Page 17 of Fire of the Fox

Allen’s narrowed eyes zeroed in on me. “Why you little—”

“Hey!”

Allen and Blake whipped around as Rune came running down the aisle of cars. Hope surged inside my chest at the sight of him, because not only was I now not alone, he also provided the distraction I needed. I leaned my neck back just enough to be safe and smacked Allen’s arm away. The sudden movement made him lose his grip on the knife, which disappeared somewhere in the grass around us.

“Shit!” Allen roared as he faced me again and grabbed me with both hands.

Rune was nearly to us now, and the two boys were weaponless. I was sure this fact wasn’t lost on them, because with one final look at me, Allen shoved me backward. The force sent me reeling, and the back of my head slammed into the open door-frame of the car. Bright bursts of pain flared behind my eyes as I succumbed to the dark lullaby that quickly pulled me under.

Chapter Eight

MY ENTIRE BODY felt heavy, and I groaned at the skull-splitting ache that settled in my temples.

“Oh, thank God! She’s awake. Bria, sweetie?”

Dallas?

Despite feeling like my eyes were full of sand, I forced them open and was met with golden eyes peering down into mine. Rune’s face loomed above me, and I realized he was cradling me in his arms as we sat in the grass. We were still by Dallas’ car, but now there was a group of people. Dallas was right by my side, holding my head in one hand and gripping my fingers in the other. Rune’s two friends and Rance hovered at my feet. Everyone looked down at me with worry creasing their foreheads.

My eyes slipped closed, and I reached up to clutch my pounding skull. “My head hurts.”

“Shit!” Dallas said, her words laced with concern. “Should we get her to the hospital?”

“I’m a nurse. Let me look at her,” came an unfamiliar male voice. “Rune, you said she hit the back of her head, right?”

I opened my eyes as one of Rune’s friends knelt next to Dallas. He offered me a warm smile.

“Konnichiwa.” His Japanese accent was thick as he continued. “I’m Akira, Rune’s friend. I’m gonna check your head, okay?”

His small hands parted the hair on the back of my head as he, no doubt, searched for a wound. As soon as his fingers gently pressed the back of my skull, a burst of pain flared beneath his fingers, and I sucked in a sharp breath.

“There’s no cut, thank goodness,” Akira said. “But you have a decent knot back there.”

“It feels more like a boulder,” I groaned, reaching back to feel the sensitive bump.

Akira asked me a string of questions like my name, the date, and if I knew where I was. After having me track his fingers with my eyes as they moved back and forth and up and down in front of my face, he assured Dallas and me that I didn’t have a concussion.

Dallas sighed, the relief on her face instant. She placed an appreciative hand on Akira’s arm. “Thank you for making sure she’s okay.”

“Do you want to try and stand?” Rune asked me.

My eyes found his again. As soon as our gazes locked, warmth flooded my system. If he hadn’t shown up when he did, I didn’t think I’d be here right now. I’d probably be crumbled in the grass, blood pouring from a gash in my throat. Cold, alone, and dead.

Instead, I was warm from Rune’s hold, surrounded by friendly faces, and still taking in air. Profound gratitude for him blossomed like a bud deep within me.

Finding my voice, I said, “Yes, please.”

Rune guided me until I sat up straight. He and Dallas each held one of my hands, and with their help, I managed to get my legs underneath me, despite their current noodle consistency. As soon as I was upright, my knees buckled, and I nearly toppled back over.

“Easy there,” Rune said.

He was quick to catch me around my waist, which sent excited jitters darting through my stomach. It was crazy how one person’s touch could make me react so fully and quickly.

“Better?” Dallas asked after I’d regained my balance.

I took some tentative steps, and once I managed to get a feel of my legs, I nodded. “Better. My head still hurts though.”

“Take some acetaminophen when you get home,” Akira advised. “That knot will start to go down in the coming days. Put some ice on it. That will reduce some of the swelling. If your headache persists, make sure you go to the hospital or consult with a doctor.”

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