CHAPTER 28

'Thought you h-h-had l-l-left me for d-d-d-dead' Mordecai stammered as Montayva worked frantically to unbury him. His skin was blue, and she knew he would have frostbite and be suffering from hypothermia.

'Shhhh' Montayva was almost in tears 'I couldn't feel you' She said confused. 'I thought... we thought' She couldn't explain the dread that had enveloped her.

'Huh' Mordecai shivered 'I n-n-never d-d-d-die!' He almost couldn't get the last word out as Montayva lifted him from the snow.

'Shhhh' Montayva shushed again, pulling a health vial from her utility belt. 'Just hold still' She jammed the needle into his upper arm.

'Argh!' He cried out as she injected the insta-health into his body.

'Now, just hold still. I'm gonna try something' she explained as she crouched behind him, linking her arms under his shoulders. She closed her eyes and concentrated hard. A purple haze enveloped the pair, and when she opened her eyes again, she had successfully phased them to Liars Berg.

'Holy shit!' Axton jumped as the pair appeared beside them in the central area of the settlement.

'You found him?' Lillith rushed forward. 'Is he dead?'

'You b-b-bitch' Mordecais eyes didn't open, but he was still able to curse Lillith for assuming the worst.

'Help me get him inside!' Montayva lifted one of his arms over her shoulder, but Brick stepped forward and scooped up the hunters limp form easily. Montayva and Lillith rushed ahead into the dwelling Mordecai had stashed his gear. Brick lowered the shaking man onto the bed.

'Get that furnace going Brick' Lillith ordered 'We need to get him out of these wet clothes.' Lillith started yanking his boots of as Montayva hurried with his belts. Brick stocked the furnace up as much as he could, but it was slow to warm the room.
Mordecai began to cackle hysterically as the two women stripped him down.

'He's going insane!' Lillith said, alittle worried.

'N-n-n-never dreamed this would be h-h-happening' Mordecai laughed again as the two women stripped him down to his briefs.

'Shut up you idiot. You're still not out of danger yet' Lillith snapped, angry at him for the brief period of greif he had caused them. She pushed him back in the bed, and bought the blankets up around his shivering form.

'Shit. Its not going to be enough' Lillith looked around, and Brick continued to evoke the flames in the furnace.

'Er, I have another idea' Montayva said softly. Lillith was waiting for the girls plan, when the younger siren began undressing also.

'Oh' Lillith understood her attentions immediately. Brick turned to see the youngest siren in her underwear, and accidentally stuck his hand to close to the flames of the furnace.

'Argh, shit!' he cursed.

'Brick, go and fetch as many blankets as you can' Lillith instructed, and the large man lumbered out of the room.
Montayva, now wearing only her underwear, stepped up to the bed, and slipped in beside Mordecai. She wraped herself around him, covering his body with as much of her warmth as she could.

'I'll go and see if I can get something hot to feed him' Lillith said after they had done as much as they could for him. He was barely conscious now, and Montayva held him tightly as the violent shivers continued to wrack his body. Laying her head on his chest, she listened to his irregular heart beat.

'You can do it. I wont let you die' She whispered more to herself than to the hunter. But she felt his arms wrap around her in response to her soft words. 'I'm so sorry' She said a little louder this time.

'You have n-n-nothing to be s-s-sorry for' He stuttered through chattering teeth.

'I should have found you sooner. We should have looked' His shaky hands stroked her hair as she lay on his chest. 'But I wont let you die. I promise'

'I'm n-not leaving you y-yet, baby' he promised her in return.

Lillith and Maya entered sometime later. Montayva was still sprawled across the hunter, but she felt no need for modesty in this situation. Maya only approached the bed, her arms filled with thick woolen blankets, and she started layering them apon the couple.

'How's he doing?' She asked tentively.

'Better.' Montayva began 'His shaking has eased alot. And he has only just fallen asleep. His heartbeat is settling too' she told them as she continued to listen to its soft beating.

'Make him eat some of this when he wakes' Lillith set a small cauldron over the furnace, which was blaring ferociously now. 'Its only a weak broth, but its warm' She explained.

'We need to finish burying the boy' Maya explained sadly. 'Then get everyone organised to head back to Sanctuary. It's gonna be a long day' She sighed.

'Call us if you need anything' Lillith said as they made their exit.