Wanted: Fevered or Alive

by Long, Heather

  “Noah,” he told her. “They’ll take me to Noah. Listen to Cody and Mariska…promise me.”

  She swallowed hard. “I promise. You come back to me Jason.”

  He wanted to answer her, but the cliff side rushed up to him and the darkness crashed down.

  His mind winked out.

  Olivia, The Long Road Home

  It wasn’t his lack of speech that terrified her, it was how his breathing changed. Thin and reedy, it sounded of struggle with every gasp. “Cody!” she screamed and she didn’t care who heard her as long as the wolf did. “Come back!”

  The sticky wetness under her hand pulsed with the sluggish beat of his heart. But his heart is still beating… She’d opened her mouth to scream again when a wet nose brushed her cheek. “Cody, I need you to not be the dog, I mean wolf. Please.”

  A low growl greeted her and it didn’t sound as it had the day before. A second rumble came from her other side and then Cody was there, his hand over hers. “Ignore Mariska, she’s still struggling to understand her human half when she’s wolf.” His mate whined in response, the annoyance so profound that in any other situation, Olivia might have laughed.

  “Please tell me how he is?” she pleaded. “We need to get him to Noah. He said you would take him.”

  “Calm down. We will.” The crisp, hard tone did more to soothe her than a platitude. “Mariska, you must change.”

  The wolf snarled.

  “I said change.” The command in his tone was nearly as ruthless as Jason at his chilliest and Olivia ducked her head. It was easy to forget that wolves weren’t domesticated animals, nor were they typically friendly to humans and she knew two humans who became them. Her world had definitely taken on a strange definition. Cody’s hand stayed firm over hers. A vicious wrenching noise cracked through the air.

  “What is that?” Olivia jerked, but Cody didn’t let her move.

  “She’s changing. It sounds as bad as it is. Try to ignore her and keep your grip tight just as you have. I’m going to tear up his jacket and bind the wound.”

  Harsh panting noises interspersed the bone crunching sound and she flinched.

  “Olivia.” The bold command grabbed her attention. “Ignore her. Grip here. Do you understand?”

  “Yes. Please hurry.” Cody must have changed farther away from her, since she wouldn’t have missed that agonizing sound.

  “I don’t sound as bad when I change anymore.” Or maybe he could read minds like Jason could. Some of her surprise must have shown because he made a short laughing noise as the fabric shredded. “I used to sound just like her. It gets better with practice.”

  “I’ll take your word for it.” She could smell the blood now, the bite of copper in the air and it soaked through her fingers no matter how tightly she held them. Swallowing hard, she let out a shaky breath when the punishing sound of bones reshaping themselves stopped.

  “Give me a moment.” Mariska’s voice was low and hoarse.

  “When you’re ready, saddle the horse and see if he brought something you can wear. You’re going to carry him back on the horse, then send someone for us.” Cody didn’t wait for her answer. “Olivia, in a moment I need you to move your hand so I can bind the wound.”

  “He’ll start bleeding again.”

  “Not for long. The sooner we get this wrapped, the sooner Mariska can get him to Noah.”

  Her heart squeezed. Noah was a healer, one Jason said could heal the most serious of injuries. She had to trust the Fevered. They wouldn’t let anything happen to him. “All right. Say when.”

  The next few minutes were the longest of her life. She cradled Jason in her lap as Cody bound his shoulder and Mariska wrangled the horse. All too soon, Jason was lifted away from her and then the horse thundered away at a run, carrying her heart with it.

  “Stay here,” Cody cautioned her. “I will only be a moment.”

  Seconds passed and then a very decisive crack of bone echoed through the air. One. “You really don’t make more noise than that?”

  “That wasn’t me shifting,” Cody said, though he didn’t bother to explain what it was. Realization sank in.

  “You were making sure the man was dead.” She took his silence as an assent. A rustling noise sounded and then a thump. “What are you doing now?”

  “I’m checking his pockets and I’m going to hide the body up a tree for now. We’ll come back and bury it later. Or Scarlett will burn it.” He sounded as if it were a completely normal occurrence.

