Page 155 of Wicked Villain

“But—”

“Lev, listen to me.”

I do and hang back, signaling for everyone else to leave.

Zoya glances at Gabrielle before closing the door. Only Aleksandr and I remain, watching my wife fighting her invisible monsters, the same ones I promised I’d fight for her.

What could she be dreaming about now? She’s had nightmares before, not night terrors. They are very different. I used to get them. That’s probably how Aleksandr knows how to deal with them, and knows the difference.

“Gabrielle, no!” Gabrielle cries out in the same panicked voice. “Gabrielle, Gabrielle! Please don’t. Gabrielle!”

Something inside me stills. She’s calling for herself.

I’ve never heard of someone calling for themselves in a nightmare before. Usually, people call for others. I glance at Aleksandr. He’s already looking at me with narrowed eyes. He’s thinking the same thing.

Gabrielle starts panting. Her body is shaking. Then her jerky movements subside, and her breathing slows. She seems to calm, although the discomfort is still in her body.

“Go to her,” Aleksandr mutters.

I’m at Gabrielle’s side in a heartbeat. She’s still fast asleep but trembling. When I touch her arm, her eyes open. She stares at me for a few seconds, slowly recognizing me.

“You’re home,” she mumbles.

I cup her face. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

She sits up and glances across the room. On seeing Aleksandr, she instantly freezes up.

“We heard you screaming.” I stroke her cheek, guiding her gaze back to me.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I must’ve had another nightmare.” Her eyes dart from Aleksandr to me.

He makes her nervous.

“I’ll leave you two to talk,” he says, sensing that it’s time for him to go.

I nod toward him and he leaves. The tension in Gabrielle’s face loosens the moment the door closes.

“You sure you’re okay?”

She nods.

“Printsessa, you were calling your own name. Did something different happen?”

Her eyes snap wide and her pulse jumps on the side of her neck. “I… I don’t remember.”

“It’s okay. You don’t need to remember.” I pull her into my arms and hold her. “Need me to fight the monsters for you again?”

She nods and grips my shirt. “Always.”

“Then I always will.” I give her a wink and pull her closer.

She rests her head on my chest and I caress her cheek, savoring the smoothness of her skin, but in my mind, I keep hearing the raw terror in her voice as she called for herself.

I can’t shake the feeling that it means something.

Something more I should know.