All the Wrong Reasons

Part 46

Chapter 46

Cassandra attempted to open her eyes, but nothing happened.  It felt as if someone had sealed her lids shut, as if someone was trying to keep her from looking at the outside world.  Panic clawed at her.  Why couldn't she open her eyes?  Worse, were they open without her realizing it?  That could not happen though, could it?  If her eyes were open, would she not be able to feel it?

A whimper escaped her lips as the panic turned into terror.  Where was she?  What was happening?  Questions flew through her mind, too fast for her to keep track of them all.  The last thing she had remembered was lying on the warm ground.  Will was beside her, trying to blanket her from the harm the fire would cause.  She wanted to push him away from her and demand that she should be the one to take care of him.  Instead, her body had relaxed.  It had accepted the fact that she was not in any shape to demand anything. 

Now, though, she knew she was not in the cabin no longer.  Smoke did not waft around her, but the effects he bestowed upon her were still there.  Her throat felt scratchy and any attempt to swallow caused pain to radiate.  The signs were there, she knew what had happened.  She had almost suffocated from the smoke.  It had filled her lungs, making the air she usually breathed flee.  It would have been a horrible way to die, if someone had not saved her.

Who was it that had pulled her out of the fiery cabin?  Who had saved her life when she thought that it was the end?  A cold hand touched her cheek, and she got her answer.  There was no one's touch that she could recognize as well as his.  His fingers trailed across her cheekbone, down her nose, and to her lips, where they stayed.  His touch whispered across her bottom lip, snagging on the crackled dryness that marred it.

"Cassie," a voice whispered.  Anger, pain, and sadness were echoed in that voice.  She did not understand the emotions, but she knew the voice.  Struggling, she attempted to say his name, to let him know that she heard.  Nothing escaped her lips; she could not even muster up another whimper as she had earlier.

"Cassie, just listen.  I know you can do that.  Peirce is getting help, but I need you to get better.  Do you understand me?  I need you, Cassie."

Something wet dropped onto her cheeks before Colin mumbled a curse.  If she had been able to, she would have laughed at the man.  Showing emotions wasn't something that he liked to do. 

"Do not forget Cooper, either.  Do you think the lad will enjoy seeing you this way?  You are his mother, as far as he is concerned.  Children do not like to realize that their parents are not as strong as they think.  Do you want Cooper to realize that you are human, that you could die on him at any moment?"

She wanted to lash out at him.  Why would he say such things?  He knew that she would never want the lad to worry over her, would never want him to shed tears because he thought she would not wake.  If she could open her eyes, she would.  If she could lift her hand and smack Colin, she would, but her body was immobile.  Neither her hand nor her eyelids wanted to lift.  It seemed as if they were content to stay as they were.

"You are not going to fight?  The Cassie that I know would wake up.  She would want to see, with her own eyes, how William is faring.  She would want to know what happened to the man who held her captive."

Cassandra admitted to herself that she wanted those questions answered.  She wanted to ask about James, to see William, but she couldn't.  Did Colin not understand that she wanted too?  Frustration flowed through her.  Why did she have to be so weak?  Why did she just lie there on the ground when there were things to be done?  If her mind was working, her body should be working also.

His hand moved away from her as sounds echoed through the night.  She felt more than heard, his body leave her side.  "What is that?" he asked.

A voice she recognized as Ramsey's answered, "Something to move their bodies with."