Part II CHAPTER 11
Kim's eyes widened at Ash's harsh words. "A little bloodthirsty isn't it?"
Not to him and not when they so richly deserved it. He flashed her a taunting grin. "Given what they did to Tory, I'm thinking a quick death is merciful. Not to mention they ruined one of my favorite jackets and totaled my bike."
Pam snorted. "Well let's just torture then bomb the bastards. How dare they!"
Ash ignored the sarcasm as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Now you're thinking like me. A little eye-gouging, some slit nostrils . . . I could seriously get into that."
Kim shuddered as she spoke to Tory. "I think your new friend is a little bloodthirsty."
Ash stifled a smile at her words. If she only knew that was his primary nourishment. And yes, he could definitely use some blood since it'd been over a week since he last ate.
Kim's phone rang. "Work calls. I'll be back soon."
Ash stepped back toward the bed to check in with Tory. "How are you feeling?"
She smiled up at him. "Amazingly whole. How about you? I thought the car ran you over."
"I rolled out of the way."
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "It didn't look like that from my perspective. I could have sworn it plowed right over both of your legs."
He looked down at them before he shrugged. "Obviously not."
Tory's expression turned sweet and adoring, and it hit him like a blow to his stomach. She placed her hand gently on his arm in the most loving touch he'd probably ever experienced. "Thank you for getting me here. Kim said they told her you were bleeding like crazy when you carried me in through the ER doors."
He felt his face flush at her gratitude. "Don't worry about it. Next time I'm hurt, you can carry me."
She laughed at his humor. "I think it would take at least a team of people to carry you."
"Back to the insults, huh?"
She shook her head at him. "That's not an insult. You are a big man."
Ash opened his mouth to speak, but before he had a chance, the doctor came in to examine her. He moved away while the doctor chatted with Tory.
"You are one very lucky woman. But for your friend getting you here as quickly as he did, you wouldn't have made it. Your spleen was severely damaged in your wreck."
Tory was still amazed by what Ash had done for her. Kim had told her that he'd been in bad shape himself and that he'd been over-wrought when she'd died in his arms. Tenderness for him overwhelmed her.
When the bike had gone down, she remembered him reaching to protect her. He'd tried to keep her near him, but the force of the crash had separated them.
She grimaced as the doctor touched a tender spot on her abdomen.
He pulled back with an incredulous look. "You're healing unbelievably fast."
"Good genes and lots of vitamins."
He laughed at her. "You keep this up and we'll have you out of here in about three days."
Ash cleared his throat. "Is there any chance she can leave sooner?"
Tory caught Ash's meaning. "Yeah, I can't really afford to be out of commission too long."
"Honey," the doctor said in a strained tone, "you died. You might want to think about that for a minute and let it digest. You're really lucky you're still with us so let me watch over you for a few days before we turn you loose, okay?"
It was hard to argue when he put it like that. "All right. Thanks, doctor."
He inclined his head before he left them alone.
Tory looked over at Ash who was standing back with that stoicism he wore like a force field to keep the rest of the world away. She knew how hard she'd hit the ground and it wouldn't have been a bit softer for him. Yet he'd dragged himself to his feet and then carried her. His strength mystified her. "How did you get me here?"
"I have my evil Jedi ways," he said in a flat, even tone. "The Force is strong with this one."
She laughed again. He could be so charming when he wanted to. And so sweet. "Well if the doc won't release me, what do we do?"
He shrugged while keeping his arms crossed. "We keep an eye out for our new friends and make sure they don't decide to finish the job they started."
She nodded. "They think I have the journal, don't they?"
"Would be my guess. Either that or they're just really bored and thought knocking us around would alleviate it."
"Speaking of boredom . . . what am I going to do while I'm locked in here?"
"Wanna read some manga?"
She grimaced at him. "Are you serious?"
He nodded. "It's like crack. Once you start, you have to keep reading. I have some Priest, Hellsing and Trinity Blood issues handy. Interested?"
"Actually, I'd like to read the journal we found. Someone who's really tall and male hasn't finished teaching me Atlantean."
"It's not in Atlantean. It's Greek."
"So say you."
Groaning, Ash shrugged his backpack off his shoulder and manifested the journal inside it. One of the reasons he always kept a backpack with him was so that he could teleport things that he needed without arousing mortal suspicions. Since no one knew what was in his pack, they didn't know when he used his powers to get something he needed or wanted.
It also held the things that meant the most to him and kept them from harm. Ryssa's three journals that he'd found after Didymos had been destroyed, her hair comb and Simi's teething toy that Savitar had given him for her when she'd been a toddler. Her baby fang marks were forever etched into the wood. The backpack also held his mother's medallion wrapped in one of the black scarves that Simi had brought back from one of her many visits to Kalosis.
And Nick's soul that he'd traded to Artemis, that Artemis had then given to Acheron.
He pulled out Ryssa's journal and handed it to Tory. "Can you read it without your glasses?"
She sighed irritably. "Not a single word. I hate being blind. Any chance I can talk you into going to my house and getting my spare pair?"
"I can't leave you unattended. You know that."
"Then will you read it to me?"
Ash looked down at the leather as a sharp pain pierced his chest. It was hard to read Ryssa's words because with each one, he saw her clearly in his mind and heard her sweet, calm voice speaking to him.
And it cut him deep in his heart.
Tory touched his arm again. "Please, Achimou?"
A muscle worked in his jaw as her tender voice worked magic on his resolve. "You are the only being who's ever called me that."
"Well I'd call you babycakes, but I think that might offend you even more."
He smiled. "All right, stop the torture. I'll read."
Tory watched the blurry shadow that was Ash as he took a seat near her bed and opened the book. When he started reading, she closed her eyes and listened to the deep resonant tone of his voice. From the ease with which he translated as he read, one would have thought it was written in English. He didn't even hesitate with the words.
"Today I spoke to my father about visiting Atlantis."
Tory straightened up in the bed. "Atlantis?"
Ash cringed as he realized what he'd said. He'd actually forgotten he was reading to an outsider. Tory had become such a part of him that he actually wanted to confide in her. "Yeah, that's what it says."