I flipped my pillow over, taking advantage of the cool side. Even lying completely naked in our bed, I couldn't find any relief. My body, yet slightly soothed, still felt like I'd just gotten out of a steaming hot bath. I had simmered from my open flame, but was now just uncomfortably warm.

I heard the light switch flick off as Caleb walked out of the bathroom. He laid next to me on the mattress and rested his arm across my back.

"Any better?" He asked, kissing my shoulder.

"A little," I said.

I didn't want to lie, but I couldn't bare to hurt him any more than I already had.

I moved his arm, his body heat radiated much too high for me to bare. Propping my head up with my arm, I faced him.

"How was your meeting?" I asked. "We haven't had a chance to talk about it yet-"

I was cut off by the loud ringing of the landline. Caleb leaned across me and picked up the phone.

"What is it?" He asked as he got off the bed and walked to the closet. With a pair of jeans in his hand he turned to face me, a smirk on his lips. "Thank you. I'll be there momentarily."

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Almost too easy," he mumbled to himself as he pulled the jeans on.

"Caleb?" I sat up, covering myself with the duvet.

The flames began to lick once again at my tempered skin. I could feel the embers climbing to my cheeks, up the bridge of my nose, and once it reached my scalp I wouldn't have been surprised if my hair caught aflame.

Getting off the bed, I walked over to him, leaving the blankets behind.

"What's going on?" I asked, again. Reaching into my side of the closet, I pulled out a thin t-shirt and some shorts.

"Exactly what I told you would happen," he said. "He just couldn't stay away. Our men snagged him at the edge of the property."

"He's here?" My voice was nothing more than a whisper, but of course he heard me.

Caleb took my face in his hands. "You have nothing to worry about," he said. "You're perfectly safe. He was stupid enough to come alone."

I pushed his hands away and continued getting dressed. It took everything I had not to let my forked tongue speak freely in defense of Alec. Nothing good would come from it.

"Hey," he turned me towards him. "I have to go deal with this. I need you to stay here, okay? If it becomes unbearable we'll go see Dorian, but I can't have you anywhere near him."

My fingertips felt like any minute they'd turn to ash from the heat raging through me.

"It's unbearable now..." I said. My throat was bone dry causing my voice to crack. "I think it gets worse the closer I am to him."

I figured I'd be used to having no control over my body by now. I had to grip the edge of the bed frame to physically stop myself from pushing past Caleb and walking out the door to find Alec before he could.

"Caleb..." I winced.

"It's okay. I'm right here, baby," he said as he took my face in his hands once more, but I brushed them away.

"Too hot," I croaked, letting my knees buckle under me.

Caleb wasted no time scooping me into his arms. He took me out of the room and down the hallway, it only took a moment for me to recognize the all too familiar path to Dorian's office.

I relaxed slightly when we entered the infirmary, the cool air soothing what it could. Dorian was in his usual place, at his desk reading a book. It was a different one than I'd seen him with last time, but the cover called out to me.

The Broken Compass By Elizabeth Greene.

If I wasn't so exhausted from burning internally I might've asked him what he thought. I never did get around to finishing it.

"She needs help," Caleb said, worry coating his voice. "You were right. I thought I could fix it, but it didn't work-"

"Lay her down," Dorian ordered.

Caleb set me on the bed, only backing away a step or two before Dorian took his place peering over me. He placed the back of his hand on my forehead, but removed it quickly.

"You're not going to be happy with what I have to tell you," he said, cautiously. "Alec was reported to be in the premises, is that true?"

"You can't be serious..." Caleb trailed off, his tone defeated.

"There's no need for intimacy, but if she could just have physical contact with him-"

"Absolutely not," Caleb cut him off.

He shoved Dorian out of his way and began to pick me up again.

"Caleb, I'm concerned that her temperature is already too high," Dorian said as he placed a hand on Caleb's arm to stop his movement. "This may not be easy for you, but it's our fastest solution. If her temperature climbs any higher-"

"No," Caleb glared at him. He tried to shrug away Dorian's hand, but he only gripped Caleb tighter.

"She's human." He stated, his tone deadly serious. "She could die, and if she doesn't there is a high risk of brain damage. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?"

They looked at each other for a long moment before Caleb turned his gaze to me. He sighed heavily, brushing away the hair that was sticking to my forehead.

"Okay," he said, closing his eyes tightly.

Dorian walked away from us over to his desk. He picked up the phone and began dialing.

Caleb's shoulders sagged as he dropped his head resting it against mine. The heat he radiated was suffocating, but I would bear it for him. I lifted a hand, running it through his hair.

"I'm sorry," I said, tears pricking my eyes. "I don't want to keep hurting you."

He hushed me, placing a kiss on my forehead. "It's not your fault," he said, before kissing me again.

Dorian came back over to us with a glass of water and an ice pack, handing both to me. I sat up and gulped down the entire glass before muttering a 'thank you'.

"What do I do now?" I asked him, hugging the icepack to my chest.

