“Well,” Keasley said as he sat on the edge of my bed, “let’s take a look at you.”

“Ow …” I exclaimed when he touched my shoulder and the bruised muscle sent a stab of pain through me. I pushed his hand off me, and he shifted closer.

“I’d forgotten what a pain-in-the-butt patient you are,” he said, reaching out again. “I want to know where you’re hurting.”

“Stop,” I croaked, trying to slap his knobby arthritic hands. “My shoulder hurts where Al pinched it. My hands hurt where I scraped them, my chin and stomach hurt where he dragged me down the steps. My knees hurt from …” I hesitated. “… falling in the road. And my face hurts where Al slapped me.” I looked at Ceri. “Do I have a black eye?”

“You will in the morning,” she said softly, wincing in sympathy.

“And my lip is cut,” I finished, touching it. The faint scent of bane joined the smell of snow. David was turning back, nice and slow. He’d have to after the hurt he must have endured to shift so quickly before. I was glad he had some bane. The herb was a mild pain depressant and sedative to make it easier. Too bad it only worked on Weres.

Keasley groaned as he rose. “I’ll get you a pain amulet,” he said, shuffling into the hallway. “Mind if I make some coffee? I’m staying until your roommate is back.”

“Make it two amulets,” I said, not knowing if it would help my head. Pain amulets worked only on physical pain, and I had a feeling this was more of an echo left from channeling so much ley line force. Was this what I’d done to Nick? No wonder he had left.

I squinted when the light flicked on in the kitchen and a slice of it spilled into my room. Ceri watched me carefully, and I nodded to tell her it was okay. Patting my hand atop the coverlet, she murmured, “Tea would be easier for you to stomach than coffee.” Her solemn green eyes went to Jenks. “Will you stay with her?”

“Yeah.” His wings flashed into motion. “Baby-sitting Rachel is what I do third best.”

I sneered at him, and Ceri hesitated. “I won’t be long,” she said, rising to leave in the soft sound of bare feet on wood.

The comfortable rhythm of conversation drifted in from the kitchen, and I awkwardly pulled my afghan up about my shoulders. Every muscle ached as if I had been in a fever. My feet were cold in my soggy socks, and I was probably making a damp spot on my bed from my snow-wet clothes. Depressed, my eyes landed on Jenks atop the bedpost at my feet.

“Thanks for trying to help,” I said. “You sure you’re okay? He blew the door right off.”

“I should have been faster with that amulet.” His wings turned a dismal blue.

I shrugged, immediately wishing I hadn’t when my shoulder started throbbing. Where was Keasley with my charms? “They might not even work on demons.”