Forged in Fire (The Forged Chronicles Book 3) Read Online Free

weak when James and I were apart, and it was only after sex that I felt better. All of that would have been one thing, but now I felt hazy and exhausted all the time unless I was actively having sex with him, and as enjoyable as the sex was, it was impossible to engage in it all the time.
    I thought about the claims of the voice in my dream. The haze would lift the further I got from James. This haze was different from the weakness I’d felt before. This was more a clouded mind than anything else. I fought against my exhaustion and moved to my feet. I steadied myself for a moment before starting my search for my clothes again. I circled the room, not bothering with the sheet. It only made it harder to walk around.
    I heard the door open from behind me and jumped. James walked in and closed the door behind him.
    “It is wonderful to see you out of bed, especially dressed as you are.” His eyes raked over my body.
    “Do you know where my clothes are?” I was relieved to see him, but I wouldn’t let him distract me from my goal. I was going to get outside before I fell asleep again.
    “Yes.” He walked to the far side of the room and pulled a pile of neatly folded clothes from the floor. “They are dry now.”
    “Thank you.” I walked toward him, eager to get dressed.
    “But you do not need to get dressed yet.” He grinned.
    “I’ve been naked for days. At least I think we’ve been here days.”
    “And what is wrong with you being naked?” He put his hands on my hips. “I happen to enjoy it.”
    I closed my eyes and savored the feeling of his fingers on my skin. After a moment I forced my eyes open. “Yes, but you get to be dressed.”
    “I can get naked too if it makes you feel better.” He grinned.
    “No sex, James. Not now.” I fought against the urge to undress him. The desire was too much.
    “Your words do not match your expression.”
    “I want to go for a walk first.” I stepped into my underwear before I could get too distracted. I followed that up with my bra.
    “It is cold outside. At least I think it is.” He wrinkled his brow.
    “How can you not know if it’s cold?” I pulled on my shirt and pants. I was glad I’d chosen those instead of a dress when we left Belgard.
    “Because my temperature gauge is wrong.” He looked away, and I knew he was lying.
    “Why can’t you tell?” I repeated my question, hoping he’d tell me the truth this time.
    “It does not matter.”
    “Yes it does.”
    “Did you still want to go for that walk?” He pointed to the door.
    “Yes, but I want to know why you can’t tell if it’s cold out.”
    “Maybe I am sick. You are tired all the time, maybe this is my malady.”
    I accepted the attempt at an excuse if it meant it would get me outside. Now that the thought of leaving the room had crossed my mind, I refused to let go of it. It was suddenly the most important thing in the world. “I’m ready for the walk.”
    “You must promise to stay with me at all times if we go outside.”
    “Why?” I stepped toward him.
    “Because I need to keep you safe.” He put his hands on my shoulders and looked into my eyes. “It is my job.”
    I shook my head. “Your job isn’t to protect me.”
    “Yes it is.”
    “Your job is to figure out what’s going on with all those zombie things and make sure your dead father doesn’t destroy the world.” It still sounded crazy when I spoke it out loud. Everything about my life since meeting James was crazy.
    “Do not worry about my father. Everything is taken care of.”
    I let his words sink in. Did he really believe that? “How is everything suddenly ok?”

    “ I am taking care of everything so we can be together the way we need to be.”
    “You’re acting funny.” I shrugged off his hands and stepped back. “Maybe your whole sick theory is right.”
    “Then it is even more important we go for the walk.” He reached out and cupped my chin. “Everything is fine. I just want you to be careful.”