Page 27 of Perfectly Petite Shorts
Vander
Warmth. My chest was so damn warm. Everything else throbbed, but not that. I focused in on that single area of heat starting at my core and working its way out. My breathing was still labored, and every breath was an excruciating effort. Despite that, I knew it was better. I had no idea how, but it was.
Eyes swollen shut and mind fuzzy, my broken fingers found their way to my chest only to find a tiny, warm hand there. I sucked in a painful breath. Despite the agony, I worked the pads of my fingers around the warm skin below.
Small. The fingers under mine were so small. A fresh burst of heat filled me and with it came clarity.Brownie. And not just any brownie, a child.
Shit, fuck, and damn. I attempted to wiggle free but couldn’t. My body was too damaged to do much more than twitch. Every second that ticked by improved my breathing and eased the pain in my chest. That should be a good thing. It wasn’t. The cost would be far too high.
“Hey there, what are you…?” I took in another wheezing breath. Things might be better, but they were still a far sight from great. “You shouldn’t be doing that.”
Instead of dimming, the healing pulse echoing through my body increased. “Don’t. You’re too young.” I coughed and fresh wetness spilled across my lips. “Don’t hurt yourself. Not on my account.”
“You’re going to be fine.” It was the softest whisper against the fuzz fogging my brain.
“No. You’ll hurt yourself and—”
“Sit still or I’ll zap you.” That sweet voice held an edge of sassiness that made me want to chuckle.
“Zap me, huh?” I’m not sure why I doubted my brownie savior. The zing of electrical current that whizzed through my body let me know it wasn’t an idle threat. “Shit, kid. That hurt.”
“It wasn’t meant to feel good. Now, sit there and let me heal you.”
This time, my inhale held just the slightest twinge of pain.
“You’re in bad shape,” she said, voice softer once more. “Who did this to you?”
“Doesn’t matter. I deserved it.” Maybe I didn’t deserve all the other shit going on in my life, but Maxine was right, I had cheated her. Did I deserve to be beaten near to death? Who knows. Gaia knew I didn’t.
“Doubtful,” she answered.
I took another deep breath and nearly cried when my chest rose and fell without screaming agony.
“Breathe. You need it,” she ordered.
“I do, but not at what it will cost you. Seriously, you need to stop.” Those were the last words I truly wanted to speak. I wanted to be selfish. I wanted to beg my small brownie savior to keep going, to heal my broken fingers and busted face. But I couldn’t do that.
“I’ll stop,” she thankfully agreed. “Momma should be here soon, and she can do the rest.”
“Shit,” I cursed. A brownie kid’s mom showing up was the last thing I needed. Most likely she’d undo all the good her daughter had done. One did not fuck with a brownie. My father had learned that the hard way, and it was a lesson I more than took to heart. Would her mom understand that I had nothing to do with this? Fuck, I wasn’t even sure how she’d gotten in the alley with me. Was I even still in the alley? Onedeep inhale told me I was. I’d know that Gaia-awful stench anywhere.
“Don’t worry. Momma’s good.”
It wasn’t that I doubted that. Every damn brownie wasgood. They were also protective and rightfully so. “Most likely but—”
“Byx!” I cringed when I heard that heartfelt cry. “Oh, honey.” I still couldn’t open my eyes. All I could do was feel when the small brownie—Byx if the one calling her name was to be believed—was removed from my side. The warmth her small form had afforded me fled, and I was left shivering. With my ribs and chest healed, other aches and pains scrambled for attention.
“He’s hurt, Momma. I healed part of him,” Byx said. She didn’t sound tired. I could only hope she hadn’t spent too much of her energy.
“I know, sweetie.” The voice was similar to Byx’s but weightier. Richer somehow.
“Whew, you weren’t kidding. He’s a mess. You sure this is the one?” Just how many brownies were in the alley with me? This one sounded sassy, just like Byx had earlier.
There was no immediate answer, and I flinched when I felt fingers touch my puffy, painful cheek. “Positive. Lilian, can you please take Byx back to the shop and close up for me?”
There was a pause. “Are you sure? I think maybe we should stay, or I could get—”
“I’m positive. Vander and I are going to be just fine.”
