Page 24 of Scorned
Peach leaned down and removed the hair clinging to my wet cheeks before wiping my tears away with her thumbs. “I’m the oldest one here and I have seen things you could only dream of. Believe me when I say this bond is real and you have it.”
A bizarre, joyful sensation overwhelmed me and caused my stomach to turn upside down.
Was it the bond? Or was it hope finally returning?
“Does that mean Luka is . . . alive?”
“Of course,” Winnie whispered. “Why else would we be working so hard to find him?”
I wasn’t certain, but this new revelation had me wanting to scream with excitement . . . or throw up. Nausea rose from my stomach and danced its way up my gurgling throat. The atrocious sounds that came out of me were indescribable. Good thing Winnie was faster than lightning. He turned me away just as the putrid remnants of alcohol on an empty stomach flew out of my mouth.
After vomiting for who knows how long, it finally stopped. I took a couple of deep breaths, focusing on it not coming back.
Someone held a water bottle out in front of me, and when I glanced up, it was Lyric. I missed my friend, and judging by the tears in her eyes, she also missed me.
“Sip it slowly.”
I took the water from her with a nod.
“If I knew you couldn’t hold your liquor, I would have gotten a better drinking partner.”
“She’s human, Viviana,” Winnie shouted. “You can’t pump her full of alcohol.”
Nausea rose and I retched again. Winnie grabbed my hair and pulled it back. I was extremely grateful for him when I vomited.
Once my hurling ceased, Vivi suggested something I hadn’t even thought of. “Turn her. Maybe she wouldn’t be so moody.”
Winnie snickered. “Yeah, that’s all we need. Another you running around.”
Vivi sucked in a deep breath, veins of anger flooding her face. “Fuck you!” She stormed off into the darkness.
“I should check on her.” Lyric tried to follow, but Winnie stopped her.
“Don’t. This happens every few months. She’ll be fine when she wakes up tomorrow. It’s her way of coping.”
“Last time Winnie pissed her off she drained a cow dry,” Ravage said, widening my eyes. “Do you have cows out here, Drag?”
He shook his head. “Thank the forest, I don’t.”
Winnie moved a hand to my cheek. “You good to stand, Sage Stick? The ground is freezing.”
I nodded, and he pulled me to my feet. Humiliation filled me when I noticed the entire camp watching. My gaze met Winnie’s with a silent plea.
“The show’s over, folks! Go find something better to do.”
I was grateful for the “I-don’t-give-a-fuck” attitude he had when he shooed everyone off.
My embarrassment quickly faded as dizziness set in. My body swayed and large hands reached out and grabbed me.
Marcus slid one arm behind my back and the other under my legs, lifting me off the ground. “I got you.”
As he carried me to my cabin, my eyes unfocused on the night sky, each star a pulsating sparkle which seemed to breathe.
Lyric held the door so we could enter, and Marcus took me to my bedroom and laid me down. Lyric set a trash can next to me before taking off toward the bathroom.
“You’re the only real father I have ever had, Marcus.” The confession had more tears threatening to consume me. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” He kissed my head, then covered me with my blanket. “I’ll be in the chair if you need me.”
