He clutched me harder, and I noticed now that he was gasping for breath. I didn’t have an extra mask. Without thinking, I tore the mask off my face and placed it on his. The burning smoke and ashes stung my eyes, and I was forced to shut them.
The door was just ahead. I didn’t need the mask. I didn’t need to see. We would make it.
I just had to trust my animal instincts.
Something crashed behind us, followed by a billowing wave of heat. Adrenaline exploded through my veins as I dashed forward, running as fast as I could. My lungs screamed for clean air.
A rush of power flowed from my core as my survival instincts kicked in. My inner bear wasn’t ready to die. Not just yet.
Summoning all my strength, I shouldered past the half-burning door frame. Cold air whooshed around me. I gasped for breath as my boots hit the concrete. Behind me, the wooden frame went up in flames and collapsed in a crashing heap of debris. The building was gone.
“Victor!”
My eyes were still bleary from the smoke. As I coughed and caught my breath, my crew rushed to my side.
“Victor, are you alright?”
“Jesus Christ, what were you thinking?”
“Oh my God, who is that? Is he okay?”
“Get over here right now!”
I growled, wanting the voices to back off and stop crowding me. I trudged forward until I was sure Nick was the one in front of me.
“Take him,” I grunted.
I dropped the young man in Nick’s arms and collapsed onto one knee.
“Victor!” Nick cried.
“I’m fine,” I snapped, then lowered my voice. “Look after him. He needs more help than I do.”
“No ID?” Dan asked, rushing to my side. I waved him away. I didn’t need anyone’s help to stand.
“No,” I grunted. I couldn’t tell them about what I saw. Everyone on my team was human. They wouldn’t understand.
“Alright, then,” Nick said. “Let’s get John Doe here cleaned up.”
I needed to sit down and rest, but I couldn’t tear my eyes off the young frail man in Nick’s arms as he carried him to the truck. He had passed out from the shock and his delicate pale arm hung limply by his side.
A million questions swirled in my mind. Who was he? Where did he come from? Why was he alone? And why, for God’s sake, was he living in an abandoned wreck of a building?
I groaned and held my head in my gloved hand. My questions would have to wait. I felt like shit, and probably looked like it, too. I needed a painkiller and a fucking shower.
“Vic, you alright?” Dan called from the truck. “We're waiting for you.”
“Coming.” I stood with a grunt and took a seat next to Nick. He was muttering something to me, but I didn’t hear any of it. I couldn’t focus on anything except the young man’s soft brown eyelashes fluttered shut against his cheeks.
What was happening to me?
3
Liam
Iwoketo a pounding headache and a tightness in my chest. Groaning, I tried to sit up, blinking away fluorescent lights that were like an ice pick in my brain.
“Whoa, whoa,” a voice came, touching my shoulder. Instantly I recoiled.
