A Touch Morbid

by Leah Clifford

  Goose bumps raised on his arm and she felt guilty for telling him at all. He said her name softly, the tone full of trepidation.

  “It was a stupid dream. Probably because of the packages.” There’d been another at their door yesterday. She’d thrown it away without opening it.

  “When are you going to tell me what’s really going on?”

  She stiffened. “I don’t know what you’re—”

  Az jerked his arm away from her. “Stop fucking around, Eden.” He dropped back onto the pillows. “Quit pretending we’re both oblivious and talk to me about this.”

  She startled at his anger. He’d clearly been bottling it up. For how long? she wondered. She’d tried so hard to hide everything, to not worry him. “Az, I—”

  “Are you sick?” he cut in, frustration in his voice. She heard the click of his throat as he swallowed. “Or is it worse?”

  She opened her mouth to set him at ease, but no sound would come.

  “I didn’t think you could get sick,” he said quietly. Az was worried, and for the first time she admitted to herself how terrified she’d become.

  Something was very, very wrong.

  On the nightstand her cell phone alarm went off. For a long moment neither of them moved to shut it off.

  “You don’t sleep. Sometimes you seem like you’re hurt.” Finally, Az handed her the phone to silence. “What’s going on?”

  She gave him the only answer she could. “I don’t know. I don’t know what’s happening to me.”

  He hadn’t mentioned the smears on her cheeks, her hands. She didn’t want to admit to herself what they were.

  She lifted an arm over her head, adjusting on the pillows so she could see him better. “It could be anything, Az. I’m not like the other Siders, because of Gabe. For all I know, a few cramps are normal when I stop carrying so much Touch. You weren’t around after the rave, but I didn’t feel right until I’d balanced out.”

  She tried to smile.

  He moved slowly closer, lying beside her on the pillow. She faced him, didn’t dare shy away from the intensity in his stare, his desire to believe her. This isn’t lying, she promised herself. I don’t know what the pain means, let alone the ashes.

  Az kissed the top of her head. “You’re gonna be late,” he said as he rolled over.

  She rubbed her hands over her face, and then stretched. “Ugh, I can’t deal with Madeline this early in the morning.”

  “Couldn’t you have asked her about Sullivan over the phone?”

  “There are other things we need to talk about.” Eden climbed out of the bed and dressed quickly. “Like Vaughn. But speaking of Sullivan,” she said, “Jarrod was worried about leaving her alone. Go easy on him for me, okay?”

  Az rolled onto his back and threw his hands behind his head. “He thinks I’m going off the deep end every five seconds.”

  “Well,” she said carefully, “how would you feel if it was him in danger of Falling instead of you? You’d want me to be cautious around him, right?” She slipped into the coat hanging on the handle of her closet door.

  Az grumbled as he snuggled deeper into the pillows.

  Eden almost let it go, but turned back at the threshold. “Jarrod’s gotten both of us out of trouble. The least you can do is go easy on him.”

  She grabbed her keys and left the apartment. She didn’t hesitate when she hit the security door, hoping if she hurried that she could be mostly past before the Siders started in on her. The second she was out, though, she screwed up. She let a boy of about sixteen make eye contact.

  “I’m not doing that anymore,” she said before she thought better of it.

  “Yeah,” one boy snipped back. “We kind of figured that out. Thanks for the heads-up, though.”

  Eden paused. “Okay, so what are you doing here?”

  The boy hopped down off the railing, strolling across the stone stair, toward her. “Oh, well, look who’s interested!”

  “What do you want?” she demanded.

  “Not you.” The boy’s smile sent a chill down her back.

  “Fuck it,” she said, trying to keep the waver from her voice. “Stay if you want. I don’t have time for this.” She’d taken another two steps when she spun suddenly. “Are you dealing Touch on my stairs?” she accused. The Siders glanced at one another, a few casting down their eyes.

  He snorted a laugh. “Thought you didn’t have time for this?” Eden waited. “You wanna stop me?” he said, spreading his hands low and far apart. “Stop me.”

  Eden slowly descended the rest of the stairs, staring back over her shoulder. The boy didn’t look away.

