Neena Thurman pours drinks, kicks ass. (fallsinplace) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-04-15 13:17:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, clarice ferguson (blink), faiza hussain (excalibur), neena thurman (domino), thomas raith |
Who: Clarice Ferguson, Faiza Hussain, Neena Thurman, Thomas Raith, and NPC!Creed
What: a date between Neena and Thomas gets steamy, then shooty. Faiza and Clarice help clean up
When: 4/8
Where: The woods, Urdnot Ranch
Rating: R for explicit sex and violence, including PC injury
Status: complete
Neena sipped the cocoa she’d made, snuggling against Thomas in front of the fire. The day had been well spent. The campsite was set up, they’d done a little hiking, and now they were enjoying the night and each others’ company in front of a fire. She smiled at Thomas, squeezing his hand. “I’m glad you came out with me today. It’s been a lot of fun.”
“Me too,” Thomas said, running his thumb across her hand as he held it. So far, he hadn’t tried to eat her, and that was good. It wasn’t easy, being patient, but he knew it was probably wisest to take things slow. Still, it was comforting just to sit and hold her, like this. “It’s good to remember to unwind.”
She nodded, trying to savor the intimacy of the moment. They weren’t sure sex would be a good idea, yet, and she need to know that she’d be okay with it if they couldn’t be together sexually. So far she wasn’t having any problems. He was an interesting man. In some ways he reminded her of Milo. He’d been so sweet and gentle with her, and Thomas had some of that in him too. It was nice, she didn’t feel like she had to prove her balls were bigger than his.
“The sky is beautiful out here.” She looked up, smiling softly. “A friend of mine taught me all the constellations a few years back. It’s been kind of weird for me to look up at the sky in my backyard and see nothing.” She turned to kiss Thomas, a soft, gentle kiss
Thomas nodded, feeling a warm buzz, and wondering if it was because of the touching, or if he was imagining things. When her lips found his, he knew it wasn't just his imagination. The kiss went to his head like a glass of fine port, leaving him thirsty for every last drop of Neena's sweetness. Mentally, he pulled back from that thought, even going so far as to break the kiss; reluctantly--almost sluggishly--forcing himself to come up for air. "Wow."
The kiss was amazing. She hadn’t expected it to be so good. Not that Thomas was a bad kisser, but this one was.unlike anything she’d ever experienced. She didn’t want it to end, and tried to tug him down into another kiss after he pulled away. “Yeah, wow.”
Thomas couldn’t help but give her another quick peck or two, his fingers stroking the pulse point in her throat--almost as if checking her vitals. He almost asked her if she felt okay, but his mouth was a little preoccupied by then, so all that came out was an “Mm...”
She stroked his scalp with her fingertips, massaging his neck lightly. He felt amazing. She kissed his chin and neck, inhaling his scent, relishing the way his skin felt under her lips and hands. “You’re delicious all over, Thomas.” Her voice was low and needy.
Thomas groaned as he felt himself responding to her in what seemed like more than just a physical way. His hands wandered over her body, her face, her back, her waist, the curve of her hip. She wasn’t dead, or dying yet, so it didn’t seem as if the White Court powers had recycled his virginity--thank God. He tugged at her clothes a little, seeking skin, wanting--perhaps needing--to test the waters.
His voice was just as needy as hers when he spoke. “Don’t let me hurt you if you can help it.”
“I won’t.” She promised. This time they could go slow and gentle. “I’m fine so far.” She pushed his shirt up, wanting to touch him as well. “Please don’t stop.”
He splayed his hands over her skin, under her shirt, stroking lightly; tilting his head so that his lips could kiss her face and neck. Unbeknownst to him, rather than growing dark with lust as his pupils dilated, his had begun to glimmer moonlight-pale; restrained power shining through the windows of his soul. He let them fall most of the way closed as he kissed and caressed her, open just enough that he could still watch her reactions as he explored.
