Chapter Nineteen

Magnus

Jade slumped weakly against the Jeep's door, the piece of cloth I pressed against her deep gashes already leaked through. Blood stained her jacket, her shirt, clotted in her hair in thick ropy glops. "Where're we going?" she asked, her eyes closed as I put the Jeep in gear and floored it.

"We can't go back," I replied, worried sick over how badly she got hurt in trying to save my sorry ass. "The resort ahead is still closed. A car coming down might be stopped. They'll find the cars, won't have much of an explanation as to what happened, though."

I grabbed her free hand. "You stay with me, Jade. Got it? No dying on me."

"You're bossy," she muttered thickly.

"I mean it, girl," I growled. "Don't die."

"Piss off."

I didn't like how much blood she'd lost. I really didn't like how pale her skin appeared. I also really didn't like how cold her hand in mine was. "Jade?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I love you."

Her green eyes, dulled with pain and blood loss, opened. A small frown creased her brow. "What?"

"Ha, gotcha. Now pay attention. You're gonna be okay. Got it?"

"Okay." Her eyes slid closed.

Fretting, unable to do a thing for her except get her someplace safe, I pondered just where that someplace was. It was too early in the ski season to open the resort, nor had enough snow fallen to accommodate skiers. If I tried to break in, grab a room, the alarms would bring in the cops. No good.

Rubbing my lips, I glanced at her whenever the road permitted. She'd opened her eyes, though, and gazed through the windshield. That's a good sign. I hope. "Jade?"

"Yeah?"

"There's a small town about ten miles beyond the resort," I said, squeezing her fingers. "They'll have a motel. It's a tourist place."

"Sounds good."

I tried to check her bleeding, and nearly ran the Jeep off the road. "How you doing?"

"Okay."

The road rose steeply, so steep only clear blue sky filled the windshield. The plows had reached this far, yet a layer of ice covered the asphalt. I slowed, put the Jeep into four-wheel drive, and hoped we wouldn't slide right over the edge.

"You still with me?"

"Yeah."

"I told the truth."

Jade rolled her head toward me. "About what?"

"That I think I love you."

Her lips formed the word "oh", but it actually didn't come out. I braced myself for the denial, the phrase, thanks but I don't love you, or Jade telling me to piss off again. I knew I shouldn't have said it, even if I felt it. My male ego didn't handle rejection well.

Her fingers squeezed mine. Jade offered me a tiny smile. I blinked.

"Good."

Her whispered word floated across the short space to me, making me wonder what she meant. Good luck? Good riddance? Good night? What did she not say?

"Good? Good what? Jade?"

"Just good."

Her eyes closed. Withdrawing her hand from mine, she tucked it under her chin and drifted to sleep. Brief glances at her neck gave me the idea her gashes had ceased to leak, but that didn't bring me much comfort. What the hell did she mean?

***

The blue sky clouded over, and snow fell lightly as I drove into the tiny community nestled high in the mountains. Tourist shops, coffee houses, bed and breakfasts lined the main drag as I drove slowly down it. Cars were parked at angles, folks still walked along the sidewalks. I suspected the tourist season wasn't quite over as I saw many out of state plates on vehicles.

A blinking sign advertised vacancy above a motel sign. As I drove in, I noticed that it wasn't the rundown, rat-turd and roach infested place I'd anticipated. Similar to a mountain lodge, it appeared clean, prosperous, and well-maintained. I parked near the entrance but didn't shut the engine off.

"Jade," I murmured. "I need cash to get us a room. Where is it?"

Her hand gestured toward the back seat. "My pack. In my purse."

Fetching it, I dug out a wad of twenties and fifties, and put the rest back. "Listen, I'm gonna get us a room. You can't be seen, honey. It's nearly dark anyway. Just sit tight. Okay?"

"I'm okay." She smiled slightly, her bloody hand lifting to pat my cheek. "Do what you gotta do."

Taking her hand, I kissed it, then left the Jeep. At this elevation, the cold bit deep as I crossed the parking lot. I huddled in my jacket, the light snow flicking across my cheeks, flakes landing on my lashes. Inside the lobby, the warmth struck me like a freight train. A big fire burned on a hearth opposite the front desk.

"Help you?"

An older, balding man in a checked flannel shirt beckoned me over. Blowing on my hands, I offered him a polite nod. "I hope so. Do you have a room?"

"Sure do. Lots. Most of the out-of-towners have gone, home probably. Florida. California. Someplace that don't snow much."

I pulled out the wad of cash. "I don't have a credit card. Is this okay?"

"Sure is," he said with a grin. "Cash is better than plastic anyway. Just you?"

"No, me and my girlfriend. She's in the car, sleeping."

"No problem atall."

He pulled out a form, scribbled on it, then asked me for my name, year, make and model of my vehicle. "Just so we don't tow it by accident."

While I gave him a fake name, I felt forced to give an accurate description of our vehicle. After I scribbled a signature that couldn't be read, I gave him the form back.

"How much?"

