Page 35 of The Hunted
Sam caught me before I face-planted. “You said you didn’t eat. Maybe that’s it. Doc should have something for you to nibble on in the lab.”
“Sam.” His name slurred from my lips. “I think I might pass out.”
He felt my forehead with his long fingers. “You are warm.”
“It’s not hunger.” I knew what the effects of not eating felt like. “It might be the flu.” Although the flu wouldn’t come out of nowhere. I closed my eyes. Suddenly, an image of Rianne beating the shit out of Sam played out behind my eyelids.
I felt Sam’s calloused hand scraping my cheek. “Layla?”
Blinking several times, I oriented my vision, and his handsome face sharpened before me. “I think I’m hallucinating. You did something to me.”
A deep crease settled between his eyebrows. “I did not bite you. Even if I had, you wouldn’t get lightheaded and dizzy.” He curled one arm underneath my legs and the other around my waist, then lifted me. “Your blood sugar is probably low.”
“I can walk.” My protest was weak.
“You’re white as snow. Doc will check you out.” He hurried down the hall, and the small act of bouncing in his arms soured my stomach.
I covered my mouth with my hand, feeling like I was on a ship in rough seas. Maybe it was the whiskey that I’d put in my coffee coupled with an empty stomach. I blew out a breath, willing the dizziness and the queasiness to go away.
“It’s okay if you need to puke.”
“On you? No. Put me down.” I was all for making Sam suffer and sweat, but throwing up on him wasn’t what I had in mind. Still, I allowed a weak smile to emerge, knowing he didn’t care about puke but he seemingly cared about me. As quickly as that thought danced in my brain, I erased it. Sam didn’t come across as someone who cared about anyone but himself. Oh, and I couldn’t forget his sister.
“No. I can feel something isn’t right.”
If he were human, I would have thought he was nuts to be able to feel what I was feeling. “You’re scaring me.” Nevertheless, I willed my stomach not to lose the coffee and whiskey as I rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes.
Suddenly, the movie starring Rianne played out as a doctor with light-brown hair I didn’t recognize stabbed a needle in my sister’s arm. My breath hitched and my eyes flew open.
Double doors loomed ahead with the word “Infirmary” stamped on them. Sam stopped at a panel just outside and stared into it until the doors opened.
Once we were inside the massive medical complex, Sam shouted, “Doc, where are you?”
A woman with black hair and purple highlights hurried toward us. “Sam? What happened?”
“Not sure. She was fine one minute, and the next she was about to pass out. She hasn’t eaten.”
The gorgeous lady with the brightest silver eyes scrutinized me. “So, this is the other human?”
“Where’s Doc, sis?” Sam asked.
“Please put me down. I’m okay.” Despite feeling a tiny bit better, I didn’t want to be in his arms. The longer he held me, the more I wanted to kiss him again.
His eyes flickered from green to silver.
“Your scent is all over her,” his sister said, smiling. “You kissed her.”
“Get out of my head,” Sam bit out.
My blood gelled before I was clawing my way to get down.Another Mason who could read minds and didn’t have to touch Sam to read his. Holy mother of all shitstorms.
I needed to get Rianne and leave as quickly as possible. I still didn’t know if Steven found anything when he’d been in my head. Regardless, I couldn’t take the chance of them finding out about…. I switched my thoughts to Sam. He seemed to be the safest person to think about. After all, he had a way of clouding my mind.
He finally set me on my feet. I gripped a tall bench that spanned the length of the room.Inhale. Exhale.The blinding lights overhead were doing a number on my eyes, and my vision blurred. “Where’s Rianne?” I blinked several times then darted my gaze to the rooms that lined one wall. “Is she in one of those rooms?” I skirted past Sam’s sister and bumped into a young girl. “I’m so sorry.” I felt like I was drunk.
“Layla,” Sam called. The sound of his footsteps was loud and obnoxious. “You should sit down. Jo, where is Doc?” His fingers circled my upper arm, and images of fire and brimstone flashed before me. I shook off the flames, and when I did, Sam and I were tangled together with me sinking my teeth into his neck.
Oh, for all that was holy, I was turning into the undead. No freaking way. I’d only had a few drops of his blood. Blood that was giving me visions. Impossible.
