No Regrets: Jani Kay (Firebird Trilogy Book 2) by Jani Kay Page B

closed the door behind her.
    I should’ve jumped up and followed her, but my teeth clattered as my body started shivering. Dammit. If only she’d wait a while. I’d be fine once the tablets kicked in and the fever broke.
    Maybe she was right. I sighed and lay back, pulling the throw over me. As the oldest sibling, I was super protective of my two sisters, especially because our flaming red hair provoked a lot of teasing at school, and since Daddy died, I took on the responsibility of being the ‘other’ parent in his absence.
    My eyelids grew heavier and my limbs sunk into the couch. If only Kurt was available, but he’d taken over someone else’s shift at the hospital after he’d done his own twelve-hour stint. I wondered if he was as tired as I was. All those weeks of sleepless nights had finally caught up with me and the timing couldn’t be worse.
    *****
    I woke to the sound of the television blaring, a sour taste in my mouth and goose bumps scattered on my skin. I blinked a few times, staring unseeing at the television. The late night shopping channel was the same, whatever country one was in. I found the remote under my arse and switched the TV off.
    What time was it? And how come Lily hadn’t woken me when she came in? It was unlike her just to leave me here, sleeping on the couch. Or was she that pissed off I didn’t go out with her?
    Stretching out my arms, I yawned. I hated falling asleep in front of the television. I always felt disorientated and stiff from the uncomfortable position I’d ended up lying in. My neck was sore and I rotated it slowly from left to right, and then back the other way to loosen it up.
    Rising slowly from the sofa, I shivered as the cool evening breeze snuck in through the open window. I rubbed my arms in an attempt to feel warmer. I had a splitting headache and my stomach growled because I hadn’t eaten anything.
    I yawned while glancing at the clock. It was two-fifty-five in the morning. Damn, I only had a few hours left to sleep in my warm and cozy bed before I had to get up again. I tiptoed to the spare bedroom to check on Lily. How did she manage to sneak past me? Usually, I was a light sleeper and any unfamiliar noise woke me.
    We’d have a talk in the morning about her going out by herself. I wasn’t comfortable with it and last night she’d caught me off guard by just leaving. As much as she was an adult, it just wasn’t safe. My mind flicked back to the incident at the square—and that was broad daylight... We’d have to reach a compromise. Between Kurt and me, we’d devise a plan so that at least one of us accompanied her.
    I flicked on the passage light so I wouldn’t bump into anything. Still feeling drowsy, I didn’t want to wake Lily. Her door was slightly ajar, so I pushed it open slowly, hoping it wouldn’t creak. It was weird how sounds one never heard during the day were amplified at night.
    The dim light made it difficult to see, but it didn’t look as if she was in her bed. Clothing was strewn on the bed and I was pretty certain Lily wouldn’t just crawl into the bed like that. I took a few steps into the bedroom, listening for the sounds of her breathing.
    Nothing.
    My throat tightened. Panic swept through me and I surged forward, holding out my hand to feel if she was tucked under the blankets.
    Nothing.
    My heart beat so hard against my ribs; I thought they would crack. “Lily,” I called into the silence.
    I switched on the bedside lamp, just to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. For fuck’s sake, it was three in the morning, and I had no idea where could she be. She wasn’t the type who went to a bar or who picked up guys. At least not when I last checked. Granted, a few months had passed, but it was so out of character, that my heart sank in despair.
    Running back to the kitchen, I found my phone on the counter. I scrolled thought the messages, hoping there would be some explanation of where she was.
    Nothing.
    My stomach churned. I