to move in with them but she couldn’t stand the thought of not being on her own. Not yet. Not when she still had days she felt okay. While the crime scene tech finished up with her bedroom, she curled up on the couch and fell asleep.
“Ma’am?” A gentle hand shook Mara’s shoulder.
“Mmm-huh?” She blinked several times, trying to focus. She was in bad shape. She knew it. The stress of the break-in had sapped whatever bit of energy she had left after her last transfusion. She’d have to go to the hospital tomorrow. But for tonight, she only wanted to find her wolf and sleep.
“We’re done, ma’am. Are you sure you don’t need to go to the emergency room?” Officer Denton knelt next to the couch. Mara shook her head.
“I want to sleep.” The gray light of dawn was breaking. “It’s morning. I’m going to sleep here, okay? If my w—dog comes back, I want to be here.”
“Okay, ma’am. I’m going to send an officer around later today to check on you.”
“Thanks.” Mara stumbled to the door, following Officer Denton, and locked the door behind him. Within minutes, she was back asleep on the couch.
She felt like she’d only been asleep for seconds when a scratching sound at her front door startled her awake. She scrambled off the couch and raced for the entrance. A quick check of the peephole and Mara flung open the door.
The wolf leapt for her and practically knocked her over. Mara wrapped her arms around his sleek, warm body. He nuzzled her neck, inhaled deeply, and growled. “It’s okay. I’m okay. You’re okay.” The wolf growled again, but Mara distracted him by running her hands all over his body. When she didn’t encounter any wounds, she breathed a sigh of relief. “I worried you wouldn’t come back.”
He made a sorrowful sound, a vocalization she took as no and grabbed the sleeve of her top, tugging her gently away from the door.
“What are you doing?” She got to her feet, stumbling a little, and let the wolf lead her back to the couch. He’s better than a man. Feels like he’s taking care of me.
When Mara collapsed onto the cushions, the wolf didn’t wait for her to say it was okay. He jumped right up and lay down next to her. Her arms came around his chest and she buried her face in his fur as she drifted off to sleep. “Thanks,” she whispered. “I think you saved my life.”
Six
Mara was drowning. She couldn’t breathe. Every muscle strained as she fought her way to the surface. When her head broke through, it was sunrise and she was in the middle of a vast, endless ocean. Waves crashed over her head, plastering her hair to her face. She screamed for help, but only the roar of the wind greeted her. She was naked, and the chilly water prickled like ice picks against her skin. How did I get here? There was no land in sight.
The wind howled again, and it seemed to form words. Accept this.
Accept what? Death? Drowning? “No!” she cried out. “I want to live!”
The wind whipped around her. Accept who you are . Mara clenched her fists even as she tried to tread water. “I know who I am, goddammit! Who are you? How did I get here?” She demanded answers from the wind, but it had none to give.
Mara spun around as she churned her arms and legs to stay afloat. At least she was in water, a place where she felt almost normal again. She could tread water for hours. She scanned the horizon. There had to be land around. She’d come from somewhere. Her burning eyes focused on a slightly darker spot in front of her, far away. Land. She put her head down and started to swim. Over and over and over she stroked, sighting with every breath. She swam until her arms burned. She wanted to sleep. She had to sleep, but if she slept, she’d die.
She couldn’t bear to swim any longer. She floated on her back and looked up at the sky. “Help,” she whispered. She was so tired. She let herself slip under the waves and everything went dark.
She sat up with a gasp. She’d
“Ma’am?” A gentle hand shook Mara’s shoulder.
“Mmm-huh?” She blinked several times, trying to focus. She was in bad shape. She knew it. The stress of the break-in had sapped whatever bit of energy she had left after her last transfusion. She’d have to go to the hospital tomorrow. But for tonight, she only wanted to find her wolf and sleep.
“We’re done, ma’am. Are you sure you don’t need to go to the emergency room?” Officer Denton knelt next to the couch. Mara shook her head.
“I want to sleep.” The gray light of dawn was breaking. “It’s morning. I’m going to sleep here, okay? If my w—dog comes back, I want to be here.”
“Okay, ma’am. I’m going to send an officer around later today to check on you.”
“Thanks.” Mara stumbled to the door, following Officer Denton, and locked the door behind him. Within minutes, she was back asleep on the couch.
She felt like she’d only been asleep for seconds when a scratching sound at her front door startled her awake. She scrambled off the couch and raced for the entrance. A quick check of the peephole and Mara flung open the door.
The wolf leapt for her and practically knocked her over. Mara wrapped her arms around his sleek, warm body. He nuzzled her neck, inhaled deeply, and growled. “It’s okay. I’m okay. You’re okay.” The wolf growled again, but Mara distracted him by running her hands all over his body. When she didn’t encounter any wounds, she breathed a sigh of relief. “I worried you wouldn’t come back.”
He made a sorrowful sound, a vocalization she took as no and grabbed the sleeve of her top, tugging her gently away from the door.
“What are you doing?” She got to her feet, stumbling a little, and let the wolf lead her back to the couch. He’s better than a man. Feels like he’s taking care of me.
When Mara collapsed onto the cushions, the wolf didn’t wait for her to say it was okay. He jumped right up and lay down next to her. Her arms came around his chest and she buried her face in his fur as she drifted off to sleep. “Thanks,” she whispered. “I think you saved my life.”
Six
Mara was drowning. She couldn’t breathe. Every muscle strained as she fought her way to the surface. When her head broke through, it was sunrise and she was in the middle of a vast, endless ocean. Waves crashed over her head, plastering her hair to her face. She screamed for help, but only the roar of the wind greeted her. She was naked, and the chilly water prickled like ice picks against her skin. How did I get here? There was no land in sight.
The wind howled again, and it seemed to form words. Accept this.
Accept what? Death? Drowning? “No!” she cried out. “I want to live!”
The wind whipped around her. Accept who you are . Mara clenched her fists even as she tried to tread water. “I know who I am, goddammit! Who are you? How did I get here?” She demanded answers from the wind, but it had none to give.
Mara spun around as she churned her arms and legs to stay afloat. At least she was in water, a place where she felt almost normal again. She could tread water for hours. She scanned the horizon. There had to be land around. She’d come from somewhere. Her burning eyes focused on a slightly darker spot in front of her, far away. Land. She put her head down and started to swim. Over and over and over she stroked, sighting with every breath. She swam until her arms burned. She wanted to sleep. She had to sleep, but if she slept, she’d die.
She couldn’t bear to swim any longer. She floated on her back and looked up at the sky. “Help,” she whispered. She was so tired. She let herself slip under the waves and everything went dark.
She sat up with a gasp. She’d
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