  As Eden walked into Milton’s, the bell on the door jangled. She kicked the snow from her boots, moved to take her gloves off and thought better of it.

  After she’d bought her coffee, she sat watching the door.

  Madeline nearly skipped to her table a few minutes later.

  “So,” Madeline started, dropping into her seat. She unwrapped the cupcake she’d purchased on the way in with a flourish of dainty tugs and cut into it with her fork. “Ready to take care of my little Vaughn-shaped problem?”

  “You didn’t find Jarrod. That was the deal, wasn’t it?”

  “One of them. You’ve made several. I’m the only one who seems to be coming through for you.” Madeline stared at her for a long second. “How’s Az?”

  “Not so good,” Eden said quietly.

  “If there is a way to find Gabriel, Luke’ll know it, but it’ll be a hell of a challenge getting it out of him. I don’t want to push him too much and make him suspicious.” She took a forkful of chocolate frosting, smashed the tines down on a few wayward crumbs. “Have you tried to get hold of Kristen?” Eden didn’t miss the flash in her eyes before she dropped them, knew Madeline just well enough to sense the uncertainty in her.

  “I haven’t.” If Luke realized Madeline played both sides, he’d torture her slowly, probably give her time to heal and then start over again. What if he thought Kristen was doing the same thing? “You?”

  Madeline shook her head. “I’m worried she’s had a breakdown.” She glanced up when Eden didn’t say anything. “You know she’s schizophrenic?”

  Eden took a quick drink. “I didn’t officially. I mean, I knew she was off, but I thought… Well, I thought it was Kristen.”

  Madeline folded the cupcake wrapper, halving it absently. “Gabe helped her. I don’t know how. But he slipped up once and said something about—” She stared at the ceiling, trying to recall the exact wording. “‘Untangling Kristen.’”

  Not only did I take Gabe from Az, but I took him from Kristen, too. Eden dropped her head to her hands and took a breath. “So, what do we do? How do we find her? I’ll help you.”

  “Yeah, you’ve done a great job proving how reliable you are, Eden.” Madeline wouldn’t look at her. “Kristen’s schizophrenia gets worse without Gabe. And now Kristen’s missing. Luke’s missing.”

  Eden took a swallow of hot coffee, the liquid burning her throat. “You’re not saying she went to Luke for help? You’re mistaken,” Eden said carefully. “She wouldn’t turn to him. A month ago she gave me the Touch that helped us beat Luke!”

  Madeline shrugged. “All I’m saying is that you should watch your back a bit more. Just in case.”

  “Well, aren’t you helpful?” Eden stared her down. “So, why not help me again? Vaughn sold Touch like a drug. The mortals he sold to, what happens if they keep getting hit with Touch? Are they getting addicted?”

  A flicker of surprise crossed Madeline’s face, almost too fast to catch, but Eden had caught her off guard. She smiled. Madeline did not.

  “Some of them got it too often, didn’t they?” Eden pressed.

  “Now where’d you get an idea like that?” Madeline asked. She laid the fork down on her plate.

  “Kristen was always so adamant that Touch be spread out. You knew they’d get hooked, didn’t you? You all did.” Eden sipped her coffee
, trying not to sound accusing and confrontational. Madeline wasn’t the enemy. “It worked out great for Vaughn. If he was selling Touch, he had to have them coming back for more, right?”

  Across from Eden, Madeline straightened. “That’s a very specific theory, Eden.” She shoved a bite of cupcake in her mouth, swallowed it, and tapped the napkin lightly against her lips. “Tell me why you really wanted to know and I’ll spill it.”

  “A girl showed up here, at Milton’s. Jarrod was with her in her hotel room. She tricked him into touching her.”

  “Yeah, ton of trickery in that,” Madeline snickered. Eden ignored her.

  “This girl claims she was with Vaughn. Now, you’re well aware of how trusting I am.” Eden’s smirk was bitter. “I want to know if you can confirm her story.”

  “Why?” A moment later her expression shifted to amusement. “I mean, I know you have a thing for taking in strays, but mortals?”

  “What can I say,” Eden deadpanned. “I’m a giver.”

