by Juniper Hart
Graham’s brow furrowed, and he glanced at the young intern. Each word she spoke made him more alarmed, and he could not express why specifically. He reminded himself how much he didn’t know about Michael Walter. What did he know about him?
Walter was respected well in the hospital and had a reputation for having a great bedside manner, but Graham had always felt a strange undercurrent emanating from him, something he could not positively identify. It was as if his nice guy persona were an act, and underneath the golden boy image was something much darker.
Graham had no concrete proof to back up his concerns, but he’d never had reason to investigate or even care about Michael Walter. Like the other surgeons at Carlingview, Dr. Walter was merely someone whom he consulted on occasion and passed in the halls. There was never a need to know Dr. Walter. Until then.
Suddenly, every doubt he had ever had about the dark-haired, handsome physician came flooding through him.
What attending would plan a party to invite interns unless he had something up his sleeve? It seems a little suspicious to me, Graham thought, but he dared not voice his thoughts aloud. He did not want Kate to think he was being possessive. He did not want to admit to himself that he was feeling slightly insecure. And worried.
It was also no secret that Walter was vying for the position of chief of surgery. Graham reasoned that he might be trying to win favor with the doctors by hosting these parties. There was no shame in him trying to swing votes in his favor. It was not a route which Graham would take, but he could understand why a doctor with less qualifications would feel the need to enact such theatrics. He could not fault Walter for trying.
In the past, Graham had been on the guest lists to Michael’s parties, but he had never appeared. He had been on the shortlist to many galas and functions, but it quickly became apparent to everyone that he had no interest in social gatherings. Over the years, his invitations became scarcer until finally, he was no longer included unless it was mandated by the hospital.
It made no difference to Graham, who was far too involved with his work to waste time partying on the Columbia River with his oversexed peers. Yet at that moment, he wished he had attended just one shindig, so he knew what Kate was walking into on Saturday night.
She is not a babe in the woods who needs your protection, Graham reminded himself as they continued to work, but he could not stop himself from feeling overly protective of his new love. Kate will be fine, he decided. It’s me I should worry about. If I’m feeling like this now, how’s it going to be in a lifetime from now?
10
“Wow!” Lisette breathed in Kate’s ear as the two walked arm in arm up the plank onto the yacht. They were among the first to arrive at the Rose City Yacht Club, but there were other familiar faces already on the boat, and they nodded at the doctors as they boarded. “Cripes, Kate, how did you manage to score us this invitation?” Lisette hissed as she grabbed two goblets of champagne off a sterling silver tray on the bar of the sun deck. “I’ve been banging that asshole for months, and he invites you?”
Kate shrugged, accepting one and eagerly taking a sip to steady her nerves as she looked about. There was no jealousy in Lisette’s voice, only disbelief. I’d be mad as hell if I were her.
But that probably wasn’t true. They were fairies, after all, easy-come, easy-go by nature and incapable of holding long grudges. Lisette was probably bored with Michael already, but gauging the expression on her face as she took in the splendor of the boat, Kate had a feeling her friend might be having a change of heart.
“I got the impression that Dr. Walter wants you here more than he wants me,” Kate answered as they walked. Even as she said it, she wasn’t sure it was true.
If she had seen him a lot before, Michael Walter seemed to be everywhere now. The idea that he was following her wasn’t sounding so strange to her anymore. She’d considered talking to Graham about it, but she didn’t want him to think she was being paranoid. After all, she’d told him about Anthony Lockhart, and she still hadn’t heard a word about the demon who still remained, on IV, in the hospital the last time she’d checked.
I’m not thinking about Anthony Lockhart or demons or anything else pertaining to Carlingview tonight. Tonight, I’m going to be a normal girl, having a good time with my coworkers.
Their stilettoed heels clicking against the shining wood of the main deck, Lisette again linked her arm loosely with Kate’s, and the two began to tour the beautiful ship, their eyes widening with each step they took.
