Nilsson turned as one of the techs tapped him on the shoulder. I got a bad feeling as she flashed him something that appeared to be a blood-smeared driver’s license. Her gaze darted toward me, and she nervously smoothed a gloved hand down her black overalls. Cold laughter seethed through my mind—Abe’s malicious amusement. Would he try to fuck me? On the last case, only Noble finding my badge had saved my ass. Why the fuck hadn’t I come over here instead of wasting my nights off building a love nest to fuck in?Hell’s sake, this is bad.
“Hey, Nilsson? I need to go grab my phone from the car,” I said, knowing full well it was tucked inside a pocket of my coat.
Nilsson nodded and smiled, but his expression was green around the edges.
As fast as I could without running, I exited the room. A few sniggers followed me because it probably looked like I was scooting off to get sick somewhere in peace, which was fine. I’d barely stepped out of the front door of the Quicksilver to pull huge gulps of cold air into my lungs, when I tugged out my wallet and opened it fast. The long golden light of the late-afternoon sun gleamed on the clear license holder, which was empty. On the street, cars buzzed slower than usual past the yellow police tape sectioning off the sidewalk, and more than one set of eyes caught my gaze as I glared outward while rage trickled through me.
“You fucking idiot. Why would you want to get me caught? Youareme.”
There was a flash of an old-timey electric chair through my mind, and more amusement from Abe. He’d somehow managed to slither further out of the mental box I normally stuffed him in. I jolted at the realization that he seemed to be more a part of my mind than usual and less of an outside entity. What the hell was going on? Did this happen because I purposefully let him out when it wasn’t his rightful time? I gave myself the beginnings of a migraine trying to force him away from my thoughts. It was like shoving at a cow blocking a road, but eventually he went.
Fucking Abe.“They don’t even use those chairs anymore. I die, you die, idiot. We’re in the same body. Have you forgotten? We’re one and the same, physically.”
I got back some vague confusion from his end. Did Abe finally crack?
“Eh, fuck. This is what I get for taking revenge.” I shook my head, and panic settled inside my chest, a rabid, clawing animal. I didn’t want to lose this life I’d built. My job was satisfying. My apartment was okay. Nilsson was nearly a friend. Most importantly, I’d never had someone like Noble… or at least, I didn’t think so.
Knowing it was a bad idea, I cast back through my true memories, looking for signs of someone important, anyone who had meant something to me. Gritting my teeth, I kept going as pain like an axe to the top of my head sent me to one knee. I held my temples and stayed put, struggling with my memories. Finally I let the attempt go. Throbbing agony ripped through my mind that didn’t dissipate when I stopped reaching for thoughts that hadn’t originated in this body. Noble made mehappy. I couldn’t remember anyone who’d pleased me so well physically or matched my personality the way he did.
“You okay there, Tyler?” Nilsson asked. His black work boots came to a stop beside me and made me aware of the fact I was still on the sidewalk in front of an active crime scene.
Forcing myself to my feet, I glared. “Don’t feel well. Not because of the bodies. Think I’m going home.”
His lips twitched, and he rested a heavy hand on my shoulder. “I’ll drop you at the station.”
There was something about the skittish way his eyes darted back and forth that had me on edge. Almost as if he was telling me to run.Fuck, what’s going on?“No. I’ll get a cab. No worries. Work the scene.”
“It’s okay. The techs are here,” he said loudly. “I’ll take you to the station, and that way you can let HR know you might be out tomorrow, too.” Nilsson’s hand picked nervously at my leather coat. After a moment his other hand slid up and he started to fiddle with the lapel of his coat. He was like me and used a shoulder holster. He slipped his hand under his collar, creeping it toward his gun.
“You don’t want to do that.”
Nilsson reached farther under his coat. His hand rested on his service weapon. He widened his eyes and shivered. Fuck, he didn’t want to do whatever he thought he should, but I knew him. As soon as he worked up his nerve, he’d make an attempt at putting a bullet in my ass or hauling me down to the station.
That must have been my license. It was too much of a coincidence that Nilsson was acting sketchy and mine was missing. Noble had found my fucking badge at the last scene.Motherfucker.
Self-preservation won and I punched Nilsson hard, but accidentally put too much force behind it. He dropped to the sidewalk like a rock. There was a dent in the shape of my middle knuckle in his forehead when he hit the ground, and his legs twitched.
Turning, I ran hard enough that the impact of my boots with the sidewalk jolted my hip bones in their sockets and set up a dull ache throughout my body. A plan rapidly formed in my head. Sweat beaded on my skin and cooled fast, making my clothes cling in an uncomfortable way. If I didn’t want to kill off this host to free myself, I’d have to get out of Vanheim. And I liked this life. Hell, I even liked Nilsson. Guilt ate at me.Hope he’s okay. Fuck, I didn’t mean to punch him that hard.
Gloating and amusement that weren’t mine pierced my thoughts like poison.
“Goddamn it, you’re a pain in the ass, Abe,” I growled out.
The only response I got back was petulant joy.
Damn it all to hell.I had to find Noble.
8
Noble
“Thanks for takingthe morning shift for me. You were a real lifesaver,” Journey said as he slung his brown leather backpack on the floor behind the desk. The multicolored refurbished desk made all his belongings seem even fancier in comparison. He gave me a pained grimace as he caught me being judgy about his bag, which I’d asked him not to bring here more than once. We had people with nothing come through those doors. He groaned and rubbed a hand over his face as he began to unbutton his coat with the other one. His hangover had washed out his skin, and dark purple smudges lived under each of his eyes. If I had to guess, he’d spent all morning huddled in his bathroom. “No one would answer their phone.”
“I was waiting for a call from someone else, so you’re lucky.”
He lifted an eyebrow in my direction.
I only shrugged. “Normally I don’t answer mine, either.” Tingles raced around in my stomach. This morning I’d sent a very detailed sext to Tyler about how much I’d enjoyed my predawn wake-up call, and I’d been biting my lip and waiting for an answer when the phone rang. I hadn’t checked to see who it was before I picked up, and I’d definitely had my hard dick pushed against my mattress. The first thing I’d heard was Journey upchucking and sniveling on his end of the line. Talk about a boner killer.
