J Duncan - Deadworld

Jackie clutched her arms tightly across her chest in an effort to ease the chill. Teleport? Her life force was crystallizing inside her body, thin shards of death forming in an unbreakable lattice. She could barely move, much less will herself somewhere. “I don’t know how to do that kind of shit, Laur.”

Nick leaned forward, hands resting on his knees. The aggravating, indifferent look he usually presented had disappeared. He looked… worried? Scared? God help them if he had lost his nerve now. “Maybe you should stay here while we get Drake. It’ll be safer for you here.”

I’m not dying alone in this place. Jackie shook her head. “Screw that. If I’m going to be dead in a couple hours, I don’t really want to do that alone.”

“Then try to see if you can do it,” Laurel said. “If not, we’ll have to carry you there.”

Jackie forced herself to sit up straight. “I don’t want to hurt our chances of getting him.”

“It’s fine, hon. Just try something simple like moving over to the couch next to Nick. Picture yourself seated next to him, focus your thoughts on wanting to sit next to him, and visualize everything you can about it.”

Nick leaned back, one arm laid out across the back cushion. Jackie eyed the spot on the couch next to him, and the probable warmth that might be obtained snuggled into the crook of his body. Okay, not so hard to think about. Jackie closed her eyes and wished for that simple, comforting embrace. It might not help, but at least it would feel good, and far better than his mouth licking and sucking at the hole in her arm. It would be nice to die without that lingering image and sensation squirming in her gut.

“Jackie, relax.” Laurel’s voice was a soothing whisper of wind in her ear. “Quit squinting. It’s a mental thing, not physical.”

Jackie took a deep breath, the tightening muscles in her chest failing to provide much air, and let it out in a rush. “Relaxing. Sitting next to Nick. Warm body. Warm, fucking body.”

Jackie felt a nudge, a soft push from behind, as if the whole couch were tipping her toward Nick, and then his firm, depressingly cool arm came around her. Jackie put her hands out against him to push away, but the strength appeared to have dissipated from her body. He held her tightly, the big hand planted firmly on her hip, pulling her close.

“Holy shit,” she said in a rush. “I did it.”

Laurel clapped. “Awesome, hon.”

“Did you help her, Laurel?”

“Shut up, you dumb cowboy.” She huffed at him. “I gave her a little nudge, but that was it. You did it mostly on your own, babe.”

“Great,” Jackie said but felt no elation at the feat. Her body hurt too much to feel good about anything. “Now what? I’m still about as useful as a wet noodle.”

“I’m going to go check out the Hancock building and see where we need to go,” Laurel replied. “We need a safe place to arrive.”

Nick shifted against Jackie but kept his arm snugly against her body. “And what if they’re waiting? Maybe we should just all go now.”

Laurel shook her head. “No. I can handle getting away from Drake’s goons. He’s not back yet, but he might be soon, so we need to hurry.”

“You sure?” Nick sounded skeptical. Given what she had witnessed from Drake, Jackie felt the same way.

“Nick, you are as different here as you are in the living world. Trust me, if Drake was back, I’d know.” Laurel straightened up and closed her eyes. “See you soon. Be ready.”

Without a chance to even wish her luck, Laurel vanished from sight. A shiver rippled through Jackie’s body again, clenching her body into an even harder knot. “Shit.”

“She’ll be back,” Nick said. “She knows what she’s doing.”

“Any clue what you’re going to do when you get there?”

He was silent for a moment. “No.”

“You don’t give a dying girl much confidence.”

“We’ll get you back home, Jackie.”

Yeah, right. She did not voice the opinion, and let herself sag against Nick’s chest, feeling a swell of tears push up behind her eyes. “This isn’t how I want to go.”

“You aren’t going to die in this place,” he said, his arm pulling her more snugly against him.

Tears welled up, and Jackie tried to blink them away. Somehow even blinking was painful. “You don’t know that. I can tell I’m dying here, Nick. Don’t placate me, you’ll piss me off.”

“All right,” he said, a mixture of sympathy and annoyance in his voice. “You’re dying, and I am truly sorry for that. This mess is mine, and I tried to keep you out of it, but that didn’t happen. I don’t know how the hell we’re getting out of here, but I’m going to do my damnedest to get you back and patched up.”

Jackie started to laugh and then groaned at the pain it induced. “Better, and don’t blame yourself. You warned me, but that didn’t really matter, now, did it?”

“No, I suppose not. You’re too pigheaded to do what’s best for you.”

“Fuck you. Am not.”

He chuckled. “It’s okay. It’s one of your more endearing qualities.”

“You’re an obstinate prick, too, you know.”

The sarcasm in his voice vanished. “See, perfect match. No wonder I like you.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

“You don’t like yourself much, do you, Agent Rutledge?”

“Are we having a counseling session now? Because I’m not in the mood.”

“No, but you sell yourself short. There’s a lot about you to like, regardless of what’s happened to you. You think Laurel would love you otherwise?”

“Laurel was… is my friend. You’re supposed to love them despite their faults.”

“Exactly.”

“And your point is?”

“You’re a good person. You’re smart, attractive, and stand up for what you feel is right. You also are stubborn enough to chase down injustice, no matter the cost.” He paused, and it was quiet enough that Jackie could hear him swallow. He continued, much quieter. “All the women I’ve loved have been like that.”

“Thanks, I think.” Did he just say he loves me? That can’t be right. “I’ll admit, you’re not like any guy I’ve ever met before.” She wished the comfort of leaning into his body would provide more relief. She liked the feeling, but her body refused to relax. If anything, her shivering just kept getting worse.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Jackie put her arm around Nick’s waist, hugging herself to him. “It is. God, why can’t you vampires be warmer? This sucks so bad.”

His arm shifted behind her back, and Jackie felt herself roll over in his lap until she looked up into his face. “Look at me, Jackie.” He tapped a finger next to those radiant blue eyes. “Let me try to ease that pain a bit.”

“You going to hypnotize it away, Sheriff?”

He shrugged. “I can try. It hurts to see you like this. I want to try.”

Jackie’s eyes watered up again, and a tear trickled down her temple. “You stop this shivering, and I’ll kiss you right now.”

“Deal,” he said and brought his lean, strong hands down to cup her face. “Just keep looking up here, Jackie. Think calm, warm thoughts. Wrap yourself up in a blanket by the fire. Bask in the afternoon sun. Trust me. My warmth is yours.”

His face inched down toward hers as he spoke, and Jackie tried to think warm thoughts. A fire would have been a wonderful thing about now, if it would indeed have made a difference. She continued to look into the bottomless depths of those eyes, sensing that they were beginning to glow brighter the longer and deeper she stared. His hands did indeed feel slightly warmer-not much, but any warmth in this place was a blessing.

“I think it’s working,” she said, her voice a whisper from somewhere far away.