The Dragon's Fate - Roxie Ray Page 0,11

didn’t bother with the over-the-counter pills they sold for humans. Our metabolism was far too high for that to do any good. It was why we could consume copious amounts of beer without growing drunk. Our metabolisms were heightened, and we burned off medicines pretty fast. More than likely, Sammy had spelled the herbs to stay in my system, though if I was honest it didn’t seem like it was working.

I found what I was after, though. I’d googled and found recommendations for stick-on heat patches with capsaicin. I grabbed a couple of packages, as well as a couple with heat beads in them. I’d try them both, maybe layering them. My sore muscles would appreciate the heat.

I chuckled at the irony of needing processed heat to ease my pain as I turned to go to the front. Suddenly, a pain gripped my chest like a vice. I staggered into the products on the shelf, knocking several things to the floor as I sucked in a deep breath and tried to keep myself from hitting the floor.

The pain abated enough for me to catch my breath. I straightened up as Briana walked around the aisle with a box of tampons in hand. I steeled my spine and stood to my full height. The pain and aches disappeared entirely, leaving me to feel washed out and overwhelmed. The sudden release from the agony made me weak. It was difficult to keep from breathing hard.

She glared at me, throwing me right back to that night in the bar when I’d told her that her decisions hadn’t been smart.

I composed myself the best I could as she looked me over.

“You look like death.” Her voice cut like a dagger made of ice.

I nearly laughed, because I felt like death. Her disdain for me was apparent, and the pain in my chest reappeared, the momentary reprieve from being near her gone. The aches started up again and it became incredibly difficult to breathe.

Her aversion lightened and she stepped forward. “Do you need to go to the hospital?”

I shook my head. Damn it. I’d been as rude to her as I’d been able to muster, and it hadn’t been enough. Either that or she was just that good of a person.

“Hey, Jace.” Briana reached her hand out, but I jerked back. If she touched me, I just knew I’d break into a thousand pieces. I was ready to put myself out of my misery and give in to the mating call, but Briana recoiled as a child came around the corner.

“Hey, Mom, I found the cookies I wanted.”

The little girl was gorgeous, the spitting image of Briana. As soon as I saw her, the pain in my chest tightened again. But why? I was imprinted on Briana, not her little girl. Why was this child so close to bringing me to my knees?

“Hey, are you okay?” The little girl looked at me in concern. “Mommy, he doesn’t look so good.”

“I’m okay,” I whispered.

She put her hand on her hip, the hand not holding cookies, and cocked her head at me. Oh, damn. She was cute. “Mom says it’s not good to lie. Are you lying?”

I wanted to buy her a million packages of her cookies. Or anything else under the sun she wanted. And it was that thought that made me back away. I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t get attached to a little girl. It caused too much pain. It never worked out.

“Jace, you look like you’re going to pass out,” Briana said.

She wasn’t lying. It looked like that because I was afraid I was going to. I staggered away to the register and dropped the heat patches on the counter. As soon as the clerk rang them up, I slapped a fifty down. “Keep the change,” I mumbled.

Moving as fast as I could, I made it across the street to my back steps. I couldn’t even remember if I’d looked both ways when I crossed the street.

Sinking down, I had to rest for a minute on the stairs before trying to go up. I was sweating so much my shirt was glued to my chest and the world swayed around me.

I was dying. It wasn’t as if I was dying, I was actually going to expire. I closed my eyes for just a moment, just a second to pull myself together.

I wasn’t sure when I passed out. I stayed awake for a few minutes, but at some point, I blacked out. When I