Aurelian Salvatore:
I woke slowly, unwillingly, dragged out of darkness by sensation before thought.
Warmth was the first thing I noticed. Not the distant warmth of sunlight filtering through curtains or the dull heat of heavy blankets, but something closer. Something alive. Heat pressed against my back, against my chest, against my legs. It shifted with breath that was not mine alone.
My body felt heavy. Not weak. Not injured. Heavy in that strange, boneless way that comes after exhaustion so complete it seeps into your bones. Every muscle ached in a low, lingering way. My hips, my thighs, my shoulders, even the base of my spine carried the dull memory of strain. It was soreness threaded with something else. Something softer. Something that made my stomach tighten in quiet confusion.
A slow breath left me, uneven.
