Chapter 32: What Lies Beneath

FAYE

I saw him. A face pulled back in a snarl so animalistic that I shivered in fear. His canines were long, curving out of his mouth. His claws sharp and dripping blood. I followed the trail of blood on the floor to a body.

The body lay facing the sky. Lifeless and… with the chest open. It was missing a heart. The hole in the chest gaping at me.

I drew in a shaky breath, afraid of what I would find, but dragging my eyes up to the face still.

My face. That was me lying on the ground.

I woke with a start. The fast gallop of my heartbeat coming to a slow stop as I realized it was just a bad dream.

Sunbeams from the window blinds hit my eyes, waking me from sleep fully. I raised my hand to shield my eyes, wincing at the pain when I tried bringing my arm up. My ribs still ached too. My throat felt raw and abrasive.

It was weird how I'd slept. I hadn't felt the pain in my sleep, but it was hitting me now.

The nightmare had to be remnants of last night's unfortunate events; I kne