DOFAB#3

Chapter Eleven

~ KINLEY ~

Held tension releases, the infirmary bed catches my relief as I slump against it, exhausted, cold, and feverish. What little chance I thought I'd have to relax with the nurse and I being the only ones left in this room doesn't come to pass. The shakes from Tristan's infectious blood worsen. My body accepting it can't win this battle now that the biggest threat to me is no longer looming over me, full lips within reach and intense gaze soaking into me like a warm spring shower that promises anything but a cleansing.

"Don't worry, Miss Rylan. The shakes will go away once we get you on the drip," the school nurse says as she preps the IV tower she wheeled to my bedside.

I should be comforted Nadora spares no expense with their infirmary as I lie in a hospital-grade bed. Except an infirmary of this level means there is cause to have it.

The hair on my arms raises, my skin electrified. A teeming sensation races in my veins that turns my mouth dry. I can feel Tristan. He's everywhere—in my blood and in my cells. He's on my skin and in my hair, his strong hands caressing me.

"Let's keep our hands to our sides, shall we?" The angel grabs my wrist, keeping me from touching myself. My skin has come alive, tingling as an ache builds in my center, urgent and demanding. I'm so high right now.

The nurse thumps the bend in my arm, plumping my vein for IV catheter insertion.

"He's inside of me." I use my free arm to explore the fever on my neck spreading into my chest. It's magical. Everywhere I touch, the cool streams of Tristan's energy rises up and kisses my fingertips.

"Yes, he is. The saline flush will help with that." The angel sticks the IV catheter into my arm and tapes it so it won't move.

"Can you feel him too? He's swimming through my veins, touching every part of me."

"You'll feel more yourself in two hours." The school nurse connects the saline bag to my IV port. "In the meantime, I brought you some dream shade to help you sleep it off." She pushes the end of the syringe. A clear liquid spurts from the needle.

Dream shade? If she gives me that, I'll—

The angel injects the dream shade straight into the IV catheter. "Sleep, Miss Rylan. When you wake, the devil will no longer be with you."

My eyelids become too heavy to keep open. They close before the angel finishes injecting me with dream shade, hurling me into a darkness that will surely lead me to the land of dreams where I won't be alone...

Blue skies break overhead, birds chirping as a breeze rustles the trees, sending fall's butterflies swirling past me and straight off the edge of the cliff I stand, toes dangling over the edge.

Ladybugs on a petal, I'm dreaming!

Dream shade is known for two things: vivid, life-like dreams and playing upon one's psyche. Want to know your worse fear? Take a dream shade-laced nap and find out. Like that cute person you keep seeing a the supermart? Smoke some dream shade and they can be yours in a hyper-realistic cinema of your mind's imagining. Fears. Inner desires. If you have an undiscovered anything, dream shade will find it and take you on a wild ride you're sure to never forget, or something like that. Neziri didn't take too kindly to me finding her stash of hidden contraband.

I shield my eyes, something blindingly bright reflecting in the middle of the spring below me. A cloud covers the sun, dimming the blinding brightness. My lungs seize. A beautiful bird made of sparkling snow and feathers of Rien's lace is perched on a pile of rocks jutting out from the water. She prunes her feathers against a backdrop of distant mountains and nature's multi-colored fall canvas.