Page 58 of Fangs
I glanced at Griz, who muttered something about reckless decisions while glaring at me and chewed nervously on the inside of my cheek.
“That’s quite incredible,” Sable continued, almost to himself. “I wonder if your body can regenerate or if your powers kept your body tissue from freezing?” He paused, and I glanced at his face to see him studying me. “Can I look at the scar on your chest?”
My hands twitched to my shirt collar, and my panicked eyes found Griz again. He took my hand in his and squeezed it.
“Has anyone ever examined it?” Griz asked quietly. “I mean, a healer?”
I shook my head, my lips pressed tightly together.
“I know how it feels,” Sable said, his voice low. “To have a mark on your skin you can never remove, that is a constant reminder of horror and pain.” I hated the honesty I could see in his eyes. “I only want to examine it and ensure there were no complications in healing.”
“Please, Bones?” Griz murmured.
I swallowed hard, my mind flashing back to Trey standing in the rover headlight, his brown eyes so gentle and kind.
I unbuttoned my shirt with trembling fingers, noting for the first time I was wearing another oversized button-up shirt. I dropped my hands back into my lap and tried to relax my tense muscles. Sable carefully parted my shirt, and when I sensed him go still, I couldn’t resist glancing at his face. His eyes were narrowed and angry.
“What was this done with?” he asked in a low voice.
I flinched slightly when his cool fingers brushed my skin. I wasnotgoing to cry. “Metal fencing.”
Griz swore under his breath.
“I could tell it wasn’t with a flat iron like mine,” Sable said, pressing against the scar tissue as he examined it. “It’s too jagged.” His voice darkened. “And it was applied with unnecessary force. Most brands only go through the first two layers of skin, but this looks like it went all the way to the muscle in places. Can you feel this, Ember?”
My hands were clenched into fists so tightly it hurt, but I couldn’t feel anything on my chest. I thought Sable had stopped touching me, but he looked at me expectantly. I shook my head, my fingernails biting harder into my palms. I remembered Trey gently kissing the rough skin. I’d felt that or, at least, some of it.
I couldnotthink about Trey, right now.
“Luckily, only a couple of places appear to have nerve damage,” Sable continued. “Did Juck do this himself? Or did?—”
I was on my back, kicking in the sand, spraying it into Cobra’s face. He swore, releasing my legs to swipe at his eyes, but someone else just took his place.
“No!” I was sobbing in panic. “Please, Juck!”
Whoever was holding my arms snickered.
“Juck, c’mon man,” Vulture tried from where Lobo and Vandal held him back. His voice was steady, but his eyes were full of fear. “It’s not what you?—”
“Shut up,” Juck snarled at him.
A sob escaped through my trembling lips, and Juck looked at me from where he stood by the fire, holding the metal fencing in the flames. Tears streamed down my face, but his expression held only cold fury.
“Please,” I begged.
He started stalking toward me, the metal fencing glowing orange, and I renewed my efforts to escape.
“Please! Juck, I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
“You belong to me, Angel,” he said in a dark voice as he stood over me. “Don’t you ever forget that again.” He looked at the men restraining me. “Hold her still.”
He brought the crude brand down with such force it felt like it knocked all the air out of my lungs. I couldn’t breathe, choking on the blinding pain that seared through my body?—
“Bones, breathe.”
I blinked, focusing on Griz’s worried face. Tears were streaming down my face, and I was gasping in short, desperate breaths.
“Breathe,” he murmured, squeezing my shoulders.
