Chapter Eleven

I sat on the edge of my bed, looking down at my bandaged knee. The sun was coming up and sleeping was futile. I had tossed and turned for hours after I realized that I had killed people. Even though they attacked us and we were in danger, I had their blood on my hands. 

 "Can't sleep?" A deep voice pulled me out of my head. I looked up to see Nymbus sitting against the wall next to the door. He had been afraid to leave me alone because of the attempted kidnapping. 

 "Yeah." I rubbed my face and tucked my hair behind my ear. "What about you?"

 "Same." He propped his arm up on his leg. I looked at him in the darkness. I wanted to ask about the fire abilities that I had acquired, but I was so tired. After a moment, he stood and came to me. He laid down on the other side of the bed, facing me. He opened his arm to me and heat prickled across my face. He wants to… cuddle? I stared at him for a moment. What the hell. We've grown pretty close recently. I crawled into the bed and he placed a hand on my side, pushing me to roll over. Once I did, he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled my back against his body. He was so warm. My heart pounded in my chest and I wondered if he could feel it. I could feel the muscles of his chest pressing into me. It made thoughts flash through my head. Thoughts of running my hands all over his body. Of becoming one with him. His breath blew past my ear, warm and moist. I closed my eyes, trying to calm myself. I was aware of every part of me that he touched. Too aware. My body began to shake and I hoped that he didn't notice. It took way too long for me to fall asleep.

I dreamt of fire. And through the fire, I saw myself fighting. The dark figures slithered in the waves of heat as I fought them. I saw myself kneeing one in the ribs, the sound of cracking erupting in my ears. I flinched when my blade entered another's neck. Guilt spilled into my veins as I watched myself kill the faeries with the skin of night. When they were all dead, my dream self turned to me. She was encased in fire, blood dripping from her daggers. 

 "Murderer." She growled. I gasped. "Killer."

 "They were attacking us." I tried to reason. "They tried to kidnap me."

 "Murderer!"

 "No!" Tears entered my eyes.

 "You killed them!" She shouted. 

 "They would've killed us if I didn't!" I replied. She glared at me and I felt my heart skittering in my chest. "Please…."

 "Their blood will forever stain your hands." She pointed to one of my hands with a bloodied dagger. I raised my hands so that I could see them. Deep red blood ran down my arms from my hands, dripping into the flames that were suddenly around me. My breathing escalated until I was hyperventilating. 

 "Murderer." She said in a low voice. I looked at her as she slowly stepped forward. "Killer."

 "No…." I shook my head."

 "Your parents will be so disappointed."

 "N-no." My tears fell. "No! No!"

I gasped, trying to sit up. Feeling restricted, I flailed, clawing at what held me down. When it released me, I fell out of the bed. 

 "Nimre!" Someone gasped. I stood up, looking at my hands. When I saw my pale hands, I exhaled deeply and placed them on my knees. "Nimre?" I lifted a finger, trying to breathe. I could hear the person getting up, but I focused on breathing. Once I caught my breath, I straightened and looked at the person. He looked concerned, his golden eyes studying me intensely. 

 "It was just a nightmare." I exhaled deeply. He didn't say anything. He just stood in the rays of sunlight. The smell of burned fabric entered my nose, causing me to look down at his simple tunic. There were burn marks all over the fabric. I clenched my jaw and balled my hands into fists. "Did I hurt you?" I spoke quietly.

 "No." His eyes didn't leave my face. "Do you want to talk about your… nightmare?" I looked up at him. Before I could say anything, my room door opened. We looked over at it.

 "Come on, sleepy… head." Madeline looked from me to Nymbus. She looked dumbfounded for a moment before she smiled. "You mated?"

 "What?" Heat exploded in my face.

 "Did you develop a Mating bond?" She seemed excited. I looked at Nymbus with confusion. What's a mating bond?

 "No, Madeline. We did not mate." Nymbus told her. 

 "Awe." Her shoulders slumped. Lae appeared behind her. "Are you going to?"

 "Maddy!" I hissed. 

 "What?" Her large eyes seemed innocent. Lae moved past her and went to my wardrobe. She picked out a blue dress and I diverted my eyes back to Madeline. 

 "I will talk to you later." Nymbus said to me before leaving the room. Maddy turned her back to me as Lae changed me. The dress was shoulderless and instead it clung to my arms. The fabric was scrunched up over my breasts then flowed freely the rest of the way to my feet. 

 "Why are you being so awkward about mating?" She asked dully.

 "Because it's a big deal." I smoothed out my dress and she faced me.

 "You love him, correct?" She gave a serious expression. I paused. Did I? Butterflies filled my belly. Yes. "Then mate with him!"

 "Why are you obsessed with this?"

 "I want you to be my new mommy!" She frowned. I stopped. Her mother had died from an injury that made her sick. That had been hundreds of years ago. We began walking to the dining room. 

 "That's a big step, Maddy. Plus, you're way older than I am."

 "Nuh-uh."

 "Maddy, I'm 20 years old. You're at least 300." I stated. We got to the dining room and stopped. Nymbus was talking to someone. From behind, I could see that they had long, auburn hair that flowed in an invisible force. They also wore a flowy dress and there was a glow about them. 

 "She must return with me. She is in danger here." She spoke in a soft voice. A voice that I recognized. 

 "I will protect her." Nymbus answered. 

 "You won't be able to once word gets out." She said. I felt confused as I slowly approached them. "She is safer with me." My face scrunched up. This person. She was….