16. Rune
Rune
Iwake up gasping.
My heartbeat is sprinting.
I kick at the blankets.
I’m too hot.
Cool air replaces the heaviness of my bedding, and I roll onto my stomach, shoving my pillow out of the way.
My pulse is racing. And I don’t know if it’s me…
I squeeze my eyes shut.
Of course it’s me. My heartbeat is my own.
I keep my eyes closed and stack my hands under my forehead.
It was just the dream. The cave… He, the big, long-haired vampire man, hiding away in a cave, was just a dream.
I try to slow my breathing.
Gods, why do I feel so warm?
And why doesn’t it feel… bad?
Why does this heat in my blood feel so incredibly good?
I inhale. Exhale.
Slow your heart rate, Rune, before you have to call an ambulance.
I keep breathing. But I can’t ignore the way the heat is pooling in my stomach. Then lower.
The groan that rolls out of me sounds tortured.
I roll my hips. Seeking friction.
Then my heartbeat slows. Pulling me away from that edge.
And I scream into my pillow.