Awakening by Catrina Burgess

large gilded mirror over the top. And a bay window had
drapes down to the floor covered in the same flowers as the
dresser. It was a comfortable room, but definitely a girly
one.
    There was a knock on the
door.
    “ Come in,” I said making
myself comfortable on the edge of the bed.
    Luke stood in the doorway his arms
full of blankets and sheets. He pushed them into my arms and made a
quick retreat.
    “ Goodnight,” I called to
his retreating back.
    He lifted his arm in
acknowledgement, but never turned back. I watched him close the
door behind him.
    Light was streaming in the
window. My body ached, and I knew I needed sleep, but my mind
refused to turn off. Images of the look on Darla’s face as the man
grabbed her and pinned her to the ground kept popping into my
head.
    The room was chilly, so I pulled on a
blue sweater. I walked over and opened the door, hoping some of the
heat from the fireplace would make its way into the room. I forced
myself to lie down and pulled a large white fluffy comforter over
myself. I closed my eyes, but as I did, more images started to fill
my mind. My father laying dead on the floor, my mother’s lifeless
eyes staring up at me.
    Needing to get away from the horrific
images, I got up. I wrapped my arms around myself for warmth as I
went back into the living room.
    Luke was lying on the
couch.
    “ Are you asleep?” I
asked.
    He sat up. “What’s wrong?”
    “ I don’t want to sleep
alone. I’m still kind of freaked out.” I was scared, as much as I
hated admitting it.
    His eyes widened for a moment and then
he pushed the covers off and got up. He was shirtless in a pair of
gray sweats.
    “I’m sorry…”
    He interrupted me before I could
continue. “It’s cold in here, go back into the bedroom and I’ll be
there in a second. I’m going to put another log on the
fire.”
    I made my way back into
bed, and a few minutes later he came in and settled down next to
me. I turned toward him and he opened his arms. I laid my head down
on his chest. He felt warm, and I finally felt safe.
    His hands started to caress
my hair. “Sleep. I’m here. Everything is fine. Go to
sleep.”
    I fell asleep listening to the sound
of his heartbeat.
    * * * *
    When I woke he was coming back into
the room, a cup full of something steaming in his hand. His hair
was wet and sleeked back.
    “ What time is it?” I asked,
holding back a yawn.
    “ Just after ten thirty. We
should get ready and get going.”
    I looked out the window and
was surprised to see it was dark out. “Ten at night?”
    “ You slept twelve
hours.”
    I had actually slept
soundly for the first time since the whole
nightmare had begun. “Did you get any sleep?”
    He took a sip from the cup. He looked
tired. “Some,” he answered. “Do you want to eat something before we
go?”
    I shook my head. I was too nervous.
The very thought of the ritual made my stomach queasy.
    “ It’s cold out. You’d
better wear something warm.”
    I looked out the window. “We’re
heading out there?”
    “ Yes. It will take us about
fifteen minutes to get to the cemetery.”
    I sat stunned at the word. Cemetery.
We were heading out to do the ritual in the cemetery.
    “ Are you okay?” he
asked.
    I forced myself to sit up and swung my
legs over the bed. “Yeah, just great.”
    “ You don’t have to do
this.”
    I raised my chin and looked him in the
eyes. “We both know I do.”
    “ Don’t take too long
getting ready. We need to be out the door soon.”
    “ The ritual begins at
midnight?”
    “ Yes, we have to get there
and then get things set up.” He was watching me, his expression one
I couldn’t read.
    I forced a smile onto my face. “I
won’t be long.”
    He nodded his head and headed out the
door, shutting it softly behind him.
    He left and the tears
started sliding down my face. I raised trembling hands to my
temples and tried to force myself to calm down. I had wanted to do
this. I had come to the magic shop to be trained