"How long you planning to stay?"

"I don't really know."

"There's a storm moving in, son," he said, his smile gone. "I hear it's supposed to be bad. The roads will likely be closed until the plows come through. I'm not saying that to keep you, I'm warning you is all. You may not make it out tomorrow."

That news pleased me to no end. Good luck getting through the storm to find us, Arnaud. "Let's plan on three days then," I told him.

"Good enough."

He accepted my cash, gave me change, a receipt, and an electronic key card. "Your room is on the second floor, end of the hall, that way. You can park at the end of the building, come in through the doors there."

"Thank you. This is great."

He beamed. "Let me know if I can do anything for you. I own the place, and I'm here all night."

Pocketing everything, I returned to the darkness, the snow, and the bitter cold, wondering how any fool could live in this place through the winter. Still, we'd gotten lucky in many ways. I reminded myself to not curse what currently protected us.

"I have a room," I said, my teeth chattering as I got into the Jeep.

"Cool. I need to lie down."

"You got it, baby."

I drove to the end of the building, parked, then went around to Jade's side. Opening the door, I helped her out. She staggered, leaning hard against me, her head drooping on her neck. After setting the key card in my hand, I picked her up in my arms.

"I can walk," she muttered.

"I can carry you."

I carried her into the building, to the elevators, and up to our floor and room without encountering anyone. Grateful for that blessing as well, I gently laid her down on the nearest queen-sized bed. Sitting beside her, I brushed her hair from her face.

"Are you up for a bath?" I asked quietly.

"No," she whispered. "But I should, huh?"

"Yeah. But I'm gonna get our stuff from the Jeep. I'll be right back."

"Kay."

Leaving her, I trotted down to the Jeep, grabbed the sack of supplies, clothes, her backpack, locked the Jeep, and trotted back. Jade had fallen asleep by the time I returned, lying curled on her side with her back to me. Easing my way to the bed beside her, I gently removed the bloody rag.

Black and dried blood came with it. I winced, my stomach churning, as I examined the deep wounds. The bastard had come close to breaking her neck. Fucker. Without touching her, I inspected the gashes while wondering just how I was to get them clean.

"My front, too," Jade murmured.

"Can I see?"

Rolling onto her back, grimacing, Jade opened her jacket. Blood caked her torn shirt, the long lines where the dragon's talons had raked her. Using my knife, I cut her shirt open, sliced her bra, and spread them. His talons had cut from her breastbone, over her breasts and down her belly.

"Like them?" she inquired, smiling.

"Yeah, they're cute. Small, but I like small. Look, I know this'll hurt. But I think a good soak in the tub will loosen the dried blood. If I dab at it, it'll take all night and hurt you worse. What do you think?"

"I'm a dragon, I can take it."

Wishing I knew more about doctor shit, I left her to run warm water in the tub. As it filled, steam filling the pristine bathroom, I got the medical supplies from the sack and rifled through them.

"Bandages, iodine, cotton, shit is this it?"

"Yeah." Jade slowly sat up. "It should be enough."

"Christ, I don't know what I'm doing."

"Neither did I. And you healed up."

In the bathroom, I helped her undress, too worried about hurting her to get a hard on over her perfect body. Slim, her belly flat, her breasts perky, I knew making love to her was the answer to all my prayers. I helped her into the tub, then knelt beside it as she sat.

"Fuck, I really hate seeing you in pain," I griped, running my hand through my hair. "But you have to lie back."

"I know."

Jade eased her way into the water, wincing, baring her teeth as the pain hit. Still, she didn't get up, didn't complain, her only vocalization a sharp hiss through her teeth. The bath water reddened as the crusted blood loosened and fell away.

With a cloth and soap, I gently washed her gashes, Jade lifting her hair from her neck so I could reach it. "How you doing?"

"Okay," she replied. "It's not so bad now."

"Just wait until I start slinging iodine."

The water turned a nasty foamy dull red. I helped her to stand, then drained the water. "Shower time. Just don't hit me cuz it'll hurt."

Under the shower, I washed her wounds again, used shampoo on her hair, rinsed her off. Through it all, Jade endured the pain with guts and toughness, then let me dry her off. After wrapping her in towels, I sat her on the toilet seat, and sucked in a deep breath.

"I gotta do it."

She smiled. "Just do it."

I liberally soaked her wounds with the iodine. Jade stiffened, her jaw tight, her eyes closed. Again, she said nothing. Nor did she fight or lash out as I might have if I was in her place. I closed the cap on the bottle, then looked at her wounds again.

"I think we should leave the bandages off," I suggested. "Just keep the cuts clean."

"I agree," she whispered.

I got her into a shirt and panties, then into the bed under the covers. Jade sighed deeply and took my hand.

"Thanks."

"I owed you. Now sleep. You're safe. No one will harm you."

As though my silly words were a soothing balm, Jade closed her eyes. In seconds, she slept. I tucked the blankets under her chin and straightened. I paced to the window and parted the curtains to peer outside. Snow fell more thickly than before, and the wind had increased. The lights of the town gleamed dully through the storm, and very few cars passed by the hotel.

