Page 77 of Kiss of Light

“Sure. As badly as you ever did.”

He tried to laugh but it turned into a cough.

“Do me a favour. Inside pocket. Metal tin.”

She groped in his leather coat and found the tin. Inside were three ampoules with capped needles. She raised a brow.

“You carry morphine?”

“I’m only human, gorgeous.” His face was grey with pain. “I don’t heal like you do.”

Tala uncapped one of the needles and jammed it into his thigh. His eyes closed for a moment in relief.

“Fuck, that’s better.”

“You’re an idiot, Blake.”

“Always did like your bedside manner.”

“Why the hell did you make a deal with Ravij?”

“Thought I’d win the contract. Didn’t realise he wanted to off you too.”

Tala leaned forward and kissed his forehead gently.

“I’ll make sure you get a reward for your selfless action. You big dummy.”

“Love you too, Blue-Eyes. Though I’m not sure I’m getting off this rock anytime soon.”

“We’ll see about that. Where’s your phone?”

“Right pocket.”

Tala called 911 and asked for a medevac helicopter.

“They’re on the way,” she told Blake. “Here. Keep the phone close. You can talk them in.”

She pressed it onto his hand, noticing how cold his skin was. He was losing too much blood.

She undid his belt. She expected some smart-arse remark about how she was taking advantage of him, but his eyes had closed.

Quickly, she used the leather strap to make a tourniquet round the leg that was bleeding, pulling it tight with a sharp yank.

That woke him up.

He yelled in pain and she jammed another morphine dose into his leg.

“Don’t be a baby,” she admonished him. But she was worried by how ill he looked. “I’ll be right back.”

Gritting her teeth, she sighted in the direction Lemar had gone. Her leg was finally healing but shimmering still hurt like hell.

At least she didn’t feel like throwing up this time.

“Lemar, where are you?”

“Here.”

His voice came from behind a rock. She limped round it to find him staring grimly at Ravij. The demon was pinned to the rockface.

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