Read Online Remus by Madison Stevens - Free Book Online Page B

little, thinking of Rem being that man. More likely he would say something smart-assed, and she’d be forced to take him down a peg or two. Still, it wasn’t a bad life if she thought about it.
    Her uncle sat, watching her.
    “You don’t let anything stop you from doing what you need to,” he said firmly.
    It shocked her. This man had spent every moment of his life living by the book. He might as well have told her to go smoke a joint.
    “I won’t,” she said, her resolve to see Rem much stronger than before.
    Rem needed her, and she’d be damned if she left him hanging.
     
    * * *
     
    Jenna paced the floor of the cave, listening for anything that might not be right. This was bad. Very, very bad. Twenty minutes late and she was ready to charge into the damned place to find him. Not that she would. It would be unlikely she’d even make it twenty feet in before someone spotted her. Still, she couldn’t just wait there.
    Her heart was torn. The longer she stayed, the harder it was to ignore the feeling of growing unease.
    Something crunched down the hall, and her heart kicked into high gear.
    She stuffed herself into a thin crevice. It was tight, and she had to smash her leg against the front of her chest. She could only hope that she’d be able to hide herself well enough.
    The footsteps grew closer. Slowly, ever so slowly. At one point she was sure they must have been dragging against the gravel.
    She jumped when a hand reached in and grabbed her. Jenna fought to hold back a cry for help.
    “What are you doing here?”
    Rem growled and pulled her from the spot.
    She let out the breath she had been holding.
    “Rem,” she said. Relief washed over her, and she launched herself into his arms.
    He took a few steps back following the impact.
    Jenna didn’t care if it was right or wrong. She had been worried about him. What if he hadn’t come? She closed her eyes to shut out the thoughts.
    Her arms tightened around his middle. For a moment she didn’t think he would respond but gave a small sigh when his big hands pulled her hard against his chest.
    “You can’t wait for me like that,” he whispered near her ear.
    He ran his soothing hands up and down her back. She trembled in his arms and couldn’t tell if it was from his touch or from the feelings he stirred inside of her.
    She shook her head and refused to look at him.
    “You were just late,” she said. Tears prickled her eyes. “It’s fine.”
    Rem gripped her by the shoulders and jerked away. His hands shook as he looked down at her. His eyes glowed bright green.
    “It’s not okay,” he growled at her. It hurt to hear him talk that way. Something in it felt so wrong. “You can’t wait here like that. What if something happened to you?”
    She floundered to say something but was having trouble finding the words. His eyes swirled with red, and she felt a chill go through her. She’d never seen his eyes like that before.
    “Your eyes,” she whispered.
    In an instant, Rem was on the other side of the cave.
    He took in deep breaths and leaned heavily against the wall. Jenna could see the beads of sweat that formed on his head and watched as they ran down his face.
    Rem was struggling with something.
    She took a step forward but stopped when he held up a hand.
    “I’m just tired,” he said and stood with his back to her.
    Jenna ignored his protest and crossed the space to him. She gently forced him to turn to look at her.
    His eyes were a perfectly normal shade of green, and for a moment, she wondered if it had all just been in her head.
    His face was hollower than the last time. The bruising on his wrists were now an ugly green, and there were more spots littering his arms.
    She ran a gentle hand over the red bumps.
    “What are they doing to you?” she asked more to herself than him.
    “I’m fine,” he said and placed a hand over hers.
    Jenna looked up to his now gentle eyes and smiled.
    “Seems like both of us are fine,” she said