Page 18 of Fangs
My eyeballs felt hot and dry as sandpaper. His hands wrapped around my upper arms again and moved my body, pulling me into his lap and wrapping the blanket around both of us again. I wanted to shove him away, but I was so cold, and he was so warm. My traitorous body curled into him, desperately seeking his warmth.
“Those damn eyes,” he muttered, seemingly to himself.
There was something I was going to tell him, wasn’t there? Or was it something Iwasn’tgoing to tell him?
It was something important, something I needed to remember, but my eyes drifted shut.
4
Iopened my eyes and found myself in Trey’s arms.
I tilted my head up to look at him, my brow furrowing. He was awake, staring back at me. He was sitting against a rock wall and holding me against his chest. My brain struggled to remember what just happened as my teeth chattered.
“You’re here,” I whispered.
“I’m here,” he said.
Emotion overwhelmed me, filling my eyes and sliding down my cheeks. His eyes widened in alarm.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I thought—” My voice broke.
His eyebrows drew together in confusion.
“Am I dead?” I asked.
“No,” he seemed to force a slight smile, “you’re not dead.”
My head throbbed as I shivered. I couldn’tremember.
“It’s ok, Freckles,” he murmured. “You have a fever.”
I managed to get an arm free and reached up to touch his face. He went still, watching me with narrowed eyes. I cupped his face, my thumb stroking across his sharp cheekbone. Something nagged at the back of my mind. How was he here? He didn’t move, his eyes fixed on my face as my fingers trailed across his skin before sliding into his hair. It was pulled back, but the wild strands that had escaped felt…wrong. I frowned, but he caught my wrist and pulled my hand away.
“Who am I?” he asked.
I stared at him, trying to wrap my head around that strange question.
“Who are you seeing?” he rephrased, but that wasn’t any better.
“Please don’t leave.” My voice shook.
“I’m not leaving.”
“I can’t…I can’t do this without you.” Panic was building in my chest.
“You don’t have to.”
“No, Trey, you don’t understand.” More tears slid down my face. “Ican’t.I can’t do it. I don’twantto do it.”
He took the blanket in his hand and gently wiped the tears from my face. “I’m not Trey,” he murmured. “I’m Lee. I’m your brother’s friend.”
Terror sliced me into tiny pieces, my breath coming faster. “My brother?”
“Wolf.” He watched me carefully as he said it, and I knew I was failing to hide the fear on my face.
“Wolf’s here?” I whispered, my voice shaking.
