Chapter 15 · Crimson Resonance

"Don't you dare flatline on me, leech!" Eve's nails dug into my wrist and yanked me down hard against the med-pod floor.

My back hit metal. Her whole body was shaking. Too hot. Like her skin was gonna melt right off.

"Get off," I snarled. "You're cooking yourself. Your protocol's rejecting my blood."

"No shit!" she spat, teeth gritted. "You think I don't know that? Fix it!"

The pod's alarm was screaming. Red light flashing across her face. Outside, the hounds were pounding on the outer hatch. Boom. Boom. Boom.

"They're here," I said. "Silas's hounds are thirty seconds from kicking that door in and you're having a rejection seizure. Great timing."

"Don't narrate, do something!" She grabbed my collar and pulled my face inches from hers. Her breath was scorching. Her eyes were flipping between silver and black. "You did this to me. You flooded me with that filthy forbidden code. Now make it stop!"

"I saved your life!" I grabbed her wrists. Her pulse was hammering so fast it didn't feel human. "You were crashing. I gave you what you needed."

"You gave me poison!" she hissed. "It feels like acid in my veins."

The hatch groaned.