Page 43 of Consumed By Fire
“The other Reds. The males sent to rescue you,” Shadow says. “It may as well have been by your own hand.”
“Yes, they were sent…but…no, it isn’t how it looks.” I hold up both hands and take a tentative step away from Octane. I note that he is wheezing. “I think he might have a pierced lung,” I tell Shadow.
“Oh, you think? He’s a broken, mangled mess because of you.”
“This isn’t her fault!” Kim yells. I realize she’s astride a dragon, too.
“She didn’t ask to be captured by Octane,” Blaze says; he has his arm around Kim. I’m not sure if it’s to reassure her or to keep her from intervening. “You can’t blame Trinity for trying to escape.”
I am about to thank him for siding with me when he says, “But you didn’t have to do this, Red. Octane is a good male…one of the best. You may have killed him,” the male growls and his jaw sets.
“It wasn’t her,” Kim starts to defend me again.
“It wasn’t,” I say, tears rolling down my cheeks. “I didn’t do anything. Please help him,” I plead.
“You can save it,” another male says, grabbing my elbow and pulling me away.
“Yeah! Keep quiet, Red. You’re nothing but a troublemaker and a liar,” Goliath says. “Kim was very upset about how you got away from her. Do you know how much trouble you got both of us into?”
“Now is not the time,” Shadow says. “Take her back to camp. I want her tied up and under lock and key. Do not buy the tears and the innocent act.”
“Oh, I won’t,” Devil says.
“Me, neither,” Goliath growls, grabbing my other arm.
“The two of you can escort her back. The rest of us need to get Octane stable and then get him home. I hope he makes it.” Shadow’s voice wavers as she kneels next to Octane.
“Please let me stay. I didn’t mean for this to happen,” I shout, but it is of no use since I am being dragged away. “Octane!” I scream. “No! Leave me alone. Octane!”
14
Octane
The next afternoon…
I wake up all at once, dragging air into my lungs. It stings, so I hiss, grabbing my chest. My arm hurts, too. I hurt everywhere.
Fuck!
“Easy,” Shadow says, leaning over me. She smiles. “Welcome back. It was touch and go for a while. You’ll still be hurting. You suffered internal injuries from the fall, including a badly punctured lung. You also suffered a broken leg, a broken arm, and collarbone, among other things.”
I wince, touching my side.
“Oh, and the wound to your side is taking its sweet time to heal, since your body has been so focused on keeping you alive.”
Alive?
Injured?
What happened?
It all comes flooding back to me. My fight with the Reds in the hope that Trinity would escape.
Trinity!
“Where is she? Where is the Red?” I yell.
“Don’t worry. She didn’t get away. We have her.”