Part 25 (1/2)
Chapter 17.
”Y ou really shouldn't have done that.”
The deep male voice sounded accusing. Jamie struggled to open eyes that felt glued shut. Her body was dead weight, arms and legs felt as if lead pumped through her veins. She tried to raise her head, but it took too much effort.
She sagged backward, surprised at the softness beneath her. Bed. She was lying with a pillow under her head. Vaguely she remembered waking up, Damian wiping soot from her face, Damian taking her into the shower and was.h.i.+ng her tenderly.
Damian laying her in bed as she fainted again.
”I'm sorry. I'm really-G.o.d you have no idea how sorry I am.”
With tremendous effort, she opened her eyes. Damian stood by her bed, hands on hips, legs splayed apart. Alexandre faced him. Two vivid blue eyes stared out of a face still blackened with smoke, making him look almost comical, if not for the misery etched there.
Damian hugged his brother. Alexandre looked as if he fought off tears. He pulled back.
”Dai, there has to be an answer, some other way. Your father wouldn't have just left it there to be buried.... We can save her, I have to believe that....”
”It'll be okay. Go on, clean up. You look like something the caimon dragged through the bayou.” He clapped a hand on his shoulder.
Jamie watched Alexandre leave. Damian turned. ”Ah, good, you're awake.” The bed sagged beneath his weight. He stroked her forehead. ”Better now? No more faiblesse? Fainting?”
”I won't faint again. Promise.”
”That's my girl,” he said softly, leaning down to brush his lips against hers.
”What happened?”
”We're at your house. Everyone's staying here but Etienne, Cindy and the kids. They returned to Paw Paw's.”
He kissed her again. Damian stroked his tongue along her bottom lip, nipped playfully. But his actions contrasted sharply to the weighty sorrow leaking from him like invisible tears.
She reached up, struggling with all her might to cup his face. Damian closed his eyes, turned toward her touch, taking her hands and kissing them.
”No regrets, mon amour. None. I needed to do what I did. I don't want to have my life end with regrets,” she told him.
Something dark and fierce flashed in his green eyes. ”You're not going to die. We'll find another way.”
Sadness pulled her, but she managed a smile. ”Can you ask Raphael to come here for me? I need to talk with him.”
He touched her hand. ”Anything.” Then he looked down and his eyes widened. Shock.
Jamie glanced down and cried out. ”Oh G.o.d, my hands!”
Her fingers were stiff, unable to bend, hard as rock.
”It's spreading, fast.” Damian drew her into his arms. ”We have to find a way, we won't give up.”
”I won't,” she whispered back.
But she suspected it was already too late.
She dozed lightly, feeling the strong, solid body beside her. Damian lay on her bed in wolf form. He told her before s.h.i.+fting he could guard her better this way. Head between paws, he eyed the door. When it did open, Damian lifted his muzzle, growled.
”Easy,” Raphael soothed. He held up his hands. ”It's me, t'frere. Just wanted to visit your Jamie here. Can you give us a minute?”
Her head felt like her brains were slos.h.i.+ng as she struggled to sit. Grayness covered her arms. How much time did she have?
”Damian, remember? I asked him to come.”
He whined a little, licked her stone hand. With a baleful look for Raphael, he jumped off the bed and trotted out the door. In the hallway he paused, growled deep at his brother, then loped off.
Raphael shut the door, leaned against it. Jamie fell on the bed, her hands useless and unfeeling. ”He's hurting, badly. I can feel his pain.”
”I know.”
The Kallan's voice was almost gentle. He sat on her bed. ”What do you want, little sister?”
Sister, family. Courage filled her. ”You're the Kallan, the Draicon who can kill another without any consequence or retribution. I ask you a favor now.” Her gaze met his. ”I want you to end it for me now.”
No emotion shone in those dark eyes, smooth and ageless as the bayou.
”Soon, before I can't talk. Before I fully turn to stone.”
”Why?” Raphael asked quietly.
Jamie struggled to speak. ”I saw, when you examined me. I know what awaits.”
He remained silent.
”It scares me...but I think I can deal. No choice, right?” She gave a nervous laugh. ”What I can't deal with is having him see me, like that. Alive but dead. Not moving, not able to speak. It will tear him apart. Worse than death. I'll suffer, but for him it will be...agony.”
She waited, breath heaving in little ragged strips. Staring at his dagger, wondering if he'd do it. End it all now. Spare his brother.
”How much do you love him, little sister?”
The answer came without hesitation. ”More than my own life.”
Raphael locked gazes with hers. Gone was the watchful suspicion. Respect replaced it. ”Lche pas la patate, chere,” he murmured.
As she c.o.c.ked her head at him, he added, ”It's an old Cajun expression. It means don't give up. So don't you. You never know.”
”Know what?”
”When little miracles can happen,” he said softly. Then he grabbed her face, pulled her forward and kissed her hard.
It felt like kissing a hot blast of air, suctioning off her oxygen. Not arousing in the slightest, just shocking, fusing contact. Speechless, Jamie struggled, whimpering for breath. Raphael released her just as quickly.