  “Oh.”

  Something thumped to the ground next to her. “There’s food in there. Eat. We have a long walk and I’ll shift. We’ll make some kind of a strap you can wrap around me and hold onto. I’ll lead you back until someone comes to fetch you, but it could be a few hours and I’d rather we were on Kane land if the other shows up.”

  The last thing she wanted was food. Her hands were sticky with Jason’s blood. Jason had told them to look for the other. “What if the other does come?”

  “I’ll kill him.” Another thud of sound, but further away. Then Cody was back. “Eat. You’re too pale and I don’t want to have to carry you, even if you are a scrawny little thing.”

  “I am not scrawny,” she snapped. “I have blood on my hands. I can’t eat food with Jason’s blood on my hands.” Her voice spiraled up a hysterical note when she said Jason’s name.

  Cody knelt down next to her, the raging heat of him brushing her, and she leaned away. He stilled at her motion. “I’m not going to hurt you,” he told her, patient and matter of fact. “I’m getting the canteen so I can wash your hands. Then you can eat.”

  He put action to words and the water trickled over her fingers. He had to use her skirt to wipe her hands down. Stomach lurching, she swallowed hard. Bile burned in the back of her throat.

  “You’re going to be sick, aren’t you?” Cody sighed, but he didn’t wait for her answer. One moment she was sitting and the next, he had her up and turned away. Illness coursed through her and she bent over at the waist and heaved out what little her stomach had in it.

  Saying nothing, he kept her steady as she brought her breathing under control and then pressed the canteen into her hands. The water was warm, but it helped. When he forced a piece of crusty bread into her hand, she ate it. Only after she finished a second piece of bread did he relent. “Can you carry the bag?”

  She tested the weight of it and nodded. He slung it over her shoulder and draped the strap across her chest. A moment later, he pressed the walking stick into her hands. “Thank you.” It sounded feeble to her ears.

  “You’ll do,” he told her. “This is a strap from one of the other bags, I packed most of the stuff into the one you have. I want you to loop this around my chest and grip it. I’ll lead you on the easiest path and keep my pace to yours. Use your stick to tell me if it gets too rough going. I’ll understand you.” The calm explanation helped.

  “Thank you,” and it came out stronger this time. “We’re miles from the ranch house.”

  “I know. That’s why we’re going to keep walking. We’re about five miles from the closest Kane border. The river crossing will be the hardest. Hopefully they’ll be here with horses before then. You stay close to me and I’ll get you home.” He paused and touched her cheek in a fleeting caress. “He’s a stubborn man and a very difficult one. Too difficult to die.”

  Sadness welled up in her at the description, sadness and pride. “He has had a difficult road to travel.”

  “Yes, but he isn’t alone. We’ll take care of him.” The wolf seemed to be trying hard to comfort her and that, in and of itself, was a comfort.

  “We should go,” she told him. “I should be there when he wakes up.”

  “Yes, you should,” he agreed, but he waited a moment longer. Olivia tried to smile, but as wan and worried as she felt, she found it hard. She couldn’t lose Jason—not after finding him again. He’d told her he loved her. It wasn’t fair. “Olivia?”

  She
shook her head and tears fought to leak from the corners of her eyes. “Don’t be nice to me.”

  “Why not?” The calmness in Cody’s deep voice soothed her, oddly enough.

  “Because I will weep and I just wept for the dead. I don’t want to weep for Jason that way.” She sniffed and lifted her chin. It took everything she possessed to squash the pain trying to rend her heart in two. “I do not want to mourn him…he has to be all right.” Her voice broke on the last.

  “Be brave, little one.” Cody touched her cheek again. “He will not leave you.”

  “You sound certain.” More certain than she felt.

  “He’s a stubborn bastard.” Again, the wolf cursed without a glimmer of apology. It was so refreshingly honest. “But we have no more time for this sorrow. We need to move.”

  “Very well.” Thankfully, the words came out strong and sure. “Then we should go.” The sooner they left, the sooner she could be with Jason. Be alive when I get there… If only he could hear her thoughts, too.

