“Good guess. You can sleep in this bedroom.”
She walked into the bigger one tripping over her feet.
“Hey, are you alright?”
“I’m fine, just tired. It was nice of you to come get me. I just don’t want to put you or anyone else in jeopardy.”
“What do you think that Jim can do that will harm me or the others here?”
Her eyes darted around the room not willing to meet Fire’s gaze.
“Call me paranoid,” she shrugged.
“Well then. The fridge and the cabinets are stocked with food. If there is anything you need, you have my number, call. There is a nice club close by in case you want to get out and meet others. When you’re ready to explore let me know, and I’ll walk with you. There’s only one rule, don’t leave the apartment hungry.”
“That won’t be a problem. Thank you for everything you have done for me.” She was starving, but she wouldn’t tell Fire that. At this point in her life there wasn’t a reason to eat.
“It’s not that much, but you're welcome.”
Sage looked through the doorway where Fire’s guy was waiting for her. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He gave her a smile that made her feel safe for a moment before reality set in reminding her this was just a reprieve from the death waiting for her.
“Call me, if you need me.”
“I will.” They walked out the door leaving her alone.
She walked the apartment exploring before she finally went into her bedroom and changed her clothes. She reached for the ugly white nightgown she wore all the time. It covered every inch of her so no one would see what she hid underneath it.
Her fingers defiantly refused to pick it up. Instead, she reached for the red one. She shouldn’t wear red it would clash with her hair, but she didn’t care. She pulled it over her head and shimmied as it came down over her curves. It stopped several inches below her behind. She walked to the mirror to look at herself; her hands reached for the hem of the gown stripping it off as she blindly reached for the white one.
She eyed the bed so tired that all she wanted to do was drop. Instead, she walked toward the window that allowed her to see out. Not seeing anyone she walked to the door and opened it. She shivered as the cold air hit her warm body. Coming outside was a mistake, and she knew it, but she was looking for someone. Someone? She was looking for the figure with the green eyes.
She knew it was a male even though logically it could be a female. There, she felt the stare again. How could his gaze feel so different from all the others she had encountered lately? He stepped out of the shadows allowing her to see the outline of his body. He was tall and powerfully built. She met his eyes before her feet carried her backward, and she reached for the door handle. “Don’t be stupid,” she whispered out loud before she went into the apartment.
Her feet took her to the bed. She snuggled under the covers and went to sleep.
*~*~*~*
“Where are you going?” Xander met his brother by the door.
“For a walk.” Caden’s voice was soft. He had been checking on Sage from a distance every night since she had arrived.
“To Enzo’s garage. This is the fifth night.”
“Can you feel her?”
“Not the way you can. She’s pulling you like a magnet. I don’t like it.”
Caden turned around to look at his brother. “I felt her the moment she crossed the barrier. I just want to be close to her for a few minutes.”
“It seems she wants the same thing.”
“She comes out at the same time every evening, but I’m not sure she realizes I’m there.”
Xander stared at him not saying a word.
“Her skin looks flushed, and her eyes are red. I think she may be sick but wouldn’t the Alpha or Deja pick up on the sickness?”
“I could ask Jessie to walk over there with me. That way, she could get a look at her while the two of you are pretending the other one doesn’t exist.”
“Thank you.”
“What are brothers for?”
They headed out the door Caden heading for Enzo’s garage while Xander walked towards Cole and Jessie’s house.
Sage stepped out on the porch wondering what she was doing out here. How many days had it been? Every night she came out, and the shadow of the male was always there watching over her. She felt like she couldn’t sleep without seeing him. It was her imagination; she was going crazy, but she was making peace with it. If she were crazy, maybe it would hurt less.
A smile lifted her lips as she met his eyes. His gaze always warmed her even though she was burning up one moment and freezing the other. Her hand lifted involuntarily, and she had to force it down. She wanted to call him over.
‘Stop acting like the world owes you something.’ It was that voice again. It wasn’t the alien in her head or even her own fear or desires. This voice was evil. It tried to take over her thoughts and control her body. This voice scared her.
She turned around needing to run back to the safety of her apartment and tripped sprawling over the wooden porch. She pushed using her arms to try to get up and fell again. Closing her eyes, she dropped her head, she was too weak to move.
It was the sound of footsteps on the stairs that made her try to lift her head. They were so light that she wouldn’t have heard them if her ear hadn’t been plastered to the wood.
“Stay back.” Was that her voice it sounded weak?
“I won’t hurt you. You fell, and I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
“Are you the person who has been watching me all this time?”
“Yes.”
“Are you here to kill me?”
“No. Let me help you.”
“I can’t. Do you know my name?”
“I heard the Alpha call you Sage.”
“Alpha?”
“Fire.”
“Of course, she’s an Alpha. She was always the strong one. You are?”
“Caden.”
“Thank you for coming to watch over me every night, I appreciate it. It will be better after I'm dead.”
