Nevermore (Crossbreed Series Book 6)

“Daddy, sit up and take your pills.”

“I don’t want to go to sleep,” he grumbled.

I held out my hand. “These aren’t painkillers; they’re vitamins. You need your strength. Today I want you to stay away from the heavy stuff and take aspirin. I don’t need you getting yourself addicted to those horse tranquilizers. Where the hell did you get all those pills?”

He palmed the vitamins and chewed on them before chugging down his orange juice. “Never you mind.”

“How did you sleep?” I propped another pillow behind his back so he could sit up comfortably.

“I should ask you the same question.”

I collected the empty breakfast plate from his chest and put the glass on top. “Are you still hungry? I can bring you more sausages. We’ve also got eggs if you’d rather I scramble up a few.”

Annoyance bled from his expression as he opened a car magazine and thumbed through it. Crush didn’t mind my bossing him around—verbal sparring was what we did best. But he didn’t like the babying part. I didn’t care if it bruised his ego or made him feel feeble; someone had to nurse him back to health. And if that meant barricading his bedroom door so he wouldn’t wander into the kitchen to make his own meals, so be it.

I looked at his foot propped on the pillow and made sure the bag of ice wasn’t leaking. I’d wrapped a thin kitchen towel around it after he complained the ice was burning his skin. “If you need anything else, just yell.” I shut the door and headed to the kitchen.

What a night. I’d checked on Crush numerous times, helping him to the bathroom and then giving him a painkiller around three in the morning. Cleaning the trailer kept my mind occupied since I had a stressful day ahead of me, what with getting the cash and paying off General. Crush looked like a truck had run over him, the extent of his injuries more visible in the light of day. Bruises covered his body, and he couldn’t sit up without help. I guessed that after a day or two, he’d be able to move around more. But for the moment, he needed to lie down and rest so he didn’t exacerbate his injuries by pushing himself too hard.

In a zombielike state of mind, I washed the dishes and put them back in the cabinets. Wizard and his boys showed up early that morning to work on the trailer, but Crush made me promise not to say a word about what had happened. He wanted privacy, so the bedroom door remained closed.

Wizard lightly knocked before stepping inside the trailer. “I’m shutting off the power for a little while. You’ve had some varmints chewing on things down below. We set traps down there and plan to exterminate before sealing it off with new skirting. This place has become a pet project, so I’ll have it like new in no time. We just need to look at all the switches and outlets.”

“Do you know how to do all that?”

“I’ve been an electrician for eighty years. My boys and I can repair a house from foundation to roof. Anyhow, I’ve got a thermal-imaging gun to look for hot spots. After we work on the electricity, I’ve got a few other things on my list to check out. If I have to pull back paneling for any reason, I’ll replace it.”

“Just don’t go in the bedroom. It’s off-limits.”

He wiped his dirty hands on his jeans. “I’m gonna have to get in there eventually.”

“Another time. Are you thirsty? The kitchen’s all yours. There’s orange soda or water. Pick your poison.”

“Water’s fine.” Wizard groomed his long mustache while I grabbed a few bottles out of the fridge. “We’re gonna be loud all day, so you might want to find some earplugs.”

“Don’t worry about me.” I handed him the bottles. “I’m on my way out to pick up lunch. How does barbecue sound?”

His eyes lit up. “That’d be real nice. I’ll just be outside, passing out water. Oh, and I’ll clean the dirty floor before we leave.”

I looked at the entryway and shrugged it off. I had more pressing matters than mopping the floor to a shine. After Wizard went outside, I put on my jacket and made sure my spare wallet was in the lining. Everyone had an alias in case human police pulled us over, so I never left home without ID.

Thank God for guys like Wizard. His generosity couldn’t have come at a better time. At least now I wouldn’t have to worry about Crush’s house sparking a fire or flooding out. As I stood there by the door, I overheard them talking about roof repairs.

I headed to the bedroom, and after knocking twice, I poked my head in. “I’m going to pick up lunch for the guys, and I’ll bring you back something. Does brisket sound okay?”

He nodded.

“Are you going to be all right by yourself?”

He flung the magazine down beside him. “Stop treating me like an invalid.”

I quirked a smile. “Do you need to pee before I go?”

He stroked his beard in frustration but held his tongue.

“They’ll be working inside for a while and making a lot of noise. You can either let them know you’re here or hide all day under the covers, but they’ll stay out. Wizard gave me his word.”

“Tell them to go home.”

I pushed the door open and stepped in the doorway. “They’re here doing you a favor. Plus the lights are off, so unless you want to live in the dark for the rest of your life, you’ll have to put up with them until they finish up repairs. If you don’t want them nosing in your business, just tell them you fell down the front steps. Don’t be such a pussy.”

“Give me my sunglasses.”

I jerked my head back. “What for?”

“Just do as I say.”

I went down the hall and grabbed his shades off the kitchen table. Once I returned, I flung them onto the bed. “Any other odd requests?”

