Page 17 of Forever After Fall

“Sometimes the occasion calls for it.” I make her turn her back to me and move up the backs of her legs, searching her body clinically for signs of a wound. I’m not noticing the curve of her calf or how long her legs are right now. I can’t say I won’t be remembering it. But right now, I just want this woman safe.

“The occasion being me pissing you off,” she laments as I stand again. I don’t answer immediately, my attention on her back and shoulders, then moving to her neck and clavicle as I hunt for any sign of a bite.

“You don’t piss me off. You worry me,” I correct, staying her hip when she starts to turn away and reach for her overalls. “Wait. What’s this?” I run my finger over a shallow scrape on her chest, just over her right breast. “Did you have this before?” It doesn’t look fresh, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.

“Oh yeah. That’s a bite all right.” She winces as she glances down at it, like it might still be hurting.

“What?” The panic wells again.

“Yep. Species Ansonis Briggsus, I believe.” She tries to keep a straight face and fails, a giggle popping free, and her laughter momentarily quells the fear in my gut before I realize what she means.

“I put a fucking mark like this on you?”

“You did.”

“Christ. I’m fucking sorry.”

“Don’t be. It was hot,” she admits freely until she remembers who she’s talking to and then presses her lips together. “Until it wasn’t.” She swallows hard and pulls away. “As strangers in the dark, you know, it was kind of hot, is what I mean.”

A flash of her soft cries of approval and her hands running over my skin runs through my mind before I quash it. I can’t get distracted right now.

“We should get the fresh wounds cleaned up and then get you to the clinic. Let the doctors decide what’s a good precaution here. In case we missed anything.”

“I feel like that was a pretty thorough inspection.”

“I’m just worried, Bristol. I’m not trying to—” She cuts me off with her hand on my forearm and a quick shake of her head.

“I know you’re not trying to do anything. It’s okay. Thank you for being so worried. For caring this much.” Her voice is sincere, and she holds my gaze for a moment before she tears it away and goes in search of soap and a washcloth. “I can take it from here. You can go back to the guys. I’ll go to the clinic.”

“I’d rather take you. If they have to give you something… If you need observation. I’d rather have an eye on you.”

She looks at me through the mirror in the bathroom and nods her okay.

“I’ll be outside if you need anything.”

“Thank you,” she murmurs softly before she turns on the water and sets to work on her wounds.

NINE

Bristol

Out of an abundance of caution, the doctors at the clinic gave me a couple of booster shots and assured me that it was unlikely I’d been bitten if I didn’t see or feel a bite. And likewise, it was unlikely, even if I had, that I’d contract rabies given the fact I was already vaccinated. But they still sent me home with paperwork on what to watch for, and between the booster shots and the chaos of the day, I’m exhausted. Anson insisted on bringing me to his house to take a nap, and he let me have his bed for the purpose.

It’s only when I hear the door open and shut that I realize how late it is. Anson’s just back from dropping Ford off at practice, and it’s already after dinner if the low bow of the sun in the sky is any indication. I hear the door to the room creak open, and I crane my head to see Anson standing there.

“How you feelin’?”

“I’m all right. Can’t believe how late it is.”

“You hungry? I got some pizza on the way home. Grabbed a couple of things from Hotcakes before Marlowe closed up shop for the day. She said to tell you she hopes you feel better and to text her.”

“I could eat. She didn’t happen to have any of the pumpkin spice cookies, did she?”

“She did. She said you’d want one. That it’d make you right as rain.”

I grin at my friend’s thoughtfulness and Anson’s too.

“Thank you. I’ll be right out.”