“Dead? Move out the way Caden, I think she’s delusional.”
A woman stood between her and Caden making her sad. She wanted his face to be the last thing she saw.
Jessie bent over her checking for a temperature.
“She’s burning up, we need to get her inside. Xander, we need Cait now.”
Caden placed his arms under Sage and picked her up carrying her into the apartment.
“How do I keep forgetting that all of you have that superhuman strength?” Jessie muttered under her breath.
“Cait is coming.” Xander walked into the living room to find Sage laid out on the floor.
“Caden I need a pot of cold water and a sponge or a washcloth.”
He stood up walking into the kitchen his long legs eating up the floor space.
“What’s wrong with her?”
Jessie looked up worry in her eyes. “I don’t know. The flu has been going around; she might have that. It could be something worse. Right now, all I know is that she’s too hot. I’ll try to wipe her down with cold water. It should help to bring down her temperature.”
“Jessie, what’s wrong?” Cait rushed in followed by Tristan and the Alphas.
“Possible flu.”
Caden brought over a pot of cold water and a washcloth. Jessie started washing her face while Cait took her temperature.
“She has a fever of one hundred and four degrees.” She took two blood samples giving one of them to Tristan. She analyzed one while he did the other.
“She has a nasty bacterial infection,” Tristan announced. He got closer to her before kneeling at her side. He took his stethoscope and dropped it on the floor before he put his ear to her chest.
He backed up and looked at Cait, “Listen.”
She put her ear to Sage’s chest and looked up worry lingering in her eyes.
“I’m
going to give her a shot of a Kur’ik muscle relaxer. It will allow her to breathe a little easier as her body slows down, but it will not put her out.” Tristan looked at Cait to see if she agreed.
“That will help, but we’re also going to need some antibiotics, as well as Albuterol and steroids.”
“I’ll get them,” Jessie volunteered.
“Is the pharmacy still open?” Fire asked.
“They have been operating under extended hours. There seems to be an epidemic hitting the city.”
“Something we should be aware of?” Cait stopped to look at Jessie.
“I asked at nursing school if the CDC was coming to town. They didn’t think it warranted that kind of action. They believe that it has something to do with the strange weather.”
“I’ll write you a script as soon as I’m done with her.”
Chapter Three
“Jessie would you be willing to pick up these ingredients for me?” Caden handed her a list.
“Making soup?”
“It’ll help her.”
“I think a bowl of it would help me too.” She flashed him a smile getting one in return.
“You will definitely get a bowl.”
“Can’t wait.”
“Here’s the script. I already called the pharmacist and told him what I wanted. He’ll have it together all he needs is this.”
“I’ll be back as soon as possible. Mia is with Godmom Deja. Cole is waiting for me in the car.” She stopped at the door and looked back in the room. “Did you ever think our lives would be intertwined the way they are?”
“No, but I’m thankful.” Declyn reached out and pulled Fire closer to him.
Jessie left closing the door softly behind her.
“I don’t want to leave her alone tonight.” Cait went back into the room to check on her.
Caden walked to the couch and made himself comfortable. Declyn took Fire’s hand before they moved toward the door.
“We will check on her tomorrow.” Fire smiled and walked out the door following her mate.
Tristan stood and stretched before he said goodnight and left.
“That leaves the three of us.” She looked at Caden and then Xander. “I’m going to explain what needs to happen, call me if you forget something.” She left after giving them both the instructions.
“It’s strange, isn’t it?”
Xander gave a slight nod to his head. “I feel her like you do, but she’s not calling out to me. I don’t have to take care of her in any other way except that she feels like a sister to me.”
“Makes sense. Most of us wouldn’t know what a sister or a brother feels like. We’re a strange pair.”
“I always wondered why they didn’t put us to death, but I wasn’t going to ask. I’m going to go home. If you need anything, you call.”
Caden walked his brother to the door before he gave him a tight hug. He watched as he walked down the stairs before he walked back inside.
He sat on the couch thinking about family. Xander was his twin older by forty seconds. There was a bond between them that went beyond the fact that they were mentally linked. At times, he thought the connection was soul deep, but they didn’t have a soul. They were genetically engineered. He leaned back and closed his eyes thinking about Sage.
She sat up in bed. There was no way she could wear the gown she had on. It was hot and thick and plastered to her. She stripped it off using it to dry her sweat slick body. She grasped it with both hands and tried to tear it, but nothing happened. Instead, she threw it to the floor then stood to kick it away.
Carefully she maneuvered to where she left her other one. She bent holding onto the edge of the mirror and picked the gown up sliding it over her head. There was no one here but her to see what shouldn’t be seen.
Turning she lost her balance and gave a small scream before she stumbled her way back to bed.
“Sage?” There was a knock on her door before it opened.
“Caden? What are you doing here? You have to leave.” The look on her face was horrified as she tried to cover herself using her hands.
“What are you doing?”
