Chapter 245: The Dark Memory

Vivian’s POV

A sudden scream shattered the quiet night air sharp, desperate, and completely raw.

I jerked straight upright in the bed, my heart pounding wildly against my ribs like a trapped drum, and caught Zahliver doing the exact same thing beside me. Our eyes locked for a split second, silently asking each other if everything was okay. Then another piercing scream tore through the house but it definitely was not coming from either of us.

Without a single moment of hesitation, Zahliver bolted straight out of the bed like a flash of lightning. Panic flooded my chest instantly as I scrambled out right after him, my eyes wide with fear. The terrible sound was coming from down the hall, directly from Joshula’s guest room a sound that honestly tore straight through my soul. It was the agonizing cry of a man drowning in unbearable pain, trapped deep inside the torment of a terrible nightmare.

When we finally reached his closed door, Zahliver suddenly froze in his tracks, his face turning into a pale mask of sheer despair and fear. His entire body seemed completely rooted to the spot, as if invisible, heavy chains were holding him right there in the hallway. Over on the bed, Joshula was writhing violently, his eyes squeezed tightly shut and his fists clenched so hard they were white, his horrific screams cutting right through the quiet room.

I knew immediately what was happening: he was trapped inside a vicious nightmare, totally lost in a dark place that I could not reach. Zahliver looked completely helpless, utterly unsure of what he should do next. So, pushing gently past him, I edged closer to the bed with cautious steps.

You never, ever physically shake someone who has recently come back from the dead while they are caught in the middle of a bad nightmare. That was a strict rule I had learned the hard way in the past.

I quickly grabbed one of the soft pillows scattered on the floor one that Joshula must have thrown during his torment and gripped it tightly in my hands. Joshula’s face was glistening heavily with cold sweat, his features horribly twisted in agony, and he let out another loud, agonizing shriek.

"Joshula!" I shouted loudly, throwing the pillow right at his head with everything I had.

It was a risky gamble, but I desperately hoped it would break through the darkness.

The exact second the pillow made contact, Joshula’s hands snapped out like sharp claws, ripping viciously into the fabric with teeth that looked far sharper than I ever expected. His eyes snapped wide open, but they were not his familiar, deep green color anymore. Instead, a fierce, dark mustard-yellow glowed ominously in the dim room, burning with pure, unadulterated hatred.

I gasped out loud in shock. His wild eyes locked straight onto mine, looking utterly terrifying.

Zahliver was instantly standing directly in front of me, half-crouched defensively, every single muscle in his body tense and ready either to protect me or to fight for his life.

Joshula suddenly stopped tearing the pillow apart, spat a piece of white stuffing out of his mouth, closed his eyes tightly, and took a long, deep, shaky breath. When he finally opened his eyes again, the soft green color had returned though he looked deeply tired and worn out. He raised a trembling hand, running his fingers slowly through his damp hair, a movement that made Zahliver flinch slightly beside me.

"I sincerely apologize for causing such a disturbance," Joshula said quietly, shaking his head back and forth as if he were desperately trying to shake off the lingering grip of the nightmare. "I seem to have just had a... bad dream," he added, a hollow, fake chuckle escaping his lips as his eyes nervously settled on Zahliver.

I could not shake the heavy feeling in my gut that maybe it should have been me standing there out in front, crouched and vulnerable, instead of Zahliver taking the brunt of the risk.

"Are you actually okay?" Zahliver asked after a long moment of silence, stepping forward very hesitantly, his voice heavily threaded with uncertainty.

Joshula’s quick response of "Yes" came far too fast, his physical body still trembling slightly. His smile looked much too calm, way too forced, and his wide eyes betrayed him completely.

"What actually happened? What were you dreaming about to make you sound like you were dying over there?" I asked softly, taking a careful step to stand just behind Zahliver’s left shoulder.

Joshula’s eyes darted quickly around the dark room, stubbornly avoiding our gazes. "I honestly do not remember the details. It completely slipped my conscious mind the second I woke up," he replied far too quickly to ever sound genuine. His strong jaw tightened hard, and I could instantly sense that he desperately wanted us to leave him alone. Zahliver must have caught onto that vibe too.

"Is there anything at all that we can do to help you right now?" Zahliver asked gently.

"Not right now, thank you," Joshula said tightly through thin, pursed lips.

"Alright then. We will just leave you to get some more rest," Zahliver said with a heavy, troubled sigh, worry clearly written all over his face.

"Thank you," Joshula murmured quietly.

We slowly turned around to head back toward the door, but right at that moment, his hand shot out with surprising speed, gripping my wrist tightly. A cold, numbing sensation instantly traveled straight up my arm, causing goosebumps to erupt across my skin. I looked down at him, feeling deeply surprised and uneasy.

Zahliver paused right at the bedroom door, his hand resting on the brass handle. He glanced back anxiously at Joshula with a questioning look before finally pulling the door open and stepping out into the hall.

The heavy, suffocating silence that followed felt like the crushing weight of everything they had left completely unsaid between them.

Joshula’s voice dropped low, but it sounded surprisingly firm as he spoke up. "I would actually like a moment alone with you, Vivian, if that is alright with you."

I frowned deeply, glancing down at him in total confusion. What on earth could he possibly have to say to me in private that he did not want his own brother to hear?

Zahliver held our combined gazes for what felt like an absolute eternity, then slowly nodded his head, his jaw locked tight as he quietly pulled the door shut behind him.

The exact second I heard Zahliver’s heavy footsteps fading away down the hallway, Joshula turned his full, undivided attention back to me. His hand closed gently but firmly around my wrist again, an unexpected pressure that made my inner wolf instantly bristle up and curl her upper lip in a silent, warning growl. My human beast mirrored that exact same sharp sense of unease and physical alertness.

I quickly pulled my hand free from his grasp, watching closely as he stared down at his now empty hand, flexing and then clenching his fingers thoughtfully before looking back up into my eyes.

"So, you wanted to talk about something?" I asked cautiously, still trying hard to figure out the strange, twisting tension vibrating in the air between us.

"Yes, I did," he whispered softly.

I blinked in surprise. "Why on earth are you whispering like that?"

"Because if Zahliver happens to hear us, I simply do not want him to," Joshula said quietly again, leaning in just a fraction. I could not help the nervous laugh that slipped out of my mouth.

"All of the rooms in this house are magically soundproof," I explained patiently, offering him a reassuring grin. "Zahliver specifically did not want anyone overhearing private conversations, so he had the builders seal every room tight."

I suddenly remembered chuckling out loud the very first time Zahliver had explained that little feature to me, but now, having actually lived in this house for a while, I completely understood why it was necessary. Sometimes, just being in a crowded place like Hannah’s old house gave me massive headaches because I could hear every single little noise from both inside and outside the walls. Zahliver could probably pick up our whispered voices right now if he truly focused hard on it, but doing so would require all of his concentration something much easier said than done when you are tired.

"Is that actually true?" Joshula sounded genuinely surprised, his interest suddenly piqued.

"Yeah, it really is," I said, curiosity once again nudging me forward. "So, come on what is it that you desperately wanted to talk to me about?"

His expression darkened, and his voice dropped down into a deadly seriousness. "It is about my dream."

"You mean the nightmare you just woke up screaming from?" I frowned, a tight knot forming in my stomach.

"No. It was not just a regular dream. It was a clear memory."

A wave of cold dread instantly settled deep in my stomach. I already had a terrible feeling about what was coming next, but I forced myself to ask the question anyway.

"A memory of what?"

"The exact day that Zahliver brutally killed me." His spoken words came out as barely a whisper.