Page 55 of The Bull's Head

“Yesterday, I think.” He turned to Teddy. “Wasn’t it?”

Teddy bit his lip and shook his head. “It was almost a week ago.”

That wasn’t possible. “No, it can’t be.”

“Do you remember attacking Teddy?” Gwyneth asked.

“What? I would never!” Byk shouted, lurching up.

“Hey, calm down,” Teddy insisted. “Don’t worry about it, just relax.” He turned his attention to the very tall woman. “Can you please show some tact?”

She shrugged. “Probably not, but I’ll give it a go.”

“When did I attack you?”

“It doesn’t matter. I need you to?—”

“When did I attack you, damn it?”

Teddy slid a hand over Byk’s cheek. His fingers brushed against hair, but Byk knew he couldn’t grow one that quickly. He’d really been out of it for a week?

“The day of your… episode. We were at a bar, and?—”

“What? But why? I don’t drink.”

Teddy grimaced. “We should tell him. He deserves to know.”

“Know what? You’re scaring me.”

“You see,” Gwyneth began, but Byk cut her off.

“I need Teddy to tell me what’s going on.” He gripped Teddy’s hand. “Please.”

So, haltingly, Teddy did. He explained about the files they’d found, about how they’d done something to Cooper’s brain and implanted bits of it into Byk’s head.

“Is that why I keep hearing him?”

“Very likely,” Gwyneth answered. “Can you still hear him?”

Byk nodded. “Like his voice is far away, but close enough to whisper in my ear.”

“And what does he say?”

“Nasty, vile things. He—I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Fair enough,” Teddy said.

“I spoke with my friend. She thinks they were either trying to find a way to transplant memories, or make it so that Cooper would overwrite Call—Byk’s mind, in essence becoming Cooper, but in a new body.”

Byk covered his eyes with his hands. He wanted to blot all of this out, to say it couldn’t be true. He knew better, though. He could hear Cooper. Feel him. Was it possible he could become his brother? Would Byk cease to exist?

Was it possible his love for Teddy could die?

Chapter 18

Two days later, Gwyneth told Teddy he could take Byk home. She said he had to keep him calm, make sure he rested, and that Teddy should be with him at all times. Before he could say anything, Mal told him he was relieved of his duties for the immediate future. Gratefully, Teddy hugged Mal, who stiffened for a moment, then returned the embrace.

“Take care of him, okay?”

---