“Shit, those spikes are poisonous!”
“Is that why I don’t feel good?” she groans before fainting. I quickly lift her up and get out of the pond, heading towards the cave I use as a home. I made the bedposts from tree trunks, and the mattress from a handmade vine netting covered with largepalm leaves that I change whenever they dry out.
Gently, I set her down and place my hand on her forehead, she’s burning up. I need to tend to her hand first so I unbind it to take a look. I grimace when I see the wound. Glancing up at her face, I see she’s completely passed out. It might be for the best while I treat this. Luckily, I still have a bottle of alcohol for just such an occasion, so I pull it out and pour it over both sides of her hand.
I need to stitch it up and it’s best to do it while she’s unconscious, so while trying to be neat, clean and fast, I make quick work of sewing up both sides of her palm. She was clinging to me earlier, so she must still have full use of her fingers, thankfully. But I’m unsure how well this will heal, as it’s over half an inch wide and could get easily infected.
I find the cleanest piece of material I have, wrapping it around her hand as much as I can to help keep it clean. I stare down at her, wondering what else I can do to help make her comfortable. I feel her forehead, she’s still far too hot. She’s laying in a soaking wet dress.It’s probably not right for me to take it off her, right?Besides, while it’s wet and cool, it would help cool her body down. Grabbing another piece of material and a bowl, I use my magic to fill it with cold water. I dip the cloth in and then place it over her forehead, hoping to cool her down.
Slowly, I drip little bits of water into her mouth over the next few hours. Constantly replacing the cloth on her forehead. Eventually her dress becomes warm, while still being damp, so I know I need to get her out of it. I try to wake her, but she doesn’t rouse. I find a thin blanket I have to cover her in once I have her out of her wet clothes and I’m thankful that this seems to be some sort of night dress, so it’s easy to remove. What was she doing wandering the desert alone, wearing nothing but this? It probably has something to do with the sandcrawler.
I try my hardest not to look at her when I pull the dress off,but I am a man and can’t help myself from a quick glance before I get her covered in the blanket. I know it’s wrong, but she’s beautiful, like a little fallen angel. I haven’t seen my brother in nine years, and I’ve been out here for about eight of those, and somehow this woman is connected to him. Is she his mate? The way she kissed me when she thought I was him, makes it clear they were romantically involved. But even if she was attracted to Indy, my twin, she wouldn’t be interested in me. I have scars on my face and body that I got the first year I left my home, not to mention my magic.
Indy was always the better of us. My magic tainted everything it touched, it’s why I came out here. It was the only place I could exist without worry of anyone finding me. My water magic lets me create this oasis. Being here was the closest to feeling at ease I’ve ever felt.
Speaking of which, I rub my chest, realizing that the tug I had been feeling has disappeared completely now. Was it something to do with the little angel? I stare down at her and frown. I would help her get better, and take care of her, at least until Indy comes to take her away. I couldn’t get too close to her though. If she finds out the truth about me, it will just hurt Indy all over again. Maybe she wouldn’t want to be associated with someone who has a brother like me? And then it would be my fault he’s alone, again.
No, I would just need to keep my distance, the less she knew, the better.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
PENNY
Small memories flick through my consciousness. Although I can’t tell what’s real and what’s a hallucination. I remember meetingApollo. I get glimpses of him taking care of me, feeding me water, placing cool cloths on my forehead. But I also remember seeing Ry, Brax and Indy looking down at me, touching my face and asking what’s wrong. Were they here too?
My stomach rolls and I think I manage to say, “I’m gonna be sick.” Strong hands help roll me to my side and I puke on the ground. I feel a hand holding my hair back, and another rubbing my back. Is that only two hands I feel?
Tears leak down my face as I continue to hurl. I want Ry, Brax and Indy to be here so badly right now. I want them to hold me and tell me everything will be okay. If I really was just here with Apollo… well, I knew he wasn’t a bad man, in fact, he sounded like the opposite, but I still didn’t know him. He wasn’t mine like they were.
“It’s okay, just let it out, it’ll be okay.” The voice is so similar to Indy’s, but it’s rougher, like he hasn’t used it much.How long has he been out here?
When I finally stop gagging, I feel my body shake.Why am I so cold?Apollo pulls me back from the edge, turning me to face him. I know I’m a mess, my eyes feel swollen from crying, I’m filthy, tired, nauseous and cold.
Shivers wreck my entire body as I ask through clattering teeth, “I’m scared, why am I so cold?”
“Your body is fighting the poison and the heat.”Poison?I lift my hand to see it has a new bandage on it. It was hurting a lot, were those spikes poisonous? “Lay down, you need to get warm,” he instructs.
I do as he says and try to snuggle down under the thin blanket, but my body won’t stop shaking. Where are my men? How long have I been out here?
“H-how long h-have I b-been h-here?” I stutter out.
“A day.” I wait for him to say more but realize he must not be a big talker, or else he just wasn’t used to talking to people.
When I feel another wave of nausea hit me, I groan, rolling to my side and curling into a ball, holding my stomach as I squeeze my eyes shut. I don’t want him to see my cry, but I’m scared.
“A-am I g-going to die?” I sniff, wishing my mates were here. His silence speaks volumes.Fuck, I am aren’t I?“I w-want m-my mates.” I can’t stop myself from crying and I bury my face in my hands.
I hear him let out a big sigh before the bed dips, and his body presses in behind me. He’s on top of the cover, but he presses his chest to my back and wraps an arm around me.
“I’m just trying to help warm you up,” he whispers, like he doesn’t want me to misunderstand his actions. I want to pretend he’s Indy, but I can’t. He feels similar to his twin, but Apollo is a bit wider, closer to Brax’s frame. “There isn’t much I can offer you, Little Angel, but I promise to do my best to help you get better, and I will take care of you until your mates arrive.” His words speak volumes about his character. I squeeze my eyes tightly shut and pray for my guys to arrive soon.
CHAPTER THIRTY
PENNY
My shivers start to calm as we lay quietly, but my stomach doesn’t settle. I feel myself drifting in and out of consciousness again. Apollo keeps holding his hand out, full of water for me to drink. It’s cold and feels good on my parched throat. I ask for more but he keeps saying, “Slowly.” Several times, I find myself vomiting over the edge of the bed as he holds my hair back and wipes my face when I’m done.
When I’m hot, I find him pressing cool cloths against my skin to cool me down. When I’m cold, he holds me tight, warming me up with his body heat. I’ve had the flu before, but it’s nothing compared to this. I want to take a look at how my hand is feeling, but I just don’t have the energy to do anything. I barely have the energy to turn to puke up bile over the side of the bed, Apollo doing most of the work to move me.