"I've instructed them to bring Alec to the East garage. Jack is going to come get you and take you to him," he paused, giving Caleb a cautious glance before continuing. "You just do whatever you need to to feel better, understood? This fever is already dangerously high, we need it to go down as quickly as possible."

The chair next to the bed squeaked against the tiled floor as Caleb slumped onto it, dropping his head in his hands. I knew I would be wrecked with guilt in the morning, but my thoughts were burning away as quickly as I could think them.

There was a knock on the door before Jack opened it and walked in. He took a quick glance around the room, gauging everyone.

"You ready?" He asked me, cautiously.

I nodded as he walked over and scooped me up in his arms. I wished he'd let me walk on my own, but I knew we'd get there faster this way.

"I'm sorry," Caleb said, his voice cracking.

I wanted to tell him he had nothing to apologize for, that he hadn't done anything wrong, but before I could say anything he spoke again.

"I'm sorry I ever did this to you, Jack."

I felt Jack tense under me, only for a moment, before he turned towards the door and walked me into the hallway.

His breaths were labored as we walked though the twisting halls. I watched his jaw tick twice from where my head rested on his shoulder before I said anything.

"So, he knew," I said, quietly, hugging the ice pack closer.

"He fucking knew," he said, teeth clenched. We sat in silence for a few more moments before he stopped in front of a new door. He sighed before speaking again. "If this was happening to anyone but you, I'd say it's karma." He kicked the door in front of us, tapping it once before it swung open from the inside.

I heard him before I saw him.

"The fuck are you looking at, cunt?" Alec stood chained to the farthest wall of the garage, berating a sullen Beau. His hands were cuffed behind his back, but the slacked chain rested at his feet. He leaned against the wall casually, that familiar, infuriating smirk on his lips. "Once they realize I'm gone, all of you will be burn-"

Chocolate brown eyes looked up at me.

I wished I could've said I'd forgotten about them, but they haunted my every waking moment. With his threat cut short Alec walked forward before the chain halted him. He dropped to his knees, those eyes dead locked on mine.

Jack set me down on my feet, hovering his arms near me incase I wasn't steady. I only took a few steps forward before sitting down. The concrete was so cold underneath me, it felt heavenly. Jack followed and squatted down to my level.

"We're just going to be on the other side of the door, okay?"

I nodded, not looking at him. The only other thing stronger than the fever was the shame I felt. A shame that simply fluttered away as I was still locked in the gaze of the man in front of me.

The other two men in the room followed Jack out, leaving us alone. This was the first time I'd been alone with him in what felt like eternity.

I cradled the ice pack tighter against my chest. It didn't feel cold anymore, at least not cold enough to satisfy. I set it to the side before lying down against the cold concrete floor.

"Does it hurt?" He asked, his voice sounding nothing like it had moments before.

I nodded silently, still looking at him. I hated that it felt so good to just look at him. Every inch of my body was begging me to move closer, but I couldn't help but fight it. I blamed it on habit. I had spent so much time resisting even the thought of him, and here he was right in front of me.

"I didn't think they'd let me see you," he said.

"I'm just as surprised as you are," I shrugged, my voice was so scratchy. The water I drank only helped for moments before my throat became a desert again.

"You're killing me," he said, the chain protesting as he resisted against it.

"Ditto," I croaked. I sounded pathetic. I figured I looked pathetic too from all the pity I saw in his eyes.

"Let me help," he said, "please."

I couldn't fight it anymore. Even with my entire body at war with itself, fighting between right and wrong, I couldn't stay away. He'd won.

I lifted my head from the cold floor, and stood to my feet. He was only a few steps away before I sat down again in front of him. I resisted touching him for a moment longer.

His dark eyes flickered feverishly between my eyes and my lips, but I was determined to keep my head on straight. Even if all I did was hug him he could take advantage.

"You can't mark me," I said. My brows furrowed hoping he'd understand.

A cocky smirk cracked his worried exterior. "Don't worry," he said. "I have big plans for that. Plans that don't involve me being the one chained."

I rolled my eyes, ignoring that, before leaning forward. At first I only rested my head against his shoulder, and I couldn't contain the sigh of relief that escaped my lips. It felt like I was dunking my head in the pool after a hot summer's day. My arms moved on their own, wrapping around his waist and squeezing him closer to me.

"That's it," he said, resting his cheek atop my head, "good girl."

There were no more thoughts left to fight. My head was clear of indecision as I moved to straddle his waist, wrapping my arms around his neck to hold him closer. A gasp escaped me when he pressed his lips to the skin of my neck that was exposed for him.

His hair was soft against my fingers as I coiled them around his charcoal locks. I had lost complete control of myself. I moved my face in front of his, our noses brushing against one another. His breath was hot against my lips, and his sandalwood aroma attacked all of my senses.

"The things I would do to you if I wasn't chained to this damn wall," he growled. He kept his voice low, every word dripping with desire.