He didn’t want to stop. He just wanted to be sure that he could do so, if he chose.
She noticed the change in his eyes. She was just paranoid enough to worry, and once she did, she realized how tired she suddenly felt. The hike hadn’t kicked her ass this bad. She put a hand on his still-clothed chest. “You can’t control it, can you?”
Thomas let out a low groan, his jaw clenching a little as he tried to wrestle something that was inside of him. She was tired now. If he pushed a little more...
No. If he pushed, Neena would fight back. He turned his face away for a moment, closing his eyes as he admitted defeat. “I don’t know,” he said, looking back at her after he had taken a few deep breaths. “I should be able to...eventually. It’s just...I’m still adjusting.”
She removed her hands slowly. “We’ll get it. This is just our first try.” She stroked his hair, figuring that would be safe enough. “God, that takes a lot out of you.” She leaned back to get a breath of fresh air.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured, rubbing her back--outside of her clothes--and doing his best to let go of the frustration he felt. Angst wouldn’t help him right now. “I didn’t suck fifty years of your life away with a single kiss, though. That’s got to be a good sign.”
“It is, you figured you’d kill me with the first kiss.” She took a deep breath and stood. She still really wanted him, and not all of that was his powers. “Do you need to feed to survive? What happens if you don’t have sex?” She tugged her shirt into place, and grabbed her worn, stained hoodie to cover her arms.
“I can still eat normal food,” he said, “It’s just not as satisfying, as I understand it. And if I go too long without appeasing the hunger, it could get harder to control. It’s kind of opportunistic--as you’ve probably noticed. Basically like an addiction.” He sighed. “I can feed without sex--Harry says that in his dreams, I became a hairdresser, and sort of...sampled from my clients.”
Neena nodded and sat down next to Thomas again. “Would it be better for you if we had sex? Or at least if we made out on a regular basis? I mean, I want to do that anyway, but if it helps you keep your powers under control, that’s worthwhile, too. It’s tiring, but not too bad. I’ll be fine after a little sleep.”
“Sex is always better,” Thomas said with a chuckle, “But I think I could handle making out, for starters. I do feel better, knowing we were able to pull back when things started getting intense. And damn. That was some kiss.”
Neena nodded. “It really was.” She grinned at him. “I wonder what sex would be like, if a kiss felt that good.” She wasn’t exhausted yet. Maybe she’d sleep better after having sex with him.
“Temptress.” He was smirking that devilish smirk when he said it, caressing the word with his lips and tongue. “You’re going to make me break my vow of chastity before a week is up.” At this rate? Before the night was through.
“Hmmm, but is a vow worth anything if it’s broken so easily?” She smirked at him, stroking a finger along his chin. “I think I threw mine out by the end of our phone conversation. You have a very relaxing voice. It does really delicious things to my body.”
“I’m starting to wonder if it was so much a vow as it was a suggestion of temporary abstinence,” he said, arching, catlike at her touch. He turned his face to press his lips to her wrist; her skin smelled better than creme brulee. “Your body is a delicious thing.”
She sighed at the kiss. Such a small motion was enough to send shivers through her body. That was legit, she knew. He’d had this effect on her the first time, before his memories and powers. “God, you’re good at this. I’m amazed I don’t have to buy a ticket to wait in line to see you.” She stroked his scalp again, leaning in to kiss the place where his neck met his shoulder.
Thomas did his best to be aware of that sixth sense he now seemed to have, and keep it in check. He knew it was possible. He just needed to remember how he’d done it in his dreams. “You lucked out,” he murmured, running his fingers through her hair. “Caught me between gigs.”
She chuckled, drawing him in for a kiss. She paused just before making contact. “Lucky, lucky me.” She threaded her fingers into his hair, her other arm wrapping around his waist.
“Mmm...” That was all Thomas managed to say as her lips found him and he was momentarily lost in a wave of sensation. He rode it out, surfing just over the top of it, imagining that he was skimming the surface of her energy. Hoping that would keep him from diving too deep, too fast.
