Page 265 of Fangs
As I struggled to catch my breath, I stared without blinking for so long my eyes began to ache. I had to be seeing wrong. I finally blinked my dry eyes, but nothing changed. There must have been something in the sink I didn’t notice—some dirt or something. I wiped the back of my shaking hand across my wet mouth and examined it. Horror rooted me to the floor as I stared at theblacksludge slowly running across my hand. It was thick and viscous, sliding across my skin like oil, nothing like the consistency or color of regular vomit. It dripped into the sink and joined the dark, glistening pool of the same foul substance.My mouth tasted likeashes.
I stood there and stared at it for a long time before woodenly turning the water on and rinsing it down the drain. Then I rinsed my mouth and washed my hands. My reflection stared back at me in the mirror, slightly pale and eyes wide, as I dried my hands.
It’s nothing.I tried to tell myself.I must’ve eaten something weird.
But my hands continued to shake as I hung up the towel, and the nausea still lingered faintly. I forced myself to take a deep breath and walk to the door. As I reached for the doorknob, I froze again, staring at my arm. I could’ve sworn I just saw a dark shadow slither under the skin of my forearm.
The door abruptly opened, and I jumped back with a gasp. Lee stood in the doorway with a furrowed brow and a confused grin.
“Sorry, did I scare you?”
“Yeah,” I rubbed my forearm, trying to erase the prickling sensation, and forced a smile.
He stepped inside and let the door shut behind him so he could pull me into his arms and kiss me. I kept my lips closed, worried he might notice the taste of ash that lingered in my mouth, but he didn’t seem to mind. Instead, he gentled his lips and transformed the kiss into something sweet. It took me by surprise, and I melted into his arms.
We were playing with fire, inching closer and closer to the boundary I’d erected in my head. I’d admitted to myself I liked him, but I’d caught myself almost telling him more than once. The way his eyes crinkled in the corners with laughter, the wicked corner of his mouth lifting into a smirk, the feeling of his thick, silky hair in my fingers—I was starting to crave all of these things. Just thinking about the secret touches we shared under tables and behind closed doors made my heart race. There were still times when he seemed distant or sad, and I found myself wanting to be the one he confided in. I wanted to ease whatever troubled him, carry some of the burden, take some of the hurt.
“You keep lookin’ at me like that, and we’re not gonna make it to dinner,” he murmured.
My cheeks warmed as I realized I’d been gazing at him like a starry-eyed fool, but I grinned. “I can’t help it; you’re just so nice to look at.”
“Well,Ican’t help it, I’m naturally beautiful.”
“I guess we’re both doomed.”
Something dark flashed through his eyes, but a second later, it was gone. He kissed me again, his warm hands cradling my face, but he pulled back far too soon.
“C’mon, we gotta go to dinner,” he grinned at my scowl.
Wolf and my crew were lingering at the base of the hill. They looked up as we appeared.
“Gods, finally,” Kai complained. “I was starting to plan a search party.”
I flipped him off, and he grinned as he wrapped an arm around Sable’s waist. Then I noticed who was standing beside Raven, and my face lit up.
“Clare, are you joining us?”
Clarity smiled back at me as our group began walking toward the canteen. “I was bribed. Neena allegedly made cookies.”
Raven smirked. “Sweets are her weakness.”
Clarity glared playfully at her. “You swore you wouldn’t tell!”
The rest of the group walked ahead of us, chattering and laughing. Sam and Lee were laughing with Jax and Scar. Griz, Wolf, Tuck, and Mac were discussing upgrading the rovers. Kai and Sable were in their own little world.
Raven leaned in close to Clarity as the three of us walked, speaking so low I almost missed it. “No shame, Clare, you know I love sweets too.”
Clarity’s cheeks flushed red, and Raven’s grin was downright sly. I clamped my lips together to hide my smile. I didn’t need to know the details to know they weren’t talking about food any longer.
Outside in the warm sunshine, it was easier to pretend I hadn’t just vomited something straight out of a nightmare. Guilt pricked at me. I knew I should tell my crew, but maybe it was nothing. Maybe it’d been a trick of the light.
Without him, your powers will corrupt.
I violently shook my head, sending my hair whipping across my face as if that would get Talmar’s words out of my mind.
“You good, Boney?” Raven asked, startling me back to the present.
“Sorry,” I forced a smile. “Bug flew in my face.”