  Madeline’s attention shifted over Eden’s shoulder. She froze for a split second, then snapped back to Eden. “Are you seriously trying to pull this on me?” she hissed. “After all I’ve done for you?”

  A shocked laugh burst out of Eden. She bit the inside of her cheek to stifle it when she realized Madeline wasn’t kidding. “Pull what? I don’t understand, Madeline.”

  “Now you’re just pissing me off.” Madeline slid out of the booth.

  “Wait! What’s wrong?” Eden asked. She followed Madeline up.

  Madeline spun back to her, rage narrowing her eyes. Eden stumbled backward, but Madeline grabbed her arm, yanked her along to the front door. “Tell me, Eden, what’d Vaughn promise you? You take care of me and he’ll make all your problems go away? Did he tell you where Gabe is?” She stopped suddenly, registering the shock on Eden’s face. “Jesus Christ, you have no idea we’re being watched, do you?”

  “Watched?” Eden looked behind her, but Madeline pulled her away out the door and around the side of the building.

  “Swear to me you’ve never seen him before.” She pointed through the window at a booth two behind where they’d been. A guy sat there, one leg on the bench, bent with a magazine balanced on it, his head inclined away from them enough to keep his face hidden. He flipped the page, looking completely engrossed. At first all she could see was his gelled-back black hair, but then there was a crash near the counter and he looked up for a split second.

  “I’ve never seen him before,” Eden said without hesitation.

  Madeline grabbed her by the wrist, marched her back through the door. “Follow my lead. Try to look like a scary bitch,” Madeline said over her shoulder. At the booth, she kicked her tennis shoe up on the bench and leaned forward onto her knee. Madeline’s hands flew up in mock surprise before she lowered her head into her palms. “Fancy meeting you here, Ali!”

  The guy slapped the magazine down on the table. “Pretty far from Queens, Madeline!” He gasped. “Did you get lost?” The smile fell from his face. “Fuck off. I’m not here for you. I’m passing through.” He turned to Eden, stared at her for a second. “Who’s she?”

  Now it was Madeline’s turn to balk. “Ali, seriously, I can’t take your shit right now. Drop the act.”

  He shook his head slowly. “No clue, Maddy. Do I need one?”

  Madeline let out a squeak of a laugh, looking from Eden to the guy. “Oh, this is too much.” She lowered her voice. “You don’t know Eden?”

  His face went ashen. “That’s the death breather?”

  “Fifty bucks is usually the going rate for my services.” Eden tilted her head, let a smile play at her lips. “But I can always make an exception,” she said sweetly. That ought to cover being a scary bitch, Eden thought.

  He held up his hands. “I said I’m not here for trouble.”

  “Actually,” Madeline cut in, “you said you weren’t here for me. So why are you here?”

  He ran a hand across the rough stubble on his jaw. He dropped his foot onto the floor, pointed to the bench beside him. They slid in. “There was a girl staying with us. Mortal. All Vaughn wants is the girl back. No trouble.”

  “So she took off on you?” Madeline asked. “Vaughn doesn’t take in mortals. What’s the deal?”

  “Mortal or not, Sullivan’s one of us. Vaughn takes care of his own.” Ali relaxed a bit. “Before he had everything set up, we didn’t have enough buyers. Vaughn didn’t want us spreading to the general public. Luckily, Sullivan was game for a finger tapping whenever we felt the need.”

  Eden’s rage bubbled up at his smarmy smile. “You’re sick,” she spat. Only a subtle bump of Madeline’s elbow into her side kept her from losing it completely. A steady ache blossomed around where she’d been hit, much more hurt than she should have felt from the jab. Eden gripped the edge of the table, preparing herself for the worst.

  Ali looked to Madeline as if she’d protect him. “Look, I’m the first to say she’s been dosed too many times. I mean, she’s spent days so knuckled out she didn’t even know where she was half the time, but she has everything she could want. We take good care of her. She’s a little confused.”

  “Why would you think she’s in Manhattan?” Madeline crossed her arms on the table. “Counting on her wandering into the coffee shop you’re hanging out in doesn’t seem like the best plan.”

  Ali laughed and glanced out the window. “I’m waiting on Vaughn. He got a tip that she was around here. Heard there was a kid who could tell him where to find her. He works here. Vaughn figured he’d try to catch him before he made it.”