Neena did her best to keep her wits, she didn’t want to get hurt anymore than he wanted to hurt her. She could feel the slight drain, but it wasn’t terrible, and she didn’t care. The kiss was passionate and needy. She wanted him so much.
Thomas felt the buzz, and broke the kiss, just enough to look up at Neena for a moment, and give them both a chance to catch their breath. “Still doing okay?”
She took a deep breath, and considered the question. “Yeah, still okay. We won’t be able to do this missionary style, I think. That’s a lot of contact, and it’s hard to get out of that position quickly.” She’d obviously given this some thought. “I think the safest way would be for me to lean over something, so you can take me from behind. I can get you off if I need to, and we can both get off if I don’t.”
Thomas chuckled, the sound laced with something like a groan at her play on words. She wasn’t kidding when she said she’d find a loophole! Not that he was complaining. “Is there something comfortable to bend you over?” he asked, “Because I’m liking the sounds of this.”
“Bed of the truck. With the tailgate down it should be about the right height.” She hoped. She kissed him again, before standing.
Thomas nodded, grabbing a blanket to lay down over the tailgate for her as he got up. He moved close to her, nuzzling and teasing, fingers brushing lightly over skin as he toyed with the hem of her shirt. They’d figure something out, he was sure of it.
She stood, enjoying the attention he gave her before they headed over to the truck. This was why she liked her truck. Big enough to carry all the camping supplies she needed, and then she could use it as a sex aide. Beat that, motorcycles. She drew him over to the truck grinning brightly at him.
Thomas grinned back, pressing up against her back, and leaning down to kiss her neck. He ran his fingers through her hair as he drew it aside, over her shoulder, and cupped her breasts through her clothes. Just because they were trying to limit skin-to-skin contact didn’t mean he was going to ignore her lovely curves.
She was very glad for that. His hands felt amazing, even through her shirt. She undid her pants, but left them on. Thomas could draw them down when he was ready. “Oh my God, this is actually really hot.” She hadn’t expected the dangerous aspect of it to turn her on even more, but it was obvious, in hindsight.
Thomas didn’t mind a little danger to himself, but he didn’t necessarily want to threaten the life and liberty of others in his pursuit of happiness. What he did like was pleasing his partner, and he could almost taste how aroused she was by all of this. She accepted every part of him...and that turned him on.
He slid a hand lower, just inside her waistband, and ground his hips against her ass, letting her feel just how much she turned him on. “You are so sexy right now.”
Neena moaned softly, spreading her legs a little. “I am seriously going to explode if you don’t fuck me right now.” She looked over her shoulder at him, grinning widely. “I’ve been thinking about this all day.”
He pushed her pants down, and undid his own, smirking at her as he drew his cock out and rubbed it against the fold of her ass. “Oh, have you? Maybe I should let you explode first, and then fuck you.” Provided she meant explode, orgasmically, and not literally blow up like a time-bomb.
Come to think about it, he could probably make her come without actually fucking her...
But where was the fun in that?
“You might not survive.” Neena said with a laugh. Oh, that felt nice. She groaned softly. “I have, uh, lube in the pocket of my hoodie.” Coincidentally. She was so turned on she could barely stand it, and she didn’t care how he fucked her.
“Mm...” Thomas purred. She’d been planning. “I might have a condom in my jeans.” Maybe he’d been planning too. Or hoping. Or covering the ‘just in case’ sort of thing. Either way, it seemed they were well prepared.
She laughed. “I like a guy who’s well prepared for a situation.” She rubbed up against him playfully.
He reached into his pocket for the condom with one hand, tearing the foil package open with his teeth. He reached down to tease her folds with the other while he rolled the latex sheath over his cock, and then guided that between her legs instead.
She groaned softly as he pressed inside her, clenching around him at first. He felt amazing. She turned her head so she could look at him, which was the only downside to this plan. They’d have to figure something else out later.
