Page 49 of Abducting Sarah

“She would have hated to hear you say that about her, but that’s not how I meant it,” Jac said. “What I mean is, she wouldn’t want either of us to die in a combat for her. She’s not that kind of person. She would hate the winner for that.”

I rubbed my fingers across my forehead. “Then, how do we move forward?”

Cautiously, Jac asked, “What if we were to share her?”

My frown furrowed painfully into my face. “How…how would that work, exactly?”

“I’m not sure. It is pointless to fight each other, leaving one of us dead and the other one with her disdain for eternity, when we could share her instead.” His shoulder lifted in a slight shrug. “I think…all three of us could be happy. If I’m being honest with you…I had the time of my life with her during the pomp and my only regret is that it doesn’t happen every day.”

I sat back in my chair and thought about the pomp. It had been great fun to share her then.Why wouldn’t it be fun to share her going forward? “You don’t think the singular nature of the pomp added something to your fun with her?” I asked Jac.

“That had nothing to do with any of it. It was being with Sarah and sharingherwithyou—not Kapok—that I enjoyed. I’ve thought about it every second since it happened. I know what I want, Deacon.”

The door opened and Ode walked in, interrupting our interesting conversation. “You were supposed to call me when the patient woke up.”

“He distracted me,” I muttered, his unconventional suggestion still tumbling through my brain.

She smirked and removed our connecting tubing, before examining Jac. “How are you feeling?”

“Like someone stabbed me in the heart.”

“That’s because someone did.” She used another jet injector, this time on his chest. I watched as his body reknitted that hole so it was gone. “But your wounds are healing well and there was no poison on the bone knife. I expect you to be on your feet within the hour or less. You’ll be sore for a few days, though, so no lifting weights, no running around and taking bone knives to the heart.”

Jac chuckled, then winced. “Thank you, Ode.”

She shook her head then pointed to me. “Thank Deacon. He’s the one who got you here, got you help, and gave you his blood to save you. He even cleaned you up.”

Jac smiled and shifted his gaze to mine. “You did all that?”

“Had nothing better to do,” I teased.

She rolled her eyes and gave me a pointed look. “You two should stop hanging around each other so much. You’re starting to sound like Jac.”

“There are much worse things in the world, Ode,” I said. “Almost had one of them today.”

She nodded and smiled. “Rest, Jac. I’ll check on you in a while.” She left us alone again, but this time, she left the door open.

I gave him an amused grin. “Must think you’re on the mend, if she’s leaving the door open for people to see you.”

He smirked. “Yeah. If I was gonna die, she wouldn’t let anyone see her failure.”

I nodded in agreement, then sobered, wanting to revisit our interrupted discussion. “Were you serious about sharing Sarah? Or was that the massive blood loss talking?”

“I was serious. And let’s face it, if I’m healed, I would totally kick your ass in an antagony, so you should take me up on the offer.”

I laughed hard. “Is that right?”

He grinned and shrugged, before he winced again. “That shot Ode gave me is working, but now my wound itches when I move.”

“She’s a great doctor. You are lucky to have her.”

“And I’m lucky to haveyou, Deacon. Thank you for saving my life.”

“Of course.” I paused for a moment, then added, “And thank you for saving Sarah’s.”

“Always.” He sighed. “Is Predict dead?”

“She has been born to the ether, yes,” I assured him of her fate. “My father did it.”

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