He discreetly put a hand to his ear to try to mute the buzzing sensation. And then he smelled something familiar, though he couldn’t put his finger on what it was. It had an earthy scent to it, and a tang that smacked of fear.
But there was something else, something that made his mouth water and his heart rate spike.
He scanned the cars, his hands going to the armrests, leaning forward as if he might just chase whatever he found. There was a flash of something. A person—no, a girl. His breath hitched.
She was too far away to get a good look, and obscured by everything in the way. Heck, he didn’t even know why he was so sure she was a she—or that she wasn’t his mom’s age.
His feet touched the pavement, kicking the footrests up so he wouldn’t trip, but Brendan’s old beater pulled up before he could make it out of his seat.
Jace stood and blinked at Brendan’s car, then took one last glance around. She’d disappeared.
But that scent . . . Jace took a deep breath, closing his eyes. He had a feeling she wasn't gone.
But he was being stupid. What kind of fairy tale trip was his mind on now?
“Lightheaded?” the nurse asked, and he realized she had her hand on his elbow.
Jace opened his eyes, training them on Brendan’s passenger seat. “No. I just thought I saw . . . something.”
“Get in, grandpa!” Brendan said, opening the passenger door from the driver’s seat.
Jace bristled for a moment, his hands involuntarily turning into fists. It’s just Brendan being Brendan, he reminded himself as he shook out the tension.
Even from the corner of his eye, he couldn’t miss the look the nurse exchanged with his mom.
Jace gave them a wry smile, hoping it would be reassuring enough. “Um, thanks,” he mumbled, and eased his way into the front seat. Leo got in the back, buckling into the middle.
Brendan eased the car away, waving at the two women, the same grin on his face that he used to charm all the girls. Jace waved to his mom, who waved back, the smile on her face creased with worry.
He closed his eyes and leaned into the headrest as Brendan punched the gas.
The sun tried to burn its way through Jace's eyelids, and he put his arm in front of them to block the rest of the light out. But his face grew warm, sweat beginning to coat his skin. He lowered his arm and cracked an eye at the vent, which was blasting hot air.
Jace cracked his window, wishing he could open it all the way and stick his head out.
“Seriously?” Leo asked, unbuckling just long enough to moving to the opposite side of the car. “I was just starting to get warm back here.”
Was it really that cold?
Brendan laughed, jabbing Jace in the side. “That’s our boy. He got attacked by bears and came out the other side totally sav-age!”
Jace grunted. “It’s probably just this stupid cast.” He didn’t have a temperature, did he? All that time at the hospital, maybe he’d caught something. It seemed unlikely, and he didn’t feel feverish, but he almost wanted to turn around and go back to the hospital just to be sure.
Scratch that. He had absolutely zero desire to see the inside of that place again. He’d check his temperature when he got home, if he still felt hot.
“Own it, man!” Brendan said, jabbing Jace a second time. “You’re an animal.”
Jace’s chest tensed, his hands curling into fists. He needed to uncoil before he ended up striking. “So, where we going?” he asked, ignoring Brendan’s prodding.
“Well, I know for a fact that Jenna just got a job at Creamy Gus’s, and—”
“Seriously?” Jace said, glaring at the barren scenery speeding past.
“Duh! It’s a no-brainer. I can sweet talk her into giving us free ice cream, and she can tell all her girlfriends how pitiful you looked and what a great friend I am.”
“You told my mom you would take me for fro-yo. They don’t serve fro-yo at Gus’s.” It was too hot in the car. He rolled the window down further, leaning toward the cool rush of air.
Brendan chuckled. “Aw, come on, man. Quit playing. You know—”
“I know you’re following my mom’s orders, or you’ll be the one dealing with the aftermath.”
“Okay, fine. I’ll swing you by Sweet Ladybug when I’m done with Jenna.”
“Better,” Jace mumbled.
He knew he was being stupid—okay, not exactly stupid, but it was definitely an overreaction. Brendan might be a bit self-absorbed, but he could be made to see reason. Most of the time.
“Everyone at school’s been asking about you,” Brendan said after a few quiet moments.
Jace nodded, not quite sure what to say to that. He wasn’t exactly the most social person. The sooner everyone forgot who he was, the better.
Leo huffed out a laugh. “Yeah, even Max.”
Jace turned to look at Leo with brows raised. “Max? Max Stoke?”
Leo nodded slowly. Jace turned forward, dragging his hands over his face.
Max and his crew weren’t big on outsiders. Every so often they’d bring someone into their ranks. It always changed the person. They stopped hanging out with former friends, started acting like they were better than everyone else. Yet somehow the group was popular, especially Max.
Somehow, even the thought of Max taking an interest in Jace was enough to turn the heat right back up.
“What does he want?” Jace couldn't help but notice the hard edge to his voice, his jaw stiffening.
Brendan shrugged. “To know if you’re okay.”
“That’s none of his business.” a suffocating feeling clawed at Jace’s neck, but he resisted the urge to roll the window down the rest of the way. Leo was already shivering, and Jace didn’t have to look to know that his friend was hunkered down in the back seat like a frightened rabbit.
“I don’t know,” Brendan said, starting to sound excited again, oblivious to Jace's growing agitation. “If you ask me, this could be our in.”
Jace shook his head, his hands curling into fists. Again. “I don’t want anything to do with Max,” he ground between clenched teeth.
“No, hear me out—”
“Stop the car.”
“I’m not stopping just because your wuss a—”
“I said, stop. The. Car!”
Brendan glanced at Jace, the acrid tang of fear permeating the confined space. Jace’s whole body shook, and he was certain he was red as a beet. Any hotter and he’d probably have smoke coming out of his ears.
Brendan finally glanced at Jace—twice—and pulled onto the shoulder of the highway.
Jace ripped the door open before it came to a complete stop, the cold air punching him in the face. He stumbled out to the tune of Brendan's cursing, and took a deep breath, sucking in the cold like he’d never get another breath. He closed his eyes, letting his heart slow to the beat of the passing cars, of the rumbling earth below.
What the heck just happened?
It was like something inside had snapped, something feral and out of control. The doctor had warned him that he might deal with PTSD symptoms as a result of the attack, but this didn’t feel like anything he’d described.
Thankfully, the cool air was doing the trick.
“You okay, man?” came Leo’s soft voice.