“Fast metabolism.”
She snorted at his dry response, and answered. “It’s just something I need.”
“Why?”
Jeez.“I’m not contagious. You can’t catch it,” she muttered, then added, “I’m fine. Just have a bit of a temperature, is all.”
He didn’t speak, but his unfocused stare remained on her for a second longer before he shut his eyes again.
Exhaling, Ely tipped her head against the wall and closed her eyes, too, hoping the potion would aid her a little. She didn’t want to secrete herself in some cold, lonely mountain just to expend the heated energy churning through her.
Quiet descended upon them. Hopefully, they’d both get some ease now…
* * *
Ely jerked awake. An eerie sensation slid up her spine as the cold air around her changed, growing denser. Something else was here with them. Dagger summoned, she quickly scanned for danger in the cabin…it felt close.
Oh, shit, the dark vibe was coming from—
Nate?
Her gaze rushed to him. His entire body appeared rigid as if caught in a stranglehold of torment.
“Nate?” She dropped her weapon, scrambled to her knees, and gently rubbed his forearm. The muscles there strained, and the tendon on his neck popped as if he were fighting against the pain. “You’ll get past this,” she said softly, trying to soothe him, letting a calming wave of her healing energy surround him. “The warriors did, too.”
His eyelids flickered open. Red bled into his irises. He shot up into a crouch, startling her. “Gonna kill him!”
“Nate!” She grabbed his arm, trying to hold him in place. “Stop, you’ll do more harm to yourself!” Dammit, she was fairly strong, but whatever fever-induced nightmare gripped him made him impossibly stronger. “There’s no one here.”
“Couldn’t let the bastard hurt you!”
What? The truth struck her then, recalling Nate flashing to her during the fight.Heavens!The hellfire bolt was meant forher?
And he’d protected her, taking the hit.
He shoved her away, and she landed on her ass. His head cocked in an almost animalistic angle as if he were listening. To what, she had no idea.
About to push up, Ely froze, her breath catching in her chest.
Without his shirt, she could clearly see black scales rippling beneath his inked chest and arms.
Shit, oh shit!Cautiously, Ely shuffled backward on her bottom as he uncoiled to his full height like some dangerous predator. All her alarm bells rang. Her Guardian oath reared up at the threat in front of her. To kill—
No!
Her back hit the bars of the cell, hands clenched. Without thought, she let herself take on the consistency of smoke, sinking through the metal to the other side, ignoring the prickling of her tattooed Gaian weapon on her biceps, demanding release. Hands braced on the floor, Ely sat there, unmoving.
Anger and rage tinged the chilly air. Was Nate’s demon side emerging? But why did it affect him so badly?
Desperately wanting to help, to do something—anything to bring him back, she latched onto the one thing she hoped would work—the connection between them. She scrambled to her feet. “Nate?”
Another guttural growl erupted from him.“Run!”
A shiver darted down her spine.Vae!She pivoted for the crude stairs—
A roar exploded. The cage bars rattled. Ely spun back.
Lethal talons gripped the bars, extending from the nailbeds of elongated, gnarled hands covered with black scales that ran up his thick forearms, the same scales slipping and sliding beneath his tan torso. Even his toes sported claws and scales, protruding from his torn socks. Deadly, straight black horns pushed out from his hairline, and his brow extended into a hooded ridge. Fangs dropped, yet the rest of him somehow remained human.
