Frozen Vengeance by Evi Asher Read Free Book Online Page B

the smell and tried to open her eyes. They opened a crack, then slammed shut again as if someone had put weights on her eyelids.
    The cold was invasive, burrowing into her body like some flesh-eating worm, leaching all the warmth her body could create. Her heart pounded and she tried to curl up tighter, instinctively protecting her vital organs from the seeping chill.
    “Lay s-s-s-stil.” The hissing whisper reached her ears and Angelica started to shiver uncontrollably. An icy hand rested on her arm, sucking heat from her, and she was powerless to stop it. “S-s-s-so warm.”
    “Go away.” She muttered, and it seemed to work, the chill vanishing from her arm, but she could still smell death. She knew the cold would come back and she knew it was the ghost she’d seen earlier. For some reason, the creature had latched onto Angelica, and it wanted to steal her warmth. Perhaps it was trying to steal her life force, but she was past the point of caring.
    All Angelica wanted to do was sleep. Her mind going to some place warm, where the sun shone and birds sang in big green trees.
     
    * * * *
     
    Colt woke up with a start. Something was wrong. He kept his eyes closed and relied on his sense of hearing. He could hear the wind gusting outside, making the whole structure shake and groan, it sounded like it was going to come falling down. He could hear the wolves calling—they were closer—but what woke him was Geli’s mumbles. She was restless moving and rolling in her makeshift bed.
    He opened his eyes and looked over at her. “Angelica, will you shut up, I’m trying to slee—”
    She rolled toward him and he saw her lips were a darker blue. Her skin had taken on the same unhealthy tinge. She was still asleep, but shivers wracked her body.
    Colt lunged forward on his knees toward her. He laid a hand on her cheek and she groaned in her sleep. Her skin was as cold as a frozen river.
    Guilt wracked him. How could I let it get this bad?
    It was obvious that phoenix did not thrive in cold climates. He had to warm her up, but first he had to wake her.
    “Geli…” His voice was low, not wanting to startle her awake. She gave no response.
    “Gelibean, you have to wake up for me.”
    “That’s a stupid name, so I won’t respond to it.”
    Her voice slurred as if she’d had too much to drink and he knew that hypothermia had set in.
    “Let me sleep, Colt.” She opened her eyes and glared up at him. “Colt…what a stupid name for a polar bear shifter. You aren’t s horse.”
    Colt realized she was far-gone. “I’m named after the gun, not the horse,” he told her as he leaned back and started unbuttoning his shirt.
    “What the hell are you doing?”
    Her eyes flared with—what he assumed—was panic, and she sat up straight.
    “I need to warm you up, and the best way to do that is skin to skin.” He didn’t add that she’d already seen everything of him there was to see, and more. The thought rankled enough without having to be voiced.
    “Well you can stop right there. I’m not getting naked with you.”
    “Why? It’s not like you haven’t before,” he spat out.
    “As a matter of fact…” Her eyes started to close and she tipped to the side.
    Colt ripped his shirt off his arms and grabbed her, pulling her into the heat of his chest.
    She tried to fight him for a moment, then sighed and burrowed into the warmth that was pouring off his skin. “Why are you so warm? It feels so good. If I could purr, I would.”
    “Now, I know, you are delirious.” He muttered, but he couldn’t stop the smile that curled the corners of his lips. “I need to undress you. That way you’ll get warmed up faster.”
    “Please, Colt. No…”
    Her voice was so fragile, sounding so insecure—so unlike the Angelica he was getting to know—that he couldn’t deny her what she wanted.
    “Fine, but get as close as you can, you need my body warmth, or the hypothermia could do some serious damage.”
    He felt her nod her