Page 65 of Wicked Thirst
Grayson pressed his hands to the sides of his head and pulled at his hair. “LIES!”
“Return my Dracinda to me.” He sounded like he smirked as he spoke. “And I will free you to return to your life.”
I sucked in a sharp breath. Who was this Dracinda? And who was this voice with enough power to free Grayson from this hell? I wanted to yell that he would do it, that he would do anything to be free, but there was no yelling out to a voice I wasn’t meant to hear. How could I answer for him? There was more murmuring and I lost the voice’s words for a second. I knew he was talking to Gray in that enticing voice, yet I couldn’t make it out.
Grayson shook his head. “Titus would never.”
Why? Why wouldn’t he take the deal? I wanted him back so badly it hurt. I reached out to him, trying to move closer, wanting to wrap my arms around him. But I couldn’t move. I was trapped here just yearning for a moment of clarity with him. Here he was lucid, here he was himself, here he was perfect. If I could just get to him and make him see me, I could tell him not to lose hope and that we were all working on it. He just had to hold on a bit longer.
“Grayson, please.” A ball formed in my throat, and I fought the urge to cry.
His head snapped up. “Piper, are you there?”
He took a step toward me, and for a moment I swore he looked me in the eye. I stared at those deep mahogany depths, feeling grief take a hold deep in my chest. We were so close yet so far from each other. “I’m here.”
“Where, love?” He spun in a circle, searching me out once more, but we were divided by some kind of force. I couldn't help but think how ironic it was that we’d just gotten each other only to be torn apart again.So close yet so far would soon become our motto.
A hand wrapped around my upper arm and squeezed. “Come on. We have to go.” Morpheus’ skin looked paler than before, and he pressed a fist to his mouth.
I jerked my arm, but his grip was too tight. “No, it’s not enough time.”
“It’s never enough, cupcake.” Before I could argue, we were moving again, soaring through the world at a blinding speed.
“What the hell? Go back.” I tried to fight, but I was not in control of this ride.
He shook his head. “Can't.”
I opened my mouth to say something else, but he just narrowed his eyes at me and snapped his fingers. With that one snap, I sat straight up in bed, shooting up so fast I made myself dizzy. I kicked my legs over the side and turned to face Morpheus. “How dare you!?”
He hunched over the side of his bed and vomited all over the floor. “I couldn’t.”
The door to the room flew open as Zinnia, Tuck, Astrid, and Beckett raced into the room. Beckett chuckled as he leaned over Morpheus. “How was your trip through Maze land?”
Morpheus gagged and hunched over, trying to suck in a breath. “Never.” He heaved. “Ever.” He gagged. “Again.”
Tucker raised his eyebrows. “That bad?”
“Chaos.” He waved us away as he flopped back on the bed out of breath and sweating. “Utter chaos.”
“Serves you right.” Even Astrid couldn’t hide her amusement.
“Be gone with you.” His words sounded like a threat, but the fact he still hadn’t moved and his body quaked with each breath he took made me think he couldn’t do anything at this very moment.
“Poor Maze,” I whispered as I rose to my feet and threw the sheet back on the tiny bed with all the annoyance I felt.
“Poor Maze?” Morpheus swung his gaze toward me. “No, poor me.”
“Like she said, serves you right.” Zinnia hooked her arm with mine. "Did you get what we need?”
I wasn’t sure, but I got a strong dose of my soulmate for far too short of a time. “I don’t know, but I got a name, and I think that’s something we can start with. If I had more time, then I might’ve gotten further, but dreamwalker here showed up and pulled me out.”
“You’ve been gone for some time.” Astrid wrinkled her nose at Morpheus as he groaned and curled into the fetal position.
“How long?” Panic assailed my body. Please don’t let it be too long.
Zinnia hesitated. “Two days.
“WHAT? Atlas will be?—”
