Bound by Honour

69

I felt sick, very very sick.

Cameron popped the thermometer in my mouth, slipping it under my tongue. It beeped and he took it, studying the number, he frowned. "102," he murmured. "If it goes up any more, we have to risk going to the hospital."

"No," I hissed, "no hospital."

Sebastian glanced down. "Well, your stab wound is infected. You don't really get a choice in the matter."
He put a wet cloth on a forehead. "You need to rest, baby girl," he murmured. "Try and sleep. I'll be right here if anything happens."

His words reassured me and I felt at ease, closing my eyes.  I felt miserable, headache and every time I moved, my stomach pulled in knots. Being sick is the worst. Wait, no, being sick and on the run is the worst.

"No hospitals."

"No hospitals." Troy hissed, narrowing his eyes.

"She's bleeding, like she needs stitches," Calliope whispered, holding onto me.

"No. Take these. Get Ginger to help." Ginger the one that used to be a nurse before she got addicted to heroin. Poor woman was Troy's lap dog now. I glanced down at Troy's hand. Two white, round pills in his palm. "Take them, idiot. I don't have all day."

I took them and swallowed them.

"We'll cross the bridge if we come to it."

"No hospitals," I slurred again, exhausted. I noticed Sebastian glance at Cameron.

"Her fever hasn't broke ... she's becoming delusional." I scoffed but didn't say anything. Cameron rubbed his face, worry growing in his eyes.

"Chance will be back within the hour," Jaime said, entering the room and gazing at me. "He just called. Did neither of you pick up when he called?"

"We were busy keeping this one calm," Cameron snapped, gesturing at me. "She's out of it." I didn't have the energy to argue, the first sign I was going downhill. I nodded along with him and Jaime frowned.

"I am not," I slurred, my stomach churning. "I don't feel well -" I puked in the bucket my brother had brought, just in case. He leaned forward and held my hair back until my stomach emptied itself.

"It's okay, it's okay," Cameron said and I reached for the water on the nightstand, chugging it down to get the nasty taste in my mouth. He handed me a wet cloth and I wiped my mouth.

I felt awful and wondered if I'd ever be okay.

***

I woke up groggy, sweat dripping from my forehead as I rubbed my sleeve over my face. I glanced over at the clock, my chest tight.

Where am I?

No, no, no.

They got me.

My brothers found me.

I heard my oldest brother laugh somewhere within the house and flinched. I couldn't be here. They would take me back to him.

I got up from the bed and tiptoed to the hallway, hoping no one noticed me as I snuck down the hall to what I assumed was the living room and kitchen.

My older brother stood in front of the fridge and his head snapped up when I headed for the front door. He stepped to block me. "Hey, hey, where do you think you're going?"