  “Stay here. I’ll be a moment.”

  He retreated several steps. Olivia waited, determined to ignore whatever noise he made, but all she heard were a few grunts and the snapping of bones went swift. The wolf padded up to her and butted her hand with his nose. It took her a moment to loop the strap over him, but Cody stood still and waited.

  “All right, I’m ready.” She told him and when he tugged, she followed. She had not just found Jason only to lose him.

  She refused.

  Time ceased to have meaning. Her legs were numb from fatigue and she stumbled. Whenever she slowed too much, Cody nipped at her and shoved the bag toward her. It was only the third time he did it that she realized he wanted her to eat again.

  Digging out a piece of bread, she nibbled at it and kept walking. She didn’t want to stop. Had Mariska made it back? It had taken them a long time to ride out this way. What if his wound began bleeding again? Cody stopped abruptly and her knee banged off his side. “Why are we stopping? We have to get back.”

  Then she heard it—horses. More than one. Her hand flexed around the strap. Were they friend or foe? The horses pounded up, surrounding her.

  “Olivia.” Micah’s voice. Relief had her sinking to the ground and she let go of Cody. He shook once and sneezed. “Cody we brought an extra for you, or you can run, your choice.” The wolf made a low sound, but Micah had caught her hands and tugged her back up to her feet. “Come on, little lady. We’re going to get you home.”

  “You two all right?” The other voice belonged to Jimmy.

  “Did Mariska make it back with Jason? Is he all right?”

  “He’ll be with Noah by now. We headed out as soon as she told us where you two were. Come on.” Micah tugged the strap of the bag over her head, and then lifted her. A moment later, she was in the saddle and he was behind her. “It looked a lot worse than it is. The bullet’s still in, so they’ll have to dig it out, but he’s strong. He’ll make it.”

  “Can you take me to him?”

  “Right now.”

  “What did Cody do with the other?” Jimmy asked. The wolf snapped something, but Olivia shook her head.

  “He said something about putting it in a tree and that you could deal with the body later.”

  “Good enough. We’re all going back together.” She didn’t know who Micah directed the words to. She was having trouble keeping her head up.

  “Please hurry,” she whispered. “I want to be there when he wakes up.”

  “It’s okay, little sister,” Micah soothed. “You will be.”

  Little sister. It had an odd, but pleasant ring to it.

  “Hold on.” The horse’s muscles bunched beneath her. He didn’t travel at the sedate pace Jason had or at the walk Jimmy had the day he gave her a ride to the ranch. They ran and despite being weak as a kitten, she didn’t slide in the saddle once. Micah kept her steady. She leaned forward, wanting to go even faster.

  She wanted to be with Jason.

  * * *

  Jason

  * * *

  Flying K

  * * *

  Awareness snapped through Jason and he opened his eyes. Light flooded his room—and it was his room. He recognized the hardwood furnishings and framed maps on the wall. Pain cramped his left shoulder and radiated down his arm and across his chest.

  “Hey.” Buck appeared in his line of sight, the man’s flat features and dark eyes filled with concern. “Noah got the bullet out and repaired most of the damage, but it’s going to hurt for a while yet. Something about the way he knitted the tissue back together.”

  The words registered slowly. He’d been shot. Olivia…

  “She’s right next to you.” Buck pointed.

  Turning his head, he discovered she was the source of the pressure on his right side. She slept with her head on his shoulder and her tumble of wild black curls spilled over his chest. Shadows darkened the circles beneath her eyes and she was pale, too pale. Jason grimaced and shifted. She’d been right behind him… Was she hurt?

  “Scared,” Buck told him. “But brave as hell. She and Cody had to walk for hours before Micah and Jimmy got there to give her a ride back, but she is a lot tougher than she looks. Cody said to tell you to take very good care of her or we’ll be required to beat the hell out of you.” Humor, sharp in its relief, erased any harshness from the warning. “He likes her.”

  Blade?

  “Dead. You took him out before you collapsed.”

