“I lost Melanie；” I whispered。
“Youlost her！”
I nodded miserably。
His voice was hard and angry。 “How？”
“I’m not sure。 I made her be quiet… but she always es back… always before… I can’t hear her
now… and Jamie…”
“She’s gone？” Muted agony in his voice。
“I don’t know。 I can’t find her。”
Deep breath。 “Why does Ian think I have to kiss you？”
“Not kissme； ” I said； my voice so faint I could barely hear it myself。 “Kiss her。 Nothing upset her more
than when you kissed us… before。 Nothing pulled her to the surface like that。 Maybe… No。 You don’t
have to。 I’ll try to find her myself。”
I still had my eyes on his feet； so I saw him step toward me。
“You think； if I kiss her… ？”
I couldn’t even nod。 I tried to swallow。
Familiar hands brushed my neck； tracing down either side to my shoulders。 My heart thudded loud
enough that I wondered if he could hear it。
I was so embarrassed； forcing him to touch me this way。 What if he thought it was a trick—my idea； not
Ian’s？
One hand continued； as I knew it would； down my arm to my wrist； leaving a trail of fire behind it。 The
other cupped beneath my jaw； as I knew it must； and pulled my face up。
His cheek pressed against mine； the skin burning where we were connected； and he whispered in my
ear。
“Melanie。 I know you’re there。 e back to me。”
His cheek slowly slid back； and his chin tilted to the side so that his mouth covered mine。
Hetried to kiss me softly。 I could tell that he tried。 But his intentions went up in smoke； just like before。
There was fireeverywhere； becausehe was everywhere。 His hands traced my skin； burning it。 His lips
tasted every inch of my face。 The rock wall slammed into my back； but there was no pain。 I couldn’t feel
anything besides the burning。
My hands knotted in his hair； pulling him to me as if there were any possible way for us to be closer。 My
legs wrapped around his waist； the wall giving me the leverage I needed。 His tongue twisted with mine；
and there was no part of my mind that was not invaded by the insane desire that possessed me。
He pulled his mouth free and pressed his lips to my ear again。
“Melanie Stryder！” It was so loud in my ear； a growl that was almost a shout。 “You willnot leave me。
Don’t you love me？ Prove it！Prove it！ Damn it； Mel！ Get back here！”
His lips attacked mine again。
Ahhh；she groaned weakly in my head。
I couldn’t think to greet her。 I was on fire。
The fire burned its way to her； back to the tiny corner where she drooped； nearly lifeless。
My hands fisted around the fabric of Jared’s T…shirt； yanking it up。 This was their idea； I didn’t tell them
what to do。 His hands burned on the skin of my back。
Jared？she whispered。 She tried to orient herself； but the mind we shared was so disoriented。
I felt the muscles of his stomach under my palms； my hands crushed between us。
What？ Where…Melanie struggled。
I broke away from his mouth to breathe； and his lips scorched their way down my throat。 I buried my
face in his hair； inhaling the scent。
Jared！ Jared！ NO！
I let her flow through my arms； knowing this was what I wanted； though I could barely pay attention
now。 The hands on his stomach turned hard； angry。 The fingers clawed at his skin and then shoved him as
“NO！” she shouted through my lips。
Jared caught her hands； then caught me against the wall before I could fall。 I sagged； my body confused
by the conflicting directions it was receiving。
“Mel？ Mel！”
“What are youdoing？ ”
He groaned in relief。 “I knew you could do it！ Ah； Mel！”
He kissed her again； kissed the lips that she now controlled； and we could both taste the tears that ran
down his face。
She bit him。
Jared jumped back from us； and I slid to the floor； landing in a wilted heap。
He started laughing。 “That’s my girl。 You still got her； Wanda？”
“Yes；” I gasped。
What the hell； Wanda？she screeched at me。
Where have youbeen？Do you have any idea what I’ve been going through trying to find you？
Yeah； I can see that you were really suffering。
Oh； I’ll suffer；I promised her。 I could already feel it ing on。 Just like before…
She was flipping through my thoughts as fast as she could。Jamie？
That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you。 He needs you。
Then why aren’t we with him？
Because he’s probably a bit young to watch this kind of thing。
She searched through some more。Wow； Ian； too。 I’m glad I missed that part。
