“Where is everyone?” I breathed, feeling my flesh hard against the cold ice. “Where’s Ivy? Where’s the fire department? Where’s my phone?” I giggled as I remembered it was at the bottom of the river with my purse, then sobered as I thought of the unconscious people drifting downward through the icy water in their best finery to join it. Hell, I’d kiss even Denon, my old, despised boss from the I.S., if he showed up.

That reminded me. “Jonathan,” I whispered. “Oh, Jo-o-o-o-onathan,” I sang. “Where are you? Come out, come out, wherever you are—you tall freak of nature.”

I lifted my head, glad I was pointed in the right direction. Squinting past my stringy hair, I could see a light where the limo sat. The headlights were aimed at the river, shining to show the destruction and the sinking bits of boat. Jonathan’s silhouette stood at the quay. I could tell it was him because he was the only person I knew who was that tall. He was looking the wrong way. He’d never see me, and I couldn’t shout anymore.

Damn it. I was going to have to get up.

I tried. I really did. But my legs wouldn’t work and my arms just lay there, ignoring me. Besides, the ice was warm, and I didn’t want to get up. Maybe if I shouted he’d hear me.

I took a breath. “Jonathan,” I whispered. Oh hell, this wasn’t going to work.

I took another breath. “Jonathan,” I said, hearing it around my ringing ears. I pulled my head up, watching as he didn’t move to look. “Never mind,” I said, letting my head fall back onto the ice. The snow was warm, and I pressed into it. “This is nice,” I mumbled, but I don’t think it made it past my thoughts into real words.

It felt as if the world was spinning, and I could hear the slosh of water. Snuggling into the ice, I smiled. I hadn’t slept well for days. I exhaled, drifting off into nothing, enjoying the warmth of the sun that was suddenly shining on the ice. Someone curled their arms around me, and I felt my head thump into a soggy chest as I was lifted.

“Denon?” I heard myself murmur. “Come here, Denon. I owe you a big … kiss …”

“Denon?” someone echoed.

“I’ll carry her, Sa’han.”

I tried to open my eyes, swirling back into nothing when I felt myself move. I drowsed, not awake but not quite not asleep. Then I was still, and I tried to smile and go to sleep. But a faint pinch and throb kept intruding on my cheek, and my legs hurt.

Irritated, I pushed at the ice, finding it was gone. I was sitting up, and someone was slapping me. “That’s enough,” I heard Trent say. “You’re going to leave a mark.”

The pinch vanished to leave just the throbbing. Jonathan was slapping me? “Hey, you freakin’ bastard,” I breathed. “You hit me again and I’ll take care of your family planning.”