Free Remus by Madison Stevens

quietly.
    Rem stared at her for a moment before nodding to the mouth of the cave.
    “Come sit in the sun with me,” he said.
    Jenna frowned as she watched him walk slowly out the cave. He moved as if his body was stiff, and it worried her. Never had she seen a hybrid move like that unless they were very sick.
    She followed him outside.
     
    “Won’t they catch you right now?” Jenna asked from behind him.
    Rem ignored the question.
    They knew he couldn’t get away in his condition. As it was, he was lucky to have made it to her.
    He clenched his fists at how lucky they had both been. She could have been spotted earlier. It was such a stupid risk. Usually Jenna was smarter than that.
    Rays of sun poured down from the sky and warmed his cold body. He sat next to the mouth of the cave and patted the grass next to him. It felt good to be out, to feel the sun on his face. At this rate, he wasn’t really sure how much longer he’d be able to do that.
    They had given him something yesterday. He still wasn’t quite sure what it had been, but it was slowly killing him. At this rate, he’d be lucky if he lasted a week. But it was what would happen after that really worried him. He didn’t want to turn into one, a soulless Glycon.
    If he was going to act, it had to be that night. He couldn’t guess how much longer he’d have any strength to act or even this own will.
    Jenna sat next to him, and his body relaxed from being so close to her. He’d noticed it more and more since she was masked in his smell. Her Vestal side called to him. Soothed him. It made him ache to be near her, and when he was, it was as if nothing else mattered.
    “I brought you something to eat,” Jenna said, snapping him from his thoughts.
    His stomach rumbled at the thought of eating her food rather than the crap they offered, when they bothered to offer any food at all. It had been obvious they didn’t expect him to be around much longer, or maybe it was more they didn’t expect him to eat, considering what they were putting him through.
    Rem raised a brow. “Oh?”
    He watched as she pulled a container out of her bag and opened it.
    “I wanted to bring you warm meatloaf and potatoes, but I just couldn’t find a way to do it and make it through the hike.” She blushed and glanced away as he took the meatloaf sandwich.
    Jenna pulled out a smaller container and opened it.
    “Potato salad was as good as I could get,” she said.
    His heart soared, knowing she had spent time making him something like this.
    “Thank you,” he said and took a large bite.
    He hadn’t realized how hungry he was. Maybe it was just knowing that she had made it for him that made the meal even more appetizing.
    Jenna watched him quietly today. No questions. No comments. They just sat as he ate the food she’d brought him. It was peaceful. Like they didn’t need to talk but could just be together and that was enough.
    Rem was glad for it. He knew she could see what had been done to him. It made him angry she saw him like this, but there was no choice. He had to see her, especially now.
    He finished the last bite and sighed. It was perfect.
    Rem turned to tell her this but stopped at an unexpected sight.
    “Chocolate cake?” he said, almost not certain he was seeing what he thought.
    She shoved it in his hands.
    “I know they aren’t feeding you,” she said quietly. “You need to keep up your strength.”
    He looked down at the cake she had denied him so often before and then back to her. She watched him as he took a bite.
    For something so delicious, it was amazing how much it hurt going down. The cake he had wanted all this time was in his hands, and he couldn’t even enjoy it.
    He took a long drink off the water bottle she had brought and set the cake to the side.
    “Is something wro—” she said, her brow furrowed with worry.
    He leaned in and pressed his mouth to hers. This wasn’t like the last kiss they shared. It was slow. He savored every contour