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thinking。 But he was looking at Ian now。
“We were just discussing where exactly that would be。 She’s tired。 Maybe the hospital… ？”
I shook my head at the same time Ian did。 After the past horrible days spent there； I didn’t think I could
bear the room I’d once misguidedly feared。 Especially Walter’s empty bed…
of sore spots。”
Jared still held my hand。 Did he realize how tightly he was gripping it？ The pressure was starting to get
unfortable； but he didn’t seem aware。 And I certainly wasn’t going to plain。
“Why don’t you get lunch？” Jared suggested to Ian。 “You look hungry。 I’ll take her wherever you had
planned… ？”
Ian chuckled； a low； dark sound。 “I’m fine。 And honestly； Jared； Wanda needs a bit more help than a
hand。 I don’t know if you’re… fortable enough with the situation to give her that。 You see —”
Ian paused to lean down and pull me quickly up into his arms。 I gasped as the movement tugged at my
side。 Jared didn’t free my hand。 My fingertips were turning red。
“—she’s actually had enough exercise for one day； I think。 You go on ahead to the kitchen。”
They stared at each other while my fingertips turned purple。
“I can carry her；” Jared finally said in a low voice。
“Can you？” Ian challenged。 He held me out； away from his body。
An offer。
Jared stared at my face for a long minute。 Then he sighed and dropped my hand。
Ow； that hurts！Melanie plained。 She was referring to the sudden lance of pain that shot through my
chest； not the return of blood to my fingers。
Sorry。 What do you want me to do about it？
He’s not yours。
Yes。 I know that。
Ow。
Sorry。
“I think I’ll tag along；” Jared said as Ian； with a tiny； triumphant smile hovering around the edges of his
mouth； turned and headed toward the exit。 “There’s something I want to discuss with you。”
“Suit yourself。”
Jared didn’t discuss anything at all as we walked through the dark tunnel。 He was so quiet； I wasn’t sure
he was still there。 But when we broke out into the light of the cornfield again； he was right beside us。
He didn’t speak until we were through the big plaza—until there was no one around but the three of us。
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。
Ian snorted。 “He prides himself on being a man of his word。 Usually； I would trust a promise from him。
In this situation… I’m not letting her out of my sight。”
“Good。”
“It will be fine； Ian；” I said。 “I’m not afraid。”
“You don’t have to be。 I promise—no one is ever going to do something like this to you again。 Youwill
be safe here。”
It was hard to look away from his eyes when they blazed like that。 Hard to doubt anything he said。
“Yes；” Jared agreed。 “You will。”
He was walking just behind Ian’s shoulder。 I couldn’t see his expression。
“Thanks；” I whispered。
No one spoke again until Ian paused at the red and gray doors that leaned over the entrance to his cave。
“Would you mind getting that？” Ian said to Jared； nodding toward the doors。
Jared didn’t move。 Ian turned around so we could both see him； his face was careful again。
“Yourroom？ This is your better place？” Jared’s voice was full of skepticism。
“It’s her room now。”
I bit my lip。 I wanted to tell Ian that of course this wasn’t my room； but I didn’t get a chance before
Jared began questioning him。
“Where’s Kyle staying？”
“With Wes； for now。”
“And you？”
“I’m not exactly sure。”
They stared at each other with appraising eyes。
“Ian； this is —” I started to say。
“Oh；” he interrupted； as if just remembering me… as if my weight was so insignificant that he’d forgotten
I was here。 “You’re exhausted； aren’t you？ Jared； could you get the door； please？”
Wordlessly； Jared wrenched the red door back with a bit too much force and shoved it on top of the
gray one。
Ian set me carefully down on the right mattress； arranging my leg and straightening the pillow under my
head。 Jared stood in the doorway； facing the passageway。
“That okay？” Ian asked me。
“Yes。”
“You look tired。”
“I shouldn’t be—I’ve done nothing but sleep lately。”
“Your body needs sleep to heal。”
I nodded。 I couldn’t deny that it was hard to hold up my eyelids。
“I’ll bring you food later—don’t worry about anything。”
“Thank you。 Ian？”
“Yeah？”
“This is your room；” I mumbled。 “You’ll sleep here； of course。”
“You don’t mind？”
“Why would I？”
“It’s probably a good idea—best way to keep an eye on you。 Get some sleep。”
“Okay。”
My eyes were already closed。 He patted my hand； and then I heard him get to his feet。 A few seconds
later； the wooden door clunked softly against stone。
What do you think you’re doing？Melanie demanded。
What？ What did I do now？
Wanda； you’re… mostly human。 You must realize what Ian will think of your invitation。
Invitation？I could see the direction of her thoughts now。It’s not like that。 This is his room。 There are
two beds here。 There aren’t enough sleeping areas for me to have my own space。 Of course we
should share。 Ian knows that。
I couldn’t answer for two heartbeats。
That’s impossible；I finally said。
“Do you think what happened this morning will influence Aaron or Brandt？” Ian asked in a low voice
from the other side of the doors。
“You mean Kyle getting a bye？”
“Yeah。 They didn’t have to…do anything before。 Not when it looked so likely that Kyle would do it for
them。”
“I see your point。 I’ll speak to them。”
“You think that will be enough？” Ian asked。
“I’ve saved both their lives。 They owe me。 If I ask them for something； they’ll do it。”
“You’d bet her life on that？”
There was a pause。
“We’ll keep an eye on her；” Jared finally said。
Another long silence。
“Aren’t you going to go eat？” Jared asked。
“I think I’ll hang out here for a bit。… How about you？”
Jared didn’t answer。
“What？” Ian asked。 “Is there something you want to say to me； Jared？”
“The girl in there…” Jared said slowly。
“Yes？”
“That body doesn’t belong to her。”
“Your point？”
Jared’s voice was hard when he answered。 “Keep your hands off it。”
A low chuckle from Ian。 “Jealous； Howe？”
“That’s not really the issue。”
“Wanda seems to be； more or less； cooperating with Melanie。 It sounds like they’re almost… on
friendly terms。 But obviously Wanda’s making the decisions。 What if it were you？ How would you feel if
you were Melanie？ What if you were the one… invaded that way？ What if you were trapped； and
someone else was telling your body what to do？ If you couldn’t speak for yourself？ Wouldn’t you want
your wishes—as much as they could be known—respected？ At the very least by other humans？”
“Okay； okay。 Point taken。 I’ll keep that in mind。”
“What do you mean； you’llkeep that in mind？ ” Jared demanded。
“I mean that I’ll think about it。”
“There’s nothing to think about；” Jared retorted。 I knew how