He looked himself over. “Put the blanket over me.”

I sighed and slowly dragged a dark blanket over his legs. I had a feeling Crush was preparing for the off chance of running into Wizard and didn’t want him to see the extent of his injuries. The shades would cover up his black eye, but nothing could mask his split lip, even with the glue that he’d put on it this morning.

“Would you also like a face mask and your gun?” I asked sweetly.

“Don’t give me your sass. Just make sure they know to stay out of here.”

“I won’t be gone more than an hour. It depends on traffic and how busy the restaurant is.”

“Take your time. If I have to take a piss, there’s a plastic cup.”

I rolled my eyes and shut the door behind me before grabbing my keys and heading out. When I reached the bottom of the steps, Wizard met up with me.

“Is Crush sick?” he asked quietly. “Is that why you want us to stay out of the bedroom?”

“Please don’t go in there. And don’t let him know that you know he’s in there.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“He’s obstinate.”

“Anything I can do?”

I spied Switch riding up on his motorcycle. “Just keep your ears open for a loud thud, like the sound of a grown man’s body hitting the floor. I’ll be back with the grub in a little bit. If you get thirsty, help yourself to whatever’s in the kitchen. Just stay away from the juice and electrolyte drinks.”

“Will do.”

I jingled my keys and waltzed up to Switch, who was dismounting from his bike. “What are you doing here?”

“Just came to check on him. How’s he feeling?”

“He’s seen better days.”

“You look like shit.”

“Thanks.”

“Did you get any sleep last night?”

“Not really. I had a lot on my mind. Plus it took me forever just to get him to the bathroom and back. He couldn’t even sit up by himself.”

“Yep. Sounds like broken ribs,” Switch said. “I broke one as a kid when I fell off a bike. It was before I went through my first change. Sometimes it hurts when you breathe deep or turn a certain way. Hell, it hurt when I laughed.”

“Well, at least I won’t have to worry about that. Crush isn’t in a laughing mood. He took off that rib-brace thing this morning.”

“Good idea. He just needs to take it easy for a while. Make sure he takes deep breaths so he doesn’t get something like pneumonia.”

“Thanks for giving me something else to worry about.”

His eyes flicked down to my keys. “Where are you headed?”

“Barbecue run.”

“Need a hand?”

“Hop in.”

“Raven, wake up.”

I raised my head from the table and looked up at Switch. Bleary-eyed, I sat back and yawned while he set our plates on the wood table. After he finished, he stacked the trays in the empty booth behind us and sat down.

My mouth watered when I caught a whiff of the pulled-pork sandwich, coleslaw, and beans.

Switch buttered a roll. “I know you’re looking after your old man, but don’t forget to take care of yourself.”

After I bit into the sandwich, I wiped the barbecue sauce from my mouth with a napkin. “Easier said than done.”

“Emotional stress takes more of a toll than all the physical stuff. Take it from someone who knows.”

I sipped my soda and nodded.

“Our to-go order should be ready by the time we leave. Do you want me to drive so you can take a nap?”

“Sorry,” I said, rubbing my eyes. “I’m not usually this tired. Once the meal kicks in, I’ll be good to go.” Switch’s plate was identical to mine, and I wondered how much our lunch had tacked onto the total cost. “Did the manager give you an estimate of the bill?”

“Zero dollars.”

I scooped coleslaw onto my fork. “Seriously.”

“The owner asked a lot of questions. When he found out you were Crush’s little girl, he said this one’s on the house.”

I peered over the wood divider at the men in the kitchen. One of them looked at me and nodded, so I waved a hand appreciatively to thank him.

I washed down a few bites of slaw with soda, my energy returning.

Switch licked sauce off his thumb. “I think we should swing by the drugstore on the way back and get Crush a walker.”

Soda sailed right into my windpipe. I bent over in a coughing fit, struggling to breathe. Once I regained my composure, I sat up and cleared my throat. “If you do that, he’ll put you on his hit list. When I offered to buy him crutches, I thought he was going to set the trailer ablaze from all that fire he was breathing. He thinks it makes him look weak and old, and I guess he’s starting to feel his age around his buddies.”

“He wouldn’t have a complex if he hung out with more humans. Then he’d have someone to commiserate with.”

“I can’t do anything about that. He’s getting old while all his friends stay the same, so I understand where he’s coming from. I just want him to accept that he’s getting older so he takes better care of himself.”

Switch smiled and took a big bite of his sandwich. Then he mumbled something I couldn’t understand.

“Swallow first,” I said.

He winked.

I shook my head and savored a bite of my own.

Switch wiped his mouth with a napkin. “I was just asking if you wanna go out sometime.”

“We’re out.”

“I mean a date.”

I flicked my eyes up. Shifters didn’t usually date outside their Breed. Fool around, yes. But most of them didn’t get serious with other Breeds. Did that mean he wanted to fool around? “What for?”

