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The chills that went up his spine turned to daggers of fear He didn’t knohat the hell she was talking about, but he had heard enough about her over the years that he couldn’t ignore it

He grimaced painfully, then stepped back into his roo to the door that connected to Dawn’s room And, of course, it was unlocked She could lock the hall door, but she just had to leave this one unlocked

He stepped into the dark roo what met his eyes She lay on her bed, stiff and still, her breathing harsh and heavy as s heavily, her body jerking

And so broke inside him, because he knehere she was, he knehat dreams had stolen her and why Cassie was so concerned now

“Dawn,” he whispered her name as he moved to the side of the bed and sat doarily

He didn’t want to frighten her, didn’t want to htmares worse But God damn it if he could stand to see her this way

“Dawn, baby, wake up” He reached out and realized his hand was shaking as he touched her hair then and had to clench his hands to keep fro her

“Oh God Oh God Oh please God…save uttural, tight, pain-filled sighs, a breath of sound, nothing more

“Dawn! Wake up!” he snapped, raising his voice, suddenly terrified

Her eyes flew open She stared at the ceiling, her breathing harsh, her pupils dilated and she jerked as though atte to free herself

It hurt hi for air He reached out and gripped her shoulders, unable to stop, breaking apart inside at the fear on her face, and pulled her to his chest

“Dawn, please, baby Please wake up” He held her head to his chest, his head bent over hers, and he wanted to cry He wanted to kill He wanted to spill the blood of the bastards who had dared to hurt her this way

“I’h growls as her hands jerked up and gripped his forearh freezing “I’m okay”

But he wasn’t He buried his face in her hair and held on to her He couldn’t let her go God help hiainst his chest—that was all he wanted Right now, just this

“Did I screaan to shake harder “Please, did I scream?”