  Jason nodded. That was acceptable. He barely remembered the moment, it happened when he lingered to long in the mind of the dying. It was as though the other’s death tried to suck him down with them. All that was important was Olivia was okay. Masterson?

  “No sign of him that I know of. Jimmy and Cody are back out there. I need to send word to your family that you’re awake—” Buck paused. “But I’ll a wait a bit and give you two some privacy.”

  Buck?

  “Yes?”

  “Thank you.” It came out more a croak than a pair of words. Oddly, he’d wanted to say them. Buck’s offer of friendship, no matter how unusual, had proven valuable. He owed a similar debt to Cody, if not more. The Morning Star brother had saved Olivia twice.

  “You’re welcome. Before I go, there’s something you should know.” He kept his voice pitched low and soft. Olivia didn’t so much as stir, her soft breaths feathering against Jason’s neck and her hand spread over his chest as though shielding his heart. The touch reminded him she was there, alive and with him.

  Don’t wake her. He concentrated. Tell me this way.

  A brief grin softened the hard lines of Buck’s face. Very well. You told me she brings you peace, that you can’t hear her this way as you do all of us.

  He waited a beat and Jason realized he wanted confirmation. Yes.

  Buck transferred his gaze to the sleeping woman cuddled to Jason’s side. We have a theory, or at least my father does.

  You’ve heard from him? Not that long ago, Buck mentioned his father had remained quiet for weeks and, even though he’d reached out to him, Quanto had said little. They’d all wanted news of Kid—news that hadn’t been forthcoming.

  Nodding once, Buck tapped the side of his head. Kid is well. He is learning. That is all Father was willing to share on that subject. But that he was willing to say as much means more.

  Profound relief spread through Jason. Olivia was safe. Kid was well. Thank you.

  However, that was not what I wanted to tell you. It didn’t matter when compared to the health of his brother or the woman he loved, but Jason waited for him to finish regardless. Father believes that when we love someone—truly love them—our gifts will not work on them. That we protect them from the darkest part of those abilities…

  Jason frowned. He saw two problems with that theory immediately. You can still go into Delilah’s dreams…

  Yes, but she always knows I am there. Even when I am merely brushing her dreams to make sure she sleeps peacefu
lly—she always knows. I cannot hide from her in the dreams and merely watch over her. Her song doesn’t affect me anymore. Which had been a problem for the pair initially, one that brought Jason into direct conflict with the dreamwalker. He’d seen the captivation and recognized it for what it was.

  But I have never heard Olivia… Not from the first moment he met her.

  Sometimes the soul recognizes its other half. Buck shrugged. Perhaps you loved her the moment you met her.

  Then could he yet go into her mind? Could he hear her thoughts as he’d heard so many others? The one person he wanted to hear versus so many that he wished would just be silent? A part of him recoiled immediately. It would strip away her privacy—something he valued above all else—and he didn’t want to do that.

  Food for thought. Buck told him and rose. Consider that you’ve had no trouble hearing or talking to me this way and she is right there. I don’t think she keeps you in silence. I think you do it to protect her.

  I will think on it. Thank you.

  At the door Buck paused. What you did with the ice…?

  Later. Jason promised. I’ll explain it later. They’d saved Olivia, they deserved some kind of explanation.

  I’ll keep everyone away for as long as I can. Which wouldn’t be long when they knew he was awake. It was a tacit warning to avoid being caught in an indelicate position. The dreamwalker left them alone and Jason shifted, the bruise in his shoulder a punishing thing. Glancing down again, he drank in the sight of her. She was still too pale and the tiniest of frowns tightened her brow.

  She loved him. It was a gift he was wholly undeserving of, but he would do everything he could to live up to her idea of him. He’d let Blade get too close, so that meant he needed to actively hunt Masterson. Eliminate the threats before they ever arrived at the ranch.

  Olivia’s fingers curved against his chest. The gentle touch skated over his skin and chased any lingering chill away. Flames licked through his blood, and he closed his eyes and tried to remain still. She stroked his chest, careful petting motions that feathered over to his shoulder and he realized she was checking his wound—or the lack thereof.