Thomas would have to agree with her. The urgency of taking her like this was definitely hot, but it made it harder to see her lovely, violet-blue eyes. That and her skin would have been glowingly gorgeous in the moonlight. But as long as they survived this, he could hope that there would be time to learn enough control to lie with her, skin to skin.
Right now, he was simply wrapped up in the glory if her tight heat around him, the swell of her breast beneath his hand, and the glimpse of her face as she peered over her shoulder. He thrust himself up into her, slowly, but eagerly; watching and listening for her response as his other hand slid down to tease her clit. “So beautiful...”
She groaned as he moved, putting her hand over his hand on her breast. She moaned even louder as he stroked her clit, squeezing down on him in retribution. This was possibly the most amazing date she’d ever had.
It hadn't been that hard to track down Neena. Creed wasn't stupid, he liked to observe his prey. It was a matter of waiting for a vulnerable moment, and it didn't get much more vulnerable than that.
"I don't know why Runt let you go, you look like a nice fuck." A voice said to their left, accompanied by the clicking of a gun's safety coming off. The blonde man spit out a cigarette and grinned at them.
Kill them and fuck up their bodies, or fuck them up and then kill them. Creed was a man who had choices.
"Don't stop." He motioned with his gun like 'by all means, continue.'
Thomas’ shoulders stiffened at the sound of a strange voice, and the unmistakable click of a gun. He’d seen enough movies, worked with enough props departments to realize that he’d just been caught with his pants down. He also realized that he was suddenly sober, free from the sex-haze that he’d been just seconds ago.
“Sorry,” he said, jerking his pants--and Neena’s--back into place with one hand while he reached for the gun in her shoulder rig with the hand that had been groping her chest. “But I think you’re gonna have to wait until this one comes out on pay-per-view.”
Neena cursed when she heard Creed’s voice. Chills ran down her spine, and she eyed the shotgun in the bed of the truck. It was within reach, and hopefully out of his line of sight. She was relieved when Thomas’s hand went for her revolver. She lifted her chest up so he could get to it, sliding her hand closer to the shotgun. “You’re dumber than you look if you think this is going to be easy for you.”
"I was hoping you'd play." The man opened fire, while simultaneously dodging to the left. He didn't care about the man. He'd put a bullet in his head while Neena watched.
The woman would go slower.
Thomas drew Neena’s gun, and ducked behind the end of the pickup, so that he wasn’t pinning her to the tailgate anymore. He knew she could take care of herself, and she’d kick his ass if he got in her way. He’d just try to give her some cover fire--doing his best to actually aim and not waste the revolver’s small handful of bullets.
It was lucky Thomas was already moving, because Neena straightened and fired the shotgun at Creed, moving forward. He was missing, thank God. What were the odds of that, at this close range? She decided not to think about it. She only had one more shot, she had to make it count.
One of Creed's bullets blew out a tire, and several others hit the truck, stopping before reaching either of his targets. He laughed, using a tree for cover as he reloaded. "Tell the runt I've got a list. Tell him there's no place to hide. If I can't kill him, I'll turn his life into a living hell."
Thomas growled under his breath as he tried to get a bead on the man behind the tree. “He’s toying with us,” he hissed, realizing that the only reason that they probably weren’t bleeding yet was because this was a game of cat and mouse. He did not like being the mouse.
Neena nodded. Thomas was probably right. She crept over to the tree, hoping to catch Creed before he was completely ready. The situation was different now. If he'd caught her alone she'd be worrying less. If Thomas got hurt because she'd neglected to tell him about this she'd feel terrible.
Clip sliding into place, Creed rolled against the tree, exposing himself and opening fire again. His shots were carefully aimed. He really was toying with them, and he really didn’t want to shoot them to death. Not yet. Not without some games first.
