“What is wrong with you?” She flashed fang, looking wary. “Don’t attack.”
“You can’t touch me.” He righted his body by gripping the frame again and waited for the world to stop spinning as his vision adjusted.
“You need to be treated.” She inched closer and tried to touch him again.
He growled. “Not you. I don’t think Beauty would want another female to put her hands on me.”
Her eyes widened in surprise, but then she grinned. “Okay.” She stepped aside. “He’s all yours, Mike.”
The medic advanced with determination. “You fell out a window?”
“I was thrown.” Shadow backed inside the house and leaned heavily against the wall. “I struck my head on the way down. I was punched a few times in the face too. I’m pretty certain I have a concussion.”
“I’m Mike.” The human set down his case, bent and opened it. “Can you sit? You’re pretty tall and I need to examine you.”
Shadow just slid down the wall to sit on the floor, careful to keep the curtain around his waist since he could sense the female hovering in the doorway. He glanced at the stairs as he strained to hear any movement from above. Beauty was still up there. He began to worry. It shouldn’t have taken her long to throw something on and return to him. She might be hiding from the human.
He remained quiet as Mike looked him over, only slightly growling when the medic touched his sore head, finding the lump. The medic used a bright little light to look into his eyes to check his pupils’ responses next. The male sighed.
“I need to take you to Medical. I think you’re right about the concussion but we need a doctor to take some scans to see what’s going on inside your skull. Are you dizzy? Nauseous? In pain?”
“All of the above,” Shadow admitted softly. “Creek?”
The female stepped farther inside the cabin.
“Can you please go check on Beauty?”
“Is she injured?”
“No.” He glanced at Mike, then her. He didn’t want to insult the human but he might be the reason Beauty hadn’t returned to the lower floor.
She seemed to understand. “Right. He’s male and human.”
Mike sighed. “Right. She’s Gift. I’m taking him to Medical.”
“I won’t leave Beauty.” Shadow shook his head but groaned at the pain it caused.
“I will protect her,” Creek swore. “You need treatment. She’s safe and two council members are on scene. They will stay outside. You don’t need to worry about anything but getting better.”
Shadow didn’t want to leave but he knew it would be stupid not to see a doctor. His head pounded and he feared he’d throw up.
“Beauty!” He raised his voice. “I will be back really soon. A female is here. Do you want to stay with her or go with me?”
He barely heard her answer. “I’ll stay.”
His gaze searched the stairs but he didn’t see her. She was hiding somewhere near the upper landing though. More guilt stirred inside him. She didn’t even trust him to protect her against a human medic.
“I’ve got this,” Creek swore. Sympathy flashed in her eyes, proving she might even be able to read his emotions. “Just go and return when you are able.”
He watched the tall female Species slowly walk up the stairs. She paused at the top and he knew where Beauty hid as he tracked Creek’s gaze.
Chapter Thirteen
“Hello, Beauty.” Creek was a pretty woman with a nice voice. “Are you okay?”
Beauty hated that she couldn’t seem to move away from the wall but knowing the medic was downstairs kept her in place. The task team might show up next and with them, Shane. She never wanted to see him again.
“Beauty?” The Species lowered her voice. “Do you need to see the medic?”
“No!” She hated the way fear sounded in her voice.
“Don’t worry. He’s very nice. You’re bleeding.”
“It’s not my blood. I bit Torrent and some of it is Shadow’s.” She glanced at her hands.
Dark eyebrows shot up in astonishment. “You are responsible for some of Torrent’s injuries?”
“He attacked Shadow and threw him out the window. I was angry.” And scared. She wasn’t willing to admit that though, despite it being obvious.
“That was brave of you.”
She peered up at the taller Species. “You and I both know that wasn’t why I did it.”
“You panicked and just attacked because your instincts took over?”
“Something like that.”
Creek leaned against the opposite wall. “I’ve been there.”
“You have?” That surprised Beauty. “You look strong.”
“Not when I was in chains and still under the control of Mercile.” She hugged her middle. “You weren’t raised inside the testing facilities but the technicians we dealt with were big, burly humans. It was rare to see smaller ones unless they were medical staff.” She shrugged. “The technicians were mostly bullies with upgraded titles who enjoyed terrorizing us.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Me too. That’s in the past though.” A smile curved her lips. “How are you doing?” She cocked her head. “They are taking Shadow to Medical right now. We’ll be left alone for a bit. The males will stay outside. Why don’t you get cleaned up?”
Beauty skirted around the other Species to enter the bathroom. She washed her hands and one look in the mirror had her cleaning her face and neck as well. Torrent’s blood had smeared there. Creek followed but paused at the doorway.
“You look nervous. Relax. No one will enter the house until Shadow returns.”
“Are our men afraid I’ll freak out if they come in here? Is that why they remain outside?”
“Yes. No one wants to traumatize you more. Breeze ordered all males to keep away from you. I’m going to stay until she arrives. They are preparing a helicopter to fly her here as soon as possible.”“What a mess.” Beauty resisted groaning as she turned off the water and used a towel to dry off. “How could things go so wrong?”
“What happened?”
“You heard. You talked to Torrent and Shadow. My hearing is good.”
“I want your version.”
“Shadow and I were in bed together but suddenly Torrent attacked us.”
“You mean he attacked Shadow.”
“Yes.”
“Did Torrent hurt you?”
She shook her head, calm now that the voices had faded. She couldn’t hear anything from below or outside except a vehicle leaving. That would be the medic taking Shadow away to be treated.
“Torrent didn’t know Shadow was allowed to touch you.”
Anger stirred. “I know.”
“Torrent isn’t a bad male. He thought he was protecting you.”
“I’m so sick of that!” Beauty clenched her teeth and glared at the other woman until she calmed enough to speak again. “That’s why I was brought here.”
“I know. Breeze filled me in on your situation and how you feel. You resent being labeled Gift.”
“Resent is an understatement. This wouldn’t have happened if everyone would stop treating me as though I were some weak freak.” She paused. “I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Breeze doesn’t want you left alone. It could be hours before Shadow is cleared to return. It could be longer if he sustained a lot of damage. Medical might want to keep him overnight.”
Worry ate at her. “He seemed okay to you, didn’t he? He was talking and on his feet.”
“I’m sure he will be fine. Our males are pretty tough and recover quickly after they fight.” Creek smiled. “They do it often here.”
“I’ve never seen you at Homeland.”
“I live here full time. I’d already transferred here when you were rescued.”
“Why? I thought they rotated all the women every few months.”
Creek’s smile faded. “I like it at Reservation better and I have excelled at my secretarial skills. The council members assigned here need someone to help them. I volunteered.”
“Is there a women’s dorm at Reservation?”
“I live at the hotel. It’s nice.”
“Oh.” Beauty stepped forward and Creek retreated then followed her into Shadow’s bedroom. “I guess I should clean up the mess before he comes home. I don’t want him to feel he needs to do it but he will.”
“I’ll help.”
“I can do it myself.”
Creek raised her hands. “I didn’t mean to offend you, Beauty. I’m here. What else will I do?”
“You could go home.”
“Breeze would have my ass. No thanks. That’s one female I never want to disappoint. She gave an order and I’m following it.” Creek smiled, her features showing amusement. “You know how she gets.”
“She is very protective.”
“To you maybe.” Creek glanced around, studying the layout of the room. “She’s kind of a bear to the rest of us. We are the ‘soft padding that keeps our males from tearing each other apart’. That’s a quote from her. She expects a lot from us.”
“I’ve never heard her say that. What does that mean?” Beauty paused by the bed, her sad gaze fixed on the broken window frame. “I don’t know what to do about that.”