Page 42 of Tainted Gifts
His concern is authentic and in no way forced. If I could ever get over Jase, I could be with Kellan the way I'm supposed to be. I know it now more than ever that he's meant for me, but my heart still belongs to Jase.
"Where's Simone?" I ask, ready to shift the topic.
"I put her in the bed she slept in on the way out here," he says with a shrug, intentionally provoking my anger.
She slept in Jase's bed, and although he didn't just say that, it feels like he was subtly reminding me how betrayed I just felt. I don't like this game.
"You need air. Let's crank it up and see if we can get you cooled down," he says softer, showing his concern again.
I nod, allowing him to take my hand briefly before I'm forced to pull it back and grip my head again. He lets me walk in front of him, keeping his hand on the small of my back as he guides me through the narrow passage of the massive RV.
It's at least forty-feet long and fourteen-feet wide. It's a house on wheels, and it takes a special sort of skill to drive, a skill I lack. As long as the children bunk three or four together, we'll have plenty of room.
The last time I was in this RV, I had to see Jase and Simone cuddled up together. I really hope he's not tending to her right now. I hope he's not lying in bed beside her.
Kellan stays behind me, stopping to store our stuff in one of the overhead compartments I'm too short to reach
I look around to see so many children, all of them too afraid to let go of each other as they cling to one another for security.
Blood mats their hair, fear stains their eyes, and tortured agony burdens their young faces. I want to do something, say something, but I'd only frighten them more.
I've never been good with kids. Mom's the one for this job, but I can't tell her. She'd slaughter anyone who got in her way and make it her mission to save them. I'll just save them the sneaky way.
"You won't have to do it alone," Jase murmurs from out of nowhere, startling me as he comes out of a back room.
A small girl clings to his hand as she hides behind his leg. She peeks out with her mismatched blues, and then tucks her head back behind him again when her eyes catch mine. It's painful to see them so terrified of us.
"Who's driving?" Kellan asks while squatting down beside a group of emergent hybrids, pretending he's not paying them attention as they study him.
"Mel is about to be here. She wasn't far away, and she's going to leave her men here to help ours out with the ambush. She'll drive us back, and we'll try to get these kids cared for. They need food, water, showers, and so much more. Mel is stopping in Carontine, a town not far from here, and she'll bring them back some clothing from there. It won't take her much longer."
"They need medical attention too," Simone says while slowly rising from her slumber and wiping her bloody nose and staring at the red trail on her hand it left behind. "I knew that was going to hurt."
"You shouldn't have done that," Kellan says, seeming worried about her blood loss.
"I had to. Jase was spaced out, and they were about to shoot before asking questions. Fucking animals."
I cringe, glancing around at the kids.
"They've heard worse, Aria," Kellan murmurs while kissing my hand.
Jase turns his eyes away, and I drop to a bed, grabbing my head and praying for relief. My prayers are answered by way of a cool, incredible touch on my shoulder. The little girl who was hiding behind my full blood runs off to huddle with a group.
"Have you been able to sleep at all?" Jase asks while lowering down to sit beside me, pushing all my pain away with just his gentle touch.
That feels so good.
He smiles a little, and Kellan steps up to knock his hand away from me.
"What the hell are you doing?" he gripes, growing tired of the commander's affectionate attitude.
Simone rolls her eyes while pulling out packs of blood to disperse to the children who greedily guzzle it down, gratitude beaming from their eyes. Jase starts to get up, but I pull him back down, desperate to feel the relief only he provides.
"It doesn't hurt when Jase is touching me," I murmur, gasping as the relief floods me deeper, banishing the feeling of being lost and needing to be somewhere.
Jase smiles smugly, fueling the fire in Kellan's eyes. The full blood loves provoking the hybrid emergent, but right now I don't care. I need his comfort, his relief. I'd bottle it if I could.
"Simone," Jase says, souring the moment of peace I felt when I hear her name on his lips.
