Bite Me

by Bella Street

  “But it's also killed people, too,” she whispered.

  “Circumstantial evidence only.”

  “No, Olga's tested it in other things with the same lethal results.”

  He caressed her cheek with his knuckles. “I'm fine, Sef. You can't worry about that.” He looked away for a moment. “Speaking of killing...why won't you tell me what you know?”

  Seffy regarded him, color spreading in her cheeks. “You really don't remember?”

  He swallowed. “I have dreams—nightmares, of things.”

  She leaned against the cushions and clasped her hands together. “You left the compound for three days.”

  “Why?” He smiled slightly. “Why would I leave my new bride?”

  Her eyes sought his. “There was...an incident. The only time, really, that you—”

  “Hurt you?” he finished grimly.

  “You scared me more than anything. You don't remember chasing me through the halls?”

  “God, Seffy, I can't imagine.”

  “So you don't remember that? And eating the raw meat either?”

  He closed his eyes for a moment to get his mental bearings. “Yes, I remember chasing you, eating meat, I remember a lot of things—I just can't seem to distinguish between fiction and reality.”

  “So have you dreamt of...killing anyone?”

  “I killed you over and over in my dreams, but here you are.”

  “Was there a man, not from the compound?”

  Trent stiffened. “Yes.”

  “When you came back, you were covered in blood, saying I didn't need to be afraid anymore.”

  His heart thudded dully in his chest as the ramifications sunk in. “So that was real.”

  “Who was it?” she asked, her voice sharp.

  Trent snorted. “I went to Fenn and got the information. Made the perp come to me.” A muscle jumped in his jaw. “He won't ever bother you again.”

  Her eyes widened. “How did Fenn know? I never told you his name!”

  He shrugged. “I guess he just knew.”

  “Unbelievable!” She struggled to sit up. “Can the man see inside my head?”

  “I don't know, Sef,” he said with an edge to his voice, “maybe you blurted it out when you were under the influence of drugs or stress or whatever. What matters is that I got the job done.”

  Seffy's face paled. “The sheriff was involved—if they find out—”

  “Don't worry. They won't find out.”

  She stared at him, astonishment and despair swirling in her gaze. “Why did you do it?”

  “I wanted to before. Guess I never had enough gumption.”

  She shook her head. “And Fenn was there to help you out. He was complicit.”

  Now that the truth was revealed, his guilt faded. “That guy deserved to die. He won't hurt you, or anyone else.”

  “It's not that easy.”

  Impatience flared within him, but he was afraid to show it. Seffy would probably think he was still a wolf-jerk.

  “Did you...when you killed him?”

  “Did I what?” Trent tried to decipher the look in her eyes. Then it dawned on him. Did you take a bite? “No,” he ground out. “I wasn't even tempted. You on the other hand, drove me out of my mind.”

  “Smell my neck,” she whispered.

  Trent blinked at the abrupt subject change. “Huh?”

  Seffy arched her head back, exposing her throat. “What does my neck smell like?”

  He lowered his head and inhaled deeply. “Mmm, 99.4% pure Ivory soap.”

  She tilted up to look at him. “Not dinner?”

  He shook his head.

  “Can you hear anything?”

  Trent pressed his ear against her warm skin. “I can vaguely hear your heartbeat.”

  “So you don't hear my blood rushing around?”

  “Nope.”

  “I don't get how a mutant virus can increase smell and hearing.” She closed her eyes and held them shut for several minutes. When she opened them, she took a deep breath. “How did you...resist me?”

  Guilt washed back over him in a mighty wave. “The hunger—it was like when I was doing drugs. It was all that mattered.” He took her hand. “And just like with drugs—you were the one who saved me.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You saved me from myself.”

  Seffy studied his face, feeling the weight of his words, but not really understanding.