I moved my hands down slowly, feeling every contour of his body before stopping at the hem of his shirt. I was feeling better all ready, I probably could've stopped there but every fiber of my being begged me to continue.

I pulled the fabric up slightly before dipping my hands under it. His skin was hard with muscle, and burning hot as my fingers explored his torso. He hummed softly at my touch, before leaning forward and pressing his lips against mine.

Even with my body electrified, I was able to pull away. He groaned with disapproval, our foreheads resting together once again.

"I can't," I said, taking my hands back and crossing my arms across my chest. I moved my face away from his and set my head on his shoulder once again.

He exhaled harshly, before standing up, knocking me off of him. He walked over to the wall where his restraints began before sitting back down a foot away from me. I laid flat against the cold floor as the flames began to lick my skin again.

I stared at him for a long time while he avoided my gaze, watching the wall behind me. He scoffed to himself before speaking.

"I've never acted so reckless," he said. "I've never really had an interest in girls, either."

This surprised me. Mating bond aside Alec was extremely handsome, though I rarely let myself admit it.

"Why not?" I asked. My head hadn't cleared much, but my voice sounded better after the small amount of contact I'd had with him.

He finally looked down at me, but his expression was cold. "I never cared," he said, "my whole life I haven't given a shit about anyone but myself. I prefer it that way."

"What about your uncle?" I asked.

"Where do you think I got it from?"

The floor wasn't offering much comfort anymore, it's temperature becoming lukewarm as it absorbed my heat. I pushed off of it and walked over to the wall. I sat down next to him and curled into his side, my head resting against his arm. If I avoided his touch I'd only go back to where I started. He made no comment, which I was grateful for.

"What's going to happen when they realize you're gone?" I asked.

"I don't know really, this wasn't exactly part of the plan."

"You said we'd all burn-"

"Not you," he said, looking down at me. "I'd never let anyone hurt you."

"You'd hurt me if you hurt these people," I said, pulling my head away from where it rested on his arm to get a better look at him. "If you hurt Caleb," my voice cracked at his name, "that would hurt me."

"I'd be the only one who could make it better," He said. "After he's dead you'll feel empty inside. Like a piece of you was cut out. I am the only one that could ever fill that hole, and by the time that happens you'll come crawling to me."

My features twisted in disgust.

"Be angry with me all you'd like, but I will have what is mine. I will have you in the end, Beatrice."

I scoffed from disbelief. Standing, I walked away from him before pacing back and forth.

"How the fuck did my life turn into this?" I mumbled to myself. "I was fine, everything was fine, everything was normal!"

Alec's eyes tracked me as I moved. I didn't bother looking at him, he'd somehow doused the flames enough to turn the fire in me against him.

"I thought it was bad enough when I woke up in a hospital after my whole world had been destroyed. No! I had to pack up my whole life and move half way across the continent where I didn't know anyone because my grandmother was the only family member that wanted to take me," Alec stood, still watching me, but I continued rambling.

"Then, I finally had a small shred of hope that things would actually get better, because I met this guy and he was nice to me and he swept me up into this fantasy life. Now, you threaten to take that from me, too."

I stopped pacing and faced him head on.

"The world is chalk full of selfish assholes just like you, with big egos, who stomp all over people like me." I stalked over to him, pushing against his chest. He let me push him, leaning back against the wall. "Hell will freeze over before I come crawling to someone like you."

"Then why don't you just reject me?"

We stared at each other as the room blanketed with tension. It's not like I hadn't thought about it, but the thought alone ripped a pain through me. I wanted to, at least I thought it was the right thing to do, the thing I should do.

"You can't can you?" He challenged, his slit eyebrow raised. "Deny it all you like, but you know the truth."

He stepped forward leaning his face closer to me.

"You feel something for me, just as strongly as I feel for you. You just don't want to disappoint your little boyfriend."

"Is that so wrong?" I asked, tears pricking my eyes. "This isn't fair. I'm not like you, I was tossed into this world without any warning and now I'm forced to make an impossible decision."

I leaned against his chest, my head down as I began to cry shamelessly into his shirt.

"Are you actually crying?" He asked. At first I thought he was mocking me, but his tone was concerned. He sounded almost, nervous.

"I'm so tired," I said, "and I don't feel well. I'm so hot and I can't think straight."

"Let's go sit back down," he said, kissing the top of my head. "I'm sorry. We don't have to talk about it anymore. I'll just focus on making you feel better."

I nodded, following him back to the wall where I once again curled into his side.

"Why did you even come?" I asked, wiping my eyes. "Did you even have a plan? You just figured you'd walk into enemy territory, and do what exactly? Take me again?"

He chuckled to himself.

"Sounds pretty stupid, huh?" He was silent for a while, thinking to himself for what I assumed was the first time tonight. "I guess I thought you were worth it."

Sleep wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. The cold garage and Alec eased my pain enough, my eyes began to droop after only a few minutes before I slipped into unconsciousness.