Hot Blooded (Jessica McClain)

chapter 18

“Jess! Jess!” Tyler yelled straight into my ear canal.

His voice was so loud it shocked me.

“Wake the hell up. Do you hear me?” he continued. “Jessica! I’m not going to let you leave now, not after all of this.” I felt his hands on me, but they felt odd, like he was pressing on me from outside a bubble.

“She hasn’t moved in ages, not even a twitch,” Danny said, his voice filled with something that sounded close to remorse. “Even if she’s not dead, she won’t be the same. Did you feel that power? She blew herself up trying to fight off that spell.”

“If she was dead, we would feel it. I can still feel her energy. Can’t you sense it? Plus, she would’ve changed back into her human form. She’s still a wolf,” Tyler argued. I was still a wolf? I didn’t feel like I was in my true form; in fact, I felt insubstantial, like I was hovering. Our bodies changed back to human when we died. It’s an insurance policy so humans don’t come across a dead werewolf. “She’s alive. She just has to wake the f*ck up,” he yelled right next to my ear. I cringed inwardly, but I still couldn’t move.

“Well, that might be true. I do feel her,” Danny said. “But she hasn’t taken a bloody breath in hours! How many wolves do you know who don’t have to breathe?”

I wasn’t breathing?

How was that possible? My wolf twitched in my mind and I noticed for the first time she was lying on her side, facing away from me. Can you hear me? Can you move?

No response.

“Go check the entrance for those insects and do a sweep,” Tyler said. “I’m not taking any chances letting one in here. If she gets stung again, she’ll never wake up.”

“Fine,” Danny murmured. “But when the vamps come back, we have to make a decision.”

“I already told you, we go for the cat as planned,” Tyler said. “Then we kill the bitch who did this to my sister. I’m going whether you join me or not.”

“We don’t stand a chance against a goddess on our own. It would be suicide to go in there,” Danny argued. “We can get Jessica home and have her figured out, and then come back with reinforcements later.”

“We go, Selene dies, and we save the cat.” My brother’s tone broached no argument. “When we’re finished, we come back here, Jessica wakes up because she’s dead, and we all go home.”

“I don’t give two shites about the bloody cat!” Danny shouted in frustration. His voice echoed, bouncing back to my ears. We must be in a cave, I told my wolf. No response. “What happens in that scenario is we go in there and die. Selene lives and Jessica rots here because she can’t wake up.”

Tyler jumped to his feet. His anger pressed down on me. His emotions swirled through my blood, pummeling me with intensity. Pain, sorrow, and rage. “The cat is my sister’s mate. Whether she lives or dies doesn’t change that. We kill the Goddess and he lives. We are strong enough to do this ourselves.”

“You have a bloody thick skull, you know that? If we go in there, we all perish—including the cat.” Danny’s footfalls faded as he left the cave.

Why couldn’t I wake up?

I reached out to my wolf again, probing my mind for any clues. She was still lying on her side. Wake up! I shouted. Can you hear me? Her front paw twitched, but nothing more.

I gave a mental push outward.

My power flowed out, but then flexed back at me when it hit something. I think we’re trapped in some kind of power bubble. If that was the case, I just had to figure out how to break it open. That sounds easy enough, right? Nothing from my wolf. It seemed that for some reason my human side had woken up, but my wolf side was still asleep. I wasn’t going to argue; I was happy to be awake, but now I had to fix it.

Come on, Jess, Tyler pleaded. Just wake up. His hand hit my fur at the same time he pushed into my mind.

A crackle of power ran between us at the contact, like a jolt from a car battery.

He gasped and I knew he felt it too.

He knelt down immediately, both his hands plunging deeply into my fur. The weight of him calmed me. What’s going on? Tell me what to do. Are you trapped?

I pushed out to him with my mind, but I had to force it with all my strength. I’m here. Can you hear me?

He stilled. Yes. His voice was excited. But you sound far away. If I couldn’t feel you in my blood right now, I almost wouldn’t believe it was you talking.

My wolf is unconscious and I’m in some kind of suspended state.

Your heart isn’t beating, Jess, Tyler said quietly. And you’re not breathing. You should be dead.

Clearly I’m not dead, but honestly, I’m not sure I would’ve woken up had you not been here. Did you touch me before?

Yes, just a few minutes ago.

I think our blood connection is what woke me up. It feels amplified now with your hands on me. You’re bleeding some of your energy into me.

That’s the best f*cking news I’ve ever heard. But why aren’t you shaking this off?

I don’t know. I think I have to pop the cocoon somehow, but my wolf is still out cold.

I can push more energy toward you, like a direct hit. Do you think that will help?

Give it a try. I must be in a state of limbo of some kind. I wasn’t breathing and my heart wasn’t beating. I tried to gather some of my own power to me, but when I opened myself up, it felt completely empty. I couldn’t find anything to draw from. I pulled anyway, and as I did the bubble bowed, sucking back at me.

The totality of my power was being used to protect me. It had all shifted outward.

Tyler, all my power is on the outside. It’s keeping me safe in this enclosure.

I’m going to give you some of mine. A current of raw power hit my senses immediately, igniting me. My wolf stirred for a second, shaking her legs and growling. It wasn’t enough to wake her, but we’d both felt it. Supernaturals, especially the older ones, could focus their power like Tyler was doing now. Witches were especially gifted at doing this with their familiars, who stored the extra power until the witch needed a boost. Tyler wasn’t that old, but the new connection between us made it seem like a natural thing to do.

I absorbed it greedily. It’s working. It’s easier to communicate with you now. Once I accumulate enough, I’m going to aim it outward. If I can break whatever’s holding me in with enough energy, I think I’ll be free.

