Her scream ripped free.
"P… please… d-don't hurt me," she begged, terror so intense it paralyzed her. Her lungs burned. It felt as though a massive weight was pressing down on her chest, crushing the air from her.
"Remember my name," he whispered mockingly.
"Remember Bastien in your nightmares."
She felt his claws scrape against her skin.
"NO!"
The scream tore her awake.
Sofía bolted upright in bed, gasping violently, her lungs dragging in air as if she'd been underwater. Sweat drenched her skin. Her hair clung to her face, wild and tangled.
She flinched when a hand touched her arm.
Her terrified blue eyes met Corinne's brown ones.
Relief crashed over her in a sob as she threw herself forward, wrapping Corinne in a bone-crushing embrace while her gaze darted wildly around the room, still half-lost in the nightmare.
Corinne held her tightly, murmuring soft reassurances.
"It was just a bad dream… you're safe."