On the main deck, they stood beside a shimmering, blue saltwater pool, where two scantily clad nurses had already shed their clothes and were splashing one another playfully. Their partners stood at the edge, yelling banter back at them as they frolicked, each man with a drink in his hand. Further to the right was a hot tub, steaming against the fall air and ready to be explored.
“We have to get in there,” Lisette breathed happily, her eyes filled with lust, and Kate laughed.
“I didn’t bring a bathing suit. How could I know there was a pool on the boat?”
“I didn’t bring one, either,” Lisette replied wickedly and giggled as Kate turned pink, realizing what her friend was suggesting. Lisette gestured her head toward two men walking onboard. “That’s Bryan Gould and Stan Burgman,” she whispered.
“Who are they?” Kate asked, her brow furrowed as she tried to place the names.
“They’re on the hospital’s board of directors—oh, shit!” Lisette tried to duck inconspicuously behind her dark-haired friend, but with her fair good looks and boasting five inches on Kate, she was an easily spotted target. Kate raised her eyes to see what she was hiding from and grimaced. One of the emergency room doctors had just emerged from the cabin, a sullen expression on his face. “Did he see me?” Lisette murmured, but her question was answered without Kate speaking a word when the man strode toward them, his brown eyes flashing with anger.
“I thought you went home to visit your folks in Seattle,” he snapped without preamble, and Kate swallowed a nervous smile. She knew this spiel. Lisette often used it on men when she was growing tired of their company.
I guess this was Michael’s replacement. How awkward. Kate could almost recite her best friend’s next words, and she had to stop herself from mouthing them.
“Jeff! I was hoping you would be here!” Lisette called, stepping out from behind Kate, and the smaller fairy could feel the exasperation pulsating from her tall frame.
“You were?” Jeff asked, sounding taken aback. “Oh.”
“I was going to visit my parents this weekend, but I wanted to see you, so I rescheduled,” Lisette lied. Jeff did not seem to sense her guile whatsoever. Why would he suspect she was stringing him along? He was only going to see what he wanted to see, and that was a gorgeous doctor who had found him interesting for ten seconds. Poor guy hadn’t realized he didn’t stand a chance. Lisette would never let herself get tied down to anyone.
As the tall blonde continued to placate the emergency room doctor’s wounded ego, Kate took the opportunity to look around. A few more people flittered onto the boat, and while she recognized most of the faces, she knew very few by name. When Dr. Evans walked onto the deck, Kate cringed inwardly.
Oh, this was a bad idea. I should have anticipated that she’d be here. She instantly averted her eyes, silently praying that the pediatric doctor would not see her. The last thing she wanted was another pseudo psych moment with her superior, but before she could get Lisette’s attention, Dr. Brummer appeared at her side. Relief flooded Kate in a torrent.
“Dr. Brummer,” she greeted pleasantly. “How are you?”
The vampire grinned at her and shrugged. “Still kicking, so that’s something, isn’t it, Luthor?”
“I guess it is,” she chuckled, catching Dr. Evans’ eye over the resident’s shoulder.
“Oh, and look, Dr. Engles as well. I think this might be the first time that I have ever seen an intern at one of Dr. Walter’s parties,�
�� he commented, eyeing Lisette. “Nice that he’s broadening the scope of these gatherings. Everyone else is getting so tiresome of these things, you know?” He offered her a smile, and Kate returned it.
“I’m glad to have you here, Dr. Brummer,” she said, forgetting her promise not to think about work that night. “What can you tell me about the demon patient you have, Anthony Lockhart?”
Brummer’s attitude changed dramatically, and he eyed her warily. “Why? What did he do?”
“No, nothing,” she assured him, shaking her head. Looking about, Kate was fairly sure there were only Enchanted creatures among them, but Brummer seemed uncomfortable. “Is it true he has aranium poisoning?”
“I can’t think of anything else it would be,” Brummer answered. “I’ve been trying to give him blood transfusions, but our supply of demon blood is limited. Without a cure for aranium poisoning…” He didn’t need to finish his sentence.
