Fever Read Online Free Page A

as he pulled onto the road. He broke every speed limit on the way to the hospital. That wasn’t saying much in a town without a single stoplight, but the roads were empty. He wasn’t forced to slow once.
    “I should work sleepy towns more often,” he muttered. “Less campers, less hikers, less innocent civilians.”
    A groan from the backseat made him pause.
    “You with me, Vincent?” He threw a glance over his shoulder. Vincent’s face was cast in shadow, but he was moving to sit up. “Hey, just stay awake, you hear me? Lay back down. We’re almost at the hospital. You’re going to be fine.”
    The words had opposite their desired effect. Instead of relaxing, Vincent tried even harder to push himself up. His skin audibly peeled away from the upholstery.
    “I mean it, man,” Logan warned. “I will pull this car over if you don’t stay down. I live by one rule. If you simmer down, I’ll tell you what it is.”
    He doubted the bargain was what made Vincent slump down, but he played along anyway.
    “Okay, then.” After t aking a long drag off his cigarette and relishing the burn, he continued, “So my one rule is this: no one who saves my life dies on my watch. Not in the same night. Anything you’ve done in the past, whatever kind of person you are, we’ll deal with that come morning. In the mean time, you need to white-knuckle it, because we’re here.” He pulled into the hospital parking lot. “And you don’t get to die. Understand?”
    He didn’t receive an answer, but pained breaths were enough to let him know that Vincent heard him. Through a haze of resentment perhaps, but he heard him.
    Logan honked the horn as he pulled up to the emergency room doors. It was a shabby, run-down hospital and only two stories. But for a town this small, they were lucky to have one. Desolation required self-sufficiency, after all. The nearest city hospital was two hours away.
    “Come on,” he said impatiently, stepping out of the car. A nurse ambled through the doors, pushing a squeaky wheelchair that leaned to one side. It had seen better days. Heck, they both had seen better days. Her no-nonsense demeanor was nevertheless refreshing as she approached.
    “Can I help you?” Judging by her accent, she hailed from the south.
    “Not me. H im.” Logan nodded to the backseat. “I found him in the woods about an hour ago. He must have been camping or hiking. I’m not sure.”
    The nurse peered into the backseat with a frown. The furrowed wrinkles on her brow disappeared as recognition flickered in her eyes. She cracked a wry smile. “Vincent, is that you? Hard to recognize you under all that blood, boy. What kind of mess did you get yourself into?”
    Without waiting for an answer, she st rolled to a console just outside the hospital doors. She pushed a button and spoke into the speaker. “This is Nurse Biel in receiving. Requesting Dr. Allen immediately. We will need a gurney. Code two.”
    When Logan looked into the backseat, Vincent was curled up on his side. An arm was thrown over his face. His injuries appeared even worse under the fluorescent lights of the receiving bay. Blood trickled from his abdomen in rivulets, pooling onto the seat. The muscles of his jaw contracted with pain.
    Nurse Biel return ed to the car. She opened the back door and casually leaned on it. With a hand planted on her hip, she studied Vincent. “You filled out nice, real nice. Doc is on his way. Don’t you worry.”
    Turning her attention to Logan, she asked, “You just passing through?” The question was followed by a flirtatious wink.
    H er eyes lingered on his chest like she was eying a rare steak. It wasn’t the most comforting feeling after his brush with the local wildlife. Werewolf encounter aside, she was old enough to be his mother.
    “ Yes ma’am. Just passing through.” He stole another glance at Vincent. “Can you give him anything for the pain?”
    “Like I said –” She jerked her head in the direction of