  “Where’s Vaughn right now, Ali?” Madeline demanded.

  The smile waned as Ali picked up on Eden’s growing stress and realized his obvious mistake. “He’s part of your crew. You’re the one hiding Sullivan.”

  Eden took off, out through the door. It was after ten. Jarrod would already be on his way to work. Should have been there already.

  A car horn blared, the bumper almost swiping her leg as she darted across the street, running full tilt for the alley, already knowing she would be too late.

  CHAPTER 25

  Jarrod groaned at the screaming alarm, shooting his hand to the floor. He felt around till he found his cell phone, checked the time, and hit the snooze button again. He should have been out of bed and ready by now. Sullivan’s arms tangled around his neck.

  “Why are we waking up?” she rasped.

  “I have to work.” He rolled closer to her, drew her against him. Her skin was hot against his, feverish. He dropped his cheek to her forehead. She was burning up. “You feel okay?”

  She shrugged. “I just woke up. I don’t feel anything but tired.” Her eyes still closed, she laid her head on his chest, sighing contentedly. “You make a good pillow.”

  “Yeah, well, you’re gonna have to settle for this one,” he said, sliding out from underneath her and replacing himself with the pillow he’d been using.

  “How long are you going to be gone?” she murmured.

  “It’s a full shift, so eight hours.” Part of him wanted to bring her with him. She could hang out and he’d know she was safe, but he knew he was being stupid. Vaughn could find her more easily at Milton’s. Anyone could. She’d be safer here. And if she was sick…

  Her face was pale except for two bright burning spots of red on her cheeks.

  She’s mortal. She’s going to get sick. I can’t call off for that. If he got fired, they’d never make rent, and they were way too close anyway. He’d already cut out early once and was damn lucky his day off coincided with meeting her.

  “Are you sure you’re feeling okay?” She didn’t answer. Could it be withdrawal? “Sullivan?” He leaned closer, pushing her hair back. “I gotta be there in a few minutes,” he said, but she was out again.

  She’ll be fine, he promised himself, grabbing a work shirt from his closet and tossing it on over his T-shirt. He yanked on the least wrinkled pair of khakis he could find.
/>   Slipping out, he closed the door as quietly as he could and headed to the front door. Az sat on the couch, the television playing softly.

  “Hey,” Jarrod whispered.

  Az lifted a hand in response.

  “Where’s Eden?”

  “Not here yet.” He turned to Jarrod, his face blank. “Nothing’s gonna happen in the few minutes until she gets back to set me off.”

  Jarrod shrugged into his coat. “I wouldn’t be leaving if I thought you were gonna lose it.”

  Az said nothing.

  “Sullivan’s… I don’t know if she’s detoxing or what, but she’s got a hell of a fever. Check on her later if she doesn’t come out?” he asked. “I think Eden freaks her out.” He slipped on his shoes, tied a quick double knot.

  Jarrod raised his hand to the trim on the door, hesitating. He’d been up last night after Sullivan fell asleep, thinking about what Michael had said—how Eden smelled like fire. That Az had seen something. That he was lying. Az and Eden not talking was what had gotten them into the whole mess. If Az wasn’t going to tell her, Jarrod knew he’d have to. Not something he looked forward to.

  When Az didn’t say any more, Jarrod added, “Let me know if she gets any worse.” He headed out before Az answered.

  Through the window, he took a quick look around and opened the door to the street. No Siders on the stairs, but the packed-down splotches of snow gave away where they’d been. Otherwise, the cement was covered in four inches of snow.

  “Damn it.” Jarrod stared down the alley. Drifts rose several feet up against one wall.

  He stuck to the other side, where the snow left barely a trace, trying not to get his shoes too wet. Today would suck enough without his feet freezing the whole time.

  He yanked his hood down, tried to follow the footprints Eden had left on her way to Milton’s to meet Madeline. The wind whipped by bitterly cold, spitting snow, as he trudged forward. His foot caught a patch of ice. He tried to make a grab for the wall, clawing for enough of a grip to stay upright, but ended up on his ass anyway.