Page 25 of The Dire Reaction

“How do you feel now?” I breathe into her ear, her face pressing against the seat of the second saddle.

“Ravaged,” she smiles.

Chapter thirteen

ALEXANDER

Mutedsoundsfloatinand out. My eyes are open, but I cannot focus. A wave of dark blue drifts before me. Struggling. Why can’t I blink? My eyes are so dry. Churning in my stomach, but my body doesn’t seize to purge it. My legs feel like they’re breaking, my palms like they’re bleeding. Why can’t I see?

Pain envelops me as darkness welcomes me into its numbing embrace.

Chapter fourteen

SAM

“MisterDowning?Doyouhave a moment?” Becky is standing in my kitchen, her chapped hands wringing, pale movements against the dark blue backdrop of her scrubs.

“Of course, Becky, what can I help you with?” I’ve spent all morning pouring through paperwork. I’m so damned distracted I can’t keep a single decimal in place, so might as well help her. All I can think about is Dani and wanting her in my bed. She had to go home after Thor’s treatment, and all I can think about is seeing her again.

“Well, there’s something, um, strange with Alex.” I can hear her heartbeat rapidly pounding in her chest. Smell the sour dampness in her armpits.

She’s scared. Weird.

“I’m hoping to ask Miss Angela if she can come and see him,” Becky babbles as she takes hesitant steps back to Alexander’s room.

“What is going on, Becky? Why would Angela care?” Her entire mannerisms are unusual.

Stepping through the doorway into the room of Alex the Invalid, I suddenly see something very odd.

What the hell is wrong with his face? It’s disproportionate. His normal gaunt and flaccid expression has shifted somehow. His eyes jut farther from his brow; his nose looks swollen, misshapen.

“What the hell, Becky? Did he get hit?” Are his ears swollen, too? Flattened? What the fuck?

“Oh, no, sir, I don’t know what is going on.” She panics, answering me quickly. I can smell her sweet breath of donuts and coffee pouring over us both as she huffs.

Some days I really dislike these heightened senses. The smell of Thor and urine is overpowering.

“This—” She pulls the covers down from Alex’s chest, exposing his gown all the way to his knees. “—is the weirdest part. I went to check his catheter.” She raises his gown up to his belly button. “This isn’t normal.” With shaking hands, she backs away, making the sign of the cross over her ample chest.

The tube to his catheter is laying next to his hip, removed. A leak of acrid smelling urine stains the sheet underneath.

But, it’s his dick she is referring to. It’s grown upward against his belly. A sheath of skin and fine dark hair is covering it.

Like a fucking dog.

“What the fuck?” I can’t help blurting out, recoiling. “How did this happen?” I can’t even wrap my head around what I’m seeing.

“I, I have no idea. It’s why I wanted to call Angela. She’s overseen his case from the beginning.” Becky pales, holding her hand over her mouth, her pallor gray as she flees the room.

Alex’s eyes are unfocused, as usual. He just stares at the TV in the corner, no reaction to the fact he’s bare to the world.

Throwing the blanket back over him, I leave as quickly as possible. The room smells like dog, but now I’m starting to wonder if it’s just Thor I’m catching a whiff of.

Becky is trying to keep her voice low, but even two rooms away I can hear her entire conversation.

Angela thinks she’s nuts, but agrees to come and see.

I kind of feel bad for Becky. Of all the weird shit that could possibly happen, I’m sure this isn’t on anyone’s radar.

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