“It’s been two weeks. You don’t remember? You’ve opened your eyes before. I was told you just needed rest. Are you in pain?”
Gray glanced at the bandaged stump and the sigil burned into the skin above. He didn’t know what to say. “It’s… no, not really. Feels like I could just curl my other hand into a fist,” he said, but only one set of fingers followed his thought.
“Do you need anything? I’ll get you books and DVDs and shit. There’s no point for you to come back when the clubhouse is such a mess. Your place was spared, but the whole lounge area and a few other rooms are fucked. Thank fuck that the structure itself is so solid. We had it reinforced while you were here.”
Gray exhaled and rubbed his face, once again shocked when he felt the touch of just one palm. He could still feel his other hand. Why wasn’t it there? Why was there this weird ache mid-way down his left arm? He knew in theory, but a part of him didn’t want to accept this reality. “Is everyone all right?”
“For the most part. A few people got burned, had bones broken, but no one died. They’re all back on their feet in one way or another. Your injuries were the worst. I…” Rev slouched. “I’m sorry. I did everything I could, but saving your arm was impossible. We’d have both burned to a crisp if it wasn’t for Jake.”
Gray sucked in air, suddenly lightheaded. “Did the pact work? Could he turn back? Everything is so fucking blurry.”
Rev nodded but he wouldn’t look at Gray. “It did. He’s in charge of the thing. Even managed to turn a few times since then to help with clearing the rubble. It’s… strange, but that’s what our life is now.”
Gray swallowed hard, for a moment settling his gaze on the television set. “Did I… say something? I know I need to be home for the new moon. But what did he actually want from me?”
Rev straightened up, but instead of focusing on Gray’s face, he focused on something over his shoulder. “You said you traded your shadow. But it’s still there. Maybe he can only take it on the new moon. Or maybe you weren’t yourself back then. Fuck knows.”
It was as if all vitality drained out of Gray. With his heart sinking deeper into his chest, he peeked beyond the bed, at the dark shape on the wall that reflected his own position. He had many questions, but he knew his father couldn’t answer them, and there was no point in worrying him. He was likely scared shitless of losing his only remaining child and didn’t need any more anguish.
“Oh, right. It’s not like I need it.”
Rev smiled, but his wrinkled forehead was still marred with worry. “My thoughts exactly. If that was the price to pay, you’ve done very well. I… I’m proud of you, Gabriel. You saved Jake’s life.”
Gray nodded, but the odd anticipation deep inside made him restless. “Yeah, well, there’s other things to be done, and I’m in no shape to deal with the kind of shit that happens when I’m on the job. What about that ruby Magpie wanted?”
“The Pigeon Heart? We had an opportunity, but that window has closed, and now we’re back to square one. We have to be ready and on call for whenever Magpie gets intel. Don’t worry about it. You’ve done more than enough.”
The coddling made Gray flare up with sudden anger. Rev had never been this easy on him. Was it the arm? The hospital setting? Would he now be treated as if he were made of glass? If he’d survived the agony of finding out his twin brother was dead, he could survive losing an arm.
But he said nothing.
Chapter 2
So many times Gray had thought to himself that he would have given an arm to get Mike back, that it would have hurt less than living without him. Nothing had changed about his convictions now that the pain of losing a limb had become reality.
He couldn’t save his twin brother, but he did save a friend. What was an arm in comparison to the smile Jake showed him every time he visited Grayin the two weeks following his awakening?
He didn’t want to stay in the hospital for so long, but his brothers practically forced him to, and while he understood they meant well, the sense of being a burden nagged at the back of Gray’s mind.
Once he regained consciousness, Gray got stronger fast. Unwilling to lie still all day, he came up with an exercise regimen that he followed every few hours. When no one could see, hospital items and books became weights and props, and two weeks on, he was itching to finally return home. Rev had brought him his cut, and being able to touch the soft leather, the familiar patches made him feel more like himself. No one knew, but he and Mike had swapped their vests at some point, and while Gray had Mike’s, his own became one with Mike’s body during the cremation.