Page 63 of From the Noblest Motives
A bit of time got away from Shudder, since he found himself on his back with his bad leg elevated on something soft. Moss under his hand. Stars through the branches. In that hell-white prison, he'd been afraid he'd lost the stars.
Blaze held his hand, whisper-babbling at him, “I shouldn't have crammed you in the back of the truck. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
My big, bad Blaze. Don't cry.
After a moment, Shudder realized he hadn't said that out loud, but he couldn't get his words to work quite yet. He settled for squeezing Blaze's hand and trying to shoot Damien a speaking look, which, naturally, Damien met with a blank stare, since there's only so much one can say with a blurry-visioned look.
“I'm okay," he finally managed. “The leg was just mad at me, but I don't think where I was sitting would've changed that."
“All right." Damien's expression softened a hair as he bent forward to kiss Shudder's forehead, leaving a warm, sunlit patch in that one spot. He straightened and raised his voice, for Damien, at any rate. “Everyone find a spot and try to get some sleep. Four hours. Then we should move again. I'll watch."
“I should—" Blaze tried to protest.
“No."
“But there's proximity—"
“No. You're driving. I know how proximity alarms work. Go to sleep."
Damien in command mode did all sorts of inappropriate things to Shudder since he wasn't in any shape to act on the suggestions his body was making, but the unsaid things were interesting, too. Apparently, Blaze still refused to let anyone else drive his stupid old truck.
Grumbling, Blaze spread out the sleeping bag and lay down beside Shudder, sliding a protective arm across his stomach. That, from Shudder's point of view, was the perfect thing to do. Nice to have dispensed with the whole ex-boyfriend thing to replace it with… whatever this lovely thing was now.
He must have slept, but it felt like seconds had passed before Damien was gently shaking him awake again.
“We have to go. Dr. Parma's waiting."
“Is she?" Shudder struggled to sit up and realized Blaze's arm was still holding him down. “Hey, tall, bright, and flamey. You have to let me up, hon."
More grumbling, but Blaze got up to help the kids secure the few things they'd taken out of the truck. He stomped around growling, but the kids just seemed to accept that was how he was and didn't appear at all frightened of him.
“Can you stand?" Damien asked as he slid an arm around Shudder to assist. “I want to get you in the front seat."
"Boys usually try to get me in thebackseat, but I'm flexible," Shudder grunted as he leaned on Damien and heaved to his feet. "Well. Usually."
"No flexibility. Just forward motion." Damien steadied him and proceeded patiently as Shudder limped toward the truck. "Any better?"
"Walking and not passing out is better, definitely." Shudder glanced over to meet Damien's frown. "Seriously. Yes. The rest helped, thank you. Something's on your mind, beautiful. You don't say as much as some people, but thoughts zip around in your eyes."
"Interesting visual. Let's get you settled first."
By which Damien probably meant,Let's get where no one will overhear us. Shudder was more certain with every step that he didn't want to hear whatever it was. When Damien half lifted him into the passenger seat of the truck and took both Shudder's hands, he was absolutely sure he didn't.
"My father's talent…" Damien wouldn't look at him, instead choosing to stare at their joined hands. "His has additional…"
"Features? Unexpected add-ons?"
Damien nodded and took a deep breath. "He can persuade. Implant a need to do what he suggests."
Cyril needs me…"Oh gods. He did that to me, didn't he?" Shudder pulled his hands away to hide his face in them. "Shit, shit, shit. And it's still there. Cyril needs me in front of the press. It just… feels like something Ineedto do. That Ishoulddo."
"I'm so sorry."
The agony in Damien's voice made Shudder force himself to lift his head. "You didn't do it. Sweetie, I know. You'll say he's your father. That I wouldn't have met him except for you. Stop it. Right now. You searched for me. Youcamefor me and pulled me out of the swamp. No more."
"All right." One shuddering breath, and Damien's expression reverted to a stone mask. "All right."
"Does it, ah, go away?" Shudder had another horrifying thought. "Can hetrackme, the kids, all of us, with it?"
