A Warrior Wedding (The Protectors #7)(9)

Steve screamed, throwing the napkin before pushing back so hard from the table he and the chair fell to the floor. As fast as Steve hit the ground, he popped back up, pointing at the smoking ashes that was the napkin, then pointed to Blaze. “Holy shit!” Steve looked at his fingers, wiggling them in front of his face then back to Blaze. “Hence the name.”

Blaze nodded, his eyes back to normal in a flash. “Easier to show, than tell.”

“Maybe for you,” Steve grumbled, wiping the sweat from his face, then fanning his shirt. “Can you make someone burst into flames like you did that napkin?”

“Yes.” Blaze glanced at Sid, then back to Steve. “But it smells, so I usually don’t.”

“Ah...it smells,” Steve mocked, throwing up his hands. “Well, good thing for me.”

“Pretty impressive.” Sid took a drink of his coffee, his stare still intense. “Now I know where I’ve heard that name.”

Tension thickened in the room practically smothering Jill. “You know him?” she asked Sid, but wished she hadn’t when Blaze stood quickly.

“Not personally,” Sid replied, his relaxed posture didn’t reach his eyes. He and Blaze had one hell of a staring contest going on.

“Meaning?” Steve ventured to ask.

“Meaning he needs to keep his mouth shut.” Blaze’s body stiffened, his hands balling into fists.

“Okaaay.” Steve took two steps back to stay out of the way of the shitstorm brewing.

A humorless smile spread on Sid’s face. Taking a long, final drink of his coffee, he gently set the cup down and stood. “You man enough to see that happen?”

Standing with a huff, Jill slammed her hands on the table. She opened her mouth to start saying cock again, but the kitchen door opened, stopping her. Pam stumbled in. Her face unusually pale, she held onto the door long enough to steady herself.

“Hey guys.” Her voice sounded hoarse and weak.

“Pam, you okay?” Jill frowned, watching her closely, the burning in her stomach rising to meet her heart that just dropped.

Pam nodded and took two steps before her knees buckled.

“Sid!” Jill yelled out the warning, but Sid was already there catching Pam.

“Get Duncan and Slade, now!” Sid ordered loudly. Steve ran out the door to do just that. “Pam! Come on, girl, you can’t do this shit to me again.”

Jill ran around them, grabbed a clean cloth, wet it with cold water, and brought it to Sid.

“Shit!” Sid laid Pam down, putting his large hand behind her head to cushion it from the hard floor. “Where in the f*ck is Duncan?”

Jill grabbed her phone calling Slade, but it went straight to voice mail. She just hoped he was on the phone with Steve, but just in case, she texted him.

“I’m okay.” Pam coughed. When she tried to sit up, Sid stopped her.

“Oh, hell no.” Sid carefully pushed her back down. “You’re staying right there until Duncan and Slade get here. How in the hell could you do this to me again, Pam?”

“I promise not to sneeze,” she teased weakly.

“Yeah, well, that doesn’t mean shit since there’s no baby to shoot out now, is there?” Sid’s eyes widened. “Or is there?”

“I’m not pregnant.” Pam snorted, closing her eyes. “I’ve been sick the past week and haven’t been able to keep anything down. I was coming in here to see if there were crackers or something.”

Sid and Jill shared a look. “Have you been able to feed?” Jill asked from her kneeling position next to Pam.

“I feed, but it comes back up.” Pam opened her eyes. “Why?”

Jill didn’t answer as a feeling of despair so strong filled her, knocking her back on her ass.

“Don’t you be passing out!” Sid ordered Jill, as if he had any control over her passing out or not. Blaze actually walked to stand beside her, ready to catch her just in case.

“I’m fine.” Her eyes met Pam’s, and in that moment, something passed between them.

“You’re doing the same thing?” Pam asked, her voice trembling in fear, fear she was unable to hide.

Nodding, Jill didn’t say anything because she knew she wouldn’t be able to hide her own fear.

CHAPTER 5

Jill moved out of the way with Blaze’s help when Duncan ran into the kitchen with Steve hot on his heels.

“What’s wrong, babe?” Duncan slid to his knees beside her. “What happened?”

“I’m okay now.” Pam tried to smile up at him, but failed miserably. “I just got a little lightheaded.”

“Where’s Daniel?” Duncan looked around, but held tightly to her hand.

“He’s with Katrina. I came down here for something to eat.” Pam tried to sit up, but Duncan wouldn’t let her.

“Where in the hell is Slade?” Duncan growled, his eyes finding Jill.

“I’m right here.” Slade walked in, his eyes finding Jill right away. “What happened?”

Again Jill and Pam glanced at each other. “She’s sick,” Jill answered. “Like me.”

Jill could never remember seeing Slade look so bleak when she answered him, his eyes darting away from her. Okay, that was very telling. This was not good. He knew something and that something was not good news.