Romeo Spikes by Joanne Reay

Author:Joanne Reay
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gallery Books

“HEY, THOSE FLIES ARE gonna bite ya.”

Siggurson jerks awake, almost falling off the swing. Bianco stands above him, pointing to the lantern. It swarms with insects.

She reaches out and kills the flame, plunging the porch into darkness. Just the moon illuminates them now.

Siggurson hoists himself up onto his elbow. “You can’t sleep?”

“This kinda stings.” She tweaks her arm, now bound in clean cotton.

“Let me see it.” He beckons her closer.

“Big feet. Big hands. You don’t look so gentle.”

Siggurson smiles. “Trust me.”

Bianco lowers herself onto the quilt, unwraps her wound. With careful fingers, Siggurson probes the tender split. “The tissue has a lot of previous scar damage. You been caught here before?”

Bianco winces. “Maybe. I don’t remember.” She feels him probe deeper. Grits her teeth to talk. “So anyway, Doctor, I got a question. How come you knew about that other doctor, the psychiatrist?”

“I was referred to her for therapy.”

Bianco jolts. Not from pain this time, but surprise. Her voice stays cool. “You were seeing a shrink?”

“Chief made it mandatory. To check my ‘emotional stasis.’”

Bianco silently suffers the discomfort of him rebinding the wound. Feels she can’t make a sound, in case a question escapes. But as Siggurson ties the last knot, he takes her shoulders and turns her toward him, knowing what she is burning to ask.

“When my mother was shot, I was with her. The bullet passed through her body, impacted my head, and lodged inside my skull. The doctors told my father that the best option—the only option—was to leave the bullet in there. It may not move. It may stay in one place forever. In which case—I will live.”

“And if it does move?”

“Then I’m dead.”

Bianco looks away, his calm unsettling her.

“But then why become a cop? Why do a job that gets your head cracked every goddamn day? Why not do something quiet, work in a library, in a bookstore . . .”

“And what—die a little every day?” Siggurson shakes his head, smiles. “I’d rather live myself to death.”

His finger traces a scar down her neck. And then slides to her shoulder where another old wound still leaves its bite.

“You’re not so very different. Throwing yourself into the front line, every time. You’ve fought every sort of psycho.”

“But you’ve fought a Tormenta, with no preparation at all. That’s pretty impressive.” She feels the heat of his eyes upon her. “I haven’t—not yet.” Swallows hard, forcing a laugh. “So I guess once again, you’ve gotten there first, Agent Siggurson.”

His hand is still on her shoulder. The touch is light, but to Bianco it feels as if gravity is sucking his skin into hers. She makes her mouth speak. “So, tell me about it. What was it like?”

“I don’t remember much. It was so fast. Unreal. I’d never seen anyone move like that. Like her limbs were on fire. And when she hit me, the force of it . . . But then I landed a blow. Just here.” His hand touches Bianco’s sternum. “And I felt her skin. Just for a split second.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.