The air was still, but something unseen crackled beneath the surface.
Tessy's heartbeat picked up while she was still asleep, as if responding to some silent alarm her body recognized but her conscious mind could not yet comprehend. Her breathing, once slow and peaceful, began to shift into quick, shallow pulls of air. Her palms fisted tightly by her sides, pressing into the mattress as though clinging to something invisible. Her entire body turned rigid, like a wire drawn too tight.
Roman, who had been sleeping with his arms securely wrapped around her, stirred the moment he felt her body tense. His eyes opened in an instant, sharp and alert despite the haze of sleep. Instinct told him something wasn't right. He shifted slightly without loosening his hold, turning his gaze to her face.
