Closer Heartbeat Novels & Stories

Tyler felt himself getting pushed to the side, away from the man’s heart, which lay unmoving beneath his palm, pulsating weakly, threatening to break free any minute now. The man struggled to breathe beneath him, but Tyler wasn’t about to let go. He needed to keep the hunter where he could hear his heart beat. Tyler closed his eyes, blocking out the sound of rushing blood in his ears and concentrating solely on the hunter’s heartbeat. It beat strongly in his ears, a constant and soothing rhythm that he wanted to capture forever and imprint deep into his memory. The beating gave him courage. He lifted his other hand above his head, ready to crush his enemy’s skull.

His hand caught mine again, anchoring me as the heat rose too fast. “Your pulse is spiking,” he murmured urgently. “Slow your breathing. Match mine.” He leaned closer—his chest brushing my shoulder—and breathed deliberately. Slow. Measured. Steady. I tried to follow but my breath came too fast. “Avel,” I whispered, “I can feel your heartbeat again.” He swallowed. “That’s because you’re tuned to it now.” He brought my hand to his chest, pressing my palm over his heart. His heartbeat thrummed against my skin—strong and deep—a sound and sensation all at once.

I inquired as I gazed into his eyes. The plane shook violently, and we struggled to keep our bodies balanced. Ethan's head was about to strike the side table when I noticed it was going to happen, so I put my palm on the table's corner to stop it. Yet he never misses an opportunity to flirt with me. He swiftly encircled my waist with his arms. Why is his heartbeat so rapid? Hey, come on; everyone will feel their heartbeat increase in such circumstances. Now, if you believe his heartbeat has risen because of your proximity, you are instilling false hope in your heart. My subconscious immediately stopped me from harboring any irrational hopes.

And now… now, I didn’t know if this was an answer or just another cruel twist of fate. I shut my eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to get my heartbeat to slow down. But it was no use. My heartbeat only reverberated louder within the confines of my ribcage, as if it was foreshadowing some unthinkable danger.

"Then tell me. Which unconscious person's heart rate looks like that?" Even as he spoke, the heart monitor spiked—beep after beep, faster and faster.

“You know I’d never let anything happen to you. Do you trust me?” “Of course I do.” “Good, I want you to close your eyes.” His hand slipped into mine and he moved to stand beside me. I closed my eyes. His fingers were warm as they wove through mine. “Feel my heart beating where our hands are touching?” “Yes.” “I want you to focus on that rhythm. Let yourself hear my heartbeat the way that I hear yours. Just quiet your mind and take a breath with me.” I did as he asked. The steady thump of his heart soothed my dragon and my frayed nerves. As a human, I had never been able to hear someone’s heart beating in their chest as they stood beside me. Now, it was something that I worked to block out.

He opened her legs a little wider so he could have more access to her already throbbing clit. Noah replenished their thirst, thrusting so deeply inside her. The raw intensity of her gasp was a sudden, physical punch to Noah's gut, forcing the air out of him in a ragged exhale. He heard it, he felt it—the tiny, jerking movement of her body beneath his—and every primal part of him slammed to a halt. The frantic, hot tide of desire that had been driving him receded, replaced instantly by a sharp, icy spike of fear.

Far below, beyond the reach of lantern light, something answered with a slow, rhythmic heartbeat. It was no longer muffled by miles of stone. It was close. Much closer than anyone had feared.

She stepped back slightly. “You mean the artificial heart?” “Yes.” Her fingers curled. “So it is still doing something?” Adrian nodded again. “More than that.” Silence. Anna’s voice dropped. “What else?” Adrian hesitated. Then said quietly, “It is responding to me too.” That made her stop completely. “…what?” Adrian looked at her. “When I am close to you, my readings change.” Silence. Anna stared at him. “…that is not possible.” “It is happening,” he said.

Mark’s sudden reaction made Aimie cringe a little if earlier it was her heart that she could only hear, but with their position now, she could clearly hear the beating of Mark’s heart. His heart was beating in a rhythmic pattern, and the more Aimie hears of it, the more she could liken Mark’s heartbeat into that of a music piece. Its patterns were slow at first, but as more minutes passed, Mark’s heart started beating rapidly, as if it was nearing the song’s end.