Chapter 18

DELLA

"You are going to give us what we want or we'll take it away from you!"

I was running through the woods in my nightmare. Something terrible was running behind me. I could sense the way it wanted to harm me. The dark whispers followed as I ran. Suddenly there seemed to be too many trees and I couldn't breathe as I pushed through the thick firs. There was no way out. I could feel its breath right behind me. An earsplitting scream broke out from somewhere in the dark and my throat constricted with panic.

"Della!" Hunt shouted and I jerked awake at the sound of his voice. He was beside me, gripping my arms and I couldn't help the hot tears that rushed down my cheeks.

"They...they were going to kill me," I pushed him back as I sat up, my hands trembled uncontrollably.

"I saw your dream. I don't know what it means, but I won't let any harm come to you," he said in a husky voice. But even though he tried to hide it, I could sense the fear in him too.

"The