Page 42 of Omega Scorned

All of us were up in seconds.

"Where is she?" Oren asked in a panicked voice.

"Em?" I called.

"I'm here," she whimpered, stepping out of the dark bathroom. Her pale hair shone in the streetlight through the window. "I'm sorry, I must have been sleepwalking."

"You screamed," Oren told her, reaching for her.

Emilia went to him and let him hold her as we all stood around blinking and trying to figure out what had happened.

"I think I had a nightmare. I was back there and Rory was on top of me…" she shook her head as if trying to erase the memories. "I didn't mean to wake you all."

"It's fine. You've had a long day and a scary experience. Plus you had to recount everything today, it was bound to bring some memories up," Santi soothed. "Do you want some water?"

"Yeah."

He headed downstairs to get water and Oren coaxed her back to bed.

"Here." Santi held out a glass of cold water. "I'd offer you a snack, but I don't think we brought any food."

"I'm fine." Emilia drank the water and then wriggled around, trying to find a comfortable spot. "I'm just feeling off."

"Let's get some more sleep," Grayson suggested. "You'll feel better in the morning."

This time, I put my arm over Emilia instead of the other way around. I'd feel if she crawled away from me again.

But I'd only been asleep for a couple of hours when she started to toss and turn. She felt hot against me and when I touched her face, it was sweaty and feverish.

"Oren," I hissed, nudging him with my elbow.

"What?" Oren lifted up and peered at me groggily.

"Emilia has a fever."

He immediately leaned over me and touched her face. "Shit. You're right."

"Of course, I'm right. What do we do?"

"I brought the first aid kit, it should have some ibuprofen." He started to get up. "Unless… "

"What?" I asked impatiently.

"What if she's going into heat?"

"Now?" I stared at him.

"Heats don't care what's going on around you," Oren said. "And actually, sometimes stress brings them on."

"Well, shit."

"Let's keep an eye on her. I'll grab the ibuprofen and some more water, just in case."

I sat cross-legged beside Emilia, smoothing her sweaty hair out of her face.

She whimpered in her sleep and Santi sat up.

"What's wrong?"