Page 22 of Icy Heart, Empty Chest
He sent me a grim look and kept searching. The top two desk drawers were open and were mostly writing tools. The bottom was locked.
I flicked out the locks again, my breath hitching when it opened to find a black box, the size of a lunch box, with padding and holes in the casing for a possible lock.
He came to lean over me. I sighed. “False alarm. Possible transport implement? Looks homemade though.” I ran my fingers over the edging.
He let out a frustrated breath. I still hadn’t let out mine. It felt real now. Not like we were playing detective as kids but we were trying to find a real tangible piece of Damien that was out there in this world. It was a sobering realization. I looked back up at him with a pang going through me.
“OK, so the hospital was a bust. Let’s get out of here.”
We backtracked upstairs, returning the cart and getting to our separate bathrooms. I put my coat back on and let the bun down into its braided form.
Damien was out first.
I pulled out my phone.
“We don’t need a cab,” he said.
“We don’t?”
“Nope. We’re going to run.”
I stopped, turning around to glare. “The only time I run is when I’m late to work or when I’m being attacked by a bear.”
“Come with me,” he said. I followed him outside to the steps and we started walking.
“You’re confusing. This is what the rest of us fae call walking.”
He hung back for a second and I suddenly felt a push at my mid-back.
I turned around to see a giant greenish horse with almost black eyes and swishing tail. I was a little dumbstruck; I hadn’t seen his horse form in a while.
He knelt this giant form down and gestured with his large head to get on the back. I sighed. I forgot how stubborn he could be when he wanted something.
“This is not inconspicuous, Damien.”
He just blinked at me slowly.
I sighed again and straddled his back, leaning forward to put my arms around his neck.
“If you drop me, I swear on my father’s grave, I will curse your skin light glittery pink for the next hundred years.”
He let out a small whinny in response and got up from the ground. I cursed slightly, not used to the movement. He tossed his head as if to laugh at my balance issues and then started to move. A slow trot through the parking lot and out on the main road he started to pick up speed until we were at a full run. All of the buildings I had seen previously were now brick blurs with quick passing streetlights.
I could feel his raw power, back muscles flexing, the strength in his legs. He was running as if a demon was on his tail.
I wasn’t sure if I was hurting him by holding on to some of his mane hair but I had to sit up more. I felt off balance. I put my arms pushing on either side of his lower neck for stability. I had a feeling he wouldn’t even tell me if I was yanking too hard. The sound of his hooves hitting the street was rhythmic and felt a bit soothing, the percussion in a song.
Finally, after about ten minutes of familiar sites, he slowed in my apartment’s parking lot, walked forward toward my door. He knelt down to let me off his back at the stairwell. With a slight shimmer, he was back to being a man, a man who was gasping for breath and sweating profusely. He took a step toward my stairs and promptly collapsed.
CHAPTER 6
“Damien!” I shrieked.
He rolled on his back, breathing heavily. “Get me inside, would you? That was a lot of exertion.”
“That you brought on yourself!” I snapped. A fire rushed through me. Dumb-ass horse, what was he thinking? He didn’t have a working heart and he was pushing his luck as is! If this bullshit didn’t end up killing him, I definitely would.
I knelt and put his arm over my shoulder, pushing off the pavement. Gods he was heavy and I really needed to go back to the gym. He helped me walk him slowly up the steps and in, choosing to sprawl on my rug in the living room area. His hand went to his chest and he grimaced. I knelt at his side, glancing down at his sweaty form.
