tried to open my tired eyes a little more, but it only made it harder to keep them open at all.
"Are you feeling alright, red velvet?"
"Mhmm. Sleepy," I mumbled, my eyes coming to a close. He stroked my cheek, but I didn't even stir as I began to fall asleep.
"Woof?"
"Ya. She's tired," Dad whispered.
My body slowly moved back until I was resting against my comfortable sheets. I immediately turned to rest on my left side and patted the side of the bed for my pillow.
After the third attempted pat, one seemed to magically wind up where I'd previously patted. I hugged it against me and relaxed even more.
A soft nudge to my nose and a lick later, I heard Cyrus’s quiet breathing. It was enough to give me a peaceful mind as I continued to drift further into sleep.
Something pressed lightly on my forehead, and it added to the flowing calm in the depths of the darkness.
"Sleep well, my special Alice."
"Woof!"
"Stop woofing already. If I wanted to hurt her, I would have done so,"
"Woof?"
"No."
"Woof! Woof!"
"Ugh. Why are you trying to slow me down? I'm helping your mistress. Not stopping her from doing anything. Ow. You're going to make me fall from the roof. I'm not Peter Pan, you know! I can't fly."
"Woof...woof?"
"I just need to get in and put this on her desk. I don't want those mundane old people getting it, seeing as Chambers isn't here. He said he'd be here tonight. Why'd he lead me astray like this? Ugh. That man hates me."
"Woof!"
"Jeez. I don't even know if you're a wolf or a dog at this point. Pick a side."
"Woof! Grrr!"
"Ow! Be lucky I don't hit girls, you savage familiar, you!"
* * *
Opening my eyes, I sat up and began to rub my eyes from the sleep-dust.
"What a weird dream," I mumbled. "It's so hot."
Pulling off my shirt, I tossed it in the corner of the bed, leaving me in my bright red bra. I'd only worn clothes to bed since my dad had been in my room, but now I was far too hot for my liking.
"Woof?"
I yawned and followed the direction of Cyrus barking.
"Cyrus?" I mumbled, noticing she was sitting right on the window sill.
That's new.
With a head shake, I slowly got out of bed. I felt a little sluggish, which could have been due to the medication I was given to take before bed.
It was one of the reasons why I got so drowsy even with an evening nap. Reaching the window, I decided to open it up entirely to get some cool breeze into the attic.
This was one of the best investments my parents made to the attic. If I had to rely on that circular mini window, I'd die from the heat wave.
Taking a look at the starry night, I glanced down to Cyrus, who was quietly staring up at me.
"Woof?"
"Why are you barking up a storm? I was sleeping."
"Woof..." She tried to peer over the window edge, but I quickly scooped her up. "Nope. That's dangerous. The attic is technically the third floor. Can't have you falling out," I reasoned and put her onto my desk that was next to the window.
"Woof! Woof!" She kept barking and looking at the window, only raising my suspicions.
If I don't check, she'll bark all night long. Guess I'll check. Man, I'm still drowsy.
"Fine, fine. I'll check and prove to you that there's nothing there. This better not be that owl you were barking at yesterday."
Placing my hands on the ledge, I poked my head out and glanced down to the ground. No one was down there, and the lights within the house were off, which told me my grandparents were both sleeping.
They always left the porch lamp on if either of them was awake.
"There's nothing here, Cyrus," I mumbled, and lifted my head to notice the golden eyes of an owl in the nearest tree.
I blinked to stare at it, noticing how white his feathers were and how beautiful his golden eyes appeared, even at this distance.
What a magnificent creature.
With another blink, I tilted my head as the image of the owl suddenly changed entirely. There sat a man, whose skin was pale and perfect as the first sight of snow against the moonlight's rays.
He had long white hair that flowed lightly in the wind and his gold eyes were as vivid as the owl that previously sat in his place. What caught my attention more than his completely white suit were his magnificent wings.
They