“We got sideswiped by some sort of Fae on the way home—at least we think they are Fae. I don’t know if they were waiting for us, or if we just happened along when they decided to pull their little stunt, but whatever the case, they are dangerous.” I held up my hand. I was beginning to feel sweaty, and my stomach ached. “I think they have some sort of venom or bacteria, because I don’t feel so hot.”
Shade brushed my bangs away from my face and kissed my forehead. “Let me get you some water. Mallen is on the way. Relax and cover up, love.”
Just then, Camille popped back through the doorway. “Where the hell is Mallen? Iris is crowning the first baby.”
A thought hit me. “Where the hell is Bruce?”
Smoky frowned. “Iris said he’d be here in a few. He was out at the house. I’ll go check on him.” He headed toward the kitchen just as Shade reappeared with my water. The doorbell rang and Menolly answered it, leading Mallen in. Behind him was Chase, looking pale and shaken.
“Chase, what’s going on?”
He shook his head. “I’m sorry to intrude at this time but I’m afraid I have some bad news. Menolly—I’m sorry to tell you this, but the Wayfarer . . .”
She stiffened. “Tell me. What’s going on?”
“The Wayfarer is on fire. The fire department is there, trying to stop the flames, but they aren’t hopeful. Chrysandra . . . she got caught in the smoke. She’s in serious condition at the FH-CSI.”
“Oh Great Mother, the threats were real.” Camille paled as Mallen pushed past her, grabbing her arm.
“I need you to help me.” He shook her lightly. “Now.”
As he dragged her after him, Menolly grabbed her jacket, still silent.
I stood, intending to go with her, but the room began to spin and the next thing I knew, I face-planted. As I hit the floor, my head buzzed like a hive full of angry bees had taken up residence there.
Chapter 5
As I opened my eyes, I realized three things. One: I was lying on the floor. Two: The floor felt uncommonly good—nice and cool and smooth. Three: I didn’t think I was supposed to actually be down here.
That’s when the burning hit. My hand itched so bad I let out a croaking scream. I tried to sit up and found hands against my back, helping me. Shade was bracing me up. I shook my head, trying to clear the drone, but the buzzing grew worse, making it hard to even hear my own thoughts.
I squinted as Menolly knelt down beside me, Chase fretting behind her. “Kitten, Kitten, are you okay?”
“I . . . I . . . No.” Truth being, I wasn’t. I felt feverish and on pins and needles.
“I’ll go get Mallen.” She jumped up and disappeared from sight.
Shade gathered me up in his arms and laid me on the sofa. “Love, love . . . can you hear me? Delilah—can you hear me?”
His voice grated in my ears against the buzzing that wouldn’t shut the fuck up. It was beginning to annoy me. “Yes, I can hear you. Stop asking me that.”
“You’re burning up.” Shade pressed his hand against my forehead.
A moment later, Mallen rushed back into the room, followed by Camille. The elf looked straight out of med school but he was probably several thousand years old, and he had a calm, cool demeanor that both felt aloof and yet comforting at the same time.
He leaned over me, touched my forehead, then straightened up. “We need to get her to the FH-CSI. She needs more care than I can provide here. Smoky can take her through the Ionyc Sea. Don’t let Rozurial do it—he’s not strong enough to carry someone in fragile condition. Smoky can offer more protection from the elements out on the Sea. So go. Find him now. I’ll call ahead so they’re expecting her.”
Camille ran off.
Mallen turned to Shade. “Camille should go with her. Menolly—I understand that you’re needed at the Wayfarer. We’ll let you all know if anything serious happens with Iris, though I don’t expect any complications.”
Menolly looked ready to argue, but turned and headed out the door with Chase.
Shade worried his lip. “Who’s with Iris?”
“My assistant, and Hanna and Roz. I have to get back to her—this is her first labor and with twins, it’s not going to be easy. Someone find Bruce and send him in.” Mallen stared down at me. “Get Delilah a cool cloth for her head until you can get her to headquarters.”
At that moment, Smoky and Camille burst in.
“Smoky, take Delilah and Camille to the FH-CSI. A team will be waiting. Somebody—get your ass on the move and bring me Bruce. Now.” With that, Mallen turned and headed back to Iris.
Shade kissed me. “I’ll find Bruce, then join you at HQ. Go, love, and be safe.”
I tried to kiss him back but the fever hit me again and I started to pass out. The next thing I knew, the world was spinning—another period of darkness and I woke up in a bed in the FH-CSI.
I had no idea of how long I’d been out, but as I tried to push myself to a sitting position, Camille stepped into view and shoved me back down again.
“Stop right there. No moving. How are you feeling?” She ran her hand over my cheek, and I saw the worry filling her eyes.
I assessed my condition. Burning, itching hand? Still throbbing but much better. Buzzing in ears? Faint and muted. Feeling like hell? Check—still that.
“I’m better,” I croaked out, my throat raspy. “Water?”
She nodded, holding a glass to me with a bendy-straw in it. As I sipped, the cool water raced down my throat, easing the harshness. After a few minutes, I could breathe better, and I leaned back against the pillow.
“What happened to me? I don’t remember anything after Smoky picked me up to bring me here.” I had a few vague images of someone grabbing my arm, and I thought I might have screamed at one point, but I had no other clue.
“You were phasing in and out, but you’ll be okay. Be prepared though. You’re going to hurt like hell for a while as you recover.” Camille looked around, motioning to someone outside my field of vision. A healer joined her, staring down at me with a soft smile. She was Fae, and I’d lay bets she was part Goldunsan, from Otherworld. Her nametag read “Aswala” and she radiated a warm, welcoming energy.
“I’m glad to see you’re awake.” She fluffed my pillows and adjusted the blanket over me. “Do you know what happened to you yet?”
I gave her a brief shake of the head. “No, I just woke up. I’m not even sure . . . where am I?” I was pretty sure I was in the medic unit of the FH-CSI.
“You know that bite on your hand? Well, we know what those creatures are now. And we now know that they have a necrotic enzyme, like a brown recluse spider only worse. It helps them digest the flesh they eat. If you hadn’t gotten your lovely self in here, you could have died. As it is, we are able to counter that type of toxin, and you’re on the mend. But I won’t kid you, the pain’s going to continue for quite a while, and you’ll have a scar on your hand.” Aswala took my pulse and checked my heartbeat. Seemingly satisfied, she jotted down her findings in my chart.
The thought of a scar didn’t scare me. Hell, both Menolly and Camille had more than their fair shares of scar tissue. It was my turn, apparently. “So what are they?”
“They are children of Jenny Greenteeth and the Dark Dugald. Apparently the pair had several litters and it appears that we have at least a small nest of them around here. They’re called dreglins, and they run in a pack.” Camille let out a disgusted sigh.