Be careful, Jess. I’ve never seen a wolf in this state. Are you sure if you pop it you won’t die? What if the cocoon is the only thing keeping you alive?

I paused. I had no idea. I have to go with my gut on this one. It feels right to burst it open. Honestly, what other option do I have?

Fine, Tyler grumbled. But if you die, I’m going to kill you. He continued siphoning power toward me, taking me at my word.

How long have I been out?

A couple hours.

I was relieved we hadn’t lost another day. By the way, you’re my hero. I heard what you said to Danny about saving Rourke. It would’ve been the stupidest, most foolhardy thing to do, but noble and awesome at the same time.

Saving the cat would’ve been a byproduct of killing Selene, Tyler groused. Don’t get too excited.

Keep telling yourself that, little brother, and maybe you’ll start to believe it. I’d been born seven minutes before him, but it was the gift that kept on giving.

Harrumph.

His energy filled me quickly. Am I taking too much? I asked. I hadn’t thought of what it could do to my brother.

No, he said between clenched teeth. Take as much as you need.

I quieted, concentrating on what he gave me, making sure I placed it optimally. I could feel his strength wavering, despite his arguments. If I depleted everything from him it would be a hardship when he needed to shift. Changing took massive amounts of energy. Okay. I think I have enough. Back off.

Reluctantly he slid his hands away.

I need you to leave wherever we are, I said. I have no idea what’s going to happen. I don’t want you caught up in anything.

Okay. His voice held more than reluctance.

Tyler, I mean it. If something happens, I don’t want to blow you up. Plus, you need to be able to help me if something goes wrong, and you can’t if you’re in pieces.

I waited until I heard his footsteps retreating.

My wolf rolled back and forth, but she still wasn’t fully awake. I closed off my mind from her and gathered Tyler’s energy as best I could, trying to harness it. It felt like a mass of slippery oil, foreign yet powerful.

Are you awake? I could use help containing this. My wolf lifted her head at my voice, searching for me, but her eyes were still closed. She wasn’t in any shape to help me yet, but I didn’t want to waste another minute. Brace yourself if you can, I’m going to try to do this on my own.

All at once, I released the energy. It shot out in a straight line and collided hard against the protective wall around me, shaking the inside of my mind like a sledgehammer. I tried to steady myself, but the intensity threatened to pull me under again.

I grappled to stay conscious.

As the power rebounded back again, I used the momentum and turned it around and shoved it back at the walls, harder this time.

This has to work, dammit! It crashed into the bubble the second time, piercing it like the tip of an arrow. For a moment nothing happened. Then a shallow gust of air blew by my ears, seconds before a huge explosion ripped my mind apart.

Power raced back into my body like a shock from a defibrillator. My eardrums exploded on impact and my jaws crashed together. My body bucked and I gasped in a huge breath at the same moment my wolf sprang onto all fours in my mind, snarling fiercely.

Then my heart gave a single quavering beat.

Without pause, my body began to shift back to my human form so rapidly I almost couldn’t process what was happening. In the next blink I was panting and naked on all fours.

“Well, thank goodness that worked,” Tyler said, ducking his head as he walked into the small cavern. He went to my pack, which was lined next to the others along the wall, and dug around, tossing me some clothes. I caught them with one hand. Thank goodness my outfits were easy to pack and took up little space. “I guess we can chalk that up to a success. You appear to be your normal self.”

“Normal is up for debate.” I pulled on the shirt and leggings. “What time is it?”

“It’s three a.m.,” he said right as Danny strode in.

Danny stopped in his tracks, his face comical in its surprise. “You woke up! I thought I felt something different. Clearly I’m going to have to get better at reading these blood connections between us. But, blimey, I didn’t think it was possible! You hadn’t taken a bloody breath in ages.”

“I couldn’t have done it without Tyler.” I nodded in his direction. “It was all him. He woke me up.”

“Well, it’s good to see you’re speaking in full sentences.” Danny grinned. “I’m assuming this means you’re not brain damaged then?”

“No. There aren’t any lingering effects as far as I can tell.” I chuckled. “Can I ask where we are?” I glanced around the shallow cave. Nothing but dusty rocks and a damp smell.

“Naomi flew you up the mountain and found this cave and we followed with the gear,” Tyler said. “The vamps say we’re very close to the entrance to Selene’s lair, which is apparently camouflaged somewhere above us.”

“Where’s Ray?”

They both stared at me blankly.

“You know,” I prompted. “The irritating, inconsequential human who keeps making our lives harder? Did Naomi bring him back after you found this hideout?”

“The vamps are out scouting now,” Tyler hedged. “Naomi was upset about your condition and Eamon paced outside the entrance egging her on to leave. Ray’s name didn’t come up. I know you think I’m crass and unfeeling, but I’ll say it again—he doesn’t register on my radar. He never even enters my mind.”

“What time are the vamps due back?” I asked. I couldn’t blame Tyler for being who he was, even if I didn’t agree. Naomi was the only one who knew where Ray was anyway, so there was no use arguing. “We need to start moving. No more distractions. We need to reach Selene by morning.” A niggling feeling of loss crept into my psyche. Rourke had a very short time left. I could feel it. I needed to reach him. No exceptions.

“They should be back soon. We have about three hours until sunup,” Danny replied.

“Let’s refuel quickly,” I said. “I hope you have food, because my stomach just ate its own lining.”

Tyler dug in his bag as Danny sat down. He pulled out several bags of protein mush and tossed them to both of us. I caught one right as the sat phone buzzed.

Danny plucked it off the floor and handed it to me.

I glanced at Tyler. “How many times has he called?”

“Twice.”

I pressed the receiver on. “Hello.”

“James has gone rogue.”