Page 47 of Medusa

Augustine and Jaden looked nothing alike, and even though Jaden had said that he lived with his brothers, it hadn’t really clicked…

If Augustine was a dragon shifter, did that mean that Jaden was too?

The possibility was mind-boggling. There weren’t that many dragons left. It had practically been a genocide back in ancient times, millennia before she’d been born.

To discover that Typhon was one of the oldest dragon shifters alive was practically unheard of, and then to also find out that the McKellens were dragon shifters as well?

Her brain was too tired to be surprised.

“I’ll ask Jaden when he’s recovered,” she decided, putting the last dish away. She dusted and swept the floor before grabbing her purse and locking up.

The weather was nice, and she enjoyed her walk over to the brothers’ house. The third brother greeted her at the door, introducing himself as Finley. He showed her up to Jaden’s room and asked her if she wanted anything.

“Just water, please?” Maddie asked, putting her purse next to the folding chair that was set up beside the bed.

Jaden had been bathed, blood no longer matting his dark hair or streaking down his face. His skin was still paler than usual, lacking the vitality that usually radiated from him.

“Has the drug left his system yet?” Maddie asked Finley anxiously when he brought her the glass of water.

“We think his body started to recover normally in the early morning,” Finley said. “It’s hard to tell. None of us have ever sustained injuries like this before. Even…” he trailed off.

“Thank you.” Maddie lifted the glass and settled herself in the chair. It wasn’t comfortable, but it wasn’t meant to be. They wouldn’t want to fall asleep when they were supposed to be keeping an eye on Jaden.

Finley left her alone, his heavy tread thumping down the stairs to the main floor.

Maddie reached out to Jaden’s hand, fingers open and relaxed above the sheet, and traced the visible veins. She laced their fingers together lightly and searched his face for any sign of recognition.

His eyes shifted slightly under closed lids as he dreamt, chest rising and falling rhythmically in his sleep.

Maddie stroked the thin skin over his thumb and settled in for a long evening.

Hours later, she was startled out of a half-doze by fingers squeezing hers. Maddie’s eyes flew open in surprise, meeting Jaden’s hazel ones. “You’re awake!” she gasped. She turned in her chair to call for his brothers, but he tugged on her hand.

“No,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. “I’m still kidnapped, aren’t I? You’re a vision, an illusion, to help me get through the pain.”

“No, Jaden,” Maddie reassured him. “I’m really here. You’re in your room at home. Augustine and Finley have been looking after you.”

“That can’t be right,” Jaden said, turning his head away from her slightly. “I’m just the screw-up younger brother. I even screwed up with you. Walked away. I shouldn’t have.” His words were coming slowly, sounding slurred together.

He turned back to her, and Maddie could see that his pupils were large, swallowing up almost the whole eyeball. “It’s all right, Jaden. You can rest. Heal,” she suggested. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“No, you won’t,” Jaden said. A tear slipped out of the corner of his eye. “When I wake up, it’ll be to more torture and pain. It’s okay. This has been nice. It’ll help me hold on a little longer.”

“I’m really here with you,” Maddie pleaded, hoping he’d hear the truth in her words. “Chloe captured Typhon and his men. You won’t be hurt by them anymore.”

“Why would you be here?”

“Because love is worth fighting for,” she replied.

“Love?” he scoffed. “We’ve had sex a few times. But love?” He chuckled bitterly. “Not likely.”

Maddie’s eyes filled with tears and she dropped his hand. Wiping her cheeks, she got to her feet.

“Good to know,” she choked out. “Goodbye, Jaden.”

With that, she left the little room and stumbled down the stairs, barely able to see through the tears.

“Maddie?” asked one of the brothers from the living room, but she ignored him and pushed out the front door, running away from the little house as if she could leave her heartbreak behind with it.

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