Page 47 of Captured Immune

She takes my face into her hands and gives me a squeeze. “I don’t know how.”

“Please,” I beg because she’s my only hope. “Make it stop.”

My vision’s blurry again. I can’t feel my legs.Are they still attached to my body?

Arella breathes deeply as she mutters inaudible words to herself and rocks me in her grasp. If this is my end, I won’t be too mad about it. I’m in the arms of the woman I love. What could be better?

Suddenly, the burning stops. My body goes limp. I don’t gasp for air this time. My lungs are too tired for that. Instead, my breaths come out short and ragged. Arella’s tears roll down her face and onto my cheeks. I want to wipe her tears away, but I can’t feel my arms.

“I never told you to stop!” Victor shouts.

“I didn’t,” Ruby says through hisses. “I’m still going.”

Victor gasps at the same time Pixie does.

“She did it,” Pixie says. “She actually did it.”

10

TREY

“You monsters!”Arella keeps me tight against her body, and I’m grateful for it. “How could you do this to him? He’s barely breathing.”

“The kid knows it’s for the greater good.” Victor stomps toward her and stops only to yank her up by her arm.

I tumble out of her grasp and onto the battle box’s floor, too weak to catch myself. I still can’t feel my limbs.

“Ruby! Do your thing.”

I cry out as the invisible snakes sink their teeth into my skin again.

“Stop!” Arella collapses next to me. She cups my face and shuts her eyes. It takes a moment before the agony disappears and my body stops shaking.

“Are you stinging him?” Victor asks.

“Yes,” Ruby hisses.

“Outstanding! That’s twice in a row.”

I can’t open my eyes enough to see it, but I know Victor’s grinning. I’ll bet this is one of the happiest days of his life. He gets to see me suffer while he performs tests on an Immune. Win-win for him.

“Pixie, how ’bout you give it a shot?” Victor says.

“No!” Arella cups my face tighter. She presses her forehead against mine, whispering something I can’t make out. I wait for the ear pain to come. It never does.

“She’s blocking it,” Pixie says.

I pry my eyes open just enough to see my girl with tears streaming down her cheeks. With a quivering hand, I wipe one away.

I’ve always been amazed by this woman. At first because she was immune. Then because of her inner strength. Then because of how she got me to fall in love with her so effortlessly. Now she’s projecting her immunity onto me. She’s absolutely incredible.

For the second time, Victor pulls Arella up by her arm, snatching her away from me.

Arella punches him in the chest. “Let me go!”

Panting, I twist onto my side, then hoist myself onto my elbows. It takes a few breaths before I’m able to push myself onto my knees.

“Quit manhandling her!” My voice comes out coarse, like I’ve smoked a pack a day for fifty years.

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