  “When the time travel thing happened,” he said after a moment, “I wasn't finished with my treatment. Without you as my incentive coupled with the whole survival scenario, I knew if I had the chance, I'd use again. In fact, I was looking forward to it. Then when I walked into Malone's safe house and saw you, I was completely rocked. Not only was I jonesing, but I was furious with you for making me realize I'd wimped out again.”

  “Then there was my 'encounter' with Clay.”

  “Like I said before, not only was my image of you tarnished, but I was more angry you were even in the room, mocking my inability to man up and deal with my addiction.”

  “That's me, driving men to the ends of their ropes.”

  He smiled slightly. “But when I realized you were just a girl and not some unattainable angel, I wanted you even more.”

  She grimaced. “Told you I wasn't no stinkin' angel.”

  Trent leaned his forehead against her temple. “By the time I had access to Fenn's stash, I was clean and unwilling to take the chance again. I knew you wouldn't want me to.”

  “Damn straight,” she whispered, her dark eyes shiny.

  “So in the same way, making love to you helped calm the urge to kill.”

  She swallowed. “Whoa.”

  Trent could only imagine what thoughts churned in her mind. She didn't speak for a long time. Finally, he took her hand in his. “Sef, are we okay here? I mean about us?”

  Her dark eyes seemed to assess his soul. He wondered if he'd been found wanting. It was what he deserved.

  Seffy covered his hand with her own. “I love you, Trent. And you're alive when you shouldn't be. I am very okay with us right now.”

  A relieved smile pulled at the corners of his lips. “I'd understand if you felt differently after everything I put you through—”

  She shook her head. “Don't say that.”

  He pulled his hand from hers and brushed a lock of hair back from her face. “Can I kiss you?”

  She answered him with a kiss of her own. Desire flared within him at her touch and he slid his arms around her, pulling her onto his lap. She cupped his head in her hands, whispering kisses on his eyelids and along his jaw, until she reached his mouth. Just when things were heating up, Seffy pulled away.

  “Are you sure you're ready for this?”

  Trent bit back a laugh. “You're kidding, right?

  She frowned and slid from his lap back onto the cushions. “I don't know...you're heart took a beating when you were having those seizures. We should wait until you're stronger.”

  “Sef, seriously, I'm fine. And if I'm not, what a way to go.”

  The flat look in her eyes told him she was not amused.

  He sighed. “You can't stick me in bubblewrap, sweetheart.”

  “I just don't want to risk losing you.”

  “So what are we going to do? Take up organic gardening?”

  A cautious smile twitched her lips. “Sounds like it could be fun.”

  “Well, since we're on the subject, there is one thing I'm curious about.”

  “Like what?”

  “Well, c'mon, you can guess.”

  She sent him a confused look. “Nope.”

  He tipped up her chin. “Tell me, how was it making it with a werewolf?”

  She punched his arm. Hard.

  “So we're not yet at the point where werewolf jokes are funny.”

  She pressed her face against his shoulder. “Number one, you weren't a stupid werewolf. And I still think the virus mutation theory is
all a crock, too.”

  “Sounds like I was unpleasant to be around, regardless of the cause.”

  “And number two, let's just say I prefer regular Trent...relations.”

  He sighed. “I admit I'm a little disappointed. I thought you would've been all into the wild, untamed—”

  “Trent,” she said sharply, glaring at him, “Seriously.”

  “Okay, okay.” He ran his fingers through her hair, enjoying the cool, silky feel. “Well, I had to ask.”

  She groaned.

  A knock came on the door.

  Seffy's grip tightened. “Don't answer it.”

  Trent offered her a gentle smile and eased from her arms.

  As he made his way across the room, he had to admit his muscles still ached as if he'd been in a triathlon. But he didn't let Seffy see how much it hurt to move. He opened the door to find Fenn in the hall.

  “Trent.” Fenn looked past him into the room and nodded. “Seffy. Did I catch you at a bad time?”

  “Yes,” Seffy said as Trent said no. He glanced at her then told Fenn they should step out into the hall. He heard Seffy's dramatic sigh as he closed the door.

