Iced
Page 48
My heart is going. It summons up the energy for one last violent feck-you pump but only manages a soft squish.
I cant die like this. I have things to do. My adventure has hardly begun. Everything goes black. I see Death. Aint so fascinating. Its a sledgehammer.
Aw, shit. I know what rigor mortis is. I know my face is going to stick. Im choosing how.
I belly up a laugh from way down deep where Im always half laughing anyway because being alivedude!its the greatest adventure in the world. What a ride its been. Short but stupendous. Aint nobody can say Dani Mega OMalley didnt live while she was here.
No regrets!
Dani out.
FIFTEEN
Hot child in the city
I lose track of them for one minute, distracted by a female Unseelie down in the streets that has what the Highlander in me considers revolting parts but the prince in me thinks are all the right ones. Sex has become bloody weird. Incredible. But weird. Shes a few blocks south of the church, and shes throwing off pheromones that make my dick go flat to my stomach, and by the time I realize whats happened to Dani, I have one more reason to hate Ryodan and the whole fucking world, as if I needed one.
No! I roar as I rush for the edge of the roof. Thats the bad thing about being a half-breed. The Highlander in me wants to take the stairs. The Unseelie in me wants to use wings.
Too bad I dont have any yet.
My heart makes the decision without me and tries to get to her the fastest way possible.
I jump.
I curse as I plummet four stories and brace for impact. Contrary to what she thinks, I cant sift yet so I cant cut out of this fall. What kind of idiot breaks all his bones at the precise moment his damsel needs him the most? Up to now Ive been glad I cant sift yet. I think its the point of no return. The day I can blink out of existence and back in at a mere thought, Im no longer human.
I twist in midair, trying to land on my feet.
Im astonished when it works. I discover new things about myself every day, most of which disgust me, but this is a welcome change. My center of balance has shifted. I pivot and realign flawlessly. My bones seem to have developed an incredible rubbery resilience. My knees bend slightly, bowing in a distinctly inhuman way to absorb the impact. I land like a graceful cat. I stare down at my feet, which are intact and functioning perfectly, and all I can think is bloody hell, I just fell four
Bring her OUT here! NOW, you buggering idiot!
My head whips up.
Some teenage guy wearing glasses is standing outside the church, looking in, screaming at Ryodan. I have no idea who he is or where he came from. But he just said my line, although Idve done it minus the buggering part and with a lot morefucks.
The kids hands are fists and hes plastered up against the door-jamb of the church. His face and hair are frosted and hes shivering violently.
I push past him, shouldering him aside. She doesnt need you. Worthless human. Get lost.
He snarls at me.
I laugh. Looking me in the face and snarling takes major balls. Kudos to you, kid. Now take yourself off somewhere and die before I decide to cram those big balls you think you have down your throat. I shove into the church, so I can rescue Dani and kill Ryodan for taking a hothouse flower into the arctic zone.
The cold hits me like a brick wall and stops me in my tracks. A solid shell of ice forms on my skin. When I flex my muscles, the ice cracks and falls in a tinkle of crystals to the floor. I take another step and ice, mid-step this time, while Im still moving.
I spent a small eternity in the Unseelie prison and never had this problem, and it was inhumanly cold there. Im half Unseelie prince. I didnt think there was anyplace too cold for me. How can that dickhead Ryodan tolerate it, if I cant?
I take another step, ice again, crack it and step back. It wont do me any good to freeze up like the tin man and become useless to her. I dont understand how this is happening. The cold in the Unseelie Kings kingdom iced my soul and made me hate being alive. This is worse. I wouldnt have believed there was anything worse. Theres something familiar about this place, this scene, this cold. Dj vu. I despise this cold. It makes me feel bad in the center of my bones. Empty, hollow, somehow flawed. I narrow my eyes, looking around.
Dani!
Shes on the floor and its not the cold that takes my breath away. Her jeans are tangled around her knees. She has on a black bra and underwear with little white skulls and crossbones all over them. Shes thrashing her arms and legs and crying incoherently.
And I cant get to her. My girl is half naked and dying and I cant get to her!
I push forward.
I ice solid.
I crack it and pull back.
Fuck!
Shes trying to kick off her jeans the rest of the way and hes fighting her, trying to keep them on. He needs to get her out of there. Why is he wasting time trying to keep her clothes on?
Bring her to me! I demand.
Dont freeze-frame with her! the kid on the steps bellows. Hes got some lungs. If you move fast, youll kill her!
What the fuck do you know, Ryodan says.
Everything there is to know about hypothermia! And Im willing to bet neither of you can warm her. Bring her to me if you want her to live! Stop trying to put her clothes back on. Its not going to help!
