Chapter 8 Awakening

Ethan's golden eyes burned through the darkness, and my breath faltered as his hand slowly slipped away from my mouth. His scent caressed my nose. He smelt heavily of the forest like he ran to come here. It was alarming, the way his heat pulled me closer the longer he sat in front of me. "May I know why you're in my room telling me not to scream your name out to everyone on this street?" I harshly whispered as I tried to push my instincts aside to ask. Every nerve in my body was on edge, screaming for answers, for action-but the way he was looking at me, so raw and gentle, left me unguarded.

His eyes were not in their usual green either and the gold was pulling me in. "I couldn't stay away," Ethan admitted, his voice low and gravelly. His confession hung heavy in the air. "Being so close to you-it's not helping." He clenched his jaw. My cheeks flushed at his words, and my mouth dried up as I gaped. He broke into my room to tell me that. I caught his gaze dropped to my lips, and I felt a shiver that had nothing to do with fear. "Why are you here?" I whispered, though the question barely had strength. My body betrayed me, inching toward him, craving the warmth of his proximity. "I don't know anymore," Ethan whispered back, shifting closer, his breath ghosting over my skin. "Every time I look at you, it feels like you're pulling me further into places I don't want to reach just yet." I feel his hand caress the side of my arm, leaving sizzling sensations in its wake. "You make it hard to control myself." Control. The word sent a thrill down my spine and tugged at something deep and primal within me. I shouldn't have wanted this-not when my life felt like it was spinning out of control, not when Higan's warning hung in the balance, not when I barely knew the danger he posed. But his voice, his nearness, his scent-it was intoxicating. I tilted my chin up, my resolve weakening. "You shouldn't be here..." "I know," he smiled softly. "I barely know you," I said, more to myself than him yet the words did little to hold my reason. "So you think," he retorted in a low tone, "but know this at least, know that I'm yours Harlyn." He moved faster than I could process, his hands gently cupping my face as his lips descended onto mine. The kiss was searing, a primal mix of desperation and hunger that sought to drown me in his entirety. My reason urged me to pull away, to stop, but my body and my heart refused, melting against him as a strange energy stirred inside me. Something in me recognized Ethan. It wasn't feeling like just a kiss-it also felt like an overdue release, a breaking of chains I hadn't even realized were binding me. His touch ignited and consumed me, unraveling parts of me I didn't know existed. Every brush of his lips was coaxing something in me to the surface. His hands moved to my waist, pulling me closer, and I gasped against his lips, the sound swallowed by the intensity of the kiss. His fingers were firm, yet reverent, as though he was afraid I might shatter under his touch. But I didn't feel fragile-I felt alive, more alive than I ever had in my life. His lips left mine, trailing along my jawline, down the curve of my neck, and my heart raced with each inch he claimed. "Tell me to stop..." he murmured against my skin, his voice thick with restraint. "Harlyn, I shouldn't, but I can't stop..." "Don't," I whispered, my voice trembling not with fear, but with something far more dangerous-want. "Don't stop." Ethan's growl was low and guttural, reverberating through me as his hands roamed, each touch stoking the fire burning inside me. My fingers found their way into his hair, pulling him closer as my body arched against his. My thoughts were scattered, consumed by the intensity of his touch and the way his lips left a burning trail wherever they lingered. There was no room for doubt, no space for reason-only the overwhelming sensation of him, of us, and the thrilling power building in every fiber of my being. I could hear a voice, wild and uninhibited, urging me to surrender, to take what was mine, to claim him the way he seemed to want to claim me. It was reckless, but I couldn't bring myself to resist. I didn't want to resist it. Was this what it would have been like with Higan? My body flared up as if warning me against the thought. Ethan's lips moved lower, brushing against my collarbone, his breath tantalizing against my skin. I felt his hesitation, the way his grip tightened as if grounding himself. "You have no idea the power you hold Harlyn," he said, his voice hoarse, almost pained. His words sent a thrill through me, and I tilted my head, giving him more access as a boldness I didn't recognize took hold. "Then don't fight it," I whispered, and the words felt foreign yet liberating, as though someone else had spoken them for me. He paused for a moment, his breath uneven, before his lips pressed against my shoulder in a kiss so soft it almost brought tears to my eyes. Then, his mouth shifted, grazing the birthmark on my left shoulder. The first touch was electric, sending a shiver down my spine and stealing my breath. His lips lingered there, and I felt an unexpected sense of belonging as if he was meant to be in that space. But as he gently nibbled at the mark, a sharp pain surged through me, cutting through the haze of pleasure. What started as a dull ache quickly intensified with each second his lips stayed there, spreading like wildfire through my body. "Ethan!" I cried out, clutching at his shirt as the pain became unbearable. He pulled back instantly, his eyes wide with alarm, golden irises darkened with worry. "Harlyn, what's wrong?" His hands hovered, desperate to help but unsure how. Suddenly something seemed to click in his head. "Shit!" He cursed. I pressed my hand against my shoulder, tears pricking at my eyes as the pain burned hotter. "It hurts," I whimpered, my voice quaking. "Make it stop!" The door suddenly flew open, and my