Fever Read Free Page B

two, and it was no contest.
    The farther they hik ed, the harsher Vincent’s breathing became. It was the only reason Logan didn’t pass the time by grilling him for information – where he came from, how long he’d been a prowler, and what he knew about the surrounding area. The Society kept them pretty well informed, but the smallest detail could keep them alive one day. It would be foolish to pass up an opportunity to trade intel.
    He increased their pace as darkness fell. This far north, it could happen in the blink of an eye. Though he’d seen no sign of bears or ordinary wolves, they shouldn’t let down their guard. Being prowlers didn’t automatically put them at the top of the food chain. Others from the Society had arrogantly assumed so, with tragic results.
    Vincent shuffled along behind him, footsteps less and less steady. Logan didn’t need to glance back to know that he was beginning to weave. The bleeding was obviously worse than he’d thought. He decided to check the wounds when they returned to town, whether Vincent wanted them checked or not.
    No one who saved his life was allowed to bleed to death. Not in the same night , anyway.
    They were nearing the treeline when Vincent grunted in pain. Not the grunt someone might make after stubbing their toe, but the grunt of someone clenching their jaw to muffle a yell.
    “Hey, you okay?” Logan was by his side in two strides. It was a stupid question. He looked ready to topple over.
    Logan grasped his upper arm to prevent him from hitting his head twice in one day.
    “N-no –” The word was laced with pain as Vincent wrenched his arm away and stumbled backwards.
    “Okay, no touching. I get it. ” He tried to access the situation. “But there’s no use denying you’re hurt. We’re almost to the car. I can help you get there.”
    “ Please, no,” Vincent managed to say. He hunched over, head bent forward. “Ah–” His entire body appeared to tense and then shake from the cold.
    “Look ,” Logan tried again, patience wearing thin. “It’s freezing out here, nearly pitch dark, and we’re less than five minutes from the town hospital. They can fix you up.”
    In the next instant , he found himself slammed against a tree. Bark dug into left shoulder, while the steel of his rifle dug into the other. He tasted copper and distantly realized he’d bit his tongue.
    Vincent’s breath was hot on hi s face, hands clenched around the lapels of his jacket.
    “I s aid I’m fine,” he growled, pinning Logan while also leaning on him for support.
    This wasn’t going the way he ’d planned.
    “Okay,” he grinded out when he got his breath back, despite the pressure on his chest. “Now might be a good time for me to admit that I misjudged your condition. Just relax. You–”
    A pained groan left Vincent. His eyes rolled back into his head and his knees buckled.
    “Yeah, you’re fantastic,” Logan strained, catching him under the shoulders and easing him to the ground. He was dead weight, head lolling on his shoulders. Definitely out cold. But breathing, slow and steady.
    Logan glanced around. No signs of wildlife. Yet. His car was right through those trees , and if Vincent was seriously injured from, well, wrestling with a werewolf… he could drag him to the car and drive to the hospital just down the road.
    “Sorry about this,” Logan muttered, ripping open hi s shirt to access how badly he was bleeding. Buttons flew everywhere. Underneath was a white t-shirt, soaked through on one side. Blood was already dripping onto the forest floor.
    He gripped the shirt collar and tore the shirt down the center. Gingerly peeling away the half-dried fabric, Logan grimaced.
    I t was bad.
    T orn stitches lined a lengthy gash over his abs. Had they been many miles from town with the car, Logan might have tried to restitch it himself. With a hospital just down the road, however, there was no reason to risk infection. The bleeding could be controlled until