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Just a two…inch gash with smooth edges。 But the edges were a frightening shade of red； and the skin
around the cut was swollen and shiny。
“Wanda；” Jamie exhaled when he saw me。 “Oh； you’re okay。 Oh。” He took a deep breath。
I stumbled and fell to my knees beside him； dragging Ian down with me。 I touched Jamie’s face and felt
the skin burn under my hand。 My elbow brushed Doc’s； but I barely noticed。 He scooted away； but I
didn’t look to see what emotion was on his face； whether it was aversion or guilt。
“Jamie； baby； how are you？”
“Stupid；” he said； grinning。 “Just plain stupid。 Can you believe this？” He gestured to his leg。 “Of all the
luck。”
I found a wet rag on his pillow and wiped it across his forehead。
“You’re going to be fine；” I promised。 I was surprised at how fierce my voice sounded。
“Of course。 It’s nothing。 But Jared wouldn’t let me e talk to you。” His face was suddenly anxious。 “I
heard about… and Wanda； you know I —”
“I’m not really sick。 Just a stupid infection。 I’m glad you’re here； though。 I hated not knowing how you
were。”
I couldn’t swallow down the lump in my throat。 Monster？ My Jamie？ Never。
“So I heard you schooled Wes the day we got back；” Jamie said； changing the subject with a wide grin。
“Man； I wish I could have seen that！ I bet Melanie loved it。”
“Yes； she did。”
“She okay？ Not too worried？”
“Of course she’s worried；” I murmured； watching the cloth travel across his forehead as if it were
someone else’s hand moving it。
Melanie。
Where was she？
I searched through my head for her familiar voice。 There was nothing but silence。 Why wasn’t she here？
Jamie’s skin was burning where my fingers brushed it。 The feel of it—that unwholesome heat—should
have had her in the same panic I was feeling。
“You okay？” Jamie asked。 “Wanda？”
“I’m… tired。 Jamie； I’m sorry。 I’m just… out of it。”
He eyed me carefully。 “You don’t look so good。”
What had I done？
“I haven’t cleaned up in a while。”
“I’m fine； you know。 You should go eat or something。 You’re pale。”
“Don’t worry about me。”
“I’ll get you some food；” Ian said。 “You hungry； kid？”
“Ah… no； not really。”
My eyes flashed back to Jamie。 Jamie was always hungry。
“Send someone else；” I told Ian； gripping his hand tighter。
“Sure。” His face was smooth； but I could sense both surprise and worry。 “Wes； could you get some
food？ Something for Jamie； too。 I’m sure he’ll find that appetite by the time you get back。”
I felt someone’s eyes on me as I left the room。 Jared’s or Doc’s； I didn’t know。 I didn’t care。
Only Jeb still stood in the hallway now； the others had gone； reassured； perhaps； that Jamie was doing
okay。 Jeb’s head tilted to the side； curious； as he tried to figure out what I was doing。 He was surprised
to see me leave Jamie’s side so soon and so abruptly。 He； too； had heard the sham in my excuse。
I hurried past his inquisitive gaze； towing Ian with me。
I dragged Ian back through the room where the tunnels to all the living quarters met in a big tangle of
openings。 Instead of keeping on toward the main plaza； I pulled him into one of the dark corridors；
picking at random。 It was deserted。
“Wanda； what —”
“I need you to help me； Ian。” My voice was strained； frantic。
“Whatever you need。 You know that。”
I put my hands on either side of his face； staring into his eyes。 I could barely see a glint of their blue in the
darkness。
“I need you to kiss me； Ian。 Now。 Please。”
CHAPTER 42
Forced
Ian’s jaw fell slack。 “You… what？”
“I’ll explain in a minute。 This isn’t fair to you； but… please。 Just kiss me。”
“It won’t upset you？ Melanie won’t bother you？”
“Ian！” I plained。 “Please！”
Still confused； he put his hands on my waist and pulled my body against his。 His face was so worried； I
wondered if this would even work。 I hardly needed the romance； but maybe he did。
He closed his eyes as he leaned toward me； an automatic thing。 His lips pressed lightly against mine
once； and then he pulled back to look at me with the same worried expression。
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
。
“No； Ian。 Reallykiss me。 Like… like you’retrying to get slapped。 Do you understand？”
“No。 What’s wrong？ Tell me first。”
I put my arms around his neck。 It felt strange； I wasn’t at all sure how to do this right。 I pushed up on my
toes and pulled his head down at the same time until I could reach his lips with mine。
This wouldn’t have worked with another species。 Another mind wouldn’t have been so easily
overwhelmed by its body。 Other species had their priorities in better order。 But Ian was human； and his
body responded。
I shoved my mouth against his； gripping his neck tighter with my arms when his first reaction was to hold
me away。 Remembering how his mouth had moved with mine before； I tried to mimic that movement
now。 His lips opened with mine； and I felt an odd thrill of triumph at my success。 I caught his lower lip
between my teeth and heard a low； wild sound break from his throat in surprise。
And then I didn’t have to try anymore。 One of Ian’s hands trapped my face； while the other clamped
around the small of my back； holding me so close that it was hard to pull a breath into my constricted
chest。 I was gasping； but so was he。 His breath mingled with mine。 I felt the stone wall touch my back；
press against it。 He used it to bind me even closer。 There was no part of me that wasn’t fused to part of
him。
It was just the two of us； so close that we hardly counted as two。
Just us。
No one else。
Alone。
Ian felt it when I gave up。 He must have been waiting for this—not as entirely ruled by his body as I’d
imagined。 He eased back as soon as my arms went limp； but kept his face next to mine； the tip of his
nose touching the tip of mine。
I dropped my arms； and he took a deep breath。 Slowly； he loosened both his hands and then placed
them lightly on my shoulders。
“Explain；” he said。
“She’s not here；” I whispered； still breathing in gasps。 “I can’t find her。 Not even now。”
“Melanie？”
“I can’t hear her！ Ian； how can I go back in to Jamie？ He’ll know that I’m lying！ How can I tell him that
I’ve lost his sisternow？ Ian； he’s sick！ I can’t tell him that！ I’ll upset him； make it harder for him to get
well。 I —”
Ian’s fingers pressed against my lips。 “Shh； shh。 Okay。 Let’s think about this。 When was the last time
Jamie； but he’s going to be fine regardless。 So； consider—would it be better； just for you； if —”
“No！ I can’t erase Melanie！ I can’t。 That would be wrong！ That would make me a monster； too！”
“Okay； okay！ Okay。 Shh。 So we have to find her？”
I nodded urgently。
He took another deep breath。 “Then you need to… really be overwhelmed； don’t you？”
“I don’t know what you mean。”
I was afraid I did； though。
Kissing Ian was one thing—even a pleasant thing； maybe； if I wasn’t so racked with worry