Wolfsbane, A Paranormal/Urban Fantasy (The Maurin Kincaide Series) by Rachel Rawlings Read Free Book Online

mistaken. That was just smoldering embers compared to this. My blood was suddenly molten lava. I pulled my knees up to my chest, rolled onto my side in the fetal position and instantly regretted it. Pain shot through my mid section, like someone was scrambling my intestines with red hot pokers. I kicked my legs back out and rolled over. My back arched as the pain racked through my stomach and my blood felt like it was boiling again. I was being cooked from the inside out. Something was wrong. The Wolfsbane wasn't working. I needed to tell Cash before the fever or whatever the hell this was fried my brain. The only thing that came out of my mouth when I tried to talk was a scream so I clamped my jaws shut.
    "Hold her legs Tybalt. It'll pass Maurin. The burning will stop. You're doing great, you're going to be fine." Cash was holding my shoulders down, whispering encouragements in my ear like we were in a Lamaze class instead of laying on the concrete floor with hell fire burning my insides. Despite his best efforts to conceal it, I caught the faintest hint of uncertainty in his voice.
    "Damn, she heals fast. You think enough of the Wolfsbane got into her blood stream before she knit back together?" Tybalt was just shaking his head, still in disbelief over how fast I had healed. He moved a hand off one of my legs to trace the freshly closed skin.
    I knew it was scab free and the light pink fleshy color of new scar tissue. I may be able to heal fast but I still hadn't mastered it yet. Injuries this bad obviously weren't outside my abilities but what I had just done was the equivalent of a field dressing compared to what I should have been capable of. I was collecting scars like some people collected coins.
    Thankfully Cash was right and the pain was sub siding. It no longer felt like my body was the same temperature as magma. It was easier to think now that I seemed to only suffer from severe flu like symptoms. I managed to talk through the nausea. "Don't touch me." My need to not have anyone touch my all too sensitive skin came out sounding more like repulsion at having Tybalt's hand on my stomach. I saw the flash of anger and hurt in his eyes. He had tried to help me, even after the only pack leaders he had ever known were killed. He immediately recognized Cash as alpha and followed his orders knowing full well as second in command to Roul the other wolves would look to him to follow or fight. I wanted to smooth things over but didn't have the energy for more than "Sorry, still hurts like a son of a bitch."
    I forced myself up onto my elbows, grimacing as I felt the new scar tissue stretch. I looked down the length of my body sizing up the Freddie Krueger like slash marks on my otherwise flawless stomach. "Damn, there goes bikini season." I tried to make light of the situation.
    "There's the Maurin Kincaide I know." Cash chuckled.
    Tybalt yanked his tee shirt over his head and tossed it to me. I thanked him and pulled it on. He was easily a foot and a half taller than me and twice as wide so I was swimming in dark blue cotton but it sure beat sitting there in jeans and a bra.
    Cash extended his hand and I took it, allowing him to pull me to my feet. Sensing the worst of my healing process was over Conry shook off the two wolves holding onto him and settled himself at my feet. I bent down, trying not to wince as the scars stretched again, and wrapped my arms around Conry's neck. I even let him lick my face a couple of times. Cash cleared his throat, breaking up our little reunion.
    I gave him a sideways glance as I untangled myself from my dog. He gave a short, tight nod to his left. Evidence of the challenge that took place for the right to lead the Salem pack still littered the ground. Remnants of clothes shredded from shifting, tufts of fur and blood where everywhere. Just beyond Cash lay the bodies of Roul and Olwyn. If I hadn't been here for the whole brutal and bloody battle I doubt I wouldn't have recognized them as the