Dying Light by Kory M. Shrum Read Free Book Online

up.
    “ It’s like a foreign
language. You can’t give me cryptic messages and blank faces. I don’t know how to
interpret that.”
    Gabriel grabs my hand, his fingers
brushing mine.
    “ Uh, what are you
doing?”
    He tugs me closer. “I am using body
language. I want to convey I am here with you.”
    I push him off of me. “Okay. Too much
body language. And I know you’re here with me. Just look at
yourself.”
    He looks down as his waist.
    “ I didn’t mean literally.
Ugh, never mind.”
    “ What will you do when you
wake up?” he asks.
    Jeremiah grabs hold of Ally, wrenching
her away from my body.
    “ Transfer my shield to
Ally.”
    “ That is what they want,”
Gabriel warns.
    I see what he means. The nurses stand
poised ready to prick me with a needle. They’re counting on me
dropping my shield to cover Ally.
    “ Damnit,” I swear. “What
about the firebomb?”
    He blinks at me with big eyes.
“Alice.”
    “ Let’s fake them out. Make
a show of it.”
    “ A show of it?” He repeats
each word carefully as if they’re made of fine china.
    “ Yes.” I encourage him by
throwing in jazz hands. “A little razzle dazzle.”
    His brow furrows.
    “ Okay, we need to work on
your slang. Just make him think we are going to blow up the room. Got
it?”
    On cue, my body begins to thrum and
shimmer with its pre-blast heat. The doctors and nurses all move
back.
    Gloria smiles. “You’re pissing her
off.”
    Jeremiah hesitates but his hold on
Ally tightens.
    “ More razzle,” I tell
him.
    The bed sheets catch fire, and the
medical team flees. Sensing the fire, the sprinkler system springs
to life. Cold water falls on my face and hands and I can feel it,
not on my invisible body, but on the one lying in bed. Fat drops
hit the back of my eyelids and it smells like the hosepipe I used
to drink from as a kid.
    “ How can I feel the
water?”
    I don’t need him to answer. When the
nurse’s took off with the drugs and needles, my subconscious saw
fit to shield Ally instead of me. Gloria tucks her sketchpad under
her shirt, pulling her flannel shirt over the pages to keep them
dry.
    The impromptu shower seems to help
Jeremiah gain control of himself.
    “ You don’t understand.” He
wipes at his glasses with his damp shirt. “This is what Caldwell
wants. He wants to get you away from the safety of Tate Tower. He
wants you to doubt us. If you go out there, Jason will find you.
Caldwell will get exactly what he wants. I only want to help
you.”
    “ Keeping me drugged up is
a great way to show it.”
    “ Keeping her drugged up
isn’t the best way to show it,” Ally echoes.
    “ Thank you.” I point a
gracious gesture at her, but she can’t see me. I turn to Gabriel.
“How long is it going to go on like this?”
    “ You’ll wake soon,” he
says.
    “ Then we’re going to get
Winston.”
    “ Listen to me, Jesse,”
Jeremiah says. He’s speaking to my sleeping body with as much
tenderness as you would afford a dying grandmother. “I’m sorry I
sedated you. But I need to protect my people. You understand that,
don’t you? Do not take my action as anything but well-intentioned.
I want to keep you safe. I want to keep Alice safe, and Captain
Jackson and my people. Don’t fault me for that.”
    Gloria snorts. I don’t think I’ve ever
heard her do that. I’m sure she’s super insulted by the idea that
some dude thinks he’s supposed to protect her.
    Jeremiah gives her a cold
look. “Fine. Leave. All of you. We won’t stop you. But I am trying to keep her
safe, Alice. Tell her that.”
    Thoroughly soaked, Jeremiah walks to
the doorway defeated.
    Both Gloria and Ally visibly relax.
Shoulders slump and everyone starts breathing again.
    Ally rakes wet strands
away from her own face and sighs. “Well, that could’ve gone
better.”
    Gloria wipes the water off
her face, revealing a tentative smile. “It could’ve also gone
much, much worse.”

Chapter 9
     
    Jesse
     
    M y eyes flutter open to