Page 25 of The Labyrinth
“Stop complaining.”
He reached down to the controls and slid his seat back, before waving her over.Sitting on his lap, she took over the wheel, lifting herself up a little so he could move.Luckily, it was stop and go, and it only took a minute for her to adjust her seat.
“See?”he taunted.“Easy-peasy.”
Marion rolled her eyes.Then he winced again and let out a little groan.He instructed her how to get to his penthouse, and with each mile the pallor in his face faded.He winced less and less.When she finally pulled into the underground car park, Deacon looked like his old self.
“Are you better?”she asked.
“Yes.Thank you.”He turned his head and met her stare.“It’s a very painful way to die.”
“Hold up.You can die from this?”
“Yep.”He raised an eyebrow.“Now you know my kryptonite.”
“Do you need to get to your labyrinth?”
“Yes, but you don’t have to come with me.I can give you my key card.”
“No, I’m helping you.”
“You are so stubborn.”
“You’ve said that before.Takes one to know one, you know.”
“Shut up and help me out.”
Marion smirked as she left the driver’s side and went around to help him out.He took a deep breath and after a moment nodded.She slid her arm around his back, helping him to stay upright.
“You’re going above and beyond helping me.”
She wasn’t a short person, standing about five foot nine, but he had about four or five inches on her.“You’re my investment.”
“Go ahead, flatter me some more.”
They made their way to the elevator, only waiting a minute or two for the car to arrive.They got on and she pressed for the ground level.
“I like your horns.”
All he did was raise an eyebrow.
“I never thought I’d say that in my life.I’ll never look at a bull again and not think, ‘Hm, maybe that’s a person.’So, thank you for that.”
“You’re welcome.”
The elevator opened and when they stepped out, he gave the concierge and security a wave as they left the building.They only had to cross two streets, and they’d be in Central Park.
“You’ll have to guide me,” she said.
He pointed in the right direction.
“What are we going to do about that processing plant?”she asked, feeling her stomach roll a little at the thought.“Who can we tell?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?You don’t know what to do or you don’t know who to tell?”
“Either.”He pointed in another direction.“I mean, we have a resource center to help humans who know about us, but I don’t think they can handle this.Shifters aren’t governed by a central authority.”
