The Hollows Series Books 1-4. Kim Harrison

followed his gaze to my wrist and went frightened. “Nick did,” I said quickly. “He agreed to let it out of the circle if it got me back here alive. It took us through the ley lines.”

      “Oh,” he said, and I felt myself go cold at his flat tone. He knew something I didn’t.

      “Oh, what?” I demanded. “What’s the matter?”

      He took a slow breath. “This isn’t going to heal on its own,” he said softly, setting my wrist on my lap.

      “What?” I exclaimed, holding my wrist as my stomach churned and the chocolate threatened to come back up. The shower went off, and I felt a flash of panic. What had Nick done to me?

      Keasley opened a medicated adhesive bandage and applied it over my eye. “Demons don’t do anything for free,” he said. “You owe it a favor.”

      “I didn’t agree to anything!” I said. “It was Nick! I told Nick not to let it out!”

      “It’s not anything Nick did,” Keasley said as he took my bruised arm and gently prodded it until my breath hissed in. “The demon wants additional payment for taking you through the ley lines. You have a choice, though. You can pay for your passage by having your wrist drip blood the rest of your life, or you can agree to owe the demon a favor and it will heal. I’d suggest the former.”

      I collapsed into the cushions. “Swell.” Just freaking great. I’d told Nick it was a bad idea.

      Keasley pulled my wrist to him and started winding a roll of gauze bandage around it. Blood soaked it almost as quickly as it went about my wrist. “Don’t let it tell you that you don’t have a say in the matter,” he said as he used the entire roll, fastening the end with a bit of white medical tape. “You can dicker about how to pay for your passage until you both agree on something. Years, even. Demons always give you choices. And they’re patient.”

      “Some choice!” I barked. “Agree to owe him a favor or walk around like I’ve got stigmata the rest of my life?”

      He shrugged as he gathered his needles, thread, and scissors on his newspaper and folded it up. “I think you did pretty well for your first run-in with a demon.”

      “First run-in!” I exclaimed, then lay back panting. First? Like there was ever going to be a second. “How do you know all this?” I whispered.

      He stuffed the newspaper in the bag and rolled the top down. “You live long enough, you hear things.”

      “Great.” I looked up as Keasley pulled the heavy-duty pain amulet from around my neck. “Hey,” I objected as all my pains started back in with a dull throbbing. “I need that.”

      “You’ll do fine with just two.” He stood up and dropped my salvation into a pocket. “That way, you won’t hurt yourself by trying to do anything. Leave those stitches in for about a week. Matalina can tell you when to take them out. No shape shifting, meantime.” He pulled out a sling and set it on the coffee table. “Wear it,” he said simply. “Your arm is bruised, not broken.” He arched his white eyebrows. “Lucky you.”

      “Keasley, wait.” I took a quick breath, trying to gather my thoughts. “What can I do for you? An hour ago I thought I was dying.”

      “An hour ago, you were dying.” He chuckled, then shifted from foot to foot. “It’s important you don’t owe anyone anything, isn’t it?” He hesitated. “I envy you for your friends. I’m old enough not to be afraid to say that. Friends are a luxury I haven’t indulged in for a long time. If you let me trust you, consider us even.”

      “But that’s nothing,” I protested. “Do you want more plants from the garden? Or a mink potion? They’re good for a few days more, and I won’t be using them again.”

      “I wouldn’t count on that,” he said, glancing into the hall at the sound of my bathroom door creaking open. “And being someone I trust might be expensive. I might call in my marker someday. Are you willing to risk it?”

      “Of course,” I said, wondering what an old man like Keasley could be running from. It couldn’t be worse than what I was facing. The door to the sanctuary boomed shut, and I straightened. Ivy was done sulking and Nick was out of the shower. They were going to be at each other again in a moment, and I was too tired to play referee. Jenks buzzed in through the window, and I closed my eyes to gather my strength. All three of them at once might kill me.

      Bag in hand, Keasley shifted as if to go. “Please, don’t leave yet,” I pleaded. “Nick might need something. He has a nasty cut on his head.”

      “Rache,” Jenks said as he flew circles around Keasley in greeting. “What the devil did you say to Matalina? She’s flitting over the garden as if she’s on Brimstone, laughing and crying all at the same time. Can’t get a straight word out of the woman.” He jerked to a stop, hovering in midair, listening.

      “Oh, great,” he muttered. “They’re at it again already.”

      I exchanged a weary look with Keasley as the muttered conversation in the hall came to an intent but quiet finish. Ivy walked in with a satisfied look. Nick was quick behind her. His scowl melted into a smile when he saw me upright and clearly feeling better. He had changed into an oversized white cotton T-shirt and a clean pair of baggy jeans fresh from the dryer. His charming half smile didn’t work on me. The thought of why my wrist was bleeding was too real.

      “You must be Keasley?” Nick asked, holding out his hand over the table as if nothing was wrong. “I’m Nick.”

      Keasley cleared his throat and took his hand. “Nice to meet you,” he said, his words at odds with the disapproving look on his old face. “Rachel wants me to look at your forehead.”

      “I’m fine. It quit bleeding in the shower.”

      “Really.” The old man’s eyes narrowed. “Rachel’s wrist won’t quit.”

      Nick’s face went slack. His gaze darted to me. His mouth opened, then shut. I glared at him. Damn it all to hell. He knew exactly what that meant. “It—um …” he whispered.

      “What?” Ivy prompted. Jenks landed on her shoulder, and she brushed him off.

      Nick ran a hand over his chin and said nothing. Nick and I were going to talk.… We were going to talk real soon. Keasley aggressively shoved his paper bag into Nick’s chest. “Hold this while I get Rachel’s bath started. I want to make sure her core temp is where it should be.”

      Nick meekly backed up. Ivy looked suspiciously between the three of us. “A bath,” I said brightly, not wanting her to know anything was wrong. She’d probably kill Nick if she knew what had happened. “That sounds great.” I pushed my blanket and coat off of me and swung my feet to the floor. The room darkened and I felt my face go cold.

      “Slow up,” Keasley said as he put a dark hand on my shoulder. “Wait until it’s ready.”

      I took a deep breath, refusing to put my head between my knees. It was so undignified.

      Nick looked sick as he stood in the corner. “Uh,” he stammered. “You might have to wait for that bath. I think I used all the hot water.”

      “Good,” I breathed, “that’s what I told you to do.” But inside I was withering.

      Keasley harrumphed. “That’s what the pans of water are for.”

      Ivy scowled. “Why didn’t you say so,” she grumbled as she walked out. “I’ll do it.”

      “Mind that her bath isn’t too hot,” Keasley called after her.

      “I know how to treat severe blood loss,” she yelled belligerently.

      “That you probably do, missy.” Straightening, he backed a startled Nick into the wall. “You tell Ms. Morgan what she can expect concerning her wrist,” he said, taking his bag back.