“How did it happen?” Kate asked, leaning in closer as if to take him into her confidence. “I mean, it’s not like aranium is just kicking around. Isn’t it only found in the sword—?”
“You really shouldn’t be asking a lot of questions, Dr. Luthor. Demons are not like the rest of us. Their moral code is not like ours.”
“I know how they are, Dr. Brummer.” Trust me, I know better than anyone.
“If you mind your own business, they won’t feel threatened, but if you start nosing around where you aren’t welcome…” The warning was loud and clear.
“You don’t know how he got poisoned,” she murmured. “You didn’t ask.”
“My job is to make him well or keep him comfortable until he dies. Unfortunately, it seems the latter is more likely right now.”
“So, you’ll keep him at Carlingview until… until he dies?”
“I can’t send him off in his condition. We’re doctors above all else, Dr. Luthor. The Hippocratic Oath almost surpasses The Enchanted Charter.”
Alarm coursed through Kate. At least we know this isn’t corporate espionage now. He’s really dying. And he’s not going anywhere.
“Why are you asking about Anthony Lockhart?” Brummer asked after a moment of silence ensued. Kate gave him a brief smile and shook her head.
“No reason. I haven’t seen a demon in a long, long while. I couldn’t believe there was one in the hospital.”
Brummer seemed relieved that the questioning was through, and he nodded. Kate plastered a smile on her face, but before she could add anything else, Michael appeared at her side.
“I hope you’re not talking shop, Harold,” Michael chided. “You know the rules on the boat.”
“I wouldn’t dream of ruining the party,” Brummer replied, taking a long sip of his drink. Michael turned to Kate and smiled warmly.
“I am so glad you and Dr. Engles could make it, Kate. Where is Graham?”
Kate felt the blood drain from her face, and she stared at him, glancing furtively around. She realized that Dr. Evans was in earshot of the question. Shit. Why is he asking me that?
“I—I wouldn’t know,” she muttered, a wave of heat and cold flooding her at once. Michael raised a dark eyebrow.
“Oh, I just thought you might have mentioned this gathering to him…” He trailed off, his smile widening slightly, and Kate felt her knees growing weak.
Oh, no. He knows. But how? We were so discreet. Did Graham tell him? She couldn’t imagine a scenario where that might happen.
Lisette had paused to listen to their conversation, her own brow arched in interest.
“Why would I?” Kate demanded defensively. “I barely know the man. We only work together. That’s it!” She heard her voice rise, and she desperately wished she could stop herself from talking. Shut up! You’re overselling. Stop talking!
Michael stared at her for a long moment, his smile almost a leer.
“Why would you say something like that, Michael?” Dr. Evans asked, sensing the troubling tension among them. Kate wanted to sink into the gleaming calamander wood at her feet. Michael eyed Evans and suddenly laughed hysterically.
“Oh, whoa! I just realized what you were thinking!” he chortled, slapping his hand to his side. “Oh, get your minds out of the gutter, everyone! I just happen to know that Kate works in Graham’s research lab. That’s all I meant.”
Evans looked surprised by the revelation. “I didn’t know that. When did you start doing that?” the pediatric attending asked, looking at Kate with interest.
“A couple months ago,” Kate said, trying to calm her erratic heartbeat.
“I don’t envy you,” Dr. Evans laughed, removing a glass of champagne from a server in black and white. “Graham is brilliant, but he can be a real SOB.”
“He’s wonderful,” Kate blurted out. A short silence followed her outburst, and she resisted the urge to run and jump into the river. What is wrong with you? You haven’t even been drinking. She looked at the almost untouched glass in her hand. Maybe she needed to start. It was already shaping up to be a long night.
To her surprise, Dr. Evans laughed again and raised her glass in toast.
“I forget what it was like to be young and idolize an attending—not to discount Graham’s genius in any way. May your idealism never fade,” she said, winking at Kate. Michael chuckled.
“Hear, hear!” he chanted. They all toasted, and Kate looked back at Lisette for an escape, but she was back in conversation with Dr. Jeff.