  “I'm sorry to intrude,” Fenn said seeming both sincere and suspicious. “How's the recovery going?”

  “Apparently miraculous.”

  Fenn nodded, his hands in his pockets. “Um, I just needed to run a few things by you. I'm not sure you remember everything that occurred when you were in your altered state, but—”

  Trent lowered his voice. “I remember coming to you for that man's address. And...I got the job done.”

  “I wanted to make sure you were aware of that. And I wanted you to know that we've taken care of details on our end. You won't be implicated in any way.”

  “It doesn't matter It had to be done.”

  Fenn smiled grimly. “It matters.” He regarded Trent for several moments. “Thank you.”

  Trent didn't know how to respond, so he remained silent.

  “Well, get back to your wife and if there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask.”

  He wanted to ask for their freedom, but knew the request would go nowhere, so he just nodded. As Fenn turned and walked away, disappointment and dread filled him like compound-sponsored poison.

  It must've shown on his face when he returned to his room because Seffy got up from the couch and came to him, putting her arms around him.

  He crushed her to himself, burying her face in his hair, and swallowing back the knowledge that they were never leaving this place.

  ***

  “Knock knock.”

  Seffy paused her sweeping and glanced up to see Lani poking her head in the door. She waved her in, then saw Addison following.

  Lani plumped onto the end of the bed while Addy sat on the edge of the desk chair.

  “Is Trent here?” Addy asked.

  “He's getting another medical checkup in the infirmary.”

  “And you're being all cute and house wifely,” Lani said with a grin.

  Seffy swept her pile into a dustpan and dumped it in the waste basket. “I don't have a choice since the housekeeping staff refuses to do our rooms.”

  “I keep forgetting about that.”

  She shrugged. “It's not so bad. At least that way I'm reasonably sure they're not skulking around spying or bugging our rooms.”

  Addison frowned. “So is Trent okay and everything? We haven't heard much except that he'd been released.”

  “Yeah, what did they do to revive him? We were so scared!”

  Seffy stowed the broom and sat down on the couch. Her own emotions were still raw and talking about her husband's close-call—gut-wrenching. But she'd been thoughtless to keep her friends out of the loop. “Sorry, I should've kept you up-to-date. Um, they're saying he had some kind of virus that made him aggressive and unpredictable.”

  “I knew that whole werewolf thing was just a cover up,” Lani said.

  Addy nodded. “Probably just a story to gin up fear so the other residents kept their distance.”

  Seffy frowned. It wasn't like they were in the Middle Ages. Surely the residents wouldn't believe such a story. Or maybe the residents were so used to layer upon layer of weirdness they no longer knew what to believe. “I don't know what their plan was but he seems to be better now.”

  “I missed sweet Trent,” Lani said.

  “Sweet?” Addison mocked with a half-smile. “That's going a bit far, but I'm glad he isn't...like he was.”

  Seffy kept quiet. Anything she'd say about Trent would sound mushy and overly sentimental right now.

  “How did they finally bring him back?” Addison asked carefully.

  Seffy gripped the broom handle. “Olga told me it was a shot of adrenaline that started his heart again.”

  “How did that treat the virus?”

  “Uh, they injected him with some components of my blood for that.”

  Addison's green eyes bulged. “I thought you were, like, poisonous!”

  “I get it,” Lani said. “They fought fire with fire. Whoa.”

  “I guess.”

  Addison stared. “That was a bit risky, wasn't it?”

  “Yes,” she said faintly, knowing her expression reflected the left-over fear of the procedure. Seffy decided to change the subject. “So I don't suppose there's any news about us getting home any time soon is there?”

  Lani sighed. “Gareth has been helping out some in the computer lab, but he can tell they resent his presence. Fiona comes in from time to time and apparently mucks things up.”

  “I don't think we're ever getting out of here,” Addy said quietly. “We would've by now.”

  Her words sent up a maelstrom within Seffy. “God, I hope that's not true.”

  Lani leaned back on the bed. “If it is, at least they should let us leave the compound if we want.”

