Closer: Bay City Paranormal Investigation, Book 4

both. “I sent the thing back and closed the portal. I think it might be closed permanently. It feels the same now as the one at Sunset Lodge.”
A tiny smile curved Bo’s lips. He didn’t answer, but his shaking eased. He closed his eyes again.
Sam studied his face in continued concern. His lips didn’t look purple like they had outside, but the car’s bright overhead light showed a worrisome bluish tinge, and his face was gray beneath his normal dusky complexion. The parts of his skin not covered by the blanket were cool and mottled.
“Bo? You having any numbness in your hands or feet?” Dean’s voice sounded tight, and Sam figured the effort of keeping pressure on Bo’s wound must be tiring him.
Bo shook his head. “No. Cold. I’m cold. Not numb though.”
“Good.” Sam planted a kiss on Bo’s shoulder. “You’re gonna be all right, Bo.”
“You’ll probably need a blood transfusion.” Dean tossed his dripping hair out of his eyes. “You’ve lost a lot of blood. But I’m not seeing any sign of infection like we did with that bite, so that’s good.”
Bo licked his lips. “I f-feel. Weird. Wrong. Felt it…all night.”
Sam stared at Bo’s ashen face, heart racing. Instinct told him Bo’s feeling of wrongness had as much—or more—to do with his recent behavior as with the injury he’d sustained. And he had a sinking feeling it was all related somehow to the portal which had unexpectedly opened where there had been none before. The juxtaposition couldn’t possibly be a coincidence.
He felt as though his subconscious mind knew what the link was, but he couldn’t quite grasp it. If I could just think of it, maybe it would help Bo. Think, Sam, come on…
The sound of approaching sirens startled Sam out of his thoughts. He glanced up. Lights flashed red and white through the back window. Relief washed through him. “Thank God.”
Outside, Kyle ran toward the approaching ambulance. Sam could see him out the back window, waving his arms. The siren cut off. Sam heard the hiss of tires on the wet road, followed by the sound of the vehicle’s doors slamming.
“Bo?” Sam stroked Bo’s wet hair. “Bo, the ambulance is here. We’re gonna get you to the hospital now.”
There was no answer. As Sam watched, Bo’s body began to shake. Frowning, Sam looked more closely at Bo’s face. His jaw muscle was twitching, and this time there was no mistaking the alarming purple hue to his lips.
Sam shot a panicked look at Dean. “He doesn’t look very good.”
Dean craned his neck to look at Bo’s face. His eyes widened when Bo’s tremors spread into his arms. “Shit. Sam, you need to get out of the car now.”
Before Sam had a chance to ask why, a large hand grabbed his arm and yanked him none too gently out the door. “Sorry, sir, but I need to get in there.”
Sam stumbled out of the way and stood there trying to make out what was going on. The tall, broadshouldered paramedic who’d pulled him out of the car was hunched over Bo’s upper body. On the other side of the seat, a young woman—the big man’s partner, evidently— straddled Bo’s legs. She took a syringe out of what looked like a toolbox and dipped out of view. Sam could see Bo’s arms and legs jerking, but he couldn’t see Bo’s face, and he was unable to tell what the paramedics were doing to him.
After what felt like years but couldn’t have been more than a few seconds, Dean squirmed out through the front seat and came around to stand beside Sam. “He’s having a seizure,” Dean explained before Sam could ask. “I was able to tell them he’s not allergic to the medicine they needed to give him to stop it, but I didn’t know if he has anything else in his system or not.”
The look in Dean’s eyes was enough to tell Sam what he meant. Sam shook his head. “No, he didn’t. At least that’s what he said when I asked, and I believe him.”
“Good. We can let the paramedics know once they have him stabilized.” Dean lowered his voice until Sam could barely hear it above the wind. “I told them the same thing you told the 911 operator. That Bo was attacked and that you were here and witnessed part of it, but couldn’t see exactly what happened because he was under the trees where it was dark. Other than that, I told the truth.”
Nodding, Sam squeezed Dean’s arm. “Thank you.”
Kyle edged up to join them, shoulders hunched against the windblown rain. “Dean? Do y’all need me to drive you to the