Page 227 of Burn Bright

“I…I can’t remember.”

Eliot might just murder him. Prescott scuffles so far back while Eliot stalks him around the basement, and I wonder if the bat will be more than a prop tonight.

Beckett is quickly inspecting the baggie. “Vicodin or benzos?” he asks Charlie.

“Both are in there.”

“Should we call Farrow?” I ask them since Audrey isn’t doing well. She might be dramatic, but this isn’thernormal. Her breathing is not right. She’s sinking deeper in the couch.

They’re not listening to me. They exchange a serious look when they identify more pills. A kitten hops up on Audrey’s lap. She tries to reach for the tabby, but her arm droops off the cushion. Limply.

I’m going to throw up. “Beck?”

Audrey starts slumping, and Charlie catches her first, pulling her farther down the sofa while Beckett rests his knee on thecushion. They move so fast. Beckett hovers over her, tapping her cheek. “Audrey?”

Her eyelids are fluttering. “I…don’t feel…”

“Tom,” Beckett captures his attention. “Go get Narcan from my car.”

“On it.” He’s sprinting out of the basement.

“Oh fucking hell.” Leif has his hands on his head. “This can’t be happening.” All he cares about is this frat.

All I care about is my sister. “What’d they give her?” I ask.

“An opioid, we think.” Charlie scrapes a hand through his hair. “But if it’s Rohypnol, the Narcan isn’t going to work.”

“What’s Rohypnol?” I ask.

Charlie snaps me an annoyed look for all the questions—but it fries quickly into ash, then nothingness. I’d almost believe he was worried about me. Almost. I don’t have a mirror. I have no clue what my face is telling him. I know I am mere seconds from retching on this floor.

“Just tell me,” I choke out. “Just tell me, Charlie.”

“Date Rape drug,” Charlie says. “Roofies. She’ll get knocked out.”

Acid bubbles in the back of my throat. Audrey is losing consciousness. Beckett is saying her name and, “Reste éveillée.”Stay awake.His calming, soothing voice isn’t reassuring me. He’s taking her pulse at her neck.

Then her eyes shut. Body slackens. She’s out.

Beckett rubs his knuckles against her sternum. “Audrey?Audrey.” No reaction.

“Is she breathing?” I ask them. Maybe I don’t even release the words. Because I don’t hear their response. I can’t hear a thing. I drop to one knee and puke off to the side. Everything I ate on the car ride here meets the concrete floor.

My sister is ODing in the basement of the frat. “Your frat,” she’d said.My frat.I caused this. If I hadn’t been here…why am I here?

My fingers dig into the plastered wall while I vomit again. I can’t even help her…how do I help her when I can barely help myself?

Pain tunnels through me. I feel a hand on the back of my head. Eliot’s? I feel him lifting me off my knees. I’m leaning most of my weight on my strongest brother. He’s cupping my jaw, trying to train my gaze on his. I think he’s saying my name.

My eyes are flaming like I rubbed jalapeño in each one. I just barely see Beckett administering the Narcan up her nose. I just barely feel Tom rattling my arm. I just barely hear a kitten hiss at a frat brother, then I see him blow smoke from a joint in the tabby’s face.

They aren’t safe here. The Kappa kittens.

I reanimate. Gain muscle function. Just to gather all the cats. I’m making things worse for my sister, and the only good thing I can do is save these fucking kittens from this fucking frat house. I’m in a daze, hunting for kittens and putting them in a blanket-lined beer box.

Eliot gently rests a black cat in with the others. “That’s it, brother. That’s the last one.” I hear him say.

I count only six.“There’s seven kittens.” I know there are. I feed them every time I’m here.