At first, the only sensation was an itch across the fingers and palm, then a dull throb in the shoulder. Bit by bit, it seemed that everything began to come into focus as Shay started to come to. Groggy and disoriented, he opened his eyes, and instead of finding himself in the frigid street in his own blood, he found himself in a strange room, illuminated faintly by ambient light.

[I]Am I dead?[/I] he wondered, vaguely recalling what had happened, mostly that he was chased and a gunshot, the memory of which made his shoulder burn. He inhaled sharply as the wound suddenly stabbed at him painfully. Reaching tenderly, he was surprised to note that it was bandaged up. If he were dead, and this were Heaven or Hell, his blemishes would be gone. 

He slunk back into the pillow, mind racing. What had happened? Tracing his thoughts back, he vaguely recalled the alleyway, falling. Angry voices… the Adders. A window.
[I]Vera.[/I]

Shay’s heart sank, and he jolted awake, fearful for what had happened to Vera. He made to move, but his arm screamed at him to lay back, but not before he caught the sight of a dark-haired prone figure beside him. Vera was sleeping soundly beside him, and in his state of relative undress, he felt someone self-conscious, despite the circumstances. He reached out, brushing Vera’s cheek with the back of his hand and smiled when her eyes slowly opened. She was well, she was safe. “If this is heaven, I wasn’t expecting the angels to be so beautiful.” He said, unable to shake the smile from his face.