Page 130 of Born Savage

“No. No, baby. I’ve got you. I’m never letting go.”

Once I got her in the bed, I swept hair from her eyes and pressed my fingers against the pulse in her neck. Thready. Shit. She was covered in perspiration, the light sheen accentuating how pale she was.

She was completely out of it, clammy to the touch. With her settled, I tried to calm my nerves while rushing to the door and outside. There were people everywhere and I honestly had no idea what to do.

Thank God, I noticed Vicious, pushing my way through the crowd to get to him.

“Whoa. What is wrong?” He appeared startled.

“It’s Star. I mean Savannah. She’s taken ill.”

“You’re not making any sense. Who is Savannah?”

I was already exasperated. “Just find Wren. I need her. Now!”

He backed away, grinning instead of falling into the same anxiety. What was wrong with him? “I’ll find her. I promise.”

After taking gasping breaths, I returned to the house, uncertain what to do. Water. A cloth. Something. I searched through several cabinets, pulling everything out until I found what I was looking for, a bowl. The pitcher of water had been left in the kitchen. A cloth was next and I was at the point of being unable to see clearly by the time I made it back to Savannah’s bedside. Star. I wasn’t certain what to call her.

I yanked the chair closer, sitting down and immediately placing the cloth in the water.

“Don’t worry, princess. You’re going to be fine. I promise.”

Her eyelids fluttered open, a slight smile on her face. “I’m fine. Stop fussing.”

“No, you are not. You fainted. Just rest. Wren will be here in a few minutes.”

“Phoenix.”

“Savannah.”

“I think I like Star better.”

“Rage suits me because that’s how I feel.”

She remained where she was, amused at my reaction. But at least she allowed me to try to ease the fever. If there was one.

“You should listen to me,” she finally said.

“No. Shush. Just lay still and quiet. I promise you that everything will be fine.”

Her sigh was an indication she was placating me, but that was fine. I didn’t care as long as she was okay.

It took far too long for Vicious to find Wren. The knock was brief, the door opening and in walked Vicious with…

“I asked you to find Wren!”

Vicious appeared confused as I was. “She says she’s Wren.”

A golden retriever bounded in by the woman’s side, the same puppy as before yet the young woman approaching the bed was in her early twenties.

“You’re not Wren.”

“Yes, I am. Don’t you recognize me?” Her voice was almost the same as the child, her features merely older. And her eyes were a dead giveaway. Ice blue, the color of frost on a cold winter’s morning. “We didn’t think either one of you would respond well to a woman. But a child allowed you to feel comfortable and needed. And it told us everything we needed to know. You protected me against all odds. My puppy as well. Do you understand?”

Vicious and I looked at each other, my friend shrugging. I was still confused, but I’d come to realize within Eden, to expect the unexpected.

“Wren. What’s wrong with her? Please, I can’t lose her. I know that’s a terrible burden to place on you, but I’ll do anything to keep her alive. Take my blood. Take my life. I don’t care as long as you save her.”