Nathaniel guided Zara into the backseat and slid in beside her, his sharp eyes immediately taking her in. Something was wrong, and he could see it. Her cheeks were unnaturally flushed, her eyes glazing, unfocused.
"What's the matter with you?" he asked, brushing a finger along her jaw and turning her face toward him. "Why are you so red? What did you eat?"
Zara leaned helplessly into his touch, her breath uneven. The fire inside her was too fierce to suppress any longer. Now that she was safe with him, her defenses collapsed. She wound her arms around his neck, pressing her body firmly to his.
"It's burning…" she whispered. "So hot." Her lips grazed the side of his throat. "You feel amazing."
Nathaniel's stomach dropped as he recognized the signs instantly. Zara wasn't acting on her own. She had been drugged.
"Wait," he said, firmly gripping her shoulders and easing her back. "You need to fight this. Don't let it take over."
