Shadowfever (Fever #5)

by Karen Marie Moning

I focus through my tears. Grass. Trees. Him. He lies facedown. I need to go to him. The earth is wet, muddy from last night’s rain, from his blood. I need to clean him. He shouldn’t be messy. Barrons doesn’t like to be messy. He’s meticulous; a sophisticated, exquisite dresser. Although I’ve straightened his lapel a few times, it was only for the excuse of touching him. Stepping into his personal space. Exercising familiarity to underscore that I had the right. Unpredictable as a hungry lion, he might be feared by everyone else, but he never ripped out my throat, only licked me, and, if his tongue was a little rough sometimes, it was worth it to walk beside the king of the jungle. My heart is going to explode. I can’t do this. I just went through this with my sister. Regret upon regret. Missed opportunities. Bad decisions. Grief. How many more people will have to die before I learn how to live? He was right. I’m a walking catastrophe. I fumble in my pocket for my phone. First thing I do is dial Barrons’ cell. The call doesn’t go through. I press IYCGM. Call doesn’t go through. I hit IYD and hold my breath, watching Barrons intently. The call doesn’t go through. Like the man himself, all lines are down. I begin to shake. I don’t know why, but the fact that the cell phones don’t work convinces me more than anything else that he’s beyond my reach. I flip my head down, scrape my hair forward, and, although it takes me a few tries to get the angle right, I take a shot of my nap...