She squinted at her stomach, moaning quietly when she saw the branch impaled just above her belly button. It was getting harder and harder to breathe, and she wheezed in some cold air.
She could hear the crunching of footsteps in the snow, the heavy panting of someone running, but her brain felt like it was covered in fuzz, and her thoughts kept slipping away like they were caught in a river’s current.
The door was wrenched open with a loud squeal that felt like an ice pick drilled into her brain, and she groaned weakly when a dark-haired man peered in at her. “Oh, fuck me.”
“Garth, move!”
She blinked slowly, staring at the man who replaced Garth. “Ronin?”
“Hey, tiny tree witch,” Ronin said, his eyes sweeping over her and assessing the damage. “What do you say we get you out of here?”
“Can’t,” she mumbled as the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth. “Branch. Impaled.”
“Again?” Ronin’s small grin and the warmth of his hand as he smoothed her hair back from her face comforted her. He pulled a switchblade from his pocket, clicked it open, and quickly sliced through her seatbelt. “I know you like trees, sweetheart, but you gotta stop with the impalement thing.”
She chuckled weakly. “Yeah, okay.”
Ronin studied the branch again before saying, “I have to pull it out to get you out of the car.”
“Fuck,” she mumbled before spitting out a mouthful of blood.
“Double fuck,” Ronin said. “You ready?”
She nodded, and Ronin, his face pale but determined, gripped the branch. “On three, sweetheart.”
“Three,” she echoed.
“One, two -” Ronin pulled the branch out with a brisk yank, and Cece screamed piercingly.
The world turned gray and wavered as hot blood spurted out of her stomach and coated her lap.
She screamed again when Ronin pulled her from the car and laid her on the snow-covered ground. Garth crouched on her other side, his face pale and sweaty in the moonlight. “Fuck, Ronin, her goddamn leg is broken. I can see the fucking bone sticking out.”
Cece laughed weakly. The pain had disappeared, and her body was pleasantly numb. She should have been cold, but the hot liquid seeping out of her midsection kept her nice and warm.
“Look at me, tiny tree witch,” Ronin said.
“Not tiny,” she wheezed, but forced her eyes open. “Dying, Ronin.”
“No, sweetheart,” he said. “No one’s dying tonight.”
She could see the glint of tears in his eyes, and she made a low groan. “Oh fuck, not again. Don’t you cry on me, asshole. Don’t you dare fucking -”
Tears dripped onto her midsection and pain - hot, sizzling, unbearable pain - roared through her. She screamed shrilly, her body bowing as Garth’s hands clamped down on her shoulders.
More agony washed over her, the worst pain she’d ever felt in her life, and when the darkness appeared at the edge of her vision, she dove into it with a feeling of relief.
CHAPTER 7
Cece opened her eyes, staring blankly at the unfamiliar ceiling. Soft sunlight filtered in through the curtains, and she studied the room. The room had a generic look, with warm blue walls, a white dresser, and a wall shelf holding a pothos plant and an English ivy in white pots.
It was silly, but just seeing the plants eased some of her confusion and anxiety. She still needed to figure out what the hell was -
Her eyes widened in sudden remembrance, and she touched her stomach before sitting up and pushing the covers down. Her shirt and pants were dark and crusty with dried blood, and her hands trembling, she lifted her shirt. She studied the smooth skin on her stomach before shoving the covers to the bottom of the bed and staring at her leg. Her yoga pants were ripped, but her leg didn’t hurt, and there was no sign of an injury.
She took a shaky breath, breathing out “Ronin” on a soft exhale. The door opened, and a gorgeous dark-haired woman with a kickass body and bright green eyes stepped into the room. She had a bottle of water in one hand, and she smiled cheerfully at Cece.
“You’re awake. How do you feel?”
