of him. “It is okay, Skye. I’m not going to hurt you.”
This person was instantly an enemy and I was ready to attack if need be. I curiously sniffed at the familiar air between us before the person took another step toward me. I immediately crouched down, my body going on the defensive, as I hissed fiercely in warning.
“Skye,” the man whispered. “It’s Archer. I’m not going to hurt you, love. I heard you moving around and came to see how you were feeling.”
Archer? I tilted my head to the left and right as I studied the man in front of me. Archer… The word meant nothing to me. Hunger pains coursed through me anew and I whimpered slightly. I sniffed at him again and determined he wasn’t food. He didn’t smell appetizing to me; he didn’t smell as good as the blood on my hands had smelled. I brought my fingers to my mouth again and shamelessly sucked on my index finger. It tasted horrible, old, stale, and cold. I cringed at the taste and instantly spit it out.
“Are you okay?” Archer asked cautiously. “I know this is confusing for you, but I will explain everything. Just talk to me. Tell me you’re okay. Do you remember me? What’s my name, Skye?”
His words drew my attention away from my hand and I stared at the man in front of me again. I studied him closely as I sniffed the air between us once more. Something about him was very familiar and I thought hard. I closed my eyes as fuzzy images suddenly flashed before me. “I’ll never hurt you again, Skye.”
“Archer,” I plucked from my mind in a low growl as I opened my eyes. I stood out of my defensive stance as my body calmed and my muscles relaxed somewhat. I somehow knew him on a deep level and I slowly, bravely inched my way up to him as I studied his ruggedly handsome face. I took in his arctic blue eyes, days old stubble, rumpled dress shirt and slacks, and messy brown hair with amazing visual clarity. I traced the line of his jaw and the curve of his lips gently with one bloody finger as I stared; each tiny, enhanced detail seemingly new to me. I quickly leaned in and buried my face in the hollow of his neck, causing his body to stiffen cautiously, as I took a deep breath in. He smelled like whiskey, leather, the sun and musky cologne.
“Drakkar Noir,” I rasped involuntarily before I took a step back. The visions of my memories suddenly made sense to me as the weird, confusing fog began to lift. “Archer?” I asked, my voice losing the growl and returning to normal.
“Oh thank God,” he closed his eyes and sighed in relief as he hurriedly drew me to his chest. He hugged me tightly as I tentatively lifted my arms and hugged him back. “I was so afraid we had lost you. I didn’t know if the change took or which side you’d come out on.”
“Side?” I whispered against his warm chest, letting myself sink into his comforting arms. “Change? I-I don’t understand. What’s happening to me? Why did I wake up in a coffin?”
“Shhh,” he gently shushed me as he drew back to look me over. “There’s plenty of time to answer your questions, baby. Let me get a good look at you.”
He stood at arm’s length and I held still as his eyes roamed my body. “Wow,” he whispered as he studied my body. “You are so gorgeous…but you smell horrible.”
His statement offended me and I felt a low growl sound again at the back of my throat. I gasped when I realized I did it and covered my mouth with my hand, embarrassed. “Sorry.”
Archer looked into my eyes as he chuckled lightly. Concern suddenly flashed across his face as his laughter immediately died. “Uh, there’s something you should probably see,” he said carefully.
“What?” I asked worriedly. “What’s wrong?”
“Your eyes…” he whispered.
I turned, panicked, and flashed from the room. I need a mirror! I was shocked to find myself in the
This person was instantly an enemy and I was ready to attack if need be. I curiously sniffed at the familiar air between us before the person took another step toward me. I immediately crouched down, my body going on the defensive, as I hissed fiercely in warning.
“Skye,” the man whispered. “It’s Archer. I’m not going to hurt you, love. I heard you moving around and came to see how you were feeling.”
Archer? I tilted my head to the left and right as I studied the man in front of me. Archer… The word meant nothing to me. Hunger pains coursed through me anew and I whimpered slightly. I sniffed at him again and determined he wasn’t food. He didn’t smell appetizing to me; he didn’t smell as good as the blood on my hands had smelled. I brought my fingers to my mouth again and shamelessly sucked on my index finger. It tasted horrible, old, stale, and cold. I cringed at the taste and instantly spit it out.
“Are you okay?” Archer asked cautiously. “I know this is confusing for you, but I will explain everything. Just talk to me. Tell me you’re okay. Do you remember me? What’s my name, Skye?”
His words drew my attention away from my hand and I stared at the man in front of me again. I studied him closely as I sniffed the air between us once more. Something about him was very familiar and I thought hard. I closed my eyes as fuzzy images suddenly flashed before me. “I’ll never hurt you again, Skye.”
“Archer,” I plucked from my mind in a low growl as I opened my eyes. I stood out of my defensive stance as my body calmed and my muscles relaxed somewhat. I somehow knew him on a deep level and I slowly, bravely inched my way up to him as I studied his ruggedly handsome face. I took in his arctic blue eyes, days old stubble, rumpled dress shirt and slacks, and messy brown hair with amazing visual clarity. I traced the line of his jaw and the curve of his lips gently with one bloody finger as I stared; each tiny, enhanced detail seemingly new to me. I quickly leaned in and buried my face in the hollow of his neck, causing his body to stiffen cautiously, as I took a deep breath in. He smelled like whiskey, leather, the sun and musky cologne.
“Drakkar Noir,” I rasped involuntarily before I took a step back. The visions of my memories suddenly made sense to me as the weird, confusing fog began to lift. “Archer?” I asked, my voice losing the growl and returning to normal.
“Oh thank God,” he closed his eyes and sighed in relief as he hurriedly drew me to his chest. He hugged me tightly as I tentatively lifted my arms and hugged him back. “I was so afraid we had lost you. I didn’t know if the change took or which side you’d come out on.”
“Side?” I whispered against his warm chest, letting myself sink into his comforting arms. “Change? I-I don’t understand. What’s happening to me? Why did I wake up in a coffin?”
“Shhh,” he gently shushed me as he drew back to look me over. “There’s plenty of time to answer your questions, baby. Let me get a good look at you.”
He stood at arm’s length and I held still as his eyes roamed my body. “Wow,” he whispered as he studied my body. “You are so gorgeous…but you smell horrible.”
His statement offended me and I felt a low growl sound again at the back of my throat. I gasped when I realized I did it and covered my mouth with my hand, embarrassed. “Sorry.”
Archer looked into my eyes as he chuckled lightly. Concern suddenly flashed across his face as his laughter immediately died. “Uh, there’s something you should probably see,” he said carefully.
“What?” I asked worriedly. “What’s wrong?”
“Your eyes…” he whispered.
I turned, panicked, and flashed from the room. I need a mirror! I was shocked to find myself in the