Pulse

Chapter 31

Lucie

The hallway outside Cian's bedroom was quiet. The lights were turned down, the moonlight from the hall window like a faded flashlight's beam in the dark. Outside, crickets chirped and birds hooted, everything chittering and alive, but inside the Horne residence, everything was dormant.

I was pacing across the floor of the hall, because I needed something to do with my feet. Since we'd dragged Cian, still shivering and feverish, in to his bed, he'd ordered me out of his room. I had the sinking feeling in me that something was wrong. Who was I kidding, though? Something had to be wrong for Cian to shove me away like that.

I remembered the way his kiss tasted, the way his lips caressed my own, and blushed in the twilight. Yeah. There was something wrong; Cian would never shove me away from himself like he did. All Vinny had even been able to do was give me an apologetic glance and shut the door.

"Stop pacing," Jiya said.

I took one more hesitant step before I halted and glanced at her; she was seated against the wall, head craned back, dark hair a mussed halo falling around her shoulders and back. "You should go home, Jiya," I said. "It's almost midnight. Your parents are going to be looking for you."

"You seem to have forgotten I don't have a car."

I exhaled. That was correct, as it had been crushed underneath a demon's weight. "Right. Sorry about that, by the way. Are you mad at me?"

She looked up, the moonlight reflected in her eyes like a mirage in water. Her expression was unreadable. "I don't know. I do know that I wish you would have told me about all of this. About Cian, and Vinny. I was so worried about you. I thought you'd suffered, you know, life-altering brain damage or something."

"Well, something changed," I offered, taking a seat across from her. I folded my legs. "I didn't want to involve you with something so complex. I mean, it's our junior year. We shouldn't have to worry about angels or demons or...ghosts."

Jiya's eyebrows went up. "Like we should have to worry about them later?"

I narrowed my eyes at her, one side of my mouth inching upwards. "Not what I meant. What I mean is that I just didn't want to stress you out. Sorry, Jiya. I'm sorry."

She gave me a sheepish grin. "I'm just glad you're okay. I wouldn't be able to live without my best friend."

"Screw it if I'm okay," I muttered, dropping my eyes to the floor. I began to itch at my arm, watching the streaks my nails left behind on the skin. It was like the image of Cian's trembling shoulders was imprinted on the backs of my eyes; I could still feel the heat emanating from his forehead. Most of all I felt as if it was my fault he'd been struck; if I'd been paying attention, things would have played out differently. "I can't stop thinking about Cian. Angels and demons are archenemies. He doesn't really expect me to believe that being injured by a demon's talons does nothing to him, does he?"

"I dunno," Jiya replied. "You know the guy way better than I do. But...maybe he'll be okay in the morning?"

I gnawed at my bottom lip. "Maybe."

The door to the bedroom opened; both Jiya and I looked up. Out came Vinny with a restless look on his face, his hands in the pockets of his swim trunks. Jiya's eyebrows drew in when she saw nothing, but I hopped to my feet, looking at him. "Vinny," I said, "is he okay?"

"I think he'll be fine," Vinny told me, but I saw the doubt in his eyes, no matter how much he tried to hide it. Anxiety stuck like a tumor in the depths of my throat. "He's sleeping. You and Jiya should probably head home. You have school tomorrow, don't you?"