Page 72 of These Deadly Dreams

“Kai, can you help me for a second?” Allie asks.

We break apart, and I see Allie is placing an IV in Sterling’s arm. Kai helps Allie hold the IV bag up while she secures it to the tall stand lamp by the bed, the only elevated place it will reach.

“That will have to do,” she mutters, eyeing the half-assed IV pole. “This will help fight off whatever is causing the infection, hopefully. I have no idea why he still has one even after Cade’s healing, or why his shifter nature hasn’t kicked in.” Her brow furrows as she studies Sterling.

“Who knows what Sam did to him or gave him.” Kai stares at both of his friends for a second longer before turning to me again. “Why don't you go shower, Ellis. I’ll make sure there’s food for you when you get out.”

Walking away from the bed is almost impossible. I don’t want to leave them for even a second. But, I know Kai is right. I need to shower and eat, even if I don’t feel like it. Arguing won’t help the situation, and it will only stress Kai out more. I’m thankful he’s here to take care of all of us. Without him, I’d fall to pieces.

“Thank you, Kai.” I give him a quick kiss, and head to shower.

I intend for it to be quick, but the hot water feels amazing on my skin, especially as a fever takes hold and makes my body shake with chills. If this is the price to pay for using my magic, I will never use it again after all this shit is over. It’s not worth it.

When I finally step out of the bathroom, I find Kai waiting with medicine for my fever and a bowl of soup.

“I figured the fever would be hitting soon.” He looks at me shivering, and his lips thin as he presses them together.

I know they all hate this and not being able to do anything about it. But Kai offering me medicine before I even asked for it makes me want to cry. Even dealing with Cade and Sterling, he’s making sure I’m taken care of.

I quickly eat the soup, while Kai goes back downstairs to ask Connor to lay a few more wards around the cabin. When I’m done, I set the bowl aside and climb into the bed. Someone, I’m guessing Kai, undressed both Cade and Sterling and covered them with a blanket. Sterling’s injuries were healed with Cade’s magic. Besides the fever, he looks like he’s just sleeping. Albeit with bloody, matted hair. The need to wash it hits me suddenly, so I climb back out of bed and grab a towel, a cup of water, shampoo, and a brush. It’s not ideal, but it’s the best I can do.

When Kai enters the room, he sighs when he sees me shivering and wincing as I run the brush through Sterling’s hair, trying to wash out the blood. “Ellis,” he says gently, and grabs the brush from my trembling fingers. “You need to rest.”

“But, his ha?—”

“His hair isn’t hurting him,” he says, and carefully pushes me into the bed between my guys. “Besides, he wouldn’t want you fussing over his hair when you need to rest.”

Damnit. He’s right. And he knew saying that would be the one thing to convince me to lay down. Curling under the blanket, I carefully cuddle up to Sterling. The heat from his fever washes against my own. I almost laugh. Two peas in a pod. Reaching back with one arm, I grab Cade’s hand and thread our fingers together. With my vampire watching over us, I fall into a restless sleep.

The red carpet under my feet squishes with each step. Red carpet? I glance at the rug in confusion. It’s supposed to be cream with flowers. Why is it red? I take another step and watch the crimson ooze between my toes. It’s thick and sticky, and cool against my skin.

My gaze follows the rug, climbing the stairs. More red is puddled on the treads. I step in each one, fascinated by the contrast of the bright color against my tan skin. At the top of the stairs, two bodies lay sprawled on the wooden floor, a floor now soaked in the same red liquid.

I recognize the blond hair splayed out around the first body’s head. The curls are the same as mine. Now, they’re stained crimson.

“Mom?” It’s so quiet in our house. My voice echoes, reverberating off of the wooden floors and walls. “What are you doing?”

I kneel next to her, the red soaking into my pants. It’s so cold. I brush my mom’s hair from her face. The sight is so unexpected and so gruesome. A scream tears from my throat.

I scream, and scream, but my mom doesn’t open her eyes. I’m scared to look at the other body, but I force myself to take in the brown curly hair, the blood that’s pooled around the body, and the unnatural angle of the limbs.

“Gracie?” I whisper.

Her head turns. Slowly and jerkily, like it's being pulled by a puppeteer. When she’s facing me, her eyes open and there’s nothing in her gaze but death. A grisly smile tugs at her lips, and I scream again.

Scrambling backward on my butt, I drag myself through the puddles of blood as Gracie pulls herself toward me with skeletal arms. Her head hangs at an unnatural angel, but her gaze pierces mine. Milky white eyes and a bloody smile bringing bile to the back of my throat.

“Help.” The raspy whisper doesn’t match the gruesome smile.

I swallow back the urge to vomit and continue scooting backward until my back hits the wall. Skeletal arms shake and rattle. One arm falls off, dropping from the shoulder socket and clattering to the wooden floor. The body falls, but the other arm keeps trying to pull her closer to me.

“Help.”

“Ellis, wake up.”

I jerk awake, gasping for breath. I slap my hand over my mouth and swallow repeatedly until the rolling of my stomach stops. Cade rubs my lower back through all of it, murmuring incoherent words that soothe the shaking of my limbs.

“Another dream?” he asks quietly.

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