Free Vaalbara; Visions & Shadows by Michelle Horst Page A

he could see my face. The blanket fell away from me. I wanted to yank it back up to cover myself, but I also didn’t want him to see how insecure I felt with the moonlight illuminating a sports bra, of all things. Crap!
    “I am so sorry if I did something wrong.” His eyes pleaded with mine.
    “You were perfect,” I practically cried. “I just d-don’t want you to th-think th-that I’m… you know.”
    That lazy smile snuck across Ryan’s face.
    “I d-don’t want you t-to th-think th-that I go around...” I had to let him know that this was a first for me. He had to know that I didn’t do this with just any guy. Damn, why was it so hard to tell him I was a virgin?
    “What I’m t-trying t-to say is th-that I d-don’t want you t-to have the wrong impression of me. Th-this was a f-first for me.” I took a deep breath. “Th-there.”
    Ryan pulled me down until my head rested on his chest. I listened to his thudding heartbeat and smiled, happy that I wasn’t the only one who may flat line at any moment.
    “That is what makes me feel so bad. I went too far, and—”
    I placed my fingers on his lips to stop him from talking. “You made my first kiss very special. Thank you for that.”
    Ryan hugged me to him, his hand tracing patterns on my shoulder. “I am incredibly honored that I was your first.” He kissed my forehead. “Sweet dreams, my Princess. Tomorrow is a big day.”
    “Sweet dreams.” I’d never felt so light and free as I fell asleep in my guardian’s arms.
     

 
     
     
     
    Chapter Three
    The Return Home
    They say, ‘home is where the heart is’.
    Then why is it my heart was lost along the way?
     
    I was standing in a foreign city. People were screaming in a language I couldn’t understand. Everyone was running around, with no real direction, rushing to find a safe place.
                  I could feel their fear, their hopelessness, and their utter dread. There were dead faces - some burned to charcoal - staring up at me from the pavement while a cloud of ash rained down from a nightmarish sky. 
    I looked around to see what it was they were all running from.  Was it another 9-11 attack?
    My lungs battled to draw in air, choking on the last breath of ash I’d just inhaled. I was so shocked by what I saw, I couldn’t even cough. The stench of rotten eggs filled the air. Above us were dark, evil clouds - a mass of swirling blackness where the edges were dark red fading into the brightest yellow. The heavens were on fire.
    I was caught in the middle of a volcanic eruption! The ground shook beneath my feet as a deafening growl erupted from the volcano, followed by a torrent of molten rocks and lava being spewed everywhere.
    I turned to run but got nowhere. Something hit me so hard in the chest it threw me backwards, and I was suddenly lying on the ground; my chest felt as if it’d been torn open.
    “Alchera! Awo…No!” Someone fell over me. His face came at me through the fog of ash.
    “Aislinn? Aislinn, wake up!” Ryan’s voice broke through the mist. I could feel him shaking me. His face began to come into focus, as I registered the worried expression beaming in his eyes. “Everything is all right. There is no volcano. It was only a dream.”
    I sat straight up in bed; the moonlight from the window illuminated my fear. I knew I had to answer him but I could only stare at his face.
    “What did you dream? Was it a dream?” Ryan shook me lightly.
    “What? I’m sorry.” I shook my head, trying to get rid of the leftover haziness. That was when his last question sunk in. Why would he ask if it was a dream?
    “What happened?” Ryan’s voice was tense, his eyes willing me to speak.
    I felt like I was on automatic pilot. “I’m sorry.”
    “Stop apologizing,” he said angrily. “You are pale and shaking all over.”
    “I’m okay. It’s nothing. Just another nightmare.” Crap, how could I explain the contents of my dreams? And why was he so interested?