Free Thief: X by E.I. Jennings Page B

him,
    “She’s hungry. Xan you shouldn’t have left it this long! Have you even eaten since the Museum?” I was wincing because Adram was yelling,
    “I had a little snack via the Major.” I sighed. I was in for another lecture.
    “You’re going home, getting your glad rags on and then we’re going out!”
    “We don’t have time to party.” My legs wobbled from under me, and Marshall caught me yet again.
    “You’re lucky I’ve put a barrier around you or you’d be dipping into everyone else’s sins. Why are you so stubborn?” Adram’s heart was in the right place but I had to get moving on the case or Clockwork could vanish again.
    “We could always stop by and grab some takeout if she’s that hungry.” Marshall was trying to help but takeaway wasn’t going to help,
    “She needs to eat sin. S.I.N you idiot. She’s left it too long and look at her? She looks like she's been dragged through a bush backwards. Xan you can’t carry on anymore. If it makes you feel better I’ll put the word out with other surface demons.” I smiled because Adram was still looking out for me even after all these years,
    “We need to go see the Elk.”
    “I know, I was there! If you don’t get your backside to the strip I’ll drag you there myself and wouldn’t that look freaky?”
    “I hate to say it, but the Grinch is right. As much as I want to find Clockwork and my daughter, it’s pointless if we’re not at our best. I don’t want him cornered and then have to let him go because one of us was too stubborn to eat. I’m not sure about the sin thing but maybe we’ve all been through enough for today.” I hadn’t noticed Marshall holding his ribs and now I could see the pain on his face,
    “I hope I didn’t hurt you?”
    “Nah, women’s elbows are always pointy,” he laughed and I smiled,
    “Let’s change and have a drink…or two.” It was pointless because I was way too tired to argue. Adram was trying not to panic at the state of me but I could feel the burn inside me. I’d left things way too long.
    “Oh crap.” Adram picked me up and lay me on the back seat of Betty as the first spasm hit.
    “What’s happening to her?” Marshall jumped in the driver’s side and started the engine, “Shit, everything’s back to front!” Marshall said forgetting Betty was a British car with her steering wheel on the right hand side,
    “No shit Sherlock! We have to get her somewhere before she leeches the sins off everyone here. She’d never forgive herself and I can’t put a shield up over everyone.” I heard Marshall crunch Betty’s gears and I wanted to say something sarcastic but even my mouth wouldn’t move anymore.
    “Where to?” Marshall was looking panicked as I managed a moan from the back seat,
    “Drive and I’ll show you.” That was the last thing I heard before I passed out.
    When I finally came around, I had Adram’s face pressed up against Betty’s window looking at me,
    “She’s awake!” I rubbed my eyes and immediately knew where we were.
    “Are you ok?” Marshall peered over the front seats and smiled at me.
    “Could be better.” I felt like I’d been run over by a train, several times,
    “Come on Xan, get your skinny arse up and suck on some sins. If you pass out again I’m dumping you on the street.” Adram was pacing but I could tell he was worried.
    “I’m ok. I’m coming!” I managed to crawl from Betty but I soon fell on my arse,
    “Do you know how close she came to dying? Do you?” Adram was glaring at Marshall, who shrugged,
    “Stop exaggerating. It’s not my fault I couldn’t find the gears!” Poor Betty would need some TLC after tonight. “So, are you going to finally tell me why we’re here?”
    “Adram!” I wanted to shout at him but I needed him to lean on, “You should have told Marshall. He may have wanted to sit this out, be law abiding and all.”
    “It doesn’t look that bad.” Marshall looked down the street and I could see how