I cant die like this. I have things to do. My adventure has hardly begun. Everything goes black. I see Death. Aint so fascinating. Its a sledgehammer.
Aw, shit. I know what rigor mortis is. I know my face is going to stick. Im choosing how.
I belly up a laugh from way down deep where Im always half laughing anyway because being alivedude!its the greatest adventure in the world. What a ride its been. Short but stupendous. Aint nobody can say Dani Mega OMalley didnt live while she was here.
No regrets!
Dani out.
FIFTEEN
Hot child in the city
I lose track of them for one minute, distracted by a female Unseelie down in the streets that has what the Highlander in me considers revolting parts but the prince in me thinks are all the right ones. Sex has become bloody weird. Incredible. But weird. Shes a few blocks south of the church, and shes throwing off pheromones that make my dick go flat to my stomach, and by the time I realize whats happened to Dani, I have one more reason to hate Ryodan and the whole fucking world, as if I needed one.
No! I roar as I rush for the edge of the roof. Thats the bad thing about being a half-breed. The Highlander in me wants to take the stairs. The Unseelie in me wants to use wings.
Too bad I dont have any yet.
My heart makes the decision without me and tries to get to her the fastest way possible.
I jump.
I curse as I plummet four stories and brace for impact. Contrary to what she thinks, I cant sift yet so I cant cut out of this fall. What kind of idiot breaks all his bones at the precise moment his damsel needs him the most? Up to now Ive been glad I cant sift yet. I think its the point of no return. The day I can blink out of existence and back in at a mere thought, Im no longer human.
I twist in midair, trying to land on my feet.
Im astonished when it works. I discover new things about myself every day, most of which disgust me, but this is a welcome change. My center of balance has shifted. I pivot and realign flawlessly. My bones seem to have developed an incredible rubbery resilience. My knees bend slightly, bowing in a distinctly inhuman way to absorb the impact. I land like a graceful cat. I stare down at my feet, which are intact and functioning perfectly, and all I can think is bloody hell, I just fell four
Bring her OUT here! NOW, you buggering idiot!
My head whips up.
Some teenage guy wearing glasses is standing outside the church, looking in, screaming at Ryodan. I have no idea who he is or where he came from. But he just said my line, although Idve done it minus the buggering part and with a lot morefucks.
The kids hands are fists and hes plastered up against the door-jamb of the church. His face and hair are frosted and hes shivering violently.
I push past him, shouldering him aside. She doesnt need you. Worthless human. Get lost.
He snarls at me.
I laugh. Looking me in the face and snarling takes major balls. Kudos to you, kid. Now take yourself off somewhere and die before I decide to cram those big balls you think you have down your throat. I shove into the church, so I can rescue Dani and kill Ryodan for taking a hothouse flower into the arctic zone.
The cold hits me like a brick wall and stops me in my tracks. A solid shell of ice forms on my skin. When I flex my muscles, the ice cracks and falls in a tinkle of crystals to the floor. I take another step and ice, mid-step this time, while Im still moving.
I spent a small eternity in the Unseelie prison and never had this problem, and it was inhumanly cold there. Im half Unseelie prince. I didnt think there was anyplace too cold for me. How can that dickhead Ryodan tolerate it, if I cant?
I take another step, ice again, crack it and step back. It wont do me any good to freeze up like the tin man and become useless to her. I dont understand how this is happening. The cold in the Unseelie Kings kingdom iced my soul and made me hate being alive. This is worse. I wouldnt have believed there was anything worse. Theres something familiar about this place, this scene, this cold. Dj vu. I despise this cold. It makes me feel bad in the center of my bones. Empty, hollow, somehow flawed. I narrow my eyes, looking around.
Dani!
Shes on the floor and its not the cold that takes my breath away. Her jeans are tangled around her knees. She has on a black bra and underwear with little white skulls and crossbones all over them. Shes thrashing her arms and legs and crying incoherently.
And I cant get to her. My girl is half naked and dying and I cant get to her!
I push forward.
I ice solid.
I crack it and pull back.
Fuck!
Shes trying to kick off her jeans the rest of the way and hes fighting her, trying to keep them on. He needs to get her out of there. Why is he wasting time trying to keep her clothes on?
Bring her to me! I demand.
Dont freeze-frame with her! the kid on the steps bellows. Hes got some lungs. If you move fast, youll kill her!
What the fuck do you know, Ryodan says.
Everything there is to know about hypothermia! And Im willing to bet neither of you can warm her. Bring her to me if you want her to live! Stop trying to put her clothes back on. Its not going to help!
