“You keep saying that but it’s still up for debate.” I pushed away from my pillow. “Uch. I drooled.”
“You’ve drooled before.”
“Have not.” A lie. He’d seen me drool. Ethan and I had been lovers until I’d messed it up. He was better off without me.
“I won’t argue with a patient,” he said, smiling.
“Is it the next day?”
Ethan looked at his phone. “Yeah, it’s around nine in the morning.”
“Where’s Kyle?”
“Home with Peter.”
The room was empty. “Great turnout. Guess you’re my only friend.”
“Plenty of people have peeked in.”
“Uh huh.”
“They’re coming back. Look.”
He indicated a table in the corner, covered with presents and flowers and balloon bouquets. What was up with balloon bouquets anyway? This wasn’t a damn party. I’d lost my… “What’s that?” I pointed toward a stuffed animal.
“A snow leopard from Jackie and Garrett.”
I held out my hands.
He brought it over. It was soft and adorable. Huggable. I shifted in the bed to make room for the leopard under the covers, then glanced down. My legs were whole, my right foot completely under the blanket. The bandaged stump that used to have a foot attached to it was sticking out. I clutched the toy to my chest and stared at the ugly injury. “Cover it.”
Ethan did what I asked without showing me an ounce of pity. Thank the gods for Ethan. “It doesn’t matter. You’re powerful and beautiful and irreplaceable on the team.”
“Sure.” My eyes burned.
“Hi!” Kyle’s voice rang through the mostly empty room.
Visitors. Great. Now they show up.
Rob, Kyle and Peter were first, but didn’t stay for long, taking my quiet mood as a sign I was tired or in pain. In mourning was more like it, but I wasn’t about to discuss feelings I’d only just begun to deal with. Liam and Kaera showed up, and I was happy to see neither of them had been badly injured. It could have been so much worse. My friends did their best not to stare at the empty space at the bottom of the bed, but it was the snow leopard in the room—too large to ignore. Or maybe too absent to ignore.
Jackie arrived while I was eating the hospital’s idea of lunch. Tasteless vegetable soup. “It took you long enough to get here. Everyone else has visited me. At least everyone I expect to visit.” Jackie glanced at the IV bag before sitting in the chair beside my bed. “It’s usually dispersing a pain killer,” I explained. “Very nice, but it makes me sleepy. I knew you’d drag your ass here at some point, so now it’s only dripping saline.”
“How do you feel?”
“How do you think I feel knowing I’ll never wear another pair of Jimmy Choos?” Sarcasm was my shield of choice.
“You could still wear one.” Her smile was more concerned than happy.
“Yes, but I’d have to pay for two. It goes against my principles, or it would, if I had any principles.”
Relief shone in her green eyes. My quips were doing their job. Jackie had enough cause for anxiety without me adding to the mix. “You have principles. You just try to keep them a secret from the rest of us.”
“Ha. Glad to see my evil plan is working. But how are you feeling? And Brina? I heard she was hurt badly.”
“Liam told me Brina will be as good as new in a week or so. And I’ve healed, thanks to my cheetah and a bit of blood from Garrett. He’ll be coming when he wakes up from his rest.”
“He doesn’t have to. Not much to see here.”
“He’s been worried about you.”
“Doc said his blood helped stop the bleeding. Might have saved me.”
“You’re a close friend. We’d do anything for you.”
What a power couple those two had turned out to be. When Jackie, a cheetah shifter, was introduced as part of our new team of rogues, I thought she was just a pretty face who could run fast. Nothing special. She kicked my ass that first day, then quickly became my closest friend, surpassing all of us with her healer, cheetah and demon magic. Garrett had always been a powerful vampire, made more powerful by the fact he was born a cheetah shapeshifter before being turned against his will. The two of them together were practically unbeatable.
“So what’s new?” I tried to sound nonchalant, but it was an epic fail.
“I’ve been entertaining a house guest.”
“What are you planning on doing with Gabe?”
She hesitated. “We’re having a team meeting tonight at the house.” I frowned and glanced away. It was the first of many meetings I’d be missing. “I’ll make sure you’re kept in the loop. Kaera is coming. Aaron too. He’ll know what to do about Gabe.”
