Read Online Before I Wake by Kathryn Smith - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kathryn Smith
Ads: Link
Clairol. Good night, Noah.”
“Night, Doc.” He grabbed my hand and squeezed. “Thanks—for everything.”
I nodded and beat a hasty retreat. If I stayed much longer with him talking about my hair and sounding all thankful, I was likely to climb in bed with him. Never mind that it might cost me my pride, it could cost me my career.
And not even a Jensen Ackles, Johnny Depp, and Josh Hartnett sandwich was worth that.
After leaving Noah, I went to the control room where I could watch him sleep and monitor the information detected by the equipment.
I sat down with a coffee. Danny, the night intern brought in a donut from Joe. It was homemade and had been warmed in the microwave in the lounge. My diet didn’t stand a chance. I inhaled it, then licked the remnants from my fingers. Danny didn’t ask about Noah and I didn’t volunteer.
The sugar and caffeine gave me a nice little buzz, but an hour later my eyelids were drooping. The lack of sleep and low blood-sugar levels were catching up with me.
Noah hadn’t shown any kind of unusual activity, so I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes—just for a minute, of course. I am a professional, after all.
The sound of someone crying out in pain brought me to my feet with a startled grunt.
Startled doesn’t begin to describe the rest of it. I looked around at my surroundings, shaking my head as I did so.
“What the…?” My control room was gone. I was in a house—a house that was as alien as it was strangely familiar. The room was large, with a mishmash of furniture—most of which looked comfortable, but hardly used. The whole place was a riot of color with vaulted ceilings and huge, fantastic paintings covering the walls. I didn’t know where I was, but I felt safe there. And I wanted to explore.
I had to be dreaming, but I’d never been so lost in a dream before—except maybe for the one I’d had last night. I didn’t know this place at all, and I always knew my dreams.
I moved forward, around a rich, wine-colored sofa. I hadn’t made it very far when I saw him.
“Noah?”
He was on the floor in the Spider-Man pants, struggling to lift his upper body. His arms visibly shook with the effort, the muscles straining beneath his golden skin. His chest and ribs—even his back—were bruised.
I dropped to my knees beside him, my hands instinctively positioned on his trunk to help him stand. His skin was clammy beneath my palms.
“Noah, are you okay?”
“Dawn?” He’d never called me by name before. “What are you doing here?”
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly, but I was willing to bet that neither of us was awake, at least not in the traditional sense.
“Put your arm around me.”
For once I was glad of my size. I could help Noah to his feet without hurting myself.
“Hello, Little Light.”
I knew that voice. A man walked toward me. I watched, my hands still placed protectively around Noah, as he came forward. I knew he was who hurt Noah and had been stalking his dreams.
And then I saw his face. It was the same bastard who had raped me.
“Who are you?” I demanded, indignation and anger overshadowing everything else. “Where are we?”
The man looked around. “We are in a place of his making.” He pointed at Noah. “Ask him where you are.”
“My dream,” Noah replied, shooting me a frown. “How can you be in my dream?”
I ignored the question. “What did you do to him?”
The Dreamkin shrugged. “I might have broken him. I’m glad I didn’t. I have use for him.”
My heart raced, but I tried to ignore my rising panic. Noah was going to be okay. I didn’t care what I had to do, or what happened, but Noah was going to be all right.
The dream thing kept talking, “Your name means ‘awakening.’ Did you know that? You were named for your aunt Eos, I suppose.”
I frowned. His voice gave me the wiggins. “Who are—”
Suddenly, he was standing right in front of me. He grinned. “Told you I was
“Night, Doc.” He grabbed my hand and squeezed. “Thanks—for everything.”
I nodded and beat a hasty retreat. If I stayed much longer with him talking about my hair and sounding all thankful, I was likely to climb in bed with him. Never mind that it might cost me my pride, it could cost me my career.
And not even a Jensen Ackles, Johnny Depp, and Josh Hartnett sandwich was worth that.
After leaving Noah, I went to the control room where I could watch him sleep and monitor the information detected by the equipment.
I sat down with a coffee. Danny, the night intern brought in a donut from Joe. It was homemade and had been warmed in the microwave in the lounge. My diet didn’t stand a chance. I inhaled it, then licked the remnants from my fingers. Danny didn’t ask about Noah and I didn’t volunteer.
The sugar and caffeine gave me a nice little buzz, but an hour later my eyelids were drooping. The lack of sleep and low blood-sugar levels were catching up with me.
Noah hadn’t shown any kind of unusual activity, so I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes—just for a minute, of course. I am a professional, after all.
The sound of someone crying out in pain brought me to my feet with a startled grunt.
Startled doesn’t begin to describe the rest of it. I looked around at my surroundings, shaking my head as I did so.
“What the…?” My control room was gone. I was in a house—a house that was as alien as it was strangely familiar. The room was large, with a mishmash of furniture—most of which looked comfortable, but hardly used. The whole place was a riot of color with vaulted ceilings and huge, fantastic paintings covering the walls. I didn’t know where I was, but I felt safe there. And I wanted to explore.
I had to be dreaming, but I’d never been so lost in a dream before—except maybe for the one I’d had last night. I didn’t know this place at all, and I always knew my dreams.
I moved forward, around a rich, wine-colored sofa. I hadn’t made it very far when I saw him.
“Noah?”
He was on the floor in the Spider-Man pants, struggling to lift his upper body. His arms visibly shook with the effort, the muscles straining beneath his golden skin. His chest and ribs—even his back—were bruised.
I dropped to my knees beside him, my hands instinctively positioned on his trunk to help him stand. His skin was clammy beneath my palms.
“Noah, are you okay?”
“Dawn?” He’d never called me by name before. “What are you doing here?”
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly, but I was willing to bet that neither of us was awake, at least not in the traditional sense.
“Put your arm around me.”
For once I was glad of my size. I could help Noah to his feet without hurting myself.
“Hello, Little Light.”
I knew that voice. A man walked toward me. I watched, my hands still placed protectively around Noah, as he came forward. I knew he was who hurt Noah and had been stalking his dreams.
And then I saw his face. It was the same bastard who had raped me.
“Who are you?” I demanded, indignation and anger overshadowing everything else. “Where are we?”
The man looked around. “We are in a place of his making.” He pointed at Noah. “Ask him where you are.”
“My dream,” Noah replied, shooting me a frown. “How can you be in my dream?”
I ignored the question. “What did you do to him?”
The Dreamkin shrugged. “I might have broken him. I’m glad I didn’t. I have use for him.”
My heart raced, but I tried to ignore my rising panic. Noah was going to be okay. I didn’t care what I had to do, or what happened, but Noah was going to be all right.
The dream thing kept talking, “Your name means ‘awakening.’ Did you know that? You were named for your aunt Eos, I suppose.”
I frowned. His voice gave me the wiggins. “Who are—”
Suddenly, he was standing right in front of me. He grinned. “Told you I was
Similar Books
