Chapter 18 · Clearance: Midnight

"Stay awake. Look at me." I slap the woman's cheek, light, just enough to keep her eyes open. "Stay with me."

Blood's soaking through my jacket where I've got it jammed against her ribs. She's heavier than she looks, dead weight dragged up the last subway steps, and my arms are shaking from the climb.

"We need a hospital," Ash says. He's limping, favoring the leg that got clipped pulling her out.

"No hospitals." Marcus already has his phone out, pacing a tight circle. "Cleaner's coming. Medical team, safe house, the works. Ten minutes."

The woman coughs. Her eyes snap open, find my face, and her whole body locks up like a fist.

"You," she rasps. "You're one of them."

"I'm not." I ease her back against the brick. "I'm getting you out. Stay still."

Her gaze drops to my wrist. To the rune lines crawling up from it, glowing faint blue in the dark. "It's eating you," she whispers. "Look at it."

Yeah. I know.

"Ash. Your coat." I don't look up. "She's going into shock."

He strips it off and I wrap it around her shoulders.