Page 35 of From the Noblest Motives
"I know, Twitch." Blaze buckled in and started the truck. "But it's not like we can take him to a clinic."
The truck began to move, though slowly, probably Blaze getting them off the road. Silence came from the front seat, though Shudder could hear brain gears spinning. He wished he had something to suggest.
Finally, Damien said softly, "I'm calling him."
"You're serious?" Blaze asked. "You sure we can trust that fucker? I mean…sorry. I didn't—"
"You did. And you're right." Rustling from Damien's side of the truck. Pulling something out of a pocket? "But he's our best choice right now. The enemy of my enemy."
The rhythmic sounds that followed had to be Damien tapping out a message on his palm phone. Then silence again for maybe an entire two minutes before the phone pinged. A couple of puzzled grunts later, Blaze stopped the truck.
"He really likes his map coordinates." Blaze snorted and brought up the map function on his windscreen. He tapped numbers into the heads-up and the map zoomed in. "Looks like it's a little south of old Nashville. Be about seven hours if we do hover mode. Maybe a little more if we have to go around towns."
"I'll tell him we're coming." Damien went back to tapping, then he let out a sharp bark of laughter. "He's already disabled the number."
"I'm impressed. A whole new species of paranoia." Blaze turned around to Shudder. "You up for a drive, Shuds? Need anything? Snack?"
"I'm fine. I'll just sleep. Who are we going to see?"
Blaze huffed out a breath, glanced at Damien, looked back, and said, "Damien's sperm donor."
"Oh. Really? I thought…"Isn't he dead? No, that was Damien's mom. "I didn't…"
"I'll explain later." Damien turned around to spread a blanket over Shudder. "He has a safe house. There's a healer."
The fever might have been spiking again. Shudder's head felt stuffed with wool, and his skin felt too tight. "I'm glad you came to find me. You always have plans."
Damien smoothed the blanket with a little pat—Damien forit'll be okay. Shudder's last thought before he dropped back into sleep was that he was not, absolutely not, looking into getting an ornithopter.
Without the precise coordinates,the house would have been difficult to find, even from the air. There was a suggestion of a drive still, once one spotted it behind a screen of ancient rhododendron giants. Blaze took them around to a spot where the branches thinned so he wouldn't put a conspicuous hole in the natural fence with his truck.
Damien leaned out the window, keeping a sharp eye out. The grounds were overgrown with ferns and ivy, the towering cedars and sycamores blocking out what remained of the day. As they crept back to the impression of an old drive, the ground opened up to allow them to drive at more than a crawl.
"There." Damien pointed into the gloom. He could just make out the shape of a columned porch ahead of them.
Now that they were coming closer, he spotted light peeking out from the corners of windows with the curtains drawn, and the house became more visible by degrees. Damien had expected a house, maybe an old one with classical revival touches, but the dimensions of the building kept expanding as they approached. Not a house, but a mansion, most likely a pre-war estate long forgotten and left to molder while the grounds became a forest.
"Nice little place." Blaze slowed, probably searching for signs of possible ambush. "You think we need to go around to the servants' entrance?"
How would we know what the servants' entrance was? "I—"Joke. It was a joke. "I think we're expected."
Blaze gave him an odd look, but Damien nodded to the front door, which had opened just enough to let a sliver of light slip out. Vines hung from the porch, obscuring the view of the doorway, and climbed the walls in dark abundance. In the shifting evening light, the effect was disturbing, as if the vines were actively climbing the walls and would grab for anyone who came in reach. The newest trend in homes—air of abandonment.
"Shudder." Damien reached back to give him a shake. "We're here. Do you want to walk?"
"Here? Where?" Shudder startled and sat up, clutching his head. "Oh.Herehere. I, um… Give me a minute."
A frustrated growl came from Blaze as he eased the truck close to the porch, shut it down, and raced around to open Shudder's door before he could get too far. "He didn't mean you had to, idiot."
"I know, Blazey. I just… I… I…"
The fever had obviously spiked again. Shudder's eyes were too bright, wandering in confusion, and the rings underneath stood out like tar on snow against his too-pale skin. He turned and put his head on Blaze's shoulder. That was as far as he got.
"Got it." With a soft grunt, Blaze lifted Shudder out of the truck and motioned with his head for Damien to get the door to the house.
The door opened before he reached it, and Cyril stepped out. "I was just wondering if you'd make it tonight. Hurry inside, please. Let's not leave the light showing for longer than necessary."
The inside of the house showed neglect as well, but while the wallpaper was peeling, and the ceiling showed a bit of flaking plaster, someone had obviously made an effort to sweep and dust. The carpets were barely worthy of the name, but the grand staircase still dominated the front hall with its curving sweep to the second floor.
