Page 25 of Sanctuary

I don’t have an answer for him. I still don’t understand what’s happening. Even after he grabs me by the waist by both hands and pulls me up to a standing position. I do manage to keep the weight off my left leg.

I think he’s going to position me beside him and offer me support so I can limp, but he doesn’t. “You won’t like this, but I need both hands, so we’ll have to do it this way.”

“What way?”

He hefts me up with a grunt and drops me over one of his shoulders.

Then he starts carrying me up the mountain.

“Aidan,” I gasp, still shocked and unbelieving. I’m awkward and uncomfortable and utterly helpless.

“Hush, love. This isn’t exactly easy. You’re no featherweight.”

I gasp again. “Asshole.”

He chuckles rather breathlessly and keeps walking.

I don’t say anything after that because I can hear and feel how much effort he’s exerting—not just to walk up the steep slope in the snow but to carry me at the same time.

I try to think of something I can do to help him, but there’s nothing. So I stay perfectly still and tolerate the helplessness.

It feels like it takes forever, but in reality it’s probably no more than fifteen or twenty minutes before he’s turning into what used to be a driveway leading to the church. I crane my head around so I can see.

It’s small. Stone. Traditional with a simple structure and a tall steeple.

He tries the front door and it’s unlocked.Unlocked.

He pushes it open, and the world is suddenly darker and calmer and quieter as we’re out of the storm. He carefully lowers me onto the floor. He’s gasping desperately, painfully. He bends slightly at the waist, trying to catch his breath.

I stare up at him, and he doesn’t look away.

I have no idea what I can possibly say.

5

I thinkI must pass out.

It’s either that or else I fall into a weird frozen daze. I’m aware of huddling on the floor, soaked and freezing and disoriented and staring up at Aidan. Then I’m not aware of anything at all.

There’s a fire.

That’s the next thing I can focus on. Waves of warmth radiating out toward me. I hear it crackle. See flames flicker when I squint between my eyelashes.

I thought we were inside. In a church. I have no idea why there would be a fire here.

Maybe lightning struck and the whole place is burning now. Like Sodom and Gomorrah blasted from on high for their sin. Maybe Aidan and I will burn to a crisp in the middle of a snowstorm.

The idea makes perfect sense to me.

It feels inevitable.

“Need a hose to put the fire out,” I mumble, since one of us should make at least a gesture toward keeping us alive.

I really don’t want to get burned up.

There’s a weird throaty sound. I have no idea what it means. Then Aidan’s mild voice. “I don’t think so, love. I went through hell to get it lit. Let’s get you closer. You need to warm up.”

“Don’t wanna burn up.”

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