“I guess Garrett is pissed off at me, huh?” I coughed in an attempt to hide the catch in my voice.
“Why do you think that?”
“He put me in charge at the house. I should have known something was up when Gabe rushed me out.”
“Kaera and I were there, we just weren’t putting out feelers to see if he was lying. It was our responsibility as well as yours.”
I sighed. “Thanks for trying.”
“Gabe admitted to showing up only to save your life. He told us Karl threatened him with Katrina’s death if he warned any of us. He figured he could get you out without repercussions.” Jackie squeezed my hand. “When can you go home?”
“Tomorrow, I think.” I was anxious to get out of here, but the prospect of moving in with Kyle was a little daunting.
“You’ll stay with me. No arguing. I’ll put you in my old room on the first floor.”
“Are you sure, because Kyle offered, and he’s been really sweet. I think he’d make a big effort not to annoy me, but Ethan is there and it would be awkward.” Ethan and I were over, even though a part of me wished I could be the girl he needed me to be. He was the kind of mate most females dreamed of snatching up. A heart the size of Seattle, movie star good looks, and honest to a fault.
“You’re family. We want you with us.”
I sighed. Jackie’s offer meant more to me than I could put into words. I sat up a little straighter and met her worried gaze. “I could be dead, or badly burned, or worse. I have to keep telling myself that I’m lucky. I mean it sucks and I’ve cried and I’ll probably keep crying, but I still have a job that I love and friends who have my back. And—and in a fight I can…can shoot a crossbow, I guess—if Garrett keeps me on the team.”
My throat burned, my eyes filling with liquid. “I’ve already started looking into a prosthesis. Maybe Kyle and I can put our heads together to come up with something that’ll work for a snow leopard.” I looked down, surprised to see I was hugging the toy leopard tightly to my chest.
Jackie crawled onto the bed and put her arms around me. The dam broke as sniffles turned to sobs. “I'm—I'm sorry. I'm being such an…an idiot.”
“We’re all here for you. I believe in you, and so does everyone else. You’ll kick the ass of this glitch and come back stronger than ever. It might take a little time, so be patient.”
“Do you think I can? Come back strong?”
“Garrett said so himself.”
A soothing warmth—like a cozy magical blanket—seeped into my muscles and bones. I gasped and pulled away, gazing at Jackie with wide eyes. “Holy shit.” We both laughed at the shocked sound of my voice. “You gave me healing energy?” She smiled. “If you could bottle that magic, no one would need pain meds.” This was the first time I’d had a chance to experience her healer gift first hand. I blew my nose with a tissue from a box she’d handed me. “Thanks, witchy woman.”
“I wish I could have healed…” We looked at the end of the bed at the same time. “I wouldn’t have known what to do.”
“It’s fine. I’m fine.” I prayed she wouldn’t feel the lie.
We spoke softly for a while longer, then Garrett arrived, smiling when he found us in the bed together.
�
��Is this one of your fantasies?” I teased him.
He laughed and hugged me. “Good to see your wit has returned full force.”
“Garrett, I have to ask you—”
“You can start work again as soon as you feel you’re ready. But there's no rush. And you’re staying with us, correct? We can talk again when you’re out of the hospital and more comfortable.”
“You’re not angry?”
“Certainly not at you.”
“But you’d left me in charge.”
“Jackie and Kaera’s senses were tricked as well. We scanned the house early on and observed nothing other than the expected hidden microphones and cameras. Kyle is beating himself up over missing the hidden bomb, just as you are.” Garrett squeezed my hand, smiling his reassurance. “No blame falls on your shoulders or any of our team. This was the Los Altos Pack’s doing, and rest assured, the ring leaders will be punished severely.”
“Gabe?”
He and Jackie exchanged a look, both frowning. “Nothing’s been decided yet,” he said.
