Page 37 of Skin Trade

The next time she opened her eyes, she was still in Seth’s arms, but he was carrying her. Carrying her out of the place, down the steps and back to the car. He slid her into the back seat, tried to sit her up, but she couldn’t manage that. Her body slid sideways and there was nothing in her to make that stop.

Seth got in beside her and let her lay her head on his lap. The rain started at some point, but Payton had paid no attention to it. It was a soft pitter patter against the roof of the car, and it lulled her back to wherever it was she went. She closed her eyes.

“Easy,” Seth said when she opened her eyes again and tried to move. This time she was in his arms again. It kept happening. She’d blink and then she was somewhere else, somewhere different.

“Is she okay?” It was Sky’s voice.

“Get her a shake.”

“Green one?”

“Yes.”

“Sir?”

“Yes?”

“Something is strange with your eyes.”

Seth tensed and he tightened his hold on Payton. He paused for a second. “My eyes are fine, Sky. Bring the shake to her room.”

Seth carried her through the foyer and to the lift. She held her arms loosely around his neck, her face pressed into him. He was like a drug she couldn’t let go of, the scent of him, the feel of him against her. If he’d have wanted to drain her to the end, she would have let him right then.

As he stood in the lift, Payton reached to him and placed her hand on the side of his stubbled cheek to turn his face. She wanted to see for herself what was wrong with his eyes.

Two bright eyes peered down at her, like someone had taken bits of light and placed them in his eyes. “What …” her words trailed off with her thoughts and then she was gone again.

In her room this time, she wasn’t in Seth’s arms, but sitting on the seat in front of the dressing table. He was standing behind her, unzipping her dress.

“Stop,” she said. “Please.”

“You need to take it off.”

“I want to keep it on.”

The bedroom door opened, Sky came in. She carried a bottle of something dark and green.

“Drink this. It will replenish what was lost tonight.”

Payton took it, sipped it. It was thick, viscous almost, but also cold and refreshing in her throat.

“Easy,” Seth said, grabbing hold of the bottle and easing it from her lips. “Take it slow.”

The more she drank, the more the weightlessness of her head lifted. Like gravity was being replaced inside her even though she was sitting and leaning against Seth’s thighs. “What did you do?” she asked him when half of the shake had gone. “What did you do to me?” She met his gaze in the mirror in front of them. His white shirt was stained red, his tie was gone, and his jacket was missing.

“I saved you.”

“You bit me.”

“Yes. If I hadn’t, Alexander would have ended you.”

She closed her eyes again. But not to sleep or to fall into the dark place. To rest.

Seth tugged on her dress, and when she opened her eyes, he said, “Let me take this off you.”

“I can--” She looked down as she spoke, heaved with the sight of herself. The dress was dark red in places, her arm was covered in blood splatter and the sight of Josie’s nearly dead eyes slammed into her mind like a train wreck. “I need to use the bathroom. I’m going to …” she didn’t finish what she was saying. She slammed the shake down on the dresser and staggered from Seth into the bathroom. He was right behind her. She shook her head, “Don’t,” and then slammed the door behind her, before reaching the toilet and throwing up whatever the green thing was. She heaved until there was nothing left to bring up, retching until her throat ached with the effort of it.

“Josie,” she cried. She could barely think the thought without her mind swimming and her body threatening to go for another round of vomiting. Anymore and her insides were going to come out. She wiped her mouth on the back of her hand and saw that her arm was dotted with blood. Her blood? Josie’s blood? All the same.

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