“I’m not sure she knows where she is.” He draped the blanket over her naked body then lifted her into his arms. She felt tiny and chilled as he carried her toward the back door.
“Wait. What are you doing?”
“We can’t leave her out here.” Even knowing Enya’s history, he was shocked by her lack of compassion. Heather had nothing to do with what happened eight years ago.
“Wrap her in the blanket and call her pack. I don’t want that in my house.”
He tensed, annoyed by his sister’s stubbornness and concerned about the female in his arms. “She’s unconscious and desperate enough to try to hide behind a dumpster. Don’t you think we should find out why before we do anything else?”
“Yeah, including bringing her inside.”
He ignored her protestation and took his unmoving bundle inside the bar. Kelly stood at the far end of the storeroom, eyes wide and uncertain. “She’s alive, Kelly. You probably saved her life.” A faint smile curved her lips but she didn’t speak, so he turned toward the stairs.
Enya caught his sleeve. “This is your bar, but that’s my home.”
“I’ll take her to my house as soon as I get her stabilized. Now help me or get out of the way.” Heather was completely limp in his arms and the skin around her mouth was taking on a bluish cast. He’d thought the stench emanated from the dumpster but much of the unpleasantness lingered on her skin. “Where have you been?” he muttered as he started up the stairs.
“Put her in the bathtub. She smells like a sewer.”
He couldn’t argue with that. Besides, it was Enya’s furniture that would be soiled by Heather’s condition. He carried her into the hall bath and carefully placed her in the bathtub.
Enya moved past him, folded the blanket back then turned on the water.
What he suspected was cold water splashed across Heather’s feet and she moaned, shifting restlessly.
“Come on, Heather,” Enya muttered. “You’re safe now. It’s all right to wake up.”
He wasn’t sure if Enya had rediscovered her compassion or if she was simply anxious to be rid of her uninvited guest, but her tone was kind and her hands gentle as she took over Heather’s care.
Jake watched Heather’s face, waiting for her eyes to open. Her head rolled from side to side and she kicked out weakly. Unfortunately her features remained blank, her eyes closed.
“She needs energy and she really needs a bath. Go wait in the living room. I’ll see if I can wake her.”
“Not a chance. She could turn feral or shift on you. I’ll stay back, but I stay here.”
“Fine by me. I guess you’ve already seen her anyway.” She pulled the blanket off Heather and tossed it toward the hamper. “She’s going to require a prewash. Damn, this girl stinks.”
Jake tried to keep his eyes on Heather’s face as Enya stood and released the hand-held showerhead from its bracket. Even covered in dirt and who knew what else, Heather was beautiful. Her reddish-gold hair tangled about her face and shoulders, one perfect spiral trailing down between her breasts. He only allowed himself a glimpse at those gentle mounds before he dragged his gaze back to her face.
His interaction with Heather was minimal but she’d always fascinated him. Unlike most wolf females, she was spirited and independent. Landon, her middle brother, insisted that she was more like her father than any of Nate’s sons. Jake wasn’t sure that was a good thing—Nate Fitzroy was a ruthless prick—but it piqued Jake’s interest either way.
Enya rinsed away the worst of the grime then turned off the sprayer. “She’s exhausted and her energy levels are dangerously low.”
“Can you feed her?” Everyone in Jake’s bloodline could pass energy to others but Enya could deliver the most concentrated stream. Besides, to help feed Heather, Jake would have to touch her and he’d rather keep his distance while she was naked.
“I’ll try, but I doubt it will be enough. She became your responsibility as soon as you brought her inside. This isn’t going to fall on me.”
“Understood. Just see if you can bring her back to consciousness. We need to understand her situation before we make decisions about her.”
Enya laughed. “Little late for that. Besides, there is no ‘we’ in this. I’ll do my best to wake her up then you get her out of here.” Without waiting for his agreement, she turned back to the tub and placed her hands on Heather’s shoulders.
Heather stirred restlessly beneath the hot palms burning into her shoulders. Energy flowed into her body, saturating her cells and sizzling through her bloodstream. Water lapped at her legs and she rested back against something smooth and cool. Her mind was muddled and every muscle in her body felt limp and useless.