He shook his glass, the ice tumbling together. “Because you’re pretty, you take good care of your old man, you throw a mean punch, and you’re not afraid to eat in front of a man.”

“You must be dating those salad-eating girls.”

“Come on, Raven. I’m serious. I don’t care what people think about interbreeding.” He stroked his circle beard. “It doesn’t look like that Vamp is taking you seriously.”

“Maybe I don’t want anyone taking me seriously.”

He waggled his brows.

“I know how you Shifters love a good challenge, but that’s not an invitation. Please don’t put any added pressure on me right now. I seriously don’t know how much more I can take. Plus I’ll probably be a dead girl in a week if I can’t get General his money.”

“Who said I wanted a long-term relationship?”

I smiled and poked at my beans. “You’re funny.”

He resumed eating his pork sandwich. “Did you get the cash?”

“Is that why you really came by today? To see if General was going to browbeat me for his money?”

“There was nothing on TV.”

“You’re a barrel of laughs,” I said flatly. “No need to worry. I have a plan.”

He finished his last bite and wiped his face with the napkin. “But do you have the money?”

I swallowed another bite of my sandwich. “Not yet. But I’ll have it today. Well, some of it. Enough to tide him over until I get the rest.”

He pushed his plate aside. “I’ve got thirty grand saved up. I just bought a new bike this year, so it’s not as much as it could have been.”

I slowly lifted my head, stunned that Switch would hand over his entire life savings. Lenore was right about borrowing from friends. If I couldn’t pay Switch back the full amount, I’d never forgive myself. He didn’t have a pack to support him. It was a thoughtful gesture, but still not nearly what I needed.

“I’m not taking your money. Keep your nest egg.”

He swirled the straw around in his red plastic cup. “If I had a pack, I’d have more money saved up. But as it stands, I have rent and bills and all the bullshit that goes with living as a rogue.”

“Don’t beat yourself up. Someone will come along and realize what an asset you are to a pack. But if they find out you gave all your money to a Mage in debt, they might change their mind. I appreciate the offer though.”

He shrugged and scratched his ear. “You’re right, but I just wanna help.”

“You’re here, keeping me sane. That’s all the help I could hope for.”

Despite the recent chaos, these past weeks had been blissfully normal. Stepping away from murder and mayhem to do ordinary things was just what the doctor ordered. Even sitting across from Switch, talking about my family and problems, restored a piece of my sanity. Until General jumped into the picture, I hadn’t done a whole lot. Sleeping, sitting around, walking the property…

“What are you thinking about?” he asked.

“I’m debating which mortal sin I like best.”

“At the moment, I’m guessing gluttony.”

“Sloth has a lot to offer. A comfy sofa, doing lots of nothing…”

“What about wrath?”

“That’s my day job.”

He leaned across the table and gave me a smoldering look. “What about lust?”

I ate a single bean off my fork. “Looks like envy is on your plate today.”

“And pride is on yours.”

I pushed my empty plate aside and finished my soda.

“What do you see in that Vampire?” he asked.

As much as I wanted to elaborate on how I could relate to Christian on a level I couldn’t with others—that we were woven from the same cloth—I wasn’t ready for Switch to learn that I was half Vampire.

“Christian is blunt and honest.”

“Crass.”

“His remarks aren’t out of stupidity so much as he doesn’t own a filter. Trust me, Christian was on his best behavior around you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so… restrained.”

“So you like assholes?”

I scratched my neck. “Like attracts like.”

“You’re not an asshole. You were always a sweet girl. Mouthy, but sweet.”

I propped my elbows on the table. “That was the old me. Just like you’re a different man than the boy you were, I’m a different woman. In fact, I’m drastically different. I’ve killed people, Switch. A lot of people. On purpose.”

His gaze lowered.

I threaded my fingers through a tangle of hair, ashamed to admit the truth. “I’m a killer for hire. Keystone works all kinds of assignments, but I was hired specifically for my hunting skills, not my brains.”

“Then how are we so different? I’m a killer.”

“It’s different, Switch. You did it because it was personal. Your emotions took over, but deep down, you know it’s not who you are. I can still see your soul when I look in your eyes. I don’t think I’ve seen mine since the day I was made.”

He sat back, his broad shoulders resting against the vinyl booth. The owl tattoo caught my attention, the top of its head obscured by his shirtsleeve.

“Did you choose a Vampire because you don’t think you deserve a good man?”

“What makes you think he’s not a good man?”

Switch answered like he was ticking off checkboxes next to answers. “He works for Keystone, he’s a bloodsucking Vampire, he’s an asshole, and I’m willing to bet he hasn’t called you once.”

“Sometimes people aren’t everything they seem. He’s a cocky guy with a morose personality, but that’s not all there is to him.”

Switch dipped his head and held a pensive look.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Maybe I’m jealous.”

“Why should you care about a fanghole like Christian?”

He wadded up his napkin and tossed it onto his plate. “Because you wouldn’t be defending him if you didn’t love him.”