I move quickly—desperate—and carry him toward the bathroom.
I lower Rion carefullly into the bathtub, guiding his overheated body against the cool porcelain. The moment the cold shower hits his skin, he flinches hard, muscles tightening beneath my hands.
"Bear it," I whisper, trying to keep my voice steady. "You need to calm down."
His lashes don't even lift. He's still half-unconscious… burning. Burning so much it scares me.
I reach to adjust the shower—
But suddenly his fingers wrap around my wrist, hot and desperate, and in one sharp pull he drags me down with him.
I crash against his chest, water splashing everywhere. The cold spray pours over us, but his body is still impossibly hot. Fever-hot. Heat-sick hot. I feel it right through my clothes, like he's fire and I'm pressed directly against the flame.
His eyes flutter open—barely, hazy, unfocused—and still he looks at me like he's seeing exactly what he wants.
"Kitten…" he breathes, voice broken.
