Silver in the Blood by Victoria Hyder

Author:Victoria Hyder [Hyder, Victoria]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-17T00:00:00+00:00

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Lurching upright, Thomas panted for air, sweat staining his skin. Everything was sweet and sickly and made his head spin as he groped over the pillows for a goblet of water. What was going on? Where was he? How did he get back up to bed?

“Hey, calm down it’s okay.”

“NO!” he cried out, fighting weakly against the two strong arms that wrestled him down. “Get off me! Demon! Demon!”

A hand clamped down around his mouth.

“Keep your voice down!” Philip hissed in his ear. “People are trying to sleep!”

Thomas struggled against it, but Philip was far stronger than he was. Eventually he had to subside, lowering himself into the mattress, his muscles as stiff as stone as his eyes surveyed the room around him. Everything seemed normal, just as he’d left it earlier. Panting heavily against Philip’s hand, Thomas squinted around the room. The curtains were closed now so it was profoundly difficult to make anything out through the gloom. Snatching Philip’s hand off his mouth, Thomas struggled upright.

“How did you get me back up here?” Thomas hissed.

“What?” Philip slurred. His voice was low and sluggish, as though he’d just been asleep. He hadn’t though –how could he? The moon appeared high in the sky. Not much time had passed since Thomas had found the room under the kitchen.

“How did you get me up here?” he repeated.

With a heavy sigh, Philip forced himself away from the plush pillows and leaned up. He cracked an eye open to look at the dishevelled brunette man beside him. “What in God’s name are you prattling on about?”

“I saw you,” Thomas intoned. “Downstairs. In that secret room under the kitchen.”

Philip was silent for a moment. “Thomas, neither of us has left this room. You fell asleep on my chest. I don’t think I –” a yawn fractured his thoughts. “-I don’t think I’d been asleep long. You woke me up.”

“But … But I saw –”

“Thomas you were having a nightmare. That’s why you woke up.”

“Don’t lie to me!” he snapped. He pressed his forehead to his knees and clamped his hands over his ears. “I know what I saw, Philip! I know you were performing a ritual!”

Philip groaned and grabbed Thomas’ wrists and jerked them away. Hooking a finger under Thomas’ jaw he turned the younger man to face him. “Thomas, it’s late. I’m tired. You haven’t been sleeping properly for weeks and you’re having nightmares from your trauma. You need to rest.”

Thomas shook his head as he mulled everything over in his head. He’d been in that kitchen several times. He’d never seen any lights or moving panels before –so why would it suddenly appear now? His mind scrambled to try and cling to the nightmare –but the more rational part of his mind refused.

“I’m not tired anymore,” he mumbled.

He was bone-tired to the point that even moving his facial muscles was causing him distress. He felt the warm weight of Philip’s arm snake its way around his chest and draw his body back against the firm chest.

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