“No, sorry again. I do have some Batman and Spider-Man if you’re interested?”
“That’d be great.” They were a lot shorter than the manga, but at least it’d eat up a couple of minutes while he read through them. “You got any science fiction or fantasy?”
“We have a couple of Dune books.”
“Now that I could definitely go for.”
She smiled. “I’l be right back.”
Nick watched as she walked out of the room with a shake to her hips that ought to be il egal and in some states probably was. She real y was beautiful. He didn’t know what it was about her hair, but it real y made him want to touch it. It just looked so soft and smooth. It probably smel ed good too.
Just like her skin.
What are you thinking? She’s so far out of your lea gue. . .
.
Girls like her didn’t date loser dorks who mugged tourists.
She was the kind who went on to date jocks and marry lawyers and surgeons and stuff.
He could just imagine the type of childhood she’d had with maids and tutors and birthday parties with presents wrapped in something other than hand-decorated grocery sacks. Her parents would probably flip out and die if they knew she was even talking to filth like him.
“Here you go.” She returned and handed him a stack of books and comic books.
Nick smiled. “Bless you.”
“Any time.” She stepped back from the bed. “Wel , I better get going. I stil have to make my rounds and visit other patients. I promised Mrs. O’Mal ey that I’d play rummy with her today.”
Wow, that was real sweet of her. “Okay. Thanks so much for stopping in and for the books.”
She inclined her head to him. “Take care.”
“You too.”
Then she was gone. Nick sighed as depression set in. He hated that he was stuck here, but most of al he hated that he’d never be worthy of a girlfriend like Nekoda. He could bluster and pretend al he wanted to. It wouldn’t change anything.
She’d stil go home to her nice house and he’d have to crawl back to the gutter where he’d been born.
Trying not to dwel on things he couldn’t change, he opened a book and started reading.
Nick sighed and shifted, then jerked awake as he felt like he was fal ing out of bed. He blinked open his eye to find himself stil in the hospital, alone.
Gah, this sucked. Wishing he’d slept longer than two hours, he reached for his tray to get another book and froze. There was a smal box that hadn’t been there before.
He frowned, reaching for it, then opened it up. Inside was a pink Nintendo and a smal note.
Sorry for the color. Pink’s my thing. But I hope this’l keep you from going crazy so that you won’t have to kil anyone. I figure I can do without it for a few days if it’l spare your sanity.
Get better soon,
Kody.
He stared at the note as a wave of emotion overwhelmed him. It was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him. The box was fil ed with games for it, from classics to strategy to shooters.
What an incredibly nice thing for her to do. It real y touched him.
Picking it up, he held the system in his hand. For some reason, it made him feel weirdly close to her. Systems were personal. They were an extension of yourself. From the color to the stickers … It al came from within and it was something that you kept close to you. Something you guarded and protected.
And she’d loaned him hers.
Not many people would do that. Especial y not someone as hot as Kody. The girl was crazy.
Maybe she likes you.
That thought made his blood race like fire through his veins.
Could it be possible?
She’s dangerous to you. Avoid her.
He scowled at the deep, scary voice in his head. It sounded almost demonic. WTH?
“I am going crazy from boredom.” Only a lunatic would want to avoid a girl as nice and pretty as Kody.
Did he take it?”
Nekoda tensed as she felt the air around her stirring. The power was palpable and it was one she was intimately familiar with.
Sraosha. Her guide and mentor.
Nekoda locked the door of the storeroom to keep anyone else in the hospital from innocently coming in and seeing Sraosha’s form. Tal and graceful, he was so beautiful that it was hard to look straight at him. His powers were so great that they manifested as an ever-moving aura that il uminated his skin with a bright yel ow glow. His long blond hair flowed around his shoulders as he narrowed his gaze on her … a gaze that had no eyes. Only a smoky black cavity that was as frightening as it was peculiar.
“I left it for him,” she whispered. Nick had no idea that her Nintendo al owed her to keep an eye on him so long as he was around it.
Sraosha nodded. “What do you think of this one?” He was younger than the other Malachais she’d fought.
More innocent. Sweet even.
Don’t let him seduce you.
That was the last thing she could afford to have happen.
“He seems …” She had to choose her word careful y.
“Different.”