Suddenly, Kate felt the jets whirring beneath her, and she exhaled deeply. There was nowhere to go. She was stuck on the boat until they returned from their nighttime cruise.
Carlene Evans sauntered off, and Michael drew closer to Kate.
“Just relax and try to have a good time,” he advised. “I will be right here for anything you need.”
For the first time, as Kate looked at him, she was filled with apprehension. There was something in his eyes which she recognized. The leer was back, the one she’d seen the first time she’d met him.
You’re just imagining things. He’s only being friendly, she told herself, but she could not shake the sense that Michael Walter had ulterior motives for asking her there.
11
The inside of the boat was a full-swing party, and Lisette saw that even the chief of surgery, Eli Schwartz, and the chief of staff, Yasmin Carlucca, were there.
We really are in with the crème de la crème of the hospital tonight, she thought happily. Lisette deserved nothing less. She was the only daughter of a wealthy congressman and fashion designer, reared in the opulence which surrounded her on Michael Walter’s boat. Her parents’ ship was ten feet larger, characterizing it as a superyacht, but Lisette still relished the feel of luxury. It had been far too long living the life of a starving intern, and the romance was beginning to fade. She had missed the parties, the free-flowing champagne, and the designer clothes. It was all she could do at night not to scream in the suffocating basement apartment she shared with Kate.
Why was that girl so damned proud? Lisette could easily afford for them to live in the Pearl District if Kate would just accept her paying a bit more than half the rent… Well, perhaps a lot more than half the rent. But still, Lisette could afford it.
The bigger question was why she didn’t simply move into her own expensive place without her friend from college, but the answer was much deeper than Lisette wanted to entertain. For some inexplicable reason, Kate and Lisette had been drawn to one another since first year at Stanford.
Just as Kate had not foreseen the sensuous blonde making it through her freshman studies, Lisette had been sure the frail brunette would crack under all the stress. Both women had been shocked by the other’s endurance, and that shock had manifested into admiration and respect. Lisette was enthralled by Kate’s ambition. She was sure that she had never met another person more driven to succeed than Kate, and soon, Lisette found herself silently rooting for her.
When they had graduated and Kate had been offered an internship at Carli
ngview, Lisette had gotten on the phone with her father and demanded he find a way to land her a position also.
“In Portland, Lis? Really?” Congressman Engles had protested. “Just come home, and we can—”
“Just do it, Justin,” Lisette hissed at her father, and of course, he had made it happen. Justin Engles had no choice but to do what his daughter asked. She knew all his darkest secrets and was not afraid to expose them if need be. It wouldn’t be the first time she had resorted to such measures, and she was sure it wouldn’t be the last, either.
Sometimes, Lisette wondered if her attachment to Kate was borderline obsessive, but how could that be? Kate Luthor was a poor girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Lisette was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. What could Kate have that Lisette could possibly want?
Maybe that was exactly the problem; there was an unsettling feeling inside Lisette which made her think that she, the fairy who had it all, wanted something from Kate Luthor, the girl who had nothing. And not only did she have nothing. She was content—even grateful for it! It was a quandary which plagued Lisette, and she knew that until she figured it out, she would never leave Kate’s side.
“You look lost,” a voice said in her ear, and she turned her head slightly. She exhaled when she realized that it was not Dr. Jeff. She had spent the better part of the evening trying to shake him, but he was like a needy puppy, constantly on her heels and ready to be stepped on.
“Honestly, I am just looking for a place to smoke,” she confessed to the stocky doctor at her side.
“Oh, on a boat full of doctors,” he told her, making a reproving noise, and Lisette felt herself bristle. She was not in the mood to be judged or hear a lecture from another physician.
Without responding, she turned to brush past him, but he grabbed her arm.
“I’ll show you where I go,” he whispered, and Lisette relaxed, turning to fully face the barrel-chested man. It was then she saw he was wearing a chef’s jacket and not a lab coat.