“You can’t look at me close your eyes.”
“Why?”
“Please close them.”
“They’re closed, now tell me what’s going on.”
“I’m supposed to be wearing the other nightgown, but I hate it.”
“I agree with you there; it is not all that attractive.” He waited several heartbeats for her to go on. “You’re explaining remember?”
“I’m an abomination.”
“A what?”
“I’m someone who is so horribly ugly that others look at me with disgust.”
“I see. Who told you that?”
She bit her lip and tried to climb onto the bed. “Just give me a minute, and I’ll hide under the cover.”
He grabbed her before she could move and held her up in the air.
“What are you doing?”
She was kicking her feet like a child trying to get down.
“Sage, you don’t know me, and maybe I don’t have the right to say this. All I see in front of me is a desirable female.” He put her down, and she moved back.
“Look at me.”
“I’m looking; you're beautiful even with that tired look on your face, and the fact that you don’t seem to like yourself right now.” He looked into her green eyes that were tired but still seemed to shine. Her red hair flowed over her back begging him to touch. Her body that could finally be seen in the sinful red gown she was wearing was beautiful.
“I like myself.”
“Then why did you say that about yourself?”
“You ever have someone tell you repeatedly that you’re nothing? I’ve listened to that for roughly a year. Don’t ask me why because I don’t know. I just didn’t want to hear you…” She hesitated before going on. “I just didn’t want to hear you say that.”
It amazed her that she could still feel. Every day she worked on building a wall around any emotion that could attack her. She only had room for fear because it helped to stroke the desire to survive. It felt like a blow to her gut when she realized that this stranger’s opinion of her was important.
“Then you have nothing to worry about. I don’t know you yet, but I know you refused to give up. That’s why you’re here. To me that says a lot.”
“Thanks, I would say you’re a nice guy, but I’ve been down that road before.”
He nodded, “You need rest.”
“I’m not tired.” Her voice was defiant, and her shoulders tensed while her fingers curled up in a ball.
He kept the smile to himself. Her defiance let him know she was still alive. She wasn’t ready to give up no matter what her words said.
“Do you want to come into the living room with me?”
“Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be home?”
“I should, but someone needs to keep an eye on you. I volunteered.”
“Oh.” Of course, he was only being nice. What had she expected?
We expected more. The alien voice in her head told her.
I was hoping for romance. The part of her that still dreamed told her.
I didn’t want to have to be scared. Fear chimed in.
She was hoping for more even though she didn’t think there was more out there for her.
“What’s wrong with me?”
“Cait says you have a bacterial infection. Jessie went to the store to pick up some medicine for you.”
“Wait let me get this straight. A doctor came to see me, and someone went to the pharmacy to pick medicine up for me?”
“That’s about it. The Alphas were here and Tristan our doctor was here. Cait seems to always be the primary on the females though. Xander my brother was here. We wanted to make sure you were going to be fine.”
She swayed on her feet her hand went to her head.
“What’s wrong?”
“Dizzy.”
He picked her up. “Bed or living room?”
“I’m cold.”
“There’s a throw on the couch.” He carried her into the other room and laid her down before tucking the throw around her.
“How did you get stuck with babysitting me?”
“I sat on the couch and waited for everyone else to leave.”
She laughed wrapping her arms around her middle. “Don’t make me laugh that hurts.”
He smiled at her. “I like your laugh it’s beautiful.”
“I bet you do this a lot.”
"What?"
"Charm women."
“I don’t.”
She turned over on the couch until she got comfortable. “I think your green eyes and that dark hair along with your smile makes women everywhere drop their panties.”
He laughed. It was loud and filled with wonder, and she couldn’t help responding to it.
“Are you laughing at me?”
“No, I was thinking that before Deja came, I wouldn’t have understood what you just said to me.”
“Deja?” A fist gripped her heart making the beat slow down. He’s not mine she told herself. So what, he came to see me every night before I went to bed, that doesn’t mean I have a claim on him. It didn’t matter she wanted to hate Deja. Her eyes closed not wanting to remember that she didn’t have time to find a male of her own.
“She’s Enzo’s mate. This is their apartment that you’re staying in.”
“Fire told me about her. I forgot. There is so much going on that sometimes I forget things.”
“Alpha said that you have been running trying to stay alive and on top of that you’re sick. I think it would be easy to forget something under those circumstances.”
She lifted her head to look at him. “You’re not upset?”
“No, why would I be?”
“Where is your woman?” She changed the subject without blinking.
“I don’t have a mate.”
“Mate? You used that word with Deja and Enzo.”
“The one you will spend the rest of your life with.”
“Wife.”
“No mate. I understand that wives and husbands are not always together forever.”
“You can’t always know your love won’t last. Sometimes you meet someone who seems so kind and caring. He treats you like a queen and then one day he changes. No rhyme or reason. Your life becomes a hell you can’t run away from.”
Caden (The Wolves Den Book 4) Page 2