mother's voice filled the room, tinged with panic. "Harlyn!" She froze, eyes darting between me and Ethan, her shock giving way to something else. Recognition? "You..." she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Wait, no-this isn't supposed to happen yet." I stared at her, the pain clouding my thoughts. Did she know him? "What?" I managed to croak, but the agony twisted my words into a strangled gasp. "She's in pain," my mother snapped, her calm unraveling. "The seal-it's breaking, isn't it?" Her face crumpled, tears welling in her eyes. "It's too soon," she murmured, shaking her head. "She's not ready for this." "I know, but she doesn't have a choice," Ethan replied, his voice steady. "If I don't do it now, the pain will only get worse. She could-" He stopped, his jaw tightening. "She could lose her mind if it tries to unlock itself." My mother's gaze softened, sorrow settling in her eyes. "Harlyn... I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice trembling. She turned back to Ethan and nodded, though her reluctance was clear. "Do it. Please." Ethan moved closer, his steps deliberate, and met my gaze. "Harlyn," he said quietly, his voice unwavering amid the chaos. "This is going to hurt, but I'll make it quick. Trust me." I nodded, too weak to speak. Ethan leaned in, his hesitation obvious and it made me nervous. His lips brushed against the skin of my shoulder right by my birthmark. Before I could prepare myself, I felt the sharp sting of his teeth pierce my skin. A guttural scream tore out of my mouth, shaking my body and the charged air of my bedroom. I could not describe the intensity of the pain swallowing my body. I could just feel it spreading and pushing my sanity. But like rain on dry land, it was quickly replaced by a cool pleasure so intense it was almost unbearable itself. My vision blurred as a gentle euphoric warmth enveloped me, drowning out the agony. I could feel a rush traveling through my veins, my bones, my flesh, all the way to the cuticles of my hair. "Ethan," I gasped, his name spilling from my lips like a sinful confession. My body trembled, and my mind spun as the world around me faded once more. ××× Soft beeping pierced through my quiet mind, steady and rhythmic. I tried to move, but my body felt heavy, weighed down like I'd been trapped in a thick fog. My eyelids fluttered open, and a bright sunlit room greeted me. I winced slightly, turning my head to look around. The movement sent a dull ache through my shoulder. "Where am I?" My voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. I'm not in my room. Was this another dream? I just came out of one of those with a figure that looked like me telling me to find some bite mark. Out of the blue, my mom's face appeared in my blurry vision, her expression showing her relief. "Harlyn," she breathed, leaning closer. Her hand gripped mine, warm and reassuring. Though, her eyes looked worn and swollen like she hadn't slept well. "You're awake." Was last night so bad? I glanced around the unfamiliar room-the stark white walls, the machines humming softly beside me-and dread settled in my chest. "What happened? Where am I?" "You're in the hospital," she said gently, though her voice trembled slightly. The hospital? Was I crying so bad I passed out? I blinked, trying to piece together my last memory, but everything felt like fragments of a dream. "How... How did I get here?" She hesitated, her fingers tightening around mine. Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but then she closed them again, her gaze dropping to the floor. Suspicion crept in. Something wasn't right. "Mom?" My voice cracked. "What happened to me?" I squinted my eyes. She sighed, her hand brushing a strand of hair from my forehead. "You had... a breakdown, sweetie. It was... a lot for you." Her words were carefully chosen, but there was something in her tone, a hesitance that made my stomach twist. A breakdown. That sounded right. The pressure, the overwhelming emotions I felt from my day. The fight with Tess, the thing with Ethan falling and being kicked out, my entire life as it was. "I remember crying," I said, my voice quieter now. "Crying in your arms. I... I think I fell asleep." My mom's brow furrowed, and a flicker of confusion crossed her face. "Fell asleep..that's all you remember?" I nodded slowly. "Was there more?" Before she could answer, the door opened, and my father stepped in. His usually bright demeanor was gone. His face had grown pale, his eyes bloodshot, and the sight of him made my chest ache. Was work that bad? When did he get back? "Dad!" I managed, a brief joy flooding through me. He froze in the doorway, his hand gripping the frame as if to steady himself. Then, to my shock, he dropped to his knees, his body wracked with sobs. "Dad?" I jerked up, alarmed. He knelt by my bedside, before burying his face in his hands as his shoulders shook. "I was so scared," he choked out, his voice muffled. "We thought we'd lost you, Harlyn. We thought-" He broke off, unable to finish. "Lost me?" My heart pounded. "What are you talking about? I just... I just fell asleep. Right?" "No," he said, lifting his tear-streaked face to meet mine. "You didn't just fall asleep, sweetheart. You've been in a coma." His words didn't make sense. A coma? No. That couldn't be right. I searched his face, then turned to my mom, who was staring at me with wide, tearful eyes. "For how long?" I whispered, my throat tightening. "A month," he said, his voice breaking. The room spun around me, and I gripped the sheets tightly. "A month?" I echoed, my voice barely audible. I had been in a coma for a month. How? What happened? I glanced at the machines around me, at the IV in my arm, and a crushing weight settled on my chest. "I don't understand," I whispered. "How... How is that possible? I was just... I was..." The memory slipped away, like a dream fading upon waking. I didn't remember anything, anything at all.