Page 107 of Heart of Iron
The bath was half-empty.He couldn’t do it to her anymore.She was shivering as it was, goose flesh pebbled all over her skin.
Dragging himself to his feet, Will lurched toward the bedroom.If she died, then he didn’t want her to be cold anymore.Ripping off her nightgown, he laid her down on the sheets of the bed and dried her carefully.Every inch of her was white with cold, her cheeks and chest flushed with a red rash.Every time he touched her, he felt the icy chill of her skin and that burning furnace deep within.A heart of fire buried beneath the ice.
Starting with her feet he began to chafe the heat back into her.No more cold.He couldn’t let her die that way.Even now, her heartbeat was a weak echo in his ears.
It took a long time to rub the chill from her skin.Stripping off his wet clothes, he curled up beside her, dragging the blankets over the top of them.He dragged her into his arms, tried to use his own body heat to somehow revive her.
Long hours passed as he felt the heat burning deep within her.It answered his own, rising to the surface until they were both wet with perspiration.“I’m sorry,” he whispered, again and again, kissing her damp shoulder.
Sweat broke over her skin, along with a violent attack of shivers.Will buried his face against the back of her neck and breathed in the faint scent of her body.He was so tired.He just wanted to close his eyes and never wake up, but something was struggling against him.
A gasp.
A body wriggling weakly, skin slick with sweat, in his arms.
Opening grainy eyes, he stared in disbelief as Lena whimpered and tried to push him away.
“Hot,” she rasped.Her pupils were enormous still, her gaze unfocused.
Will sat up abruptly and she tumbled onto her back, barely able to move.“Lena?”
Dry, cracked lips, her cheeks flushed with red.She’d never been so beautiful.Shoving aside the blankets, she tried to move and sprawled onto the mattress face-first.
Grabbing the blanket, he draped her in it and tried to help her sit up.“Lena?”Grabbing her chin, he held her eyelid up.A ring of bright copper circled her pupils.Incredulous breath expanded his lungs.“You survived.”Her forehead was clammy with sweat as he cupped his palm against it, but the intense heat had abated.“The fever’s broken.”
She pushed at him weakly.
Plumping the pillows under her back, he eased her back against them.“I’ll get you some water.Stay here.Don’t move.”He couldn’t stop himself from capturing her face in his hands.She was barely lucid, but the fever had broken.“I love you.”He kissed her hard, then drew back when she tried to whimper again.“I’ll bring you lots of water.”
***
Honoria paced the kitchen, her cheeks scalded with tears and her eyes dry.There was nothing left in her.She’d done all she could and still failed.
Blade dragged her back into his arms.“There’s still ’ope.She ain’t done in yet or we’d know.”
“I feel ill.”She pushed him away and leaned against the bench as a fist of nausea threatened to choke her.
She could sense Blade hovering over her, trying to get her to drink a glass of water.He suddenly looked up and she spun toward the door.“What is it?”
The pair of Norwegians waited in the corner, faces tight with strain.She knew as soon as she looked at them that it was Will coming down the stairs.
“Oh, God,” she whispered, her knees going out from under her.
Blade caught her, drawing her up so that she was standing when Will came through the door.
Sweat gleamed over his naked body.Wild eyes, wild hair, his muscles burnished with heat.Honoria’s jaw dropped and she looked away as he snatched the jug of water off the bench.
“She’s thirsty,” Will growled, then turned and vanished the way he’d come.
“Thirsty?”Honoria whispered.She spun toward Astrid.“Does that mean…?”
Astrid’s eyes were wide.“Goodness,” she murmured.“What a shame he’s already bound to her…”
Eric punched her lightly in the arm and grinned.“Put your eyes back in your head, cousin.”He stood and clapped Blade on the back.“If she is thirsty, then all is well.The fever must have broken.”
Honoria turned toward the door, but Eric caught her wrist and shook his head.“No,” he said.“We must trust that he will care for her.Leave them alone or risk having your head handed to you.”
Seeing her expression, Astrid smiled.“He is actinginnmatkimunr.Like a newly mated male.He’ll be insufferable for days, especially given that he nearly lost her.Leave them alone and give him time to calm down.”
