I am the only one sitting in Daniel Owens' hospital room. I am sitting next
to the bed he is in. Burke and Beady are busy on clean-up in Janette
Hastings' apartment. They let me stay here.
I don't love Daniel Owens. Some of the time I don't even like him. But he is my friend.
I look like a mummy. My left arm is in a sling and my right arm is bandaged. There is some sort of cooling salve in the bandages to help with my burns. They hurt, but there are other things that hurt worse.
I have called Devon Rayne and he walks in the door. He looks as good as before. His eyes travel across to Owens.
Owens' brown hair is ruffled. He has bed hair. He is 5'6'', only just taller than me. He has brown eyes that never stop laughing. Except now. He is wearing blue hospital pajamas and looks like death warmed up. There are more scratches and bruises on him than there is unmarred skin. Many of them are deep.
In that moment I feel sorry for humans. They are only mortal, and they have us to deal with. There are now two of our squad members in comas.
Devon looks at me and says nothing.
"Didn't you say you believed we should be keeping a low profile?" I ask him. My voice is low and sullen. I am taking in every scratch on Owens' body and making it a personal vendetta.
I haven't even been in this body a week.
"I did say that," Devon agrees, just as solemn.
I meet his eyes. I know mine are angry now. Raging. "Does this look like fucking low profile!?"
Devon rests a hand on the bed frame. "No, no it doesn't," he says.
"You have to help me kill this thing." I am too fresh, too new. I haven't been here long enough. I cannot beat Janette's killer. But maybe Devon Rayne can. I know he is powerful. I have seen it, I have felt it.
Devon says, "This one is almost as powerful as I am. Do you know what you are asking of me."
"Yes. Yes I do."
He asks me, "Why do you care so much about them."
"You don't care?" It is a stupid question. We fought for mankind and were sent to hell as our punishment. Whichever way you look at it, we care.
Devon gives an exaggerated sigh. He says, "Yes I care." I'm not sure his caring is the same as mine.
He puts a hand on Owens. I try not to get agitated that he is touching my friend. Owens' colour changes. He looks slightly less deathly. Some of his cuts begin to heal over. I wonder if the change is real or not. I didn't think Rayne had the power to heal, but he has the power to change appearances.
"Why did you do that?"
"Why do you punish yourself?"
"What do you mean?" I know what he means.
"God made us the way we are, Jacqueline." Damn, he has found out my full name. "If he is truly perfect, and he has made us, then he can only have meant us to be flawed." I can't argue with his logic, but words can be misleading. I am not going to agree with him.
Devon says, "I will help you destroy your killer." He pulls his hood up on his cloak, and doesn't look at me before he leaves.
I don't love Daniel Owens. Some of the time I don't even like him. But he is my friend.
I look like a mummy. My left arm is in a sling and my right arm is bandaged. There is some sort of cooling salve in the bandages to help with my burns. They hurt, but there are other things that hurt worse.
I have called Devon Rayne and he walks in the door. He looks as good as before. His eyes travel across to Owens.
Owens' brown hair is ruffled. He has bed hair. He is 5'6'', only just taller than me. He has brown eyes that never stop laughing. Except now. He is wearing blue hospital pajamas and looks like death warmed up. There are more scratches and bruises on him than there is unmarred skin. Many of them are deep.
In that moment I feel sorry for humans. They are only mortal, and they have us to deal with. There are now two of our squad members in comas.
Devon looks at me and says nothing.
"Didn't you say you believed we should be keeping a low profile?" I ask him. My voice is low and sullen. I am taking in every scratch on Owens' body and making it a personal vendetta.
I haven't even been in this body a week.
"I did say that," Devon agrees, just as solemn.
I meet his eyes. I know mine are angry now. Raging. "Does this look like fucking low profile!?"
Devon rests a hand on the bed frame. "No, no it doesn't," he says.
"You have to help me kill this thing." I am too fresh, too new. I haven't been here long enough. I cannot beat Janette's killer. But maybe Devon Rayne can. I know he is powerful. I have seen it, I have felt it.
Devon says, "This one is almost as powerful as I am. Do you know what you are asking of me."
"Yes. Yes I do."
He asks me, "Why do you care so much about them."
"You don't care?" It is a stupid question. We fought for mankind and were sent to hell as our punishment. Whichever way you look at it, we care.
Devon gives an exaggerated sigh. He says, "Yes I care." I'm not sure his caring is the same as mine.
He puts a hand on Owens. I try not to get agitated that he is touching my friend. Owens' colour changes. He looks slightly less deathly. Some of his cuts begin to heal over. I wonder if the change is real or not. I didn't think Rayne had the power to heal, but he has the power to change appearances.
"Why did you do that?"
"Why do you punish yourself?"
"What do you mean?" I know what he means.
"God made us the way we are, Jacqueline." Damn, he has found out my full name. "If he is truly perfect, and he has made us, then he can only have meant us to be flawed." I can't argue with his logic, but words can be misleading. I am not going to agree with him.
Devon says, "I will help you destroy your killer." He pulls his hood up on his cloak, and doesn't look at me before he leaves.