I was so worried。 I didn’t know what to do。…
Well； c’mon。 Let’s go。
“Mel？” Jared asked。
“She’s here。 She’s furious。 She wants to see Jamie。”
Jared put his arm around me and helped me up。 “You can be as mad as you want； Mel。 Just stick
How long was I gone？
Three days is all。
Her voice was suddenly smaller。Where was I？
You don’t know？
I can’t remember… anything。
We shuddered。
“You okay？” Jared asked。
“Sort of。”
“Was that her before； talking to me—talking out loud？”
“Yes。”
“Can she… can you let her do that now？”
I sighed。 I was already exhausted。 “I can try。” I closed my eyes。
Can you get past me？I asked her。Can you talk to him？
I… How？ Where？
I tried to flatten myself against the inside of my head。 “C’mon；” I murmured。 “Here。”
Melanie struggled； but there was no way out。
Jared’s lips came down on mine； hard。 My eyes flew open in shock。 His gold…flecked eyes were open；
too； half an inch away。
She jerked our head back。 “Cut thatout！ Don’t touch her！”
He smiled； the little creases feathering out around his eyes。 “Hey； baby。”
That’s not funny。
I tried to breathe again。 “She’s not laughing。”
He left his arm around me。 Around us。 We walked out into the tunnel junction； and there was no one
there。 No Ian。
“I’m warning you； Mel；” Jared said； still smiling widely。 Teasing。 “You better stay right here。 I’m not
making any guarantees about what I will or won’t do to get you back。”
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
。
Tell him I’ll throttle him if he touches you like that again。But her threat was a joke； too。
“She’s threatening your life right now；” I told him。 “But I think she’s being facetious。”
He laughed； giddy with relief。 “You’re so serious all the time； Wanda。”
“Your jokes aren’t funny；” I muttered。 Not to me。
Jared laughed again。
Ah；Melanie said。You are suffering。
I’ll try not to let Jamie see。
Thank you for bringing me back。
I won’t erase you； Melanie。 I’m sorry I can’t give you more than that。
Thank you。
“What’s she saying？”
“We’re just… making up。”
“Why couldn’t she talk before； when you were trying to let her？”
“I don’t know； Jared。 There really isn’t enough room for both of us。 I can’t seem to get myself out of the
way pletely。 It’s like… not like holding your breath。 Like trying to pause your heartbeats。 I can’t
make myself not exist。 I don’t know how。”
He didn’t answer； and my chest throbbed with pain。 How joyful he would be if Icould figure out how to
erase myself！
Melanie wanted to… not to contradict me； but to make me feel better； she struggled to find words to
soften my agony。 She couldn’t e up with the right ones。
But Ian would be devastated。 And Jamie。 Jeb would miss you。 You have so many friends here。
Thanks。
I was glad that we were back to our room now。 I needed to think about something else before I started
crying。 Now wasn’t the time for self…pity。 There were more important issues at hand than my heart；
breaking yet again。
CHAPTER 43
Frenzied
Iimagined that from the outside； I looked as still as a statue。 My hands were folded in front of me； my
Inside； I was spinning apart； as if the pieces of my atoms were reversing polarity and blowing away from
one another。
Bringing Melanie back had not saved him。 All that I could do was not enough。
The hall outside our room was crowded。 Jared； Kyle； and Ian were back from their desperate raid；
empty…handed。 A cooler of ice—that was all they had to show for three days of risking their lives。 Trudy
was making presses and laying them across Jamie’s forehead； the back of his neck； his chest。
Even if the ice cooled the fever； raging out of control； how long until it was all melted？ An hour？ More？
Less？ How long until he was dying again？
I would have been the one to put the ice on him； but I couldn’t move。 If I moved； I would fall into
microscopic pieces。
“Nothing？” Doc murmured。 “Did you check —”
“Every spot we could think of；” Kyle interrupted。 “It’s not like painkillers； drugs—lots of people had
reason to keep those hidden。 The antibiotics were always kept in the open。 They’re gone； Doc。”
Jared just stared down at the red…faced child on the bed； not speaking。
Ian stood beside me。 “Don’t look like that；” he whispered。 “He’ll pull through。 He’s tough。”
I couldn’t respond。 Couldn’t even hear the words； really。
Doc knelt beside Trudy and pulled Jamie’s chin down。 With