hold out. Or if I wanted to hold out. I pressed a hand against a nearby tree trunk and tried to stay upright. Tried to fight the growing urge to go with the flow and let oblivion take me.
It was a Toyota Land Cruiser. Really battered, grayish in color. He paused. I only saw a little of the plate. The first three letters were BUK.
It was better than nothing, and would certainly narrow down the field. "Is there anything else you noticed?"
No. His voice was softer, but that was more than likely a result of the fatigue gnawing at my body. I didn't deserve to die like this.
I thought it likely he did but didn't voice the opinion, saying instead, "Go in peace, Mr. Johnson."
I don't want -
He might not want to, but I broke off the contact and sank down to my knees, my breath wheezing out of my lungs and every muscle quivering.
The chill of his presence still hung in the air, but I ignored it, concentrating on breathing, on getting some strength back.
Footsteps approached from behind, and a familiar, spicy scent wrapped around me. "Here," Cole said, shoving a thermos and a cup in front of me. "We decided we needed to keep a supply of the strong stuff handy in case you needed it."
"I think I love you."
"Too late," he replied, amusement in his voice. "My love is already taken."
"Overlooked again." I tried to say it lightly, but tiredness got the better of me and it came out somewhat harshly.
I grabbed the metal flask from him, unwinding the top and pouring the steaming liquid into the plastic cup. The aroma hit my nostrils and I sighed in pleasure. It wasn't hazelnut, but it smelled just fine.
"Did you get anything from our victim?" Cole asked.
I took a sip of coffee and felt the warmth of it begin to chase away the chill of afterlife. "He said his killer was disguised as a demon."
"Well, none of us actually thought we were dealing with a real demon." Cole's voice was amused. "I wouldn't imagine they'd need to use barbed wire, for a start."
Certainly the demons I'd met wouldn't, that was for sure. "He also gave me a partial plate number and a description of the car the attacker was driving."
"Did he say where the murder occurred?" Cole squatted down beside me and handed over a Mintie. It wasn't a burger or even chocolate, but a chewy mint was better than no food at all.
"Here in these trees." I paused to unwrap the mint, popping it in my mouth before replying. "He said his attacker sprayed something in his face that froze him, so you'd better do a full toxicology."
"Like I don't always." He touched my shoulder lightly. "Are you sure you haven't come back too soon?
Because you're not looking too good at the moment."
I met his concerned gaze, managing a small smile. "Meaning there were occasions in the past when I actually did look good?"
He grinned, and the warmth of it flowed over me, chasing away the chill faster than the coffee. "I will admit to thinking, every now and again, that you looked great."
"He confesses this now, when he's finally found a girl who will put up with him?" I shook my head in mock despair. "We could have had so much fun."
"I don't think I have the stamina to handle someone like you." He pushed to his feet. "And you very neatly avoided answering the question."
"Not too neatly if you noticed."
He shook his head, his expression concerned. "You need to take it easy, Riley. This job isn't worth dying for, no matter what Jack says."
Again, the frustration surfaced. "Jack doesn't want me dead. I'm of no use to him that way."
"But he will keep pushing until you begin to think you might be better off dead." He reached into his pocket and tossed me another Mintie. "Sooner or later, you're going to have to set boundaries."
"Which is easier said than done." I squinted up at him. "I don't see you saying no too often."
"My situation is not the same as yours."
"No. You haven't been injected with drugs that are changing the very chemistry of your body."
"That's irrelevant, and you know it."
It wasn't, because it was the one reason I couldn't walk away from the Directorate and Jack.
"I'm just saying that you need to be careful." He hesitated, then added, "Jack may be a good boss, but he doesn't run the Directorate. His sister does. And trust me,