  “If we want?” Addy said. “Where's the 'if' here? I can't stand this place.”

  Seffy surveyed Lani's faux nonchalance. “I think it has something to do with Malone.”

  The brunette smiled. “Maybe.”

  “God, Sef, promise me if you and Trent leave this place, you'll take me with you.”

  “All right,” Seffy said, knowing just how the redhead felt. “But I draw the line at Cynthia, Eva, and Jared. They're on their own.”

  “Those three creep me out,” Lani said. “Even before we found out they were your middle school tormentors.”

  “Jared wasn't part of that. I still haven't figured out how he fits in except that he likes to spread gossip.” Seffy hated being reminded of that on top of everything else.

  Where was Trent? Suddenly she wished she hadn't denied intimacy. She needed him.

  “Maybe I should try to sound them out,” Lani said. “I mean, it's weird how they're so uninvolved, how they never really ask questions.”

  “And yet they seem to know so much.” Addison leaned back in the chair. “How do we know they're uninvolved? Maybe they're working with Fiona or Fenn or someone else we don't trust.”

  “We don't trust Fenn?” Lani's blue eyes widened. “I thought he was nice.”

  “He won't let us leave,” Seffy said. “What's nice about that?”

  “Then it's probably beyond his control. Gareth said Fenn told him the pink atmosphere was what was keeping us here.”

  “Whatever.”

  Okay, we've talked about Trent's near-death experience, Jared and the girls, and now Fenn's excuses. Maybe we could play Russian roulette next. Where the hell is Trent?

  Addison stood up. “Well, we won't keep you. Just wanted to see how things were going.”

  “Thanks, Addy. Sorry I've been under the radar—”

  “We understand,” Lani said, getting up and giving her a hug. “But just send a bulletin our way from time to time.”

  Seffy offered them both an apologetic smile. “Sure thing.”

  As they left, she decided to be ready when Trent returned.

  Chapter Twe
nty-One

  Trent walked down the halls, absently rubbing a new injection site on his arm. Olga with her needles and blood chem tests.

  But so far, no trace of the mystery virus. That was about all he could get out of the nurse. The way she avoided his eyes and deflected his questions made him wonder if there was something she wasn't telling him, but honestly, he didn't have a burning desire to know if bad news was in the offing.

  His only burning desire was several corridors away. He had to figure out some way to convince Seffy that a little physical exertion wouldn't knock him dead. Okay—a lot of physical exertion. But either way, celibacy was no way to recover from a near-death experience. He had plenty to celebrate and he wanted to do it in Seffy's arms.

  Trent turned a corner and blinked. A figure in pink was scuttling around a corner at the end of the hall. Seffy? What was she doing here?

  “Hey!” Trent began a light jog down the hall but when he rounded the turn, she'd ranged further ahead. He called her again and picked up his speed.

  As he neared, he noticed the tracksuit hung oddly on her frame. Trent knew Seffy had lost some weight, but her curves would still rock the pink velour. Plus she never wore her hood up over her head.

  Or ran like a scared crab.

  “Sef!”

  She began to run faster, making him wonder if she was still afraid of him, but unwilling to admit it.

  Seffy disappeared around another corner, but by the time Trent caught up, she was gone. A dozen or so doors lined either wall. He went down the length of the hall, trying every one. All locked tight. Silence echoed down the hall.

  What the hell?

  He leaned up against the wall, winded and confused. If she was going to be afraid, there was nothing he could do but give her the space she needed. Still, it hurt. And why now after staying glued to his side for the last three days?

  Trent pushed off the wall and headed back to his room. He would take a nap and hopefully have a better perspective when he woke up.

  The empty room rankled him when he walked in. Why would she run from him like that? Why would she wait until he was gone to leave? Had he betrayed her trust to the point that she felt the need to sneak around?

  Trent raked his hands through his hair and went down the passageway to her room. He'd take a nap in her bed. Maybe that way he could talk to her when she returned.