Though the hour was still early, I undressed and crawled into the second bed. After shutting off the lights, I stared at the snow flying past the glass for what seemed like hours.

At last, I slept.

***

Waking early, I yawned, stretched in the comfortable bed, then looked over at Jade. Naked, she sat on her bed's edge, looking at me with dull eyes. "Jade?"

"I'm really hurting," she murmured. "Got anything for the pain?"

I got up, pulled my jeans on, then my shirt. "I'll go down to the front desk."

Remembering to take my key card, I left the room barefoot, then got into the elevator to get to the main floor. The desk clerk, this time, was a woman in her thirties who smiled while looking at me expectantly. Outside the glass doors, the snow had piled up while a man in a heavy coat, hat, and gloves patiently shoveled it aside.

"My girlfriend is hurting," I said. "Do you have anything for her pain? I'll pay for it."

"Sure. I have ibuprofen, aspirin, Acetaminophen." After a quick glance around for listeners, she added, "Tylenol with codeine."

"May I?"

"Sure." She grinned, then stepped into the back office. A moment later, she returned with a bottle. "You didn't get this from me."

"Get what from you?"

Chuckling, she put it in my hand. "Be careful, it's strong stuff."

Leaning over the counter, I kissed her cheek. "I owe you, big time. Thanks."

"I needed it after an operation," she said. "It's sort of old but should still work."

"You're my angel."

Returning to our room, I filled a cup with water, then sat beside Jade. She'd crawled back under the covers, but accepted two tablets and washed them down with the water. "What were they?"

"The good shit." Smiling, I brushed her hair back from her face. "Go to sleep. I'm going to find us some breakfast."

"I'm not hungry."

Within minutes, Jade was asleep again. I inspected her wounds and found them clean of apparent infection. Covering her, I kissed her cheek. I donned my boots and jacket, then left the room again. Downstairs, the clerk glanced up as I approached.

"How is she?"

"Sleeping. Uh, is there a diner or something close by? For breakfast."

She glanced doubtfully at the blowing snow outside. "We've got a continental breakfast here, its included. Lots of coffee, juice. I really don't think you want to go out in that."

I, too, eyed the whiteout conditions. "Maybe not. Where's this breakfast?"

"Just around the corner there."

I pursed my lips in an air kiss. "You're a doll."

Only one other guest dined in the small room where I breathed in the scents of coffee and toasted bagels. I poured a big cup for myself, and put bagels, donuts, packets of jams, boxes of cereal, a couple pints of milk, others of juice, slices of bread, plastic plates, spoons, and bowls into a bag. The other guest stared in awe as I gathered my bounty.

"A family," I said with a quick grin. "Big storm outside."

"Gotcha."

I waved at the clerk as I headed for the elevator, thinking food might be boring for a while, but at least we'd eat. Jade slept on as I quietly entered and set my bounty down on the desk. I put the juice and milk in the fridge, then turned the TV on, the sound low.

Jade slept on as I munched a bagel, sipped my coffee, and channel surfed. Finding a local station reporting on the blizzard, I set the remote down. The talking head spoke of the city paralyzed by the storm, air and vehicle traffic ground to a halt.

"Do not leave your homes," the head intoned. "Don't travel the roadways unless for an emergency. Plows are working to keep up with the snow, and emergency responders may not be able to assist you. Stay calm and stay tuned for further information."

"Try finding me in this shit, Dad," I muttered.

***

Over the next two days, Jade slept, waking to eat a little food, drink milk and juice, pop a pain pill, use the toilet, then slept again. The storm blew itself out by evening of the following day, and at last I could venture into the town. I bought burgers at the diner down the street, walking across newly shoveled sidewalks. The town's plows cleared the streets with an easy efficiency, permitting the mountain town to come alive again.

Jade munched an almost cold burger with relish, sitting up with pillows behind her. "This is good."

I bit into my own. "Not bad. When you're ready, we'll go down there and eat them hot."

Her cheeks flushed a faint pink, making me wonder what I'd said to embarrass her. "You've really taken care of me. Thank you."

I waved my burger. "You took care of me. We're square."

"Think the cats are okay?"

I chewed, then swallowed. "Yep. They survived fine without us, they'll be fine until we get back to collect them."

"You really think we will? Get back to – collect them?"

"I do. It'll take us a few days to drive to Washington, and, oh say another few days to chat up the feds. They'll work their magic, arrest dear old dad, then we're clear to head home."

Jade ate her burger, her head lowered, half-hiding behind her hair.

"What's wrong?"

"You make it sound so easy. I just can't believe it will be."

"Hey," I said softly, getting her attention. "It will be. Arnaud has no clue where we are. If he does, there's nothing he can do, not after that storm. We have the entire eastern United States to get lost in. Once we hit the road, we'll take the scenic routes to Washington. Stay off the interstates. Once we get into Washington, my dad's ass is grass."