Page 123 of After the Burn

I turned my head and kissed his shoulder. “I’m good.”

He narrowed his eyes. “When you feel better, I’m going to spank your ass for lying.”

My jaw dropped open.

“Now who’s flirting?” Wren winked slyly.

“I need to listen to her lungs.” Finley insisted, turning pleading eyes to Beck.

A moan drifted through the trees behind us. Then another answered from our left. They were spreading throughout the woods, drawn by our footsteps.

“No,” Beck wasn’t swayed. “We can’t take the chance.”

Finley looked at me. “If fluid is building in her lungs and I don’t catch it⁠—”

Adrian narrowed his eyes. “You’ll check her when we find cover.”

“Less arguing and more walking,” Lucas demanded, turning to glare at Finley.

Rory looked at Harper. “Is she going to be okay?”

Wren slipped her hand into Rory’s. “She’s strong, and Robin and I have potent blood. It runs in our family.”

I pushed a branch out of my way. “She’s right. Our blood is superior.”

Wren stopped walking altogether until Colson nudged her.

I smiled. The shock of my agreement was almost too much for her to handle.

We kept moving.

The farther we walked, the more the sounds from the town faded. Now it was just the occasional keening from the surrounding woods.

Unfortunately for anyone who stumbled that way, they’d find a town that had awakened… and was hungry.

My breathing grew labored and sweat dampened the back of my neck despite the cool shade. Each step made my pulse pound behind my eyes. The blood draw took more out of me than I’d expected.

Adrian stayed close beside me, his arm taking most of my weight.

Ahead of us, Lucas stopped suddenly.

Beck shifted Harper carefully against his chest, and Finley used the opportunity to listen to her breathing.

“What is it?” Adrian pulled even with him, me in tow.

Lucas tilted his head. “Do you hear that?”

At first, I heard nothing except distant moans and the ragged sound of our breathing — mostly mine — everyone else was fine.

Then came a faint metallic squeak.

Rhythmic.

Colson left Wren’s side and stepped past Lucas. He crouched beside a narrow path, almost hidden beneath the undergrowth, and touched the ground. “Tire tracks.”

“Recent?” Adrian squeezed me tighter into his side.

Colson studied them more closely. “No.” He rose and motioned for Wren and Rory to follow.