The longer they laid there, the further Francine seemed to retreat into her own thoughts, blocking him from connecting with her through their mind link. But he didn't need it to tell him how she was feeling and what she was thinking about. He knew her inside and out, so he didn't need a supernatural bond to sense that whatever she was thinking about was troubling her immensely. His presence was doing wonders to keep her body relaxed and warm, but the way she was digging her nails into her clenched palms suggested some inner torment inside her mind. He gently unclenched her hands and linked his through hers, making sure she knew she had his support and didn't need to hurt herself in any manner to control her worries.
"What's going on? What are you thinking about, love?" There was no guaran
