The Partner

Chapter 19

Kyra sits up in her hospital bed when Elwood enters with Deck grumbling behind him. "Here, I found him moping in his room." Elwood states as he shoves the banshee into the infirmary.

The dhampire had come to check on her a few minutes ago and when he asked if she needed anything, she couldn't refuse her request. "Thanks, Elwood." She smiles at him warmly.

"No problem." He smiles back and heads out, leaving the partners alone.

Deck shoves his hands in his jeans and sighs. "How are you?"

She snorts. "Honestly? I really want to kick your ass, Deck. Kristofferson stopped by and told me what you did." Kyra doesn't hold the anger out of her voice.

He chuckles. "You wish you could kick my ass, injured or not."

"This isn't funny, Deck. I'm injured. You're my partner. You're supposed to be helping me get through this and get back out there, but instead you run off to Kristofferson and request I become someone else's problem."

His jaw drops open and his striking blue eyes widen in shock. "That' not how it is!"

She arches a blonde eyebrow at him. "Then how is it? Tell me, Deck. You owe me that much."

He runs his hands through his white hair in frustration but lets out a sigh of surrender. After pulling up a chair next to her bed and sitting, he starts talking. "Look, I went to Kristofferson and made the request because I don't believe I'm good for you. I'm trouble, Kyra, and I'm no good at training and protecting people. I knew this was a mistake the minute the captain put us together but after the other night...I can't risk your life again."

"It wasn't your fault, Deck! The puca ambushed us and I-!"

"I still think it was my fault! It doesn't matter if you don't agree with me. You have to listen to what I have to say, though. This has happened before, Kyra. My last partner, Gowanne, I was supposed to be working with him one night and I...I didn't do my job and I got him in trouble. Hell, I got him killed!"

"Killed?" Kyra asks seeming like she's in disbelief.

He nods. "Yeah...long story short, a lot of people got hurt that night because of me. And I...I used to be different, Kyra but now I'm the way I am because of what happened that night. Now I have to live with what I did and the people I've hurt."

She leans forward in her bed expectantly. "What did you do to her, Deck?"

He double takes at her words. "What? Her? Who said anything about a girl?"

Kyra grins at his reaction; this is definitely about a girl. "I can tell that you're beating yourself up over more than just Gowanne and I was guessing it was a girl, and judging by your reaction, I was right."

His temple pulsates and Deck grits his teeth. "Wipe that grin off your face, bloodsucker. There's no girl and I have no idea what you're talking about. The point is, I got my last partner killed and almost did the same to you the other night. I didn't want your fate to be the same as Gowanne's, so yeah. I requested you be put with someone else. Now do you understand?"

Kyra sighs and smooths out her hospital gown. "I understand that you're too self-deprecating for your own good. You're a good guy, Deck and an even better trainer. I'm sure Gowanne's death wasn't your fault and I know Kristofferson wouldn't blame you for it. It sounds like you and Gowanne were close?" She guesses.

He has to know where she's going with this, but he plays along anyway. "Yes, we were friends,"

She nods. "I bet, and I'm sure Gowanne wouldn't want you beating yourself up for this so many years after the fact. You need to move past this." Kyra offers him a weak, hopeful glance. "I'm guessing you wouldn't care to elaborate on what happened to Gowanne or that girl we're talking about?"