Page 99 of Dare To Take

“You want to have sex with me?” Miles leans past me to look at Kellan.

“We’ve already talked about this.” Kellan’s voice is quiet. “You want to wait. So, I’m waiting.”

“I thought you just wanted to fool around, hook up.”

“I did … I do … but … you know, sometimes more would be nice.”

“You guys should kiss.” I think my suggestion is pretty helpful. The look Kellan gives me says it’s not. “I kiss Ari when she’s annoyed with me. It works out well.”

“Yeah, that’s why she’s just tried to fucking kill you.”

“Just a blip in the—” The world spins again, only this time it’s not because Kellan is making me stand up.

I stop, sucking in a breath. That makes it worse. There’s a buzzing in my ears, lights flashing in front of my eyes. My stomach twists, flips, and then I’m falling, the snow coming up to meet me at a rapid pace.

***

My head feels like someone took a hammer to it. My eyes seem to be sealed shut, and the inside of my mouth is drier than the Sahara Desert.

I part my lips, my intention to try and wet them with my tongue, only that appears to be stuck to the roof of my mouth and every time I swallow a foul taste burns my taste buds. I don’t know if I make a noise or move because a hand touches my forehead.

I flinch from the coolness of it.

“Can you open your eyes for me, Eli?” A soft voice, female, unrecognizable.

I try, and the effort it takes is way more than it should be, but eventually, my lids part. The bright room beyond makes my eyes water and sends a stabbing pain through my temple.

“Let me close the curtains.”

The hand leaves my head and then the lighting in the room changes, grows dimmer, and lessens the pain in my skull. I focus on the woman coming back toward me.

“How do you feel?”

I open my mouth to answer, and nothing comes out. I swallow, wincing at the bitter taste in my mouth.

“I’ll get you a glass of water.” A second later, a small plastic cup is placed to my lips. “Just a sip. Take it slow.”

The water is refreshing. It’s cool and soothes my throat. I let out a relieved sigh.

“What happened?” My voice sounds hoarse, rough to my own ears, like I’ve been shouting or screaming.

“We’re not entirely sure. Your friends dragged you in from the woods last night. You were barely coherent, talking about someone called Harry, angels, and coffee.”

Harry? Who the fuck is Harry?

Wait … friends ... plural?

“Friends?”

“Kellan and Miles, they said their names were.”

“Miles?” The second I say the name, there’s a flash of memory. Of Kellan and Miles half-carrying me through the snow. Of me telling them they should fuck.

I groan.

“The doctor has taken some samples—blood, urine, and a swab from your mouth—and is testing them. So, if you want to admit to taking anything, now would be the time.”

I let my head drop against the pillow, my eyes closing. “I don’t take drugs.” My eyes snap back open when the rest of her sentence sinks in. “The doctor? Where am I?”

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