Pieces of Three by Kim Carmichael Read Free Book Online Page A

moaned.
    Relief encompassed him, but he wanted to hear her speak. “Alyssa, talk to us.”
    “Help.” Her voice sounded as broken as the rest of her.
    He pressed his palm to her cheek.
    Julian bolted to her other side. “Keep talking.”
    Her eyes fluttered open. “You’re here.”
    “Are you in pain?” Julian took her hand.
    “You were in my dream.” Her eyes closed and she trembled. “Don’t leave me.”
    “I told you I would be here.” Julian let go of her hand and pulled the blanket up over her. “Everything is going to be fine.”
    “Please.” She snaked her hand out of the blanket and reached for Julian.
    Maybe he needed to leave the two of them alone. She wanted Julian and he was the best choice for her. “Stay with her and let me find any supplies.” Porter went stand.
    “No!” She liberated her other hand from the blanket and held it out to him.
    “Alyssa?” Though he instantly took hold of her hand, he tried to harden his tone and his body. He was not her soft place to land.
    She turned and gazed up at him. “Don’t let go.”
    Julian smiled.
    “What do you need?” He sucked in his cheeks. Damn those big blue eyes staring at him.
    “You.” Her teeth chattered. “Don’t let go.”
    He couldn’t let go if he wanted to, and he did. Her touch set him off. It seared through him, made him want to pull her in, hide her, protect her, or maybe something else. Something primal. Something he only experienced briefly one other time. “Not now.”
    “What?” Her shaking amplified and she tried to pull them closer.
    “These blankets are worthless.” Instinct took over and he lay down beside her. “We have a higher body temperature than she does.”
    “Well, she is more than welcome to any of my body temperature.” Julian slid into the bed as well.
    “Don’t leave me,” she repeated once more.
    “We’re here,” Julian cooed. “Try to sleep.”
    After a few minutes her breathing evened out as she succumbed to her body’s need for rest.
    He wrapped his arm around her and clenched his jaw. Her naked body vibrating against his may be a bit too much. “Julian?”
    Julian grunted his acknowledgement.
    “How are you feeling?” If the heat flowing through him would transfer to Alyssa she would stop her trembling.
    “Like I’m stuck on an island in a storm holding a human and in bed with you.”
    Julian may be optimistic, but he was also literal. “Did you notice anything about Alyssa?”
    “What do you mean?”
    He remained silent. Julian needed time to process.
    Julian turned on his side. “She needs us.”
    Porter continued to wait. Julian always had pets, but he always ended up taking care of them.
    “She’s very beautiful and very small.” The bed shook as Julian moved around and he chuckled. “I wonder if she knows what a Lykan can do?”
    Porter nodded soon Julian would catch on.
    “Maybe we should have found some clothes for her.” His makeshift bedmate moaned, his voice laced with frustration. “Damn it.”
    He may as well let Julian in on his findings. “Did you notice the moon?”
    “What?” Julian cleared his throat. “Well with being shot up with crap, the storm, a naked female shivering on me, and the feeling like I want to explode, I didn’t really have time to look at the sky.”
    “We’re right around day fifteen of the cycle.” Surely he didn’t need to spell it out further.
    The room fell silent while Julian performed the necessary calculations.
    At last he spoke. “Day fifteen by ourselves on an island with a broken ship, no way off for days and one tiny human female?” The last trace of optimism in his tone vanished.
    “Yes.” He shut his eyes but couldn’t turn his body off. It didn’t help that her shaking didn’t let up.
    She turned on her side facing him and pressed her face into his chest. “It’s so cold.”
    He held her tight.
    “Porter, what are we going to do?” Julian wrapped his arms around her waist.
    “Humans get sick too