Shades of Gray - By Jackie Kessler & Caitlin Kittredge Page 0,51
didn’t mean to interrupt your workout, mate,” Luster said, all bullshit charm and smarm. The man hunkered down on his haunches as Night did his push-ups. “Need a spotter?”
“For push-ups? Not likely.”
“For the barbell.”
“No need.”
“You haven’t done your free weights yet,” Luster said, with that I-Know-Everything tone in his voice. “You’re like clockwork, you are, and more regular than an old lady on her fiber pills. First you put in your run, then floor work, and last is free weights. And then you do some sparring, if anyone’s feeling particularly like getting pulped into next week.”
“You want something, Luster?”
“Right you are,” he agreed after a pause. Pitching his voice low, he said, “I want your thoughts on our brother-in-arms.”
Night arched an eyebrow.
“More to the point, on your brother in Shadow.”
Midpush, Night paused. “What about him?”
“That episode he had, a while back? You know, the one that sent him to Medical for a few days?” Luster lowered his voice even more. “He didn’t just get dizzy, mate. He’d been raging. Ranting like an insane man. You should’ve seen him. In that moment, he wasn’t our Georgie-boy.”
“So what?” Night said, his voice a verbal shrug even as his mind was whirling. He had to play this carefully. Night knew that behind Luster’s brilliant smile were shark’s teeth. “We all get enraged now and then.”
“If it was just that, I’d shrug it off as an adrenaline surge.” Now Luster paused, as if considering his words.
Night pushed up to a seated position and waited, schooling his face to blandness.
“His eyes, man. You should have seen his eyes.” Bradford’s voice was whisper soft, and full of the terror known by small children who wait in the dark for the monsters to steal out of their closets. “They were full of Shadows.”
Silently, Night cursed.
“He said things too. He begged me to make them stop. Said he always hears them. That he can’t keep fighting.” Luster stared hard at Night, his gaze penetrating. “What the hell was he talking about?”
Night shook his head. “I don’t know,” he said, modulating his voice for the perfect blend of honesty and concern. “Did you … did you tell Dr. Moore?”
“George warned me not to spill the beans.” Luster snorted. “Like I’d say anything to Moore. Bloody mad-scientist wannabe. But don’t you get it? That was our Georgie, threatening me. And just today, he was commenting about voices in his head.”
Night blew out a breath. He hadn’t known Blackout had succumbed to the Shadow in front of Luster. Damn it. It was a saving grace that Bradford had been so distracted with seducing Vixen that he hadn’t focused on Blackout before now. Clearly, that free pass had expired.
He ran a hand through his hair, raking it away from his face. How to play this? Anything that he said about Blackout, Luster would obviously wonder whether Night, too, was walking a razor’s edge.
And that was scrutiny Night couldn’t allow.
Part of him wished he could. In his own way, Night respected Luster, and he admired the man for being concerned about a teammate. But there was no way on Jehovah’s scorched earth that he was going to tell Bradford, or anyone, the truth about the Shadow. Not about the voices he constantly kept at bay.
Not about the struggle to hold on to his sanity.
So he made himself believe his own words as he said, “It sounds like it was a combination of exertion and stress, making his power twitchy. He had time off after that incident, if I recall. And then he was fine, right? That’s probably all he needed: a bit of rest.”
“Probably,” Luster said slowly. “You’re not convinced?”
“Mostly. But just in case there’s something more here … well. You and I, we’ll keep our eye on him. We’ll make sure he’s in full control of his power. He has been, before and after that one time. I’m sure George is fine, but it’s good for all of us if we’re diligent.” He smiled grimly. “I’m glad you mentioned this. Try not to worry. As I said, I’m sure he’s fine.”
Luster nodded. “Rick, if he’s not … then is George a danger? To himself? To Holly?”
“As much as any extrahuman would be a danger.” Then Night chuckled, and even clapped Luster on the shoulder. “You see yourself blinding Vixen on your off days?”
Bradford laughed. “Right. The woman would hand me my own arse if I even tried to lay a hand on her in violence.”