When Creed leaned around to start shooting, Thomas took aim and fired back. He knew he only had a limited number of shots, but he had to at least try and keep the guy’s attention while Neena crept into position. He was more worried for her than he was for himself.
Neena was approaching the tree from the side he’d put his back to, thank God. She put the barrel of the shotgun against the base of his skull. “Guess we’ve all been caught with our pants down, now.” She couldn’t kill him. Not because it was the wrong thing to do. This shotgun was registered to someone else entirely, she’d go to prison for all kinds of fraud, and possible for his murder. Shit.
"This is the sound of me quaking in my boots," Creed replied, with a short laugh. He didn't sound scared. It was as though he understood exactly what Neena was thinking. "Why don't you deliver a message to runt for me."
It occurred to Thomas that he could probably kill the man, if he got close enough to deliver a metaphysical roofie, but the thought did not exactly appeal to him any more than shooting him. He just kept his head down and stayed alert, in case things went any further south.
“I’m not a mailman.” Neena noted. She couldn’t kill him, but she was betting he’d run away if she hurt him enough. She quickly moved the barrel of her shotgun down and shot him in the shoulder, right at the joint. It would at least take him out for this fight, unless he was ambidextrous, and she could get Thomas the hell out of there.
Creed went spinning, his gun firing once more before it went flying from his grip. He hit the ground, and lay there for a moment before trying to pick himself up.
Thomas ducked as the stranger’s gun went off, then peered out over the bed of the pickup once again. When he saw the man was down, he stepped around, keeping his weapon trained on the man as he called out to Neena, “Need a hand?”
“Yeah, get me the rope from the tent. I hope you don’t have anything important in there.” She knelt on Creed’s wounded shoulder, to keep him from getting up. She even went as far as to confiscate his gun. Now she had something she could easily shoot him with, no questions asked. “Got anymore threats you want to make?”
Creed just laughed. “Go ahead, kill me. I got someone who’ll finish my work, if I don’t call him.” The pain in his shoulder was extraordinary, but it only served to turn him on and make him more stubborn.
Seeing that Neena had things well in hand, Thomas went and retrieved the rope, approaching with caution as he brought it back to Neena. “Here.” It looked like her prisoner might try to fight back at any moment.
Neena tied Creed up tightly. She wondered if he’d tell her more about his plan if she tortured him. He didn’t seem to be reacting much to the fact that she was kneeling on his shoulder, so probably not. She patted his head like a dog. “Good boy. Now stay.” She stood, making her way to the truck. “We’re leaving. With any luck he’ll bleed out and become part of the circle of life.”
Creed couldn't help the parting shot, "Sure, I'll stay, cunt. I got someone chasing after your brat. Probably toying with him right now."
Thomas clenched his jaw and fist, fighting the urge to stomp on the man’s face with all the force of the preternatural rage and adrenaline he felt coursing through his body right then. His eyes flashed with it, but he resisted, touching Neena’s arm as he backed a step away. “Let’s get out of here.” It sounded like they might be needed more urgently elsewhere.
Neena was done with Creed. She didn’t care how much prison time she got. She lifted his gun, taking aim carefully. It was then that Neena realized Creed had not completely missed her. A sharp burning pain spread through her stomach, and she staggered, pressing her hand against the shot. “Fuck.” Her shirt was soaked. She didn’t have time to shoot him. “We have to go.”
Creed just stared at her. It wasn’t out of fear, or mocking. He just stared at her, with a faint grin on his face. He loved it when the adrenaline wore off. So he stared at them, all the while trying to work the ropes off.
"Get in the truck, Neena," Thomas said, his voice low, but firm. He didn't try to push her, but he did move close, offering his arm for support. He had a feeling it would be a while before his own adrenaline rush wore off, but he didn't want to be anywhere near their would-be assassin when it did. "I'll drive."
She had to take his arm, after stuffing Creed’s gun in her hoodie pocket. She couldn’t hate Creed more in that moment. She held on to Thomas, using him a lot as she went to the truck. She made sure she had her shotgun before she climbed in, her breathing very heavy. “Fuck.” She wondered if Thomas’s feeding had drained her more than she’d thought. This was bad all around.
