Her First Mistake

Chapter Sixty-One: Food Fixes Everything

     It was almost like I was in a nex line. My surroundings blurred past me at incredible speed. I would have thrown up if there was anything in my stomach. Seconds later and the speed stopped. Arms released me. The moment the support was gone, I started to tip over, too weak to stand. There was a yelp and two hands caught my arm. "Whoa! Are you okay?"

   "Where . . . who are . . ?" I muttered, trying to see. My vision was too dark.

   "Shit. You're way too pale. Hold on, I'm lowering you to sit down. Okay?" The grip on my arm allowed me to slowly sit down. Grass folded under my pants. "There. Deeper breaths. There you go."

   The deeper breaths allowed some of the darkness around my vision to fade. It was still nearly impossible to see, but it was better. I squinted through the moonlight at a figure. "Who . .  who are--?" I coughed again.

   "I'm Zain. You're safe, okay? You're Roxie Reilly, right? You've got to be." The woman studied my face carefully. She crouched in front of me. Ash-blonde hair was tied back and exposed her pointed ears. "What's happened to you?" Her tone was worried but gentle. Her pale windbreaker crinkled as she examined my face.

   I grunted. "Dani Darhk."

   "I figured that much," she said. "Considering that there was a call sent out to all Enforcers to be watching for you. But what's wrong with you? You can't even stand."

   "I . . . don't know. I'm tired..."

   Zain grimaced, hand pressing against my head to look at my face. "You look as if you haven't eaten. How long has it been since you've food?"

   "No . . . idea."

   "Okay, well, that's an easy fix." Her body disappeared. Wind blasted against my face. I blinked out the dust and suddenly she was back. She unwrapped a burrito and tore off the foil. "This is the closest thing I've got. Eat up. I'll be back with some water." The burrito had just landed in my lap before she vanished again.

   I didn't even bother to wonder. Instead, I managed to take a bite of the burrito. It tasted like ash. Though Zain was right. My stomach was roiling. I felt sick eating, but that meant I really needed it.

   A water bottle appeared in my lap as she returned. She twisted off the cap. "Better?"

   "I think so," I said after taking some water. I hadn't realized how dry my throat was. My voice returned a little. Not much, but some. "How are you . . . disappearing?"

   "Oh." Zain sat down. "I'm just quick. That's how I got you out of that street. I've been patrolling that block for a few days. Picked you up and . . ." She brushed her hand past her other quickly. "Zoom." 

   I wiped my mouth and blew out a breath. "T-Thank you, I guess." My voice was scratchy. Even though I hadn't been able to scream when trapped in the gap, my throat was still damaged as if I had been screaming for ages.

   "I need to . . . find someone. C-Can you help me?"

   "Absolutely. Who are you looking for?"

   "T-Tate Leon. Shapeshifter. Black hair. H-He should be with two . . . two demons and an elf . . . and a mage and a sh-shifter. He's i-in danger."

   Zain grimaced. "I don't know who that is. Do you know where he could be?"

   "Uh..." I thought about it. "If he's not in C-Carson City, Nevada, then . . ." He and the team would have followed the nex line to where I chased after Dani. Karen would have been able to follow my tracks. But I had no idea where that was. "Ph-Philadelphia. He m-might be there."