Page 66 of Deathless
The evidence sat right in front of me. He knew what a blood bag was, and that horrifying reality was all over his skin. And yet it didn’t make sense with...him.This family man and father. This person who was calm and in control, whose presence held power and the confidence to use it.
Despite Shadow’s scarred appearance, he was...normal. If even well-adjusted.
“How?” was all I could ask.
“You’re going to have to be more specific.” He reassembled one weapon with practiced ease, then took another one into his lap.
“How did you...” There wasn’t one word or phrase that could sum up the transformation this man must have gone through. Survive? Heal? Escape? Get over it?
“It started with a very persistent woman.” A smile pulled at Shadow’s lips. He seemed to know what I was getting at. “She said good morning to me every day that she saw me. It...unnerved me. Made me suspicious. Defensive. But also curious.”
“Rori’s mother?” I asked.
“Yes.” That single word from him was filled with pride and warmth. “To this day, I still don’t know why she put in the effort to talk to me. But she changed everything for me because shechoseme.”
He paused, straightening as his face went solemn. “It wasn’t easy or painless by any means. There were lots of setbacks and I almost lost her, multiple times. I can still feel the blades cutting me in dreams sometimes.” He paused again, mismatched eyes focusing on me. “What I’m trying to say is, it’s a long, hard road with many pitfalls. The love of a good woman wasn’t the only thing that got me through it, but...I wouldn’t have been able to do it without her. She was my reason and my strength.”
“I’m happy for you,” I told him with a nod. “But I don’t have anyone like that.”
“Sure, you do. You’ve got Devin, your whole club.” He pointed a finger at my chest. “You were also an adult when you got captured, if I’m not mistaken, so you know this cult is batshit. Youknowthey’re not how the majority of the world is. You didn’t have to learn that like me.”
“I know. I know, but I—”
“No excuses. You can’t take out your trauma on others. You’re out now, you have to do the work to heal.”
“That’s what I’m doing. Why I’m practicing. I need to take them down because I need...closure.”
Shadow’s gaze fell from me to the weapon in his hands. “Yeah, maybe I do too,” he muttered. Putting it aside, he added, “Are you willing to fight alongside my daughter and niece, even trusting them with your life?”
“Yes,” I said without hesitation. “I don’t know Rori that well, but the people I trust believe in her. She’s only shown that she wants to do the right thing.”
“Good man.” Shadow nodded. “And listen, Hudson.” He was quiet for a while before speaking again. “What they did doesn’tdefine you. It’s not part of you. It’s not what you are.Youdecide who and what you are, and no one can take that away from you. Remember that when you feel lost.”
I nodded, unable to respond verbally with the sudden emotion that swept over me. I felt acknowledged and seen. Eventually I grunted out, “Thanks.”
He nodded curtly and stood, quickly re-assembling and reloading his weapon. “Sun’s down. It’s good practice to shoot at dusk. Try the fifty-yard target with this one.”
He placed the gun in front of me and just like that, we were back to business.
I shot targets under his instruction until it was too dark to see. Once we started to pack it in and head back inside, a door slammed forcefully. With rapid footfalls, a figure cloaked in shadow ran toward us.
“What’s going on?” Shadow called, stepping in front of me as if to protect me.
The figure’s face became illuminated under the porch light as he approached us, the Hunter.
He panted when he stopped. “Been looking all over for you...sir.” Meaning Shadow, not me.
“I’m here. What happened?”
The Hunter’s face broke into a grin as he delivered the news. “Rori’s awake.”
22
RORI
My eyelids were heavy as I blinked, fighting through immense fatigue to make sense of my surroundings. When I started to push myself up, someone grabbed me, bringing me to their chest in a crushing embrace. My senses were still coming online but it could only be Torr.
My arms went around him in return, the feel of him strange and unfamiliar. Had he lost weight? How long had I been out?
