“Not yet.”
“Was part of your initiation beatin’ Indigo to death?”
“Not directly.”
I grabbed the back of his collar and dragged him to his feet. “You’re about to develop a complicated relationship with solid food.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
I punched him once and a few teeth flew to the ground as he screamed, and blood gushed from his mouth. They were the first of many he’d lose before I was done with him.
* * *
Indigo
Iheard a cry, notentirely registering it was mine, as pain shot through my face and head.
“Something’s wrong,” Leo said, panic in his voice.
“Okay, honey, we got her.”
The woman’s voice was soft, it was sweet, and that was the last thing I remembered before I fell into blissful nothingness.
* * *
“She’s not wakin’ up, Jekyll,” Leo whispered.
“She will, bud, you just gotta let her heal.”
“What if she doesn’t?” Leo asked.
I’m here,I said in my head, but every thought just induced pain.
“She’s gonna wake up, Leo. Swear to Christ.”
I want to wake up now.
“She’s crying, Jekyll. Why is she crying?”
I am? God, everything hurts.
Blackness surrounded me again and I leaned into it.
* * *
Icame to in stages, hearing the quiet whispers of more than one person in the room. I couldn’t stop a groan as I tried to open my eyes.
“Hey, sweet girl,” my father whispered, and I felt someone squeeze my hand.
“Daddy?”
“Can you open your eyes,mo stoirín?”
I smiled. Irish to the core, he always called me his little darling when he wanted me to do something he considered important.
“I can’t, Papa.”
“Try.” His voice was a little deeper this time and I took a deep breath.
