The fever hit like a tidal wave.
Valentina barely registered the pain until her legs buckled on the marble floor of the Lockwood estate. Her hand trembled around the glass of water she'd been holding, and it shattered beside her as she collapsed. Distantly, she heard her own voice cry out then nothing but black.
When she opened her eyes, everything was a blur of shadows and light. The room swayed, the ceiling twisted, and her mouth felt like sandpaper. She tried to sit up, but a firm hand gently pressed her back down.
“Easy,” Adrian said. His voice was low, frayed with worry. “You’re burning up.”
She blinked, dazed. “What happened?”
“You fainted. The doctor said it’s a viral fever. Your body’s exhausted, Valentina.” His eyes searched hers as if afraid she’d disappear. “You’ve been pus
