Part 44 (1/2)
Dizziness swam through Lily, a vicious, sucking exhaustion. She pried her eyes open and shook her head, trying to clear it. What...?
Adele lay motionless beneath her. Lily pushed up on one trembling arm, suddenly afraid she'd squeezed the woman to death or something. She'd done...something. She couldn't quite remember...
But Adele was quite alive-and staring up at her in horror. ”What did you do to me?” she whispered. ”What are you?”
Lily dragged in one shaky breath. Another. Several feet behind her, Jason was panting like he hurt. But panting meant he was alive.
From farther away she heard Mannie call, ”Don't be mad, but when the rocks came down, so did I. Rule's okay, though. None of them hit him. I'm okay. Limping, but okay. Are you okay?”
She got one more good breath into her and called back, ”I'm good. I don't know about Mariah. Jason's. .h.i.t. Drag Rule out of there, if you can.” The earth had stopped moving, but there could be loose rocks. Aftershocks.
Then and only then did she look at Adele once more. ”What am I?” She smiled a nasty, satisfied smile. ”I'm the FBI b.i.t.c.h who's arresting you. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have...”
epilogue.
IT was raining-a rare and splendid event here in San Diego, though it happened with annoying frequency in D.C. The window in Rule's bedroom-in was raining-a rare and splendid event here in San Diego, though it happened with annoying frequency in D.C. The window in Rule's bedroom-in their their bedroom-faced the bed, and the drapes were open. Water blurred the gla.s.s. The smeared s.h.i.+mmer of city lights outside fit well with the washed-clean feel of Lily's body, as if all her edges were blurred, too. Her fingers tingled. Rule's hand sifted slowly through her hair. bedroom-faced the bed, and the drapes were open. Water blurred the gla.s.s. The smeared s.h.i.+mmer of city lights outside fit well with the washed-clean feel of Lily's body, as if all her edges were blurred, too. Her fingers tingled. Rule's hand sifted slowly through her hair.
The apartment was on the top floor, high enough that the loss of privacy was more symbolic than real; Lily was getting used to it. At the moment, curled into Rule's body, warm and drowsy with the aftermath of pa.s.sion, it didn't bother her at all.
She stirred, unready for sleep. ”This morning I notified the manager at my place that I'm not renewing my lease.”
His hand stilled-then brushed the hair from her face so he could press a kiss on her temple. ”Good.”
”We have to talk about how we're going to split expenses here.”
”Mmm. Do we have to talk about it now?”
She smiled. ”I guess not. But I'll need to know how much your utilities run, and the-”
He propped up on one elbow, kissed her firmly, and said, ”I'll print you out a spreadsheet in the morning.”
”We're leaving in the morning.”
”My printer's quick.” He stayed propped up, looking out the window. His words had been light, but his eyes were heavy.
No wonder about why. Steve's memorial at Clanhome had been today. His body wouldn't be released for another couple weeks, so they would be making yet another cross-country flight then, for the burial. Lily wouldn't attend that, but Rule needed to.
After a moment he said, ”I haven't been kind in my grief.”
”Grief is seldom kind.”
”No.” Now he looked at her. ”But I regret being an a.s.s.”
A smile flickered at the corners of her mouth. ”You apologized already.” When he woke from the bane stupor, and right after throwing up the first time, he'd apologized for using her pa.s.sword. He'd done it again when the dry heaves. .h.i.t.
Wolfbane really did make lupi sick as dogs...though that was a phrase she'd refrained from using. So far.