Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 248 Ava: Fever Dreams

"How would he know?"

Vanessa shrugs. "They've been around for a long time. I guess the Fae go into heat, too."

Flopping onto my back, I groan at her words. "Fae aren't shifters."

"From what he says, the biological heat is the same, and the suppressants will work. All we can do is try." She checks my temperature, clicking her tongue. "It's down, but you still have a fever."

With all the sweat trickling down just about every part of my body, I'm surprised. I thought the fever already broke. "When will Magister Orion be back?"

"Soon, I hope."

"So am I sick, or just going into heat?" I squint at Vanessa, the dim light of the room enough to burn my eyes. "Because let me tell you, if I'm going to be miserable every time, I think I might just want my uterus taken out."

She laughs softly. "You might be sick. Magister Orion thinks it might be from your increase in power. Something about backlash overwhelming the body."

Selene mentioned that I go into heat in order to gain power, or something like that before. I still don't know the exact details, but it makes sense, I suppose.

"How long do I have before I go into heat?" No matter how hard I try to think back, I can't remember how long it was between meeting Selene and wearing the necklace.

She sighs. "I have no idea. You're an unusual case in every possible way. The sooner we get the suppressants, the better it will be. For it to be already affecting Marcus when you have no other signs of heat is almost unheard of."

This blasted heat is the stupidest thing I've ever had to endure.

"Do me a favor and knock me unconscious if you can't suppress it. I don't want to repeat past mistakes."

Leaning forward, Vanessa flicks my forehead. "Don't borrow trouble before it comes, Ava. Get some rest."

* * *

trudge through a barren forest. Snow glistens, but isn't cold against my bare feet. Despite being the dead of winter, the

a dream, because I'm asleep

turning skeletal trees into ominous

seen a forest so lifeless. Even in the depths of winter, there should be evergreens. But here, there's nothing. No pines, no firs, not even the hardy juniper

but it's not from fear. This place, for all its

crunch

inexplicable pull. The moonlight plays tricks on my eyes, casting shadows that seem to move and dance at the edge of my vision. But

trees and

following winds through the forest, leading me deeper into its heart. I

passed, but my muscles

wonder if this forest goes on forever, I see a break in the endless sea of lifeless

My pace quickens.

and my breath catches

logic

petals are gorgeous in color—deep purples fading to brilliant blues, edged with a shimmer of gold. It seems to glow from within, the only beacon of life in this dead

sways gently, though there's

forest, this burst of color and life is almost painful, a reminder of what's missing

to it, my feet moving of their

a vibrant green, so bright it almost hurts to look at. Tiny droplets of dew cling to

has to be magic. Nothing like this exists in

some fantastical

it, driven by a need deep within

"Ava."

I'd