Cirque Du Freak // Daughters of Fate

Chapter 17

Evonne

I woke up with Nugget beside me. She'd curled up there sometime during our second night waiting out the storm. The blizzard had only gotten worse after we'd taken refuge in the cave. Mr.Crepsley wasn't happy about waiting the weather out, but Darren was able to override him every time he'd bring up the arguement.

My cold fingers ran through the wolf's fur, which warmed them up slighlty. Nugget opened her eyes up with a whine, wondering what was wrong with me. A night ago, Darren had told me about the special connection Vampires have with wolves. The beasts recognized their cousins instantaneously upon scent. 

I found it strange that the wolves still reacted to me kindly. After all, I was part Vampire, part Vampanese, and part....whatever my mother is. Shan had thought it strange as well, but didn't say anything more. But if I knew him, he was thinking about it and not telling the conclusion he came up with.

I wasn't the only one awake for long. As soon as Nugget had whinned, her friend began to stir. She was the one who had chased Savannah playfully. I'd named her Cleopatra because she was Rudi's mate, which made her the Alpha female in the pack. The white wolf nudged my friend's arm, who had eventually given in to the wolf's kindness because of the cold. When the Mai girl didn't wake, she started to make awful whinning noises. Then she stopped and looked at me.

Worry crossed my face. Why wasn't she waking up? I scooted over to where Savannah was laying on the cave floor and shook her arm. It was really cold, even for me, but her chest was still going up and down, so she wasn't dead. I placed my palm on her forehead, which was burning. She had a fever. Her body couldn't survive these harsh environments and now she was sick.

I twisted around where I sat."Darren?" I called to the other end of the cave, away from the mouth where light came in during the day.

He didn't stir, but Rudi did. The Alpha male stood up, causing Shan's arm that had been wrapped around him to jerk upwards. Darren's eyes cracked open, looking displeased he had been woken up before the sun had even set.

"Savannah has a fever." I told him, ignoring his scowl.

His face transformed to worry."Let me feel her forehead." he said, sliding across the cave floor beside my unconcious friend.

I didn't argue that I'd already done that. All I cared about, was if he could save her. 

Darren laid his hand on her forehead just like I had done and nodded."Yes, she has a fever." He confirmed and went straight into commanding mode."We need to keep her body warm, but her head cool. I'll get the wolves to lay around her if you get some snow."

Without a word, I left the warmth of the cave and went out into the blizzard that was still raging. I scooped together a pile of snow and brought it back with both hands. I put it on her forhead, making sure that none slid off and went into her ears. Cleopatra and Nugget were already laying on either side of her, keeping her body warm. 

I sat back and tried to bring life back to my fingers."Will she be okay?" I asked as I breathed hot air onto them and rubbed my hands together.

"She should, if this is the worst of the fever." Darren replied.

I hesitated to ask my next question."And what if it isn't?"

"Then we need to make it to Vampire Moutain and fast." He told me and fell into silence.

I kept my mouth closed after that and just watched Savannah. I really hoped that this was the worst. I knew what would happen if this wasn't---my friend would die.

I didn't even remember laying down to sleep, but apparently worrying about her exhausted me. I felt like I had woken up as soon as I'd passed out. Darren was still hovering over Savannah, staying awake so he could monitor her progress. Once he saw I was awake he told me to watch her, then laid down to rest as well. I nodded and brushed away the slush of snow that had melted on her forehead so I could feel the temperature.