I feel him, grabbing my wrists. I'm not sure where I am. Probably still inside the chapel. However, my legs are getting weak, and my head is hurting as if it was about to split in two. I want to scream too. I want to scream more. It's so painful...
"Mara. Mara, look at me."
I fight the dizziness and look up. I see him. His ice-blue eye and the white one. He's close, too close. I don't want him so close. My breath shortens, and my head spins again. I know I'm still standing because Liam's holding my wrists in front of me, but my body is falling apart. I hear my own breathing, erratic, and distressed. I can't...
"Mara."
His voice is like a siren calling to me. I fall to my knees, but Liam goes down with me. I have no strength to fight this horrible voice anymore... I hear that screaming, echoing in my head, taking up all that space, and blurring everything else. I can't take it anymore, she's in such distress...
I look up again, fighting my heavy eyelids. I can't let her in now. I need to stay awake... I focus on Liam. Liam Black, the werewolf. He's right here, holding my wrists and waiting for me to calm down. What is that thing thumping in my chest? All I can focus on is him. His face. His fine features, and the way he looks at me. He's worried and cautious. I can tell he's having his own fight too. Something sparks between us. He suddenly avoids my gaze, looking elsewhere, but I need him. I need him to hold me back. If he's not here, I'll...
"Hey, hey! Mara!"
Chapter 8
I hear myself taking deep breaths. I feel like I missed something, there's a blank. Did I lose consciousness for a minute, or a few seconds? With my eyes closed, I try to shut everything else out. I don't want those voices, I don't want those murderous feelings. Leave me alone! ...Why? Why should I feel so angry at everyone else?
It's still there, lurking. I feel the desire to burn something so violently, it's like a monster waking up inside. All my senses are tingling. I struggle to keep it under control, but it's beneath my skin, it's rushing through my veins, giving me shivers and keeping me breathless. Why the headache, why the pain? Where the hell are those screams coming from? I feel like I'm stuck with them echoing from all sides, driving me crazy. It's like an alarm I don't know how to turn off.
"Mara, Mara. Look at me."
I realize I'm crying a bit when I reopen my eyes, and my blurry vision confuses me. Yet, I quickly find the two eyes right in front of me. He's holding my hands, and dangerously close to me. Why is this idiot still here? I can barely control myself right now!
"Don't..." I mutter painfully. "I'll... kill you..."
"I'm not such a pup that you'd kill me so easily."
"I'm a witch," I groan.
Damn it, I have very little self-control right now, and he actually has no sense of danger, does he? Alpha or not, he'll feel it if I burn his pretty ass! I groan again, the headache getting somewhat worse. I need to breathe, ignore it, and control it. I can't endure this crap for too long.
"Mara, what is it doing to you? Tell me."
Why does he care now? He was barely willing to talk earlier!
"It's those... voices..."
"Voices? What do they tell you?"
"I don't know!" I lie. "It just screams..."
I struggle to get out of his grip, but he's stronger than he looks. His hands firmly hold mine and when I want to retreat, he won't let go. What the heck, he was the one who didn't want to stay too close, did that change now? I shake my head, avoiding his eyes, but the voices just become stronger. What the heck is that thing, and why is it reacting now? It only happened when I was upset before, but now, these voices are going nuts over nothing!
"Mara."
"Please, just... shut up, give me a minute," I whimper.
"Breathe deep. Focus on my voice to calm down."
"What the... hell are you... saying..."
"You're not the first witch I’ve met, so just listen to me. You ought to control this voice and tell her to shut up. You're the one in control, she cannot force you to do anything you don't want to. You understand?"
I nod, but it's easier said than done! I take deep breaths, and instead of my hearing, I focus on his touch. Liam's skin is warm on my hand and wrist. He's got large but thin hands, holding me strongly. I feel that strange spark again, though I can't quite understand that feeling. I don't want to kill this man. I... I think I need him.
"Keep talking," I beg him.
"What does the voice tell you?"
