The Gender Lie(49)

As I stared at his unconscious form at Tim’s feet, I felt relieved to see that his chest was still moving, although the blood streaming from his nose and mouth wasn’t very reassuring. Tim took another slow step back as I moved closer, keeping my hands up and my face calm. Kneeling, I placed two fingers on Henrik’s neck. There was a steady beat there.

I nodded to Tim and gave him a reassuring smile. “He’s okay, Tim, but we need to get him to the doctor. Can I ask some of the others to come help carry him? Will that be okay?”

Tim gave me a long hard stare and then nodded once. Turning back to the door, I waved over the others who were lurking just outside the doorframe.

“Slow movements,” I said calmly. “Nothing fast, no aggression, okay?”

Several people crept back in and helped gather up Henrik. I kept myself between them and Tim, my gaze on Tim. “See?” I said, taking another step closer. “It’s okay. No one’s going to hurt you, I promise. We just need you to calm down.”

Tim gave a slow blink, the anger in his face slowly draining. He shook his head, as if to clear it, and then looked around the room, his face morphing to one of confusion and horror. I winced as I watched him slowly realize what he had done during his fit.

His eyes found mine, and my heart slowly broke, seeing the unshed tears threatening to spill from them.

“Violet?” he asked so softly, the sound was barely audible.

“It’s okay, Tim. It’s going to be okay,” I promised.

Tim took a deep shaking breath, his legs and arms trembling. He moved toward me, and I felt even more relief wash over me. It was over and done with, for now.

Just then a blur came up behind my brother; a figure leaping on his back and wrapping two arms around his neck, holding tight.

“I’ve got him Violet!” Quinn shouted, his head appearing from behind Tim’s shoulder.

“Quinn! NO!” I yelled, but it was too late.

Tim’s sad face darkened again in anger, and he roared, lashing out with his limbs. He caught me by surprise as he did, the back of his hand cracking hard and unexpectedly across my face. I staggered from the force of the blow and tripped, grunting as I fell hard on my right shoulder. I grabbed at it for a moment, waves of pain shooting through my jaw and side, before pushing myself off the floor.

I climbed to my feet in time to see Tim grab Quinn and fling him across the room. Quinn didn’t go far, but I cringed at his cry of pain as he hit the flat edge of an overturned table.

I staggered over to Tim, still clutching my shoulder. “Tim,” I cried, and he whirled, his fists already moving. I ducked the first blow and side-stepped the second one, but his third punch made it through, striking me directly on my already throbbing shoulder.

I hissed in pain as I fell to one knee. Tim rose over me, like a titan about to reign hellfire down on the earth, when something came between us.

Looking up, I was shocked to see that it was Desmond.

“Desmond,” I coughed, trying to struggle back to my feet in spite of the overwhelming pain I was in.

She ignored me, her focus completely on Tim. He roared at her, spittle flying everywhere, before lashing out wildly. Desmond… I couldn’t begin to describe how graceful she was. She flowed like water around each blow, easily sidestepping and dodging, with minimal use of energy.

My jaw dropped as I watched her move, biding her time, waiting for the right moment to strike. When she did, it was in an unexpected way: She grabbed something from a pocket in her suit. I had just enough time to register that it was a syringe, before she pulled the cap off of it with her teeth, stepped inside my brother’s guard, and jammed it into his neck, compressing the plunger.

My brother reared back, slapping one hand to his neck, and stumbled. Desmond spat the cap into her hand and recapped the needle on the syringe calmly, as if this were an everyday occurrence, before returning her focus to my brother.

Tim had sagged to his knees, gaping at her, before slumping to the ground, unconscious.

I rushed over to him, crawling through the debris, panic a thick taste in my mouth. I quickly put my fingers to his neck, and nearly cried in relief to feel his heartbeat alive under my fingertips.

I whirled on Desmond to find her already giving orders in a soft yet commanding tone.

“Have Dr. Tierney come here immediately to check on young Mr. Bates and everyone who is injured. I want statements from everyone about what happened here today within an hour. No one is to leave until I get to the bottom of this event.”

Several people peeled off to follow her orders. Desmond turned, rubbing her temples lightly. When she saw me staring at her, she dropped her hands.

“Are you okay?” she asked.