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Not sorry enough not to hold her down while Calix put that fucking pendant over her head though. Her mouth was too dry to form words and she didn’t have it in her to lean down and grab the bottle of water by her bed.
Ashe put a hand under her head and raised her. He pressed the mouth of a water bottle to her lips. “Here, drink. It will help.”
Cool, crisp water flooded her mouth and made her saliva glands tingle. “Why are you doing this?” she rasped.
“Your power.” Ashe gave her more water. “We can use your power to amp up the other demons.” He shook his head and dropped his gaze. “And your power, Eddie. It’s like a shot of purest adrenalin straight to the muscle. You’ve no idea how much power you really have, or how to use it. But we do.”
He offered her more water, and when she shook her head, he put the bottle down and lowered her back to her pillow. “There’s a war happening, Eddie, and it’s going to change everything we know and believe. You’ve become an unwilling participant in that war.”
She nearly laughed at the look of regret in his eyes. “Collateral damage?”
He grimaced. “Something like that.” He leaned closer to her. “But as bad as things get, Eddie, remember that you always have your dreams.”
“What?” She stared at him. Now he was offering her Hallmark slogans along with hydration.
Ashe stood. “We’ll see you soon, Eddie. Try to get some rest.”
The water had helped, and Eddie stared at the door, counting the four locks closing. First one lower down, next a deeper more resonant click higher on the door, then a bolt sliding, and finally a bass clank as the last lock slid into place.
Another vaguely ghostly looking demon would come back later with a meal for her. They fed her regularly and well, and Eddie tried to eat everything they gave her. She needed to build what strength she could, because if they made one mistake—just one—she was getting out of here. Lately, though, even the effort of eating felt too much.
Exhaustion crept up through her limbs and weighed her eyelids down, and she closed them. Ashe’s weird comment played back through her mind. “But as bad as things get, Eddie, remember that you always have your dreams.”
Fucking dreams! What use were dreams to her in this heinous place? She had dreamed of Shade in the days before he had crashed into her life. Those dreams had been vivid and so real. As if he really could see her, he had turned to her in those dreams and spoken to her.
Her heart skipped a beat. Dream walking.
Shade had spoken to her. Even Wrath had looked right at her in those dreams, as if they could penetrate her mind and speak to her.
Excitement tingled through her, and her breath quickened. Would that work? Would she be able to reach out to Shade or Wrath in her dreams and tell them something about where she was? She didn’t know anything beyond this room and Ashe, Calix, and Casper the unfriendly ghost.
Eddie closed her eyes and willed sleep to come.
* * *
Shade walked down the sidewalk of another interchangeable Ontario town. Tim Hortons—check, Shoppers Drug Mart—check, LCBO—check. He hadn’t even registered the name of this town.
The hounds had stayed in the truck, still trying to catch a hint of Eddie. All they could give him was the vague sense that they were moving in the right direction.
The image of Eddie flashed into his mind so quickly he stopped dead.
“Fucking hell.” A person slammed into the back of him. “Watch where the fuck you’re going.”
Shade tossed a quick apology over his shoulder.
The man glared at him. “Asshole.”
And Canadians were supposed to be polite. Shade hadn’t found much politeness through his journey. He’d found increasing levels of aggression and intolerance. His daily scan of the news channels confirmed his fears. The seals were all leaking their noxious contents into the earth realm. Unsuspecting humans went about their daily lives with no understanding of why they were suddenly experiencing urges they couldn’t control.
Eddie’s face sparked through his mind again, and he stepped closer to a storefront and stilled his mind.
There it came again. Christ, she looked like shit and amazing all at the same time. Wrath said she was still alive, but Shade hadn’t known how much he needed that confirmation until right this minute. His knees felt like rubber, and he supported himself with the brick frontage of the store. He turned his attention inward to her. “Eddie?”
A woman shot him a nervous glance and he realized he’d spoken aloud. He didn’t care. This was his first contact with Eddie since she’d been taken from him. “Eddie?”
“Shade?” Her voice sounded weak and tired. “Is that really you?”
“It’s me, sweetheart.”
