Part 29 (2/2)
Eddie blinked, settling back on his heels. ”Ma'am? We've never met. I didn't tell you my name.”
”Eddie,” she said, meeting his gaze. ”Fire-starter. Until recently you lived with your mother and grandmother in San Francisco. Started out as a car thief before Roland recruited you. Good kid, I'm told, though you had an accident that left your powers stronger and your control a bit weak. You have a nice smile. No one told me that.”
Eddie stared. Jenny sipped her water and looked at Rik, who stood watching her, very still, dripping and naked.
”Rik,” she said softly. ”If it's any consolation, the Consortium hurt me, too.”
He paled, swaying. Eddie swallowed hard. ”Ma'am?”
”You're Dirk & Steele,” she whispered, closing her eyes again. Sajeev hovered nearby, watching with sharp, glittering eyes. His hand rubbed the dragon tattoo on his scalp. ”I've been reading files on all of you for years now. Just in case.”
Eddie stood, slowly. ”Who are you?”
”Family,” she whispered. ”My grandmother's maiden name was Dirk. She has a sister named Nancy. I think you know who she is.”
”s.h.i.+t,” Rik said. Eddie said nothing, but his eyes narrowed, thoughtful. Heat rolled off his body, so much that the air s.h.i.+mmered around his shoulders.
Jenny reached for Perrin. Her eyes were still closed. He took her hand and stood, scooping her up into his arms. She seemed even lighter than he remembered, as though part of her had burned away.
”She needs food,” he said to Eddie.
The young man nodded but didn't move. ”Ma'am?”
Jenny pushed her head against Perrin's chest and made a m.u.f.fled sound.
”Ma'am,” Eddie said, even more softly. ”I don't know who you are, but you're safe. I want you to know that. You're safe with us.”
Jenny said nothing. Considering what little he knew about her family, Perrin suspected that promises of safety meant very little.
He nodded at Eddie, who gave him a solemn look in return. Rik seemed shook up, and was rubbing his arms. Not like he was cold. Just uneasy.
Perrin paused at the stairs and glanced back. ”The old man?”
”Transferred him to the coast guard,” Eddie said. ”He'll be fine.”
Jenny trembled. Perrin began to turn, but the young man reached out, stopping him.
”How much time do we have?” he asked quietly.
”If you have family in San Francisco, or on any coast . . .” Perrin said, but could not bring himself to finish.
He did not need to. Eddie nodded, pale.
Perrin carried Jenny down into the darkness.
Chapter Fifteen.
The air was cool where Perrin carried her, and smelled like engine fuel and garlic. Her feet b.u.mped against the wall. She sensed him stooping, walking sideways, but her eyes were too tired to open.
”We're alone,” he whispered. ”You can stop pretending to be asleep.”
”Not pretending,” she murmured. ”I hurt.”
He was silent after that.
Silent and careful. He couldn't squeeze them both through the cabin door. Jenny would have walked, but he set her down for only a moment-her feet barely grazing the floor-before he was through and holding her again.
”The bed's right there,” she told him, voice m.u.f.fled against his chest. ”I'll fall backward and be fine.”
He grunted and set her down slow and easy, with such care she wasn't even certain she was on the bed until he pulled away-and suddenly there was a mattress beneath her and a pillow that smelled like sweat, more garlic, and hot, pickled turnips. Jenny was too exhausted to care. She could barely open her eyes to look at Perrin; but she managed, and found him standing beside the bed, looking huge and awkward, and just as tired as she felt.
Jenny tried to scoot over. ”Sit down before you fall down.”
Perrin's mouth twitched. ”I'll break the frame.”
He sat on the floor beside the cot and leaned up hard against the wall. He was big enough that she still had to look up at him even though she was lying down. A small light burned above the cot. She undid the pack clipped around her waist, and Perrin took it from her to place on the floor beside him.
”Are you okay?” she asked him.
He stared at her. ”You almost died.”
”I was talking about you.”
”So was I,” he replied, with heat. Jenny wondered if mermen had nervous breakdowns because he looked a bit like he was on the verge of some kind of break. Of course, so was she.
”I breathed underwater,” she said, and speaking those words seemed to unravel a hard knot in her heart. ”There's a parasite lodged to the base of my skull.”
The words came out so easily. Jenny sagged against the mattress, and with some effort raised her hands and touched her sore face. ”I can't believe I just said that. Every time I tried to tell you before, it wouldn't let me. I couldn't say a word. I couldn't even point.”
Perrin was very quiet, his expression closed, thoughtful. His silence made her even more uneasy. She remembered all too well what had happened on that boat, in the water. She had thought of nothing else for all those hours spent traveling through the sea, holding her breath, clinging to Perrin.
”I'm a scientist,” she said. ”And I'm used to inexplicable things. But not this.”
”Let me see it,” he replied, an odd catch in his voice.
Jenny rolled over on her stomach and reached around to help him. He nudged her hand aside, gently, and set his big warm palm on her shoulder. It felt better than it should have.
”Rest,” he said, his voice low, a rumble in her ear.
Jenny nodded, unable to speak. Perrin pushed aside her hair. He was careful, thorough-her hair thick, tangled, despite her braids. But she felt him still, and take a short deep breath, and a sliver of fear raced into her gut.
”Has it grown?” she murmured.
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