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."Green would call me every sunset, because that's when we missed Adrian the most, and we'd talk for an hour, and then he'd have to go.And then you'd call, about an hour later…and you weren't my lover, and you didn't want anything from me, and there was no pain between us…and we just talked.We just talked about anything…music and classes and stupid television shows and action adventure movies…" I shook my head."I treasured your phone calls, you stupid dork—they came to mean something to me because you weren't my lover, and you still wanted to be around me, and you've seen enough of Cory the Superbitch to know that this is a big fucking deal…" The angle of his head had changed, and I could tell he was listening, and that impassioned me more."And besides! This thing you're doing with Green—you're taking my love to him in your body—you realize that we both have to love you for you to do that, right? It may not be the kind of love you dreamed about as a little kid, but you're nourishing both of us…and that's an important thing! You know that, right? That you're important to us?" And I was already weak with tears and, goddammit, nothing could stop them."You couldn't be who you are to Green and I if you were only a human battery,” I said on another sniffle, and suddenly it was Nicky holding me, and not Bracken.His body was slight, and mortal, and small, but he loved me, and he loved my beloved.Everything I'd told him was true, and I gave back his hug with sincerity, and even with the sexual attraction that had bloomed to life the other night, and he returned in kind.Then his mouth was covering mine, and it wasn't a passionate kiss, it was a kiss of friends who happened to be lovers, and it was just right.He broke away for a moment, and we held the hug."Thank you, Cory,” he said softly."Don't worry.I'll take care of him for us, okay?”"Okay, Nicky," I murmured."I love you—maybe not the way you want, but it's still love.”"It's more than I could ask for,” he said back, kindly.He kissed me again, and turned around back down the hall.I watched his slender form walk away, and couldn't help worry about how sad it was, that Nicky hadn't thought to ask for someone to love him the way I loved Green or Bracken—doesn't everybody deserve a beloved? But time was pressing, and I could ask him that when he got back, and for now, right now, Nicky would be okay.And, hey, for the moment anyway, the tears were pushed away.Sweet's door was still locked, and indeterminate sounds of either grief or love-making were coming through it, so I had to table Ellen Beth's plight for a while.I said goodbye to Nicky, Leah, and Willow (a tall, well, willowy sidhe with pale green skin, silver-brown hair and willow-bark silver eyes), cautioning them to switch drivers often, let Ellis (who was safe in the trunk of the Caddy already) drive at night, and stop if they needed to.I kissed Nicky goodbye again, on the mouth, with tongue, and made sure they all had mine and Arturo's numbers in their cell phones, then shooed them on their way so I could herd us students out the door as well.As I put my black pea-coat on over my green hooded sweatshirt and gathered the others to me, I told Arturo to call me on my cell phone at school if anything came up.Officer Max came into the living room as we were getting ready to leave and put his hands on Renny's shoulders, pulling her back against him."I'll drive too," he offered."In case you and Bracken need to leave.”I was going to tell him that's not necessary, but judging by the way Renny was rubbing against him, I figured that she needed more comfort than Bracken or I could give her, and that to Renny, it was probably vital."Thank you,” I said softly, looking at Renny's misery."That's really awesome of you, Max.”"Any time, Lady Cory," he returned, his mouth quirking up.At that moment Bracken came in, hauling my backpack and his, and looking at me with narrowed eyes.I wasn't sure what he was mad about until he set my pack down with a thump and a raised eyebrow and said "Go ahead.Lift it up.I dare you.”Between the knitting, the running gear, the four bottles of water, the three textbooks and the binder, it must have weighed around thirty-five pounds.I hauled it up with an "oomph" sound, and was throwing it around my back to catch the other strap when Bracken launched into a monologue of profanity that heated even my cheeks, and plucked the pack off my back.Throwing it up over his own shoulder—the one not carrying his own pack, he finished up with a snort and a "Damned stubborn woman.”"Thank you,” I said sheepishly, and he snorted again, and finally we all managed to get out the door.The day was a blur of note taking and knitting during lectures to stay awake— the latter earned me a couple of dirty looks from professors, but I've discovered I listen better when I knit so screw 'em.At nearly twelve-thirty, I left Bracken in the library—with my back pack, at his surly insistence—and walked to the psyche building where Professor Hallow's office was situated.As I trotted dutifully through the chill sunshine and plentiful shadows, I realized that I'd been dreading this little conversation all day.Hallow was waiting for me, the promised pizza sitting on his desk still in a box, and I had to laugh."You didn't really need to feed me,” I said, a little embarrassed, as I sat down."I did if I wanted to live," Hallow said back lightly.Then, seriously, "You look like hell, Corinne…Lady Cory.Bad night?”I grimaced.This was, sadly, probably going to hurt him more than it hurt me.The story of the night came pouring out, and I was right.By the time I had finished up with Green's new friend, and his postponed trip home, Hallow was pale, and lines of grief had begun to pull at the corner of his mouth and his eyes."I'm so sorry,” I said at last."I know that was hard to hear—that's how Jon went out, isn't it?”Hallow shook his head."I don't know, actually.I just…I felt him die in my heart.You know how that feels?”Yes.Adrian had marked twice before he died and once as his soul left his body—any mark like that, like the one between Bracken and I, or between Nicky and I—well, when the person who shared that mark is gone, it leaves a big gaping whole in…everything.Your heart.Your soul.Reality at large."Yes,” I said after a moment."Yes I know.I'm really sorry you had to go through that.Is there anything we can do?”Hallow dragged a hand over his face, lost in his own pain, I guess
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