Also by Gayle Parness
Rogues Shifter Series
Rebirth: Book 1 – FREE at all vendors.
https://books2read.com/Rebirth-Rogues-Shifter
Stalked: Book 2
https://books2read.com/Stalked-Rogues-Shifter
Twisted: Book 3
https://books2read.com/Twisted-Rogues-Shifter
Blown Away: Book 4
https://books2read.com/Blown-Away
Caught Between: Book 5
https://books2read.com/Caught-Between
Torn Apart: Book 6
https://books2read.com/Torn-Apart
Cut Off: Book 7
https://books2read.com/Cut-Off
Blood Spelled: Book 8
https://books2read.com/Blood-Spelled
At Risk: Book 9
https://books2read.com/At-Risk-Gayle-Parness-Author
In Demand: Book 10 - Releasing Winter 2021
Coming in 2021
* * *
Triad Series – Charlie’s story
Breaking Out: Book 1 (Takes place after Cut Off)
https://books2read.com/Breaking-Out
Falling Out: Book 2
https://books2read.com/FallingOut
Spinning Out: Book 3 (Takes place after Blood Spelled)
https://books2read.com/SpinningOut
* * *
Rogues, Inc. Series Novellas
A Stubborn Heart: Book 1 - Sinc and Gabe’s story
https://books2read.com/StubbornHeart
A Healing Heart: Book 2 - Ethan and Hana’s story
https://books2read.com/Healing-Heart
A Demon Rogue: Book 1 in Isaiah’s prequel story.
Coming in 2021
* * *
Rogues Shifter Series Short Stories
Winter Solstice Wishes: Sasha and Elle’s story
(Takes place after Cut Off)
* * *
And on Audiobook: Click here to hear samples http://www.gayleparness.com/audiobooks.html
Rebirth: Narrated by Reba Buhr - Now in Audible Escape
Stalked: Narrated by Reba Buhr - Now in Audible Escape
Twisted: Narrated by Reba Buhr
Blown Away: Narrated by Reba Buhr
Caught Between: Narrated by Reba Buhr
Torn Apart: Narrated by Reba Buhr
Cut Off: Narrated by Reba Buhr
Blood Spelled: Narrated by Reba Buhr
At Risk: Narrated by Reba Buhr - Book 9 will release late April, 2020
Breaking Out: Triad Series Book 1 will release in 2021
Books by Marie Booth – (Gayle also writes spicy paranormal romance and hot contemporary romance under this pen name) http://www.mariebooth.com
The Gate Series:A hot contemporary series involving members of an exclusive men’s club. Find out more here: http://www.mariebooth.com/contemporary.html
Stroke: Book 1 -Damien and Cassie’s story
Simmer: Book 2 - Victor and Sloane’s story
Split: Book 3 - Blake and Natasha’s story
* * *
The Steamy Bites Series
Dying For a Bite: A humorous vampire ménage
* * *
Anthologies:
Worst Holiday Ever
Hysterical family drama during the holiday season.
Worst Valentines Day Ever
Even Mother Nature can’t keep these two lovers apart.
* * *
The Santa Cruz Shifters Series - M/M
Flying Hard: Book 1 - A paranormal wolf/raven romance
Hard Landing: Book 2 - Releasing Summer 2020
A tiger/wolf romance
* * *
The Theta Series: A paranormal romance set in a futuristic world where supernatural creatures rule, humans are at the bottom of the food chain and revolution is a magical certainty. (These two books were first written under author name Gayle Parness)
Playing with Passion: Book 1
Yielding to Pleasure: Book 2
Find out more here: http://www.mariebooth.com/paranormal.html
Connect with Gayle
Website: http://www.gayleparness.com/
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GayleParnessAuthor
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/gayleparness
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Instagram: www.instagram.com/gayleparnessauthor
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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5165431.Gayle_Parness
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/GayleParness/
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Follow me on BookBub:
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/gayle-parness
Acknowledgments
Thanks go out to my wonderful editor, Reina Willams, who always gives me great advice and encouragement. You’re a rockstar, Reina.
Also to Tatiana Villa, my cover designer. An artist who listens and makes each new book a vision.
And to my audiobook narrator, Reba Buhr, a magician who brings my characters to life on every page. Thank you for taking a chance on an author who knew nothing about audiobooks except that a great performance can transform a story and make it soar above the words on the page.
And finally to Kristina Kairn, Sue Sbardellati, Layla Reyne, and Elisabeth Barrett, fellow authors who keep the lights burning even when the path grows dark. You are my sisters, my clan.
Fist up.
Gayle
At Risk Page 32