BURN, BABY, BURN

I stared at my arm. Underneath the red handprint golden tendrils swirled, warm and living. “What did he do?” I whispered, crying. What had Reth put inside me?

Raquel, thinking I was talking about Lend, stroked my hair. “He tried to run away.”

I looked up, shaking my head. “No, he didn't. When Reth--Lend couldn't--He threw himself over the threshold to trigger the alarm. It was the only way he could help.”

“Oh,” Raquel said, her voice soft. She looked into the hall at Lend's unconscious form, or at least what she could see of it. He was wearing the shorts I'd given him; to Raquel's eyes it probably looked like a pair of shorts and an ankle tracker floating in the hall.

Raquel called on her communicator and a couple of guards came, bringing Lend in from the hall. I moved to the end of the bed, clutching my arm. After they set Lend down, I put my uninjured hand on his chest, surprised as always that it was firm and warm. “He's breathing.” I was so relieved I started bawling.

“It's okay.” Raquel put an arm around my shoulders. “How did this happen?”

“How did it happen? Are you kidding me? How long have I been telling you that Reth was crazy, that he was doing this to me? How many times have I told you that you guys don't understand faeries, that you can't control them?”

“I'm sorry. I should have listened. But it must have been the 'I need you' named command you gave him--somehow he twisted it.”

I rolled my eyes. “You think? That's what they do.”

“Still, he can't touch you now, so that's taken care of.”

She really thought it was that simple. She had no idea.

“Let's take you to the infirmary so the doctor can look at that burn.”

I looked down at my arm; the gold glow hadn't faded. I couldn't believe she didn't see it--it was like I was lit up from the inside. “What about Lend?” I put my hand on his cheek.

“He'll be fine once he wakes up. It wasn't a lethal amount.”

I let her take my good hand and walk me to the infirmary. The doctor was a pleasant werewolf in her midforties. I hadn't been in here since I sprained my ankle two years ago. And, no, it wasn't in some exciting way, being chased through a graveyard by a vamp or anything. I sprained it while rocking out to my iPod alone in my room. Apparently hip-​hop is not my calling. Remembering how embarrassed I was then was a stark contrast to the terror I felt now.

Raquel explained what happened and had me hold out my wrist for the doctor to see. She frowned; for a moment I was overwhelmed with panic, thinking she, too, could see what seethed under the skin. If IPCA was already watching me and considered me a paranormal, there was no telling what they would do if they thought I was changing.

“That's odd,” she said. “It's a burn, but it doesn't look like it happened five minutes ago. It looks older, mostly healed now.” My skin felt so hot to me I expected it to burn her as she ran her finger over it, but she just shook her head. “Still feels quite warm.” She put her hand to my forehead and looked up. “You're freezing.” If she gave me that concerned frown one more time I'd freak out. I didn't feel any colder than normal. In fact, I felt warmer. Especially inside my heart.

“Can I talk to you in the hall?” Raquel asked and the doctor followed her out. Trembling, I got off the table and walked over to a mirror hanging above the sink. I took a deep breath and unbuttoned the top three buttons of my shirt, pulling it wide. I sighed, relieved. My reflection was completely normal; just my pale skin, barely-​there cleavage, and pink bra.

Then, buttoning my shirt, I looked down. “Oh, no,” I whispered. Right where I could feel my heart racing in my chest the same liquid gold burned. It pulsed with life in time to my heartbeats.

I jumped as the door opened, yanking my shirt closed. The doctor smiled at me. “Everything okay?”

“I, yeah, everything's fine.”

“I'm going to put some aloe on your burn and then wrap it up. Since it seems mostly healed, I don't think you need to keep it covered for more than a day. Now, I was talking with Raquel, and I'll admit I don't know much about faerie magic or wounds. Are you experiencing any other strange symptoms?”

“No.” Besides the fact that I was glowing and for the first time could see myself like I saw paranormals. I knew I should mention it--tell Raquel that it was more than just a burn, that Reth had done something, changed me somehow--but I couldn't. I wasn't looking for an ankle tracker or to be some sort of freaky test study. Visions of being dissected ran through my head. I didn't think they actually did that, but I wasn't going to risk telling IPCA anything.

