Page 143 of Death is Familiar

Taking her under my wing, she snuggled into my side. Usually, this would bring some sort of shared warmth, but everywhere she touched made my skin crawl. As cold and clammy as a dead fish, she absorbed any heat I offered and replaced it with ice.

She nuzzled deeper, content. “You’re so toasty.”

And here all I wanted to do was pry her corpse-like claws off me. But I could be patient. I would be patient. This was the home stretch. Todd would be here soon.

Soon. Soon. Soon…

He would be here soon.

Soon.

Fixing my gaze in one place for too long caused my vision to swim. Everything started to melt and stretch like a Salvador Dalí painting, until I was certain I was dreaming.

Time moved fast, and not at all.

Until, I saw it. The inconspicuous sedan in pickup truck territory.

Ignoring Three’s protests, I got to my clogged feet, standing watch, waiting for the car to park. I needed to make sure it was⁠—

And I was running. Three was shouting, but I didn’t care. I didn’t care about the heaviness in my legs, or that I was wading through tar. Todd was here, Todd was⁠—

He rounded the car, all muscle, and tattoos, and grey sweatpants, the halogen lights behind him like a fucking halo.

“Delilah.”

He was here.

Eyes burning, blurring, I moved as fast as my bright orange feet could carry me. I couldn’t get to him fast enough.

I pushed myself harder, faster, until I crashed into his chest and his arms came around me in a wall of protective steel.

It didn’t matter that everything hurt, I pressed into the long hard lines of his usually warm body until I was engulfed in cedar and pine.

It was him. He was here. I could feel him. Feel the weight, and form, and beautiful beautiful fury of him.

And he held me, pulled me close, and didn’t let go.

For the first time, in a long time, I felt safe.

Protected.

Lighter.

Tempests of unnamed emotion churned as I clung to Todd, burrowing my face into the fabric of his shirt. Hands clawing, clutching at fistfuls of material to grab as much of my sturdy, dependable, rock as I could possibly manage.

If I looked like a fool I didn’t care. I’d made it through hell and back, and I’d cling to the good as long as I could get it.

Words would come later.

For now, we needed this. Us. To take hold and not let go.

Time expanded and contracted, in strange wobbling waves, but eventually, I spoke into his shoulder. “You came.” I started to shake. “You’re here.”

Dark familiar eyes found mine. Heat pooled in my frigid soul, as he lowered his brow until we stood forehead to forehead. Brow to scarred brow.

I blinked, and suddenly, we were on the ground, our positions reversed. Todd crouched in front of me, the car door against my back burning through my clothes like cold lightning.

Concern marring his dark features, I cupped Todd’s cheek, in part to make sure he was real. To feel the rasp of his skin beneath my fingers, to feel his solid form.