Read Wilde's Fire (Darkness Falls #1) for Free Online Page A

it. Horrified, I drop it, then notice out of the corner of my left eye someone standing in the doorway, smiling.
    He clears his throat, causing me to jump.
    My knees weaken. My heart pounds.
    “I see you are finally awake. You have been sleeping for the last two days,” he says, taking a couple steps into the room.
    Backing up against the wall, I almost fall over my own feet. I have to get to the knife lying on the floor, but he sees me looking at the weapon and rushes to pick it up before I can even take a breath.
    “I am not going to hurt you. If I wanted you dead, I would not have bothered rescuing you. My name is Lann,” he says, reaching out one hand to me while he pockets the blade with his other. Lann is tall, lean but strong, with dark hair and green eyes, similar to mine and Brit’s. He appears to be in his mid-twenties. He has flawless skin, and a smile that would melt the hearts of any girl. The only imperfection I see is the puffiness surrounding his eyes, revealing how tired he is.
    Eyebrow raised, Lann looks me up and down.
    There’s nothing stopping him from hurting me. Accepting that Lann must not intend to kill me, I reach for his hand.
    “Katriona, but my friends call me Kate,” I say, staying as firm in my grip as possible to mask the fear I’m still working to subdue in my voice.
    For an instant, I see a flash of surprise in Lann’s eyes, and then it disappears.
    “Well, Kate. It is very nice to meet you. Would you like to go visit your friend?”
    “B-Brad is a-alive?” My knees finally give out.
    He catches me before I hit the floor.
    “I am sure he has seen better days, but yes, your Brad is
alive,
” Lann says, standing me back on my feet.
    The way he hung on the last word makes me desperate; I feel like there might not be much time left for Brad at all.
    “Please, yes, I have to see him,” I whisper, barely audible—even to myself.
    Lann leads me down the brown, earthen hallway at a pace that makes me want to punch him. Taking deep breaths, I focus straight ahead, and I imagine the horrors waiting for me in Brad’s room. I expect he’ll be hooked up to machines, monitored by doctors, and medicated beyond belief.
    Lann pushes open the door, then stands aside.
    Two doors down from me, Brad lies in bed—
alive
. His injured face is pale, but someone has taken great care in closing the gaping wounds with stitches. Blisters cover every exposed part of his body. I don’t even want to imagine what his back looks like; the thought makes me shudder.
    “If you will excuse me.” Lann bows, then leaves Brad and me to be alone.
    I speed across the room and sit next to him. Taking his hand in mine, I realize how bad he is. Fever wracks Brad’s body.
    He opens his bloodshot eyes. They’re full of confusion, as if he’s searching his memory to place who I am.
    “Why didn’t you go back?” Brad asks. His voice cracks, but even though he sounds like he could use a drink of water, I still hear how frustrated he is with me.
    “When you pushed me, I fell to the ground, not back into the water. Don’t you remember? We didn’t make it; we must have been disoriented. I saw the arrows flying from the trees and those awful creatures die, and I came to you. I thought you were dead. Someone picked me up, and the next thing I know I’m here … and you’re alive!” I say, through tears mixed with joy and sadness. I bury my head next to him, too ashamed to look him in the eyes.
    Brad shouldn’t be here.
    Placing his fingers under my chin, he lifts my head. I look at the brokenness of my friend; his face contorts. He must be in so much pain.
    “How bad does it hurt?” I ask.
    Brad shakes his head. “Kate, have they talked to you about anything that’s going on here?”
    “No. I just woke up, for the first time since we were attacked.” I look at my hands, too embarrassed to meet his eyes. Brad has endured a brutal attack, and I slept longer than he did.
    “Hey there,” he says, caressing