Page 93 of Burn Like An Angel

“Derby is twenty miles away.” Xander remains focused on the newspaper.

“Close enough! What if we’re recognised?”

“By a greedy hotel owner? Or his half-deaf cleaner?” he harrumphs. “Doubtful.”

I turn back to face the window. They’ve spent the better part of the last week bickering. As the days have passed, it’s been harder for me to decipher exactly what about. Something to do with a phone call, I think.

The running shower halts in the attached bathroom. Raine must be nearly done. He’s having a rough day, barely able to keep food or water down between fitfully sleeping.

“How is he?” I hear Lennox ask.

“Spent an hour throwing up. I’ve located a public library with decent computers. So I can forge a paper prescription slip given enough time to fabricate the details and a false ID.”

“You can get that stuff on prescription?”

“I’ve done some research. Rehab patients take it in the community too. I should be able to make something convincing enough to get refills.”

Tuning them out, I focus on my breathing. In and out. Chest expanding. Oxygen spreading. If I break the process down in my head, I can fool myself that I’m still the one in control.

My hands shake at my sides, shattering the illusion as quickly as it’s able to form. Too much is going on. My defences are shot to pieces right now. I can’t control the haywire thoughts invading my mind like I usually can.

I’ve been turning over what superpower I wish I had for the last ten minutes or so. If I could go incognito, I could slip pastthe men eyeing me like a ticking bomb and run free. Invisibility would be a cool power.

It would feel so good to run as fast as my little legs can carry me. Strip off my clothes. Sprint into the threatening rain. Or perhaps oncoming traffic. I can see the main road to the city from here.

I wonder if my incognito powers would kick in to stop me from becoming a human pancake if I were struck. I’d like to try—I bet they would. Not even fast-moving cars can slow me down.

Don’t they know who I am? I’m Harrowdean’s whore. The ultimate stooge. I’m untouchable. Invincible. Not even a high-speed, fatal crash could stop me from running for the hills right now.

“Rip!”

A touch on my shoulder is an unwelcome shock. I jump out of my skin, quickly falling into fight-or-flight. Grabbing the paw-like hand, I tug hard, throwing my assailant forward.

They don’t even fight back, allowing me to floor them in record time. How dare they touch me? I don’t belong here. Not in this shitty room. Not with these people. Not on the run. This wasn’t the plan.

What was the plan?

I can’t quite remember.

“Ripley! Hey!”

“I’m invisible!” I roar angrily. “You can’t see me!”

Kneeling on the cheap hotel carpet, Lennox peers up at me with concern. “It’s me, Rip.”

Blinking rapidly, I stare down at him. Lennox Nash. Funny to think he scared me once. Both he and Xander did. I’m not sure why since I can turn invisible. Perhaps if I try hard enough right now, I’ll disappear in front of him.

“Talk to me. What’s going on in your head?”

“Can you still see me?” I ask in frustration.

Lennox blinks, still on his knees. “Uh, yes. I can.”

“Goddammit!” I tug at my hair. “Why isn’t it working?”

His newspaper discarded, Xander stands up to approach us. “Why isn’t what working, Ripley?”

“I hate it when you look at me like that,” I snap at him. “I’m not a zoo animal.”

---