening. Barret looked just as he had all those years ago. Well, aside from the long hair. He'd fed from her twice last night plus the full bag of her blood before the rescue, so he was definitely at his full strength.
"So, you're totally recovered now? I mean, you've had enough blood?"
His heated stare bore into her, focusing on her neck. She raised her hand to run a fingertip over his bite mark and he growled.
"I have completely regenerated physically...but I will never have enough of your blood, love."
"Um, how often will you need to feed from me? I can’t remember if you mentioned it before. We didn't really get to discuss much before everything went to hell all those years ago."
His gentle smile made her insides melt like the butter had on her pancakes earlier. His eyes darkened with emotion.
"No, we didn't have nearly enough time before the Nobles interfered, did we? And to answer your question, at least every third day."
Sharon's cheeks heated with shame. "I'm sorry I left that morning. I should have woken you and let you explain. I should have trusted you." She paused to sigh and rub the bridge of her nose. "I was so
Similar Books
