Scarlet Heat(14)

I wished briefly for the instruments and materials I’d had back at veterinary college. What I really needed was a syringe full of Lidocaine to numb the paw before I tried to remove the trap. But there was nothing like that here—I would have to do my best and hope the wolf understood.

“Hey, sweet boy,” I said soothingly. “I need to take that nasty mean trap off your leg. I’ll try not to hurt you but I’m afraid it won’t be easy. Can you be a good wolf and let me try?”

The wolf cocked its head to one side as though it was trying hard to understand me. Was it Victor in there? If so, he might not appreciate the way I was baby-talking him. But I couldn’t help myself—this was how I dealt with all my animal patients. Or had, anyway, back before I was turned.

“I need to see your paw now, boy. Can you let me do that?” I took a slow step forward and held out my hand, as though I was asking the wolf to “shake.”

The wolf looked at me a long time from its golden eyes and then, slowly, extended the hurt paw.

“Good boy,” I said soothingly. “Who’s the sweetest, best boy? Everything is going to be all right, fella. You’ll see.”

Slowly, trying not to startle him, I got a grip on the cruel silver trap. There was something malicious about it—something evil that gave me a shiver when I touched it. God, I hadn’t even known anyone still made these horrible things. What sick bastard would have put one out where some poor, wild animal would step in it and probably lose a leg or a paw? I had gotten the impression that Victor owned all the land around his house—so who was putting traps out on his property?

Well, that was a question for whenever my new husband came home. Unless he was sitting right here in front of me, in which case, I really hoped he didn’t chew my face off when I released the trap.

I searched for some kind of release mechanism but the silver metal was slick with blood and I wasn’t having any luck. Plus, I was getting worried about the circulation to the paw. How deeply had the trap sunk into the wolf’s flesh? Were any of the bones broken? Outside, I could feel the sun climbing in the sky, weighing heavily on me. I needed to get the damn trap off and fast.

There was only one thing to do—I would simply have to try and pull it apart. I was certain I couldn’t have done it back when I was human but as a vampire, I might have a chance.

Gripping the two sides of the trap as firmly as I could, I looked at the wolf.

“Okay, sweet boy,” I told him. “Here goes. I’m going to try and set you free. Please don’t bite me if it hurts.” Then I pulled, using a long, slow, steady motion I hoped would release the silver jaws smoothly and with as little pain as possible.

At first I didn’t think the trap would come loose—it was really gripped tight around the wolf’s leg—probably some of the silver teeth were buried in bone. But I wasn’t about to give up. I increased the pressure steadily until finally it sprang loose.

Several things happened at once. The wolf jumped backward with a howl of pain, just as the jaws parted. Its paw yanked free and the blood-slick trap slipped and sprang out of my hands almost like a live thing. For a moment I thought it was going to snap shut on my arm and again I had the feeling that it was evil—that there was actual malicious intent behind those bloody silver teeth. I pulled my hand back just in time, though—sometimes vampire speed comes in handy—and it clattered harmlessly to the floor, its jaws snapping shut on empty air.

I had an impulse to kick it away but I didn’t want to do that with bare feet. Instead, I grabbed the broom from behind the kitchen door and pushed it into the corner where it would hopefully be out of harm's way. Then I looked at the wolf, which was licking its hurt paw.

“I still need to examine you,” I told him, using my softest voice. “We need to get that cleaned up and bandaged. Can you come with me?”

It didn’t object when I came forward and put my hand on its ruff, though it did whine a little when I tried to coax it out of the kitchen.

“What boy? What is it?” I asked as it gazed up at me with those liquid gold eyes. “What do you want?” Then I had an idea—maybe it was hungry.

Going to the fridge, I got a pack of precooked bacon, then changed my mind and added two more packs. I ripped one open and pulled out several stiff slices. Holding them enticingly in front of the wolf’s nose, I began to lead him out of the kitchen.

“Come on, boy. Is this what you want? Is it?”

He snapped up the first two pieces of bacon, woofed happily and followed me for more. Good, now we were getting somewhere.