I looked down at the wrap the doctor put on my wrist, relieved that I couldn't see the flames anymore.

“I'm going to take your temperature; you feel very cool, and I'm worried it might be a side effect.” She put a thermometer in my ear. After a few seconds it beeped. She pulled it out, and there was that surprised frown. Again. It was almost as bad as Raquel's sighs. “This is way too low. The thermometer must be broken. Do you feel okay?”

I jumped off the table, terrified that they would figure out something was seriously abnormal--paranormal--here. Aside from a complete physical when I first arrived and the ankle thing, I'd never been in here, never been sick that I could remember. I chalked it up to that whole living in near-​seclusion thing. I didn't want her to start poking around and figure out I was even weirder than they thought. “Yeah, I'm fine, really. I'm always a little bit cold; the thermometer must be broken, no big deal.”

“Okay. If that wrist bothers you, or you have any strange symptoms--anything at all--let me know.”

“Will do.” I walked out with Raquel following me.

“Why don't you go get some rest?” she asked, hurrying to keep up with my fast pace.

“I want to be there when Lend wakes up.”

“I don't think--”

“Raquel,” I said, giving her a flat look. “He saved me. He freaking electrocuted himself to save me. I'm gonna be there when he wakes up so I can tell him thanks.”

After a small I give up sigh, she nodded. “Just be careful, okay? We still don't know anything about him.” They didn't know anything about me, either. “And if he tells you where he's from or what he's doing, tell me immediately.”

Yeah, right, I thought. “Yup,” I said. She walked me to his room and stood in the doorway as I walked straight in.

“Okay--I'll check on you later then.” She hovered for a moment, then left.

Lend was still out cold. I sat on the edge of the bed next to him, wondering how long it would take him to wake up. I felt horrible. It was my fault--yet again--that he had been zapped.

I stared, glad he had the shorts so I didn't have to feel guilty. He was amazing. He had the faintest luminescence about him, centered in his chest. I studied his face. When he was wearing other people I could see hints of his features underneath, but now that it was just him it was a little easier. I leaned closer and closer, trying to memorize the way he looked. It was kinda weird having a crush on a guy who was different every time I saw him, and I wanted to have this face, Lend's real face, in my mind. He was the most strangely beautiful guy I had ever seen--even more than the faeries, because his face was human.

I leaned in so far I almost fell on top of him. Rather than risk that again, I got off the bed and knelt, propping my elbows on the side of the bed and resting my head on my hands. Still curious, I reached out a hand and ran my fingers through his hair. It was the softest, smoothest texture imaginable. I was so busy trying to see his hair and playing with it that I didn't notice him wake up until the hair I was playing with turned black.

“Oh!” I said, moving back so fast I fell on my butt. “You're awake!” He was wearing the standard dark-​haired, dark-​eyed hottie and regarded me with a puzzled expression. Before he could ask what I was doing playing with his hair, I started babbling. “Are you okay? How do you feel? Can I get anything for you?”

He moved to sit up, then stopped and put a hand on his forehead. “Man, I hurt.”

“I'm so sorry! This is all my fault.”

He looked at me, frowning. “How is this your fault?”

“I got you electrocuted again.”

“I think we can safely blame the crazy faerie.”

I shook my head. “If you hadn't--I don't--Thanks.” I smiled and took his free hand in mine. “Really, really thank you. I'm pretty sure you saved my life. Or at least my soul.”

He sat up, not letting go of my hand. I liked that. A lot. “What was he doing to you?”

I sat on the bed next to him and stared at the floor. “I don't know. It was kind of like what he used to do--with the heat. But it was different this time--stronger. It was like he was burning me up on the inside, forcing it into me. And it didn't--” I stopped. I couldn't tell Raquel about what I saw in myself now. Could I trust Lend with it?

“It didn't what?”

I took a deep breath. “It didn't go away this time.” Taking my hand from his, I pulled off the wrapping and stared at the red handprint and liquid flames underneath. Lend drew his breath in sharply and I looked up at him, shocked. “You can see it?”

“Of course I can see it!”