Probably they were those things.
Shit. He had gone out in a thunderstorm to get dinner and he had battled, rather mightily and with great skill and energy, that thing that had me, saving me from disappearing like poor Rosa.
Shit!
I gritted my teeth. Then I sucked in breath through my nostrils.
Then I whispered, “Thank you, Noctorno, for dinner and saving me from the vickrants.”
I didn’t want to say it but that didn’t mean it didn’t have to be said.
“Bloody hell,” he whispered back, his voice low and heavy with surprise.
Whatever.
I closed my eyes knowing I’d never get to sleep but hoping I did and when I woke up I would be at home.
Chapter Five
Terms
They had me.
The black, scaly claws were on me, grasping at me, their talons tearing at my nightgown while the thin, veined wings flapped sickeningly. It was pulling me away, pulling me over the balustrade behind Cora and I could hear her shrill, terrified screams mingled with my own.
I jolted awake and bolted out from under the hides. Darting blindly, I ran into the cold, hard stone wall.
“Cora.” I heard.
“Oh my God,” I whispered, pressing myself to the hard stone.
I wasn’t home. Why couldn’t I have woken up at home?
I closed my eyes and felt the tears slide down my cheeks.
“Cora.” I heard again and a warm hand was on the small of my back.
“They almost got me,” I whispered.
“Cora.”
“They got Rosa.”
“Come back to bed.”
“They took her.”
“Cora, come back to bed.”
“They flew away with her and then, poof, she was gone.”
“You’re trembling. Come back to bed.”
“Just like that,” I whispered, my nails clawing at the stone. “She was gone.”
“Cora –”
Noctorno stopped speaking when my breath hitched loudly with a sob.