Page 51 of A Hint of Delirium

He quickly dropped to the ground and caught me before I fell. “I got you,” he murmured.

“Mmm.” I slowly closed my eyes and let the darkness consume me.

* * *

I wokewith a start and shot up from an unfamiliar bed, bright light streaming in from a large window I didn’t recognize. I raised my arm to cover my face and grimaced as the sunlight stabbed into my corneas. Peering down at the white sheets that covered me, I realized I no longer wore the clothes I had on earlier. I was clad only in my undergarments and a large, unfamiliar t-shirt.

Squinting, I looked around at the open floor plan room and noticed what I first thought was a large window was actually a set of French doors that led out to a balcony.

“You’re awake.” Alec’s voice came from the kitchen across the way, startling me.

“Where am I?” I croaked, my voice dry and scratchy.

“My apartment.” He approached the bed with a mug. “Here, have some tea.”

I reached for the warm cup and blew at the steaming liquid before taking a slow sip. “Why didn’t you take me back to Ansel?”

Alec gave a wry grin. “Did you really want me to tell my overprotective brother you snuck out to stupidly go home when you were probably told to stay put?”

I pressed my lips together and wisely remained quiet. He was right, not that I would tell him. A sudden thought occurred to me. I flung off the sheets and looked at my arms and legs, surprised to see I was perfectly fine.

“How? The iron …”

“I flushed it out with an IV, hence the change of clothes.” He motioned to the shirt. “You’re welcome, by the way.” He leaned against a bookshelf that acted like a divider between the bedroom and living room.

“Yeah, because you were so willing to jump in and save my life,” I sneered sarcastically.

He eyed me skeptically. “I don’t rush to do things without reason.”

“I can tell,” I grumbled.

He rolled his eyes. “I saved your life, and that’s all that matters. Who cares how long it took me to do it?”

“Whatever.” I took another sip of the tea, which was surprisingly tasty. A nice blend of citrus and honey. “This is really good.”

“Thanks.” He looked away, then turned to me with a vengeance, dispensing with the niceties. “You need to stay out of trouble!” he shouted, the sound shattering the quiet stillness. By his reaction, I gathered he’d been holding it in.

My eyes widened. “It wasn’t my fault … entirely.”

“You’re safe in my brother’s apartment. No other fae know about it or can portal in. Just … stay put.”

“Fine …” I muttered.

“And don’t argue with me, because …!” he shouted, then cut himself off and did a double take. “Did you just agree with me?”

I shrugged. “Yeah.”

“Why?”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m not stupid, Alec. If I have to stay put to save my life, I’ll do it. I was just curious about my place and what was left behind. I had to go back.”

“Well … curiosity killed the cat, you know. Isn’t that what you humans say?”

I laughed. “Yeah, it is.” I scanned his loft and looked back at him. “For someone who doesn’t like humans, I’m surprised you have a home in the human realm that looks, well … sohuman.”

He snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. “Don’t let the place fool you. I’m only here for the view.” He pointed to the balcony. I gave him a curious look and he sighed. “It looks out onto Central Park. I can see it all from up here. All you humans look like little ants from way up high.” He grinned. “One day I’ll burn it all to the ground. Every last bit of it,” he added thoughtfully.

“You can’t be serious!” I gasped. “There arechildrenplaying down there.” I pointed to the world outside his balcony. “Innocent people!”

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