To Tempt A Tiger(33)
“She’s in enough pain. What the hell?”
“Rose, just do it.”
She scrambled to her feet and disappeared. While she was gone, Vlad murmured against Zoe’s ear. “It’s okay, sweetie. This is perfectly normal. Just relax. I have you. Stay with me. Do you hear me? I’ve got you. Nothing bad will happen.”
Rose dropped down next to him and handed him a sharp paring knife. “This was all I could find. What are you going to do? Don’t hurt her any more, Vlad, please.”
He met her gaze. “Trust me. I’m going to shock her out of this. It will require I hurt her just a little, but the pain will be different and enough to refocus her brain. I can’t pull her back without it.”
Tears dripped down Rose’s cheeks, but she nodded and gripped Zoe’s hand.
He set the knife down and took Zoe’s other hand. He pinched hard into the soft webbing between her thumb and first finger. The pressure point worked good on headaches in humans. In tigers, it had the added benefit of pulling their full focus. Zoe’s head twitched. He pushed harder and her eyes fluttered, not quite opening, but no longer clenched so tightly.
“I’m here, Zoe. I’ve got you. Are you listening? Concentrate on the feel of my hand on yours. Focus on the way your fingers feel. Flex them if you can hear me.”
Her fingers twitched, barely, but they moved.
“Good girl. Keep concentrating on your hand. Keep thinking about your fingers.”
He released his hold on the pressure point, picked up the knife and poked the tip quick and hard into Zoe’s first finger. Her hand fisted and relaxed in a quick jerk. A small drop of blood appeared. Her eyes fluttered, opened, and then closed again. Vlad poked the knife tip into her middle finger, just enough to draw a drop of blood.
“Ouch,” Zoe said through clenched teeth.
Rose sucked in a breath.
“Ah, there’s my girl. Good job, sweetie. Come on back to us.” He set the knife down and pinched the pressure point again, keeping her brain focused on that hand, on her fingers.
Slowly, her breathing eased and her body relaxed. Her jaw loosened enough for her to say. “Mommy?”
“I’m here, baby. I’m right here.” Rose met his gaze and he handed Zoe over to her mother. She scooped her up into a tight hug, holding her close and running a hand through her hair. “How are you doing, baby?”
“That hurted, Mommy.”
“I know. I know it did. How do your fingers feel?”
She was quiet a minute, then, “Like when stupid doctor pokes me.”
Rose chuckled, a shaky sound that went a long way toward easing Vlad’s worry.
“We don’t use the word stupid, baby, remember?” Rose said.
“Don’t like doctors.”
“I know. Are you feeling better now?”
“Yeah. Tired.”
“Okay, baby. You take a nap. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”
“Love you, Mommy.”
Tears fell fast down Rose’s cheeks now. “Love you too, Zoe.”
They sat on the floor, Rose cuddling Zoe, until Zoe’s body relaxed fully and her breathing grew deep and even.
“Do you want to take her to the bedroom?” he asked.
“No. But help me get her onto the couch where she’ll be comfortable.”
He stood and lifted Zoe so Rose could get to her feet. Then he settled the little girl on the couch, and Rose gently tucked a blanket around her. She stared down at her daughter for a moment before turning into his arms and bursting into such heavy, sobbing, silent tears, she broke his heart.
He didn’t have words. He just held her, tucking her head against his shoulder, and let her cry out her fear.
Her breath stuttered out as the tears eased. Finally, she pushed away from him. Keeping her head down, her hair curtaining her face, she said, “Keep an eye on her. I’ll be right back.”
She disappeared down the hall and he heard the bathroom door shut.
Seeing Rose cry had torn him apart like nothing else he could have imagined. The ache of that was second only to the fear he’d felt for Zoe in those moments before he remembered how to help her.
Rose never cried. At least not in front of him. He’d been with her on a hike when she fell and twisted her ankle so badly he’d worried it was broken. And she’d never once cried, despite the pain. Her tears now were like bullets punching into his chest, and his guilt nearly choked him.
He watched his daughter breathing easily now, her body lax in sleep, and knew he wouldn’t be able to wait for Alexis. They had to tell Zoe everything. They had to teach her what to do. Fending off the shift like this, he wasn’t sure her little body could survive much longer.