Page 82 of Oleander
I stand from his bedside, wobbling slightly. To my surprise, Flame catches me, subtly whispering into my ear so as to not alarm anyone else. “Let’s get you to your room. You nearly drained your magic back there.”
I lean on my brother, allowing him to carry most of my weight the short distance across the hall.
“And I would have if I needed to,” I reply defensively.
There’s a pause before Flame asks me the question I’ve been asking myself a lot lately.
“You really love him, don’t you?”
I glance around, but no one’s here. Gaia and Nerine stayed behind to watch over Skyler. It’s just the two of us in my bedroom now.
“I think I need to tell Skyler those words first.”
Flame grunts in understanding and pulls the covers back, and I practically fall into bed. He tugs them over me, essentially tucking me in, and I appreciate his care.I’m exhausted.
“Thank you, brother. For everything tonight. For pushing me hard and allowing me to accomplish things I didn't know I was capable of. When I didn’t think I could do it, you were there, telling me to keep trying, to keep going. And you caught me when I fell afterward?—”
“Yeah. Yeah,” Flame says dismissively. “This still doesn’t mean we’re friends.” But I catch a hint of a smile before my eyes flutter shut, and I drift into a long, dreamless sleep.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
SKYLER
Iwake with a stretch and a groan, wincing when I feel several different wounds pull with the movement.
Fuck, that hurts. Where am I?
I’m disoriented, and it takes me a moment to remember I’m in another world and not in Oklahoma. I gaze around the small room set up like a stark white hospital, the monitor next to me beeping steadily with my heartbeat. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to remember the last thing that happened to me.
I was in my room. . . with Ander, Flame, and the girls.
It wasn’t good.
I yank the covers back and lift the flimsy hospital gown, revealing my junk and a large white bandage covering my ribcage. I peel it back, staring down at my skin stitched back together where the hellhound’s claws tore me open. Other than appearing a little red around the stitches, the wound lookshealthy. Like it’s healing. I’m going to be okay.
Because Oleander saved me.
Speaking of my guardian angel, he bursts into the room with a coffee in one hand and a brown paper bag in the other. “You’re awake,” he exclaims breathlessly, stating the obvious, but Inearly melt at his next words. “I was so bloody worried about you! Don’t you ever do that again.”
I’m not sure what he’s referring to. I’ve gotten us into a lot of trouble recently.
“Any of it,” he clarifies, his eyes burning with a lavender fire. He’s angry, relieved, and maybe a little horny. “If you’re hurt, I need to know. Just because you can lie, doesn’t mean I want you to.Not with me, Sky.Please don’t hide things from me.”
“Okay,” I agree, feeling guilty on top of the throbbing pain.
“Okay,” Ander repeats, staring into my eyes before his gaze darts down, widening in shock. It’s only then I realize I still have the covers thrown back and my gown pulled up, my naked junk on display.
“Whoops,” I mumble, tugging the covers back up.
Ander chuckles lightly. “I’m so glad you’re alright.Here.I got you some food.” Ander unrolls the paper bag and thrusts a sandwich at me before getting out a small container of hummus and a baggie of fresh veggies. I nearly groan at the sight of a turkey and Swiss on Ander’s homemade bread. This meal looks like heaven, and I know he made it himself.
“Mmm. Oh my God, I’m starving. Thank you. This is delicious, and I really needed it.”
Ander gets out his own vegetarian sandwich, and we eat together, talking about the events of the previous evening as if we aren’t completely traumatized by it. I think we’re both compartmentalizing everything that happened, but the fact that we won probably helps, too.
Apparently, after Ander pulled the hellhound toxin from me, I passed out and wouldn’t wake up the next morning. Ander freaked out and, with Zephyr’s help, rushed me to the campus infirmary. The nurses assured him that I would be okay and that my body just needed rest.
My muscles are stiff and achy after a whole day in bed, but I can’t truly stretch without popping my stitches. Not only that, but I’m dying to get outside and feel the fresh air on my skin.
