and tense the entire time, not reacting warmly to his praise. When he had said she should work in the medical field, she had glared at him until he had left.
A strange limbo had settled over the house. I had yet to offer Elena her freedom, and she had still to ask for it.
Tatiana was cured—yet Elena did not leave.
Did she want to stay? I couldn’t help but wondering. Or had the reality of being entirely on her own for the first time in her life finally settled in?
I doubted the second reason. Out of everyone in this world, Elena was most likely to thrive on the outside. She had the intelligence to work in the mundane world of academics. She had already proven she was more than capable of writing journal articles and completing research.
I stepped into the library quietly. At first glance, I didn’t spot her. But when I neared the array of couches, I spotted her form. Elena was tucked under a small blanket, which barely kept her warm, and fast asleep. By her head, Babushka also slept, her furry form hiding Elena’s face.
There were a few opened books left lying around. I moved them to the side so nobody would trip.
I approached Elena, trying not to wake up, when she let out a sudden cry.
I had never heard her make such a noise, even when she was attacked or saw her husband die. It was a piercing noise of terror.
“Elena,” I said, softly, crouching down beside her.
Her face scrunched up in horror, her mind trapped in a nightmare. She let out another sob, her entire body shaking as she did. Her hand came up, gripping her upper arm.
“Elena,” I rested my hand on her shoulder, shaking her gently. “Lyubimaya, it’s a nightmare.”
Even Babushka had awoken. She leaped from the couch but did not scuttle away. Her beady eyes surveyed Elena.
When Elena let out another sob, I shook her harder. I didn’t want to startle her out of sleep, but there seemed to be no other way.
“Elena,” I said sharply.
Her eyes flew open, blurry as she took in her surroundings. Confusion flashed over her face as she spotted me, but with a few blinks, she seemed to wake up more. Her body relaxed and her features smoothed.
She rubbed her eyes. “Kon?”
I ran a soothing hand down her hair. “You were having a nightmare. You’re okay.”
“Mmm?” Elena blinked a few more times. I could almost see the moment her mind started working again, the moment the gears began to churn. She sat up suddenly, peering at me. The blanket slipped down, exposing her pajama singlet.
And hard nipples.
“Why are you here?” she asked sharply.
I rose my eyebrows. “I saw the light and came to investigate. I found you crying and shaking.” I searched her expression. The remnants of the nightmare still clung to her face, paling her cheeks. “What frightened you so much?”
Elena didn’t move from my grip, but she said stubbornly, “Nothing.”
“Then why are you clutching your arm?”
She dropped her hand suddenly, like it had burned her. Her eyes darted to her upper arm, pain sparking in them, before she snapped her green eyes back to me. “I had a bad dream,” she answered with slightly more honesty this time. “It’s nothing.”
“I disagree that it is nothing. You were crying.”
“Then why aren’t my cheeks wet?”
I almost smiled. “Not with tears, just crying out. Like a little bird.”
That made her roll her eyes. “I’m sure I was,” she said sarcastically. “Babushka would’ve clawed me if I was.”
We both turned to eye the tabby. She was licking her paw, looking relaxed. At our attention, her tail began to sway side to side in irritation.
“Bloody cat,” Elena muttered.
“You two were curled up,” I informed her. “It was very adorable.”
She sniffed. “She was probably judging my size so she could eat me. Like snakes do.” Elena shot Babushka a look as if to warn her from taking a bite.
“I don’t think so,” I swallowed down my laugh. “Babushka is much more of a hunter than a cuddler.”
“Like yourself?”
My cheeks stretched as I smiled. “You know I am very good at both.”
Elena’s cheeks pinkened but she didn’t acknowledge the sudden embarrassment. “Whatever you say.”
“Don’t think you’ve succeeded in distracting me, lyubimaya,” I said. My hand caught a strand of her hair, wrapping it like a ribbon around my finger. She didn’t pull away. “What were you dreaming about?”