Last Female Sypher and Her Brother's Friends novel Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Aria

“Are you sure?” a booming voice says.

“Yes. Her body, she tried to shift. Three times, but it was like something was stopping her, and then she passed out,” says another.

“What happened before that change?” That voice was her brother’s.

I groan. I was on fire. Ache seemed to meld onto the unbearable heat, and my eyelids were so heavy I had to force myself to open them.

Liam’s face is blurry in front of me.

“Li,” I croak.

“Shh…It’s okay,” A comforting hand strokes my head. “I’m here. I’m right here.”

I tried to clear the blurriness from my eyes and caught rough outlines of male figures behind him.

“How are you feeling?” Ronan’s voice says more softly than she thought him capable.

“Hurt. Hot..” I squeeze out, trying to use the smallest words I can manage.

“Give me some space,” Theo says, kneeling. “I’ve got to cool her down.”

“Do you have any ideas why she wasn’t able to complete the shift,” Kade says.

“What?” I ask, confused.

“No, but until it happens, her body is in danger of overheating.”

Suddenly, I was floating, the quick movement giving me a flash of vertigo. I groan with the movement.

“Turn on the tap,” Theo says. “Aria, I’m going to take off your clothes. We need to try to bring down your

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Chapter 31

body temperature.”

Theo’s voice is soothing, clinical.

“What do you mean by shifting?” I ask as he starts tugging off my clothes.

“You almost shifted earlier, but you didn’t complete it.” Kade’s voice is soft and filled with concern.

The cold air is a relief.

“No… that doesn’t make any-” my words drop off as the need to get out lumber through my thoughts.

My heart beats faster.

A voice that’s not mine gets louder.

Out. Out. OUT!

Another groan. I want to hold my head, but my arm could have easily been to cinder blocks.

When I am picked up and put inside the cool water of the tub, I almost don’t notice the heat at my back.

I turn my head and see Theo’s chin.

Huh.

One bare muscular arm wraps around me, and another wraps around my wrist, thumb pressing softly against my pulse.

The scent of pine tickles my nose, that and… something deeper, something…

I inhale. It’s instinct. I can’t help myself.

Musk. Mint… and Theo.

The way he smells is all his own. Sensual and warm. More clear than any other smell I’ve smelled in my entire life.

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Chapter 31

And then it fades.

Like it’s being sucked backwards into something I can’t reach.

Into me.

“Breathe, Aria,” Theo’s voice is authoritative, firm.

Something about it makes me obey.

I push out a heavy breath.

“That’s it.” He coaxes. “Nice and even, just like that.”

I look around and meet Liam’s eyes. “It’s not possible.”

“I know you’re scared, but try not to fight it.”

“I can’t!” I scream as a spasm of pain shoots down my spine.

“You can,” Liam says.

There is a loud snap, then pain so intense a flare of white light blinds my vision. My body twists, bends, strains under skin that doesn’t feel right.

A voice I don’t recognize lets out a yell so filled with agony it makes me dizzy.

Then my body is released from the full-body muscle spasm.

Theo is right there, wrapping his arms around me.

I gasp for breath.

“Do something,” Liam says. But I’m not sure who he is talking to.

A loud bang rings in the room.

“Status,” Ronan snaps, agitation making his voice hard as nails.

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Chapter 31

“Marcus found something. On Lorain,” Barric says.

Something in my stomach swoops at the sound of my mother’s name.

“She’s not human.”

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