Thomas wished it had been him that had been shot, but he didn’t think Neena would appreciate him saying so. So he just helped her into the truck, gave her revolver back, and sprinted around to the driver’s side, gunning it the hell outta there. Only when they were moving did he ask, “Where to?”
He knew that if he took her to a hospital, the gunshot wound meant that a police report would have to be filed, and somehow his gut told him she wouldn’t want that. He could only assume she had someone else to call when she couldn’t call 911.
“Closest place with an address.” It would still be ten minutes, and she wasn’t sure how Clarice’s teleportation worked. She shoved her shotgun under the bench seat, then put her revolver and Creed’s pistol in the glove box, fishing out her phone in the process. She slumped against the door, pressing her contact for Faiza. She managed to put it on speakerphone before passing out.
“Hullo?” A woman’s voice answered on the other end. She sounded distinctly british. “Neena? Is that you? Is everything all right?”
“Hello?” Thomas spared a quick glance at Neena’s unconscious form before returning his attention to his driving. As soon as he had a straight shot on anything that even resembled a road, he was going to put the pedal to the floor. “My name is Thomas, I’m a friend of Neena’s. We were ambushed while camping--she’s been shot.”
“Brilliant,” she replied, dryly. “Where are you? I can get there pretty quickly, or send someone to pick you up.” And if she couldn’t get ahold of Clarice, there was always the jet.
Thomas glanced ahead, and told her name of the road they were on, the general area from which they had come, and what direction they were heading. “She told me to head for the closest place with an address. Then she passed out. I’m making for the nearest junction unless I hear otherwise.”
“Good thinking. Give me a jiffy. If you see a bright pink flash, don’t panic, that’s entirely normal.” The good doctor almost sounded bored, but it was more like she was rushing around getting the ranch’s medical center ready.
About four seconds later, there was a flash a hundred yards ahead.
“Right. Pink flash.” Thomas eased off the accelerator a few seconds later, wary of running into--or driving past--whatever had caused that flash. “Perfectly normal.”
A woman stood by the side of the road, wearing a perfectly normal pair of jeans and a stylish blouse. Her skin was pink, her hair was pink, and her eyes had a bright, surreal green glow to them, obscuring her pupils. She waved.
Thomas pulled over, parking the vehicle near the flashy, pink woman. He rolled down the window, most of his attention on Neena even as he greeted the newcomer. “Hey. I’m Thomas.”
“Hi. I’m Blink.” She flashed him a smile then jogged over to look at Neena. “Not again. Okay. Do you want to come with her? I can bring the truck too. Faiza can’t fix it up but I’ll bet Wrex could put the students to work patching it.”
“Blink. Hi.” Thomas glanced down at Neena, then back at Blink. “I’m sure Neena would appreciate having her truck patched up--I’ve been driving on the rim. But let’s get her patched up first, yeah?”
She nodded, and flicked her wrist. First Neena vanished, then Thomas, then the truck. Finally, she was gone too. Blink sent the first two to the med bay, and joined them shortly thereafter.
Faiza moved over to the bed that Neena had been sent to, and pushed aside her shirt. “Bugger, this is serious.”
Finding himself in a strange, new place in the blink of an eye, Thomas looked to the woman who was checking Neena’s wounds. “Is there anything I can do, or should I just get out of your way?”
“Stand over there. Actually, take her clothing and put it in the sink, if you would, love?” She gave him a terse smile, then turned back to Neena. “This may be uncomfortable to watch.” She held out her hands, and Neena suddenly fell apart, her body floating in the air, different pieces spinning about. She plucked the bullet out of the air, then brought Neena’s stomach over. It started to piece itself back together.
