With what strength he had left, Jordan lifted his head, stared straight into Kanes eyes. “Kiss my—”
His vision dimmed. He heard shouting over the roaring in his ears, felt a flood of warmth over the hideous cold.
And the fury of Kanes voice seemed to scream through his mind: “I am not finished!”
Jordan fell into unconsciousness.
* * *
“JORDAN! Oh, God, oh, God, Jordan, come back.”
He thought perhaps he was on a boat, one that rocked fitfully in the sea. He might have drowned, he supposed. His chest was on fire, his head dull and throbbing. But someone was bringing him back, pressing warm lips to his. Dragging him back to life whether he liked it or not.
But why the hell was a dog barking like a maniac out in the open sea?
He blinked his eyes open and stared up at Dana.
Though pale as glass, she was a welcome sight. She was running a trembling hand over his face, pushing it through his hair as she clamped her arms around him and rocked.
Outside the closed bedroom door, Moe barked and threw himself against the wood.
“What the hell?” he managed and stared dully when she began to laugh.
“Youre back. Okay, youre back.” Hysteria was trying to bubble and brew in her chest. “Your mouths bleeding. Your mouths bleeding, and your chest, and youre—youre so cold.”
“Give me a minute.” He didnt try to move, not yet, as hed already discovered that just turning his head brought on a hideous wave of pain and nausea.
But what he could see was a blessed relief. He was in
Danas bedroom, sprawled on the bed, mostly over her lap, while she clutched him to her breast as she might a nursing baby.
If he didnt feel as though hed been run over by a truck, it wouldnt have been half bad.
“I was dreaming.”
“No.” She pressed her cheek to his. “No, you werent.”
“At first… or maybe not. Stretch, you got any whiskey around here? I need a shot.”
“Ive got a bottle of Paddys.”
“Ill give you a thousand dollars for three fingers of Paddys.”
“Sold.” Her laugh was too close to a sob for comfort. “Here, just lie down. Ill get it. You need to cover up, youre shaking.”
She hauled the covers over him, tucked him up like a bug in a cocoon. “Oh, Jesus God.” She shook herself as she dropped her forehead to his.
“Two thousand if you get it here within the next forty-five seconds.”
She fled the room, and Jordan figured he couldnt be in such bad shape if he could still appreciate the beauty of a naked Dana on the run.
An instant later Moe leaped on the bed and tripled every ache in his body. He started to curse, then settled for a sigh as the dog growled low, sniffed all around the bedcovers, then slurped Jordans face.
“Yeah, thatll teach us to boot you out of the bedroom just because we want to have sex in private.”
Moe whined, bumped Jordans shoulder with his nose, then turned three ungainly circles and settled down at his side.
Dana sprinted back, a bottle in one hand, a glass in the other. After pouring considerably more than three fingers of whiskey, she hooked an arm behind his head and lifted the glass to his lips.