Page 9 of Beg Me Angel

Shit!

No. No. No.

“Don't worry, I've got you. I'm getting you out of here.” Reaching an arm under her thighs and one under her shoulder blades, I hoisted her up and pressed her tightly into my chest.

She tried to move, but her body went limp as her head rolled on her neck and into the nook of my arm. The young girl's eyes kept fluttering behind her lids as they opened a sliver, only to close again.

What the fuck happened?

Is she having a seizure?

Squeezing her tighter, her body trembled in my arms. “It's alright, you're safe now, I won't let anything else happen to you.”

A gurgling sound was rattling in the back of her throat, but I couldn't tell if she was trying to speak or if she was choking on her tongue.

Taking one last look around and seeing nothing, I stalked back in the direction of my cabin. This poor girl had been left there to die, either from the bitter cold that sweeps through at night or by whatever some asshole had done to her.

There was bruising on her face and arms, her clothes were filthy and caked in dirt. The skin I could feel against my arms was ice cold and already shading in a faint blue hue.

I'm going to help her.

I'm going to fix her.

I'm going to save her.

Turning around and running would have been the easy way out, I could forget what I had found, I could pretend that it never happened. But that would mean her soul would be lost forever, it would haunt my dreams and my home for eternity.

It would allow the rat bastard who was responsible to walk free, to breathe another day, to eat another meal, all while this poor girl was left to disappear as if she never existed.

That single thought was enough, I wasn't going to let whoever did this get away with it.

“I promise you, I'll fix this. I'll fix it and make things right.” Whispering the words into her ear, I carried her as quickly as I could back to my house.

Kicking the door open, I carried her into the bedroom and placed her on the bed. Her body was still shaking uncontrollably as a cold sweat started to trickle down over her temples. Lifting my hand to her forehead, her skin felt red hot.

Fuck, she's burning up.

I wasn't sure what was happening to her or what was causing her body to react the way it was. Wrapping the blanket tightly around her frame, I ran into the bathroom and grabbed a cool cloth.

Tucked away out here, I only had so much to work with. Aspirin would help her fever, but I didn't have a way to get her to swallow it. The hospital was what she needed, but there was no way I was driving her into town.

She didn't have a name, I didn't know what happened. Who would believe I wasn't at fault?

No one.

They would call the cops and they would have way too many questions that I couldn't give any answers to.

And if she died, if this girl never woke up. . .

Who would they blame?

Me.

She won't die.

I won't have another death by my hands.

Sitting on the bed beside her, I placed the cloth across her forehead and tucked the blanket under her sides. Her teeth were chattering violently as the shaking worsened and took over her muscles.