Thomas did as he was asked, then turned back to watch from a respectful distance, where he could still fetch and carry if he was needed. The scene that unfolded was both disturbing and fascinating, but as he watched the bullet removed and the wound in Neena’s stomach begin to close, he held his peace. If the woman could manage that, he had to trust that she could put everything back where it belonged. He could freak out later.
“Your liver isn’t pickling. That’s nice to see,” Faiza commented as she slowly brought Neena back together. It was always best to do it slowly. She could do it nearly instantly in a pinch but that risked adverse side effects.
“I just keep telling myself that I’ve seen worse in films,” he said, “It’s entirely possible that I’m in shock...or denial.” It was all a little bit surreal, after all. “I’m sure it’ll catch up with me.”
“Just use the bin.” Faiza smiled as she got Neena closed up completely, then pulled the blanket over her. “I wonder what she’s been up to. I healed up some nics and abrasions, and a strained bone, while I was in there.”
“We’ve been hiking, and rock climbing,” Thomas said, making conversation to distract him from trying to decide whether or not this was all just another strangely vivid dream. “But I don’t think we got up to anything all that rough.”
“I’m sure she’ll want you near when she wakes up.” Faiza walked over to wash her hands.
Neena rubbed her face after a couple seconds. “Fuck, that hurt.” She didn’t open her eyes. “How bad was it, doc?” She had a morbid curiosity. She was damn glad to be alive.
“Another twenty minutes and you’d be pushing daisies, as you yanks like to say.” Faiza gave her a smile, and a glass of water. “Drink up.”
Thomas stayed close, his expression and his posture showing visible relief when Neena came to. He was very glad that Neena had managed to make that phone call before she passed out. He wasn’t sure if he would have gotten her to help in time, on his own. “Good thing Neena hates flowers,” he joked, offering a wry smile. “Am I right?”
Neena chuckled, reaching for the glass of water. “You’re an angel, Faiza.” She smiled at the doctor, before turning to Thomas. “You didn’t get hurt, did you?”
Faiza stepped aside to let them chat a bit. She could heal Thomas right up if he was injured, but sometimes it was polite to wait. Nothing seemed life-threatening.
“I’m fine,” he said, touching Neena’s shoulder as if to reassure himself that she was solid. He made sure not to touch her skin just yet, not wanting to sap her strength by accident. Not right now. “Banged my elbow on the tailgate a little, nothing I can’t take care of myself.”
In fact, if there had been any scrapes or bruises, they were probably already healing.
Neena stroked her hand over his side. It sucked that she couldn’t hold his hand, but she wasn’t in the mood for anymore risks that night, either. “Thanks, Thomas. You were amazing. Are you sure you haven’t been ambushed by psychopaths before?” She smiled at him.
“Not really, no,” Thomas said, “In fact, I’m pretty sure I have been ambushed a few times, in my dreams. Does that count?” He made a mental note to invest in a pair of quality leather gloves, for moments like this. Just in case they ended up getting into any more shootouts.
“Works for me.” She sat up, slowly. “Oh man, I’m going to be feeling this tomorrow.” She was still pretty wiped out. “Next time we’ll bring the dog. Dante would have eaten him before he had a chance to mess with us.”
“No arguments from me there,” Thomas agreed. A guard dog might be nice to have around, even if only to warn them when they were about to have company. He wouldn’t particularly want some unsuspecting family of campers with kids to happen upon him and Neena any more than he’d want another assassin. Though if his dreams and Neena’s life were any indication, the latter was more likely. “Just rest up.”
She nodded, looking around for her clothes. “We need to check on a friend of mine before we turn in for the night.” She stopped after a second, then sighed. She could do this much faster if she used their mental link. “I need to think for a second, you should let Faiza take a look at you, just in case.”
“Of course.” Thomas gave her arm a gentle squeeze before moving to the other side of the room and presenting himself to Faiza for examination while Neena made her calls.
Faiza cracked her knuckles, and grinned. “Step right up, duck. This will only feel a little strange.”