Deathless

Chapter 13: Jackson

I'm laughing with Thomas and Lucius as we leave Worship. The club's just shut and we'll let Blake and the rest of the bar staff lock up. My laughter almost feels genuine, like I'm almost having a good time. And why wouldn't I? I'm with friends, at a place we created, a place adored across the city, but inside I just feel empty. Every time I close my eyes I can feel the echo of her kiss, the knowing marble eyes of the raven as their cries morphed into words. As we head out through the main entrance, Rocco, one of the bouncers, approaches me, his eyes serious, but a little bored.

"Jackson? You gotta sec?" I nod and say my goodbyes to the others. They pat my back and Thomas happily repeats what seems to have become his mantra of the night.

"A bet is a bet!" he yells to the near-empty street. I chuckle, but don't even try to make it real. As they head off laughing down the street, I turn back to Rocco, grateful for the excuse to not follow, to end my night here.

"What's up?"

"That girl you came in with? Yeah, well, she's passed out and by herself. Plus, her phone's dead. Any idea of someone we can't contact?"

"Where are her friends? The girls she was with?"

He shrugs. Looking around the pavement, a few people still linger, waiting for rides or savouring one last smoke of the night. None of them were the girls she came with. They'd left her.

A red hot flash of anger hits me.

Worship's policy, my policy, is that anyone too drunk is not just left to their own devices, not left to the mercy of the night. I feel a wave of relief that Millie's OK and not wandering around the city centre cold and alone. Millie's tough, but she's also new to this, and nobody makes good choices when they're drunk. I certainly don't.

"Where is she?"

"Just here."

Rocco leads a few metres away from the main entrance. One of the other bouncers has wrapped her up in his thick padded coat that drowns her slight frame. Her pale skin and mahogany waves were the only thing visible above the enormous dark coat. She looks asleep, her vulnerability right now frightens me.

Rocco sighs when he sees her, his eyes heavy with bored judgement. People drunk are a nightly occurrence and I'm fairly certain Rocco would take a good fight over a passed out girl any day. It's partly why I hired him.

"She say anything? Before she passed out?"

"Nope. Kenny found her like this. You want me to call the police?"

I sigh, not sure what to do. I've no idea where Millie's godmother lives and Eva's file had been returned to HQ. I couldn't fathom how many rules taking someone still living to HQ would break, but I couldn't leave her here either.

"I'll take her home." Rocco's eyes widen in surprise for a moment and then he shrugs. "Can you watch her? Whilst I bring the car around?"

"Sure."

I walk away but then turn around, taking one last glance at Millie and how small she looks. Next to her Rocco leans against the wall, indifference and tiredness deep in his features.

"Rocco? You don't leave her side, OK?" He looks surprised but nods. I never have to ask him to do anything twice. He looks offended, but he's too professional to say anything.

Frowning, I turn and run toward my car. Wondering with a mix of fear and amusement just how many rules bringing home the daughter of someone I've reaped is breaking.

***

I drive with the windows down, hoping the cool air will wake her up and she'll be able to give directions to her godmother's. So far, she's opened her eyes a few times before falling straight back into a stupor. The thick padded coat still wrapped around her shoulders, her hair blows in the wind, catching on the red of her lips.