by Honor James
“I don’t got nuffin,” Katherine whispered honestly. “I gots what I gots on now and is all.” Her socks had holes in the toes and her panties had no elastic in the waistband, but she didn’t complain, didn’t argue. “So whatever you wanna get for me, Daddy Janos.”
“All right, what about colors?” he asked, moving through the various color choices. “Are you one that prefers pink, yellow, green, white, blue, or purple maybe? Or did you want something with a print, like this cat line, whatever that is or that,” he said with a frown, staring at it. “What on earth is that?” he asked, showing the image to her.
She looked at the image and shrugged. “I dunno, but I don’t like the cat one so can we get some pinks?” she asked hopefully. “It’s my favorite color and I would wike to have wots of pinks, pweeze?”
“All right, lots and lots of pink.” He grinned at her. Humming softly, he looked up as the doctor came in and Janos gave him a once over carefully, knowing he was human.
Keeping one eye on the doctor as he began his exam, Janos began to order items online. He was guessing a little at her size. She was fairly tiny for her age, but that was likely due to her current diet and living arrangements. In time she’d fill in and grow normally, so he went with his gut on sizes and got her a little of everything and a lot of some things.
“All right, next items, do you want anything in here for your room at home?” he asked her softly, his eyes tracking the doctor as he let her look at the items on the screen.
She looked at the screen, her eyes on the doctor as well, and nodded. “I would wike to have that bed and that dresser,” she said and pointed to the princess bedroom set. “Since I’m a gonna be a princwess, I needs that, don’t I?”
“Yup, you most definitely do need all that if you are going to be a princess,” he said smiling, wondering what she’d think if she knew it was truth if he could actually adopt her.
Mina simply smiled as she watched them and accepted the painkillers that the doctor offered her. “Thank you,” she whispered and closed her eyes again as he began to clean the wounds, wincing only a couple of times.
Frowning, Janos pointed to the dressing table. “Do want that as well?” he asked her, already having placed the order for the bed and dresser. At her nod, he grinned and ordered it as well before putting in his card number and placing the order to be delivered. Seeing the total, he e-mailed his receipt to his e-mail at home and then shut his phone. “Look at that, all done before Mina’s even finished.”
Katherine grinned and looked up adoringly at Janos and smiled. “I fink we need to take mommy to home a cause she’s a going to sweep now.” She looked at Mina who was already more than half asleep.
The doctor looked at Janos. “May I speak with you a moment in the hall, Mr. Farkas?”
“I agree, baby,” he said, looking at the doctor and nodding. “Why don’t you sit with her and hold her hand while I talk to the doctor,” he suggested as he moved with her to the bed. Sitting her on the edge, he kissed her hair lightly. “Keep an eye on her,” he said softly before he moved to the door with the doctor and out into the hall.
Katherine nodded and petted Mina’s hand gently as she watched the doctor and Janos exit.
Chapter 47
The doctor looked at Janos and said, “Her windpipe was not fully crushed but was squeezed enough that it’s hard for her to breathe right now. I have given her something for the pain and to lessen the swelling, and she will need to take it every four hours. She’s not pregnant, is she?” he asked, knowing how Wolves were, with their ability to procreate higher than humans.
“No, not at this time,” he said to the doctor. “We’re waiting for a time,” he added, looking to the door. “Is she going to suffer any effects from this?” he asked in concern, shifting his eyes back to the doctor as he waited to hear just what his mate would likely suffer.
“She will likely be prone to sore throats from time to time, most likely be unable to talk after an hour or so.” He sighed and rocked back on his heels. “Try to keep her from talking if at all possible, Mr. Farkas. Watch over her.” He paused. “And tell me you killed the son of a bitch that did that to her.”
“Considering I let my claws out into his heart as I squeezed it in his chest,” Janos said with a shrug. “Even without a medical degree I know that’s dead,” he told him. “I’ll see what I can do about keeping her quiet. Somehow I see it as not being the easiest thing in the world to achieve,” he muttered, knowing his mate well enough.
The doctor laughed and nodded. “She is a strong and fierce woman.” He looked at Janos. “She is perfect for you.” He looked into the room. “And even better as mother to that child. Thank you for opening your heart to one such as her in need, young man.”
“We take the care of our young seriously. To have had her parents taken as they were from her will leave scars, but hopefully we can help her heal,” he murmured softly. “She’ll never be without love,” he said. “So, can I take my chatty mate home with me?” he asked.
The doctor moved back and grinned. “Go ahead. Do you need me to get you a wheelchair or are you going to be carrying your mate out, young man?” He had a feeling the Wolf would be carrying the young Mina. He could see that he wanted to have her close, touching her as much as possible. “I will have the pharmacy deliver the prescriptions to your place, or do you want to have someone pick them up from the local pharmacy?”
“I’ll have my brother pick them up on his way home,” Janos paused and decided he’d get Ben to do it. “Benedek will be the one picking them up. His bookstore isn’t far from a pharmacy. I’ll have him call you with the name of the place,” he added before shaking the doctor’s hand and then, after signing some papers, went to collect his mate. Bundling her back up, he got her and Katherine to the car, and they were soon on their way home.
Mina was more than a little asleep and reached out with a shaky hand, missing Janos completely as she whimpered and her eyes closed. “Love you,” she whispered before allowing sleep to consume and take her away. They were home and safe. All was right in her world.
Katherine giggled. “Mommy Mina’s tired, isn’t she, Daddy ’Anos?”
Sighing, he nodded as he reached out to take Mina’s hand. “Yeah, she’s tired,” he murmured softly. Pulling into the drive, he parked in the garage and got out, letting her hand rest on her thigh. Going around, he picked her up carefully. “Can you shut the door, Kat?” he asked as he stepped back to let the little girl out.
Katherine shut the door and followed them both, running ahead of Janos and opening the front door. “You won’t knowd I there but cen I stay wif you two tonight?” she whispered softly, the sound of a child fearing for her life.
Stepping through, Janos waited for her as he watched her. “Of course you can, sweetheart,” he said softly. “Come on, honey, I’ll give you the tour in the morning. For now why don’t we lay Mina down. We’ll get you a hot bath with some bubbles if you want, a snack, and then we’ll join her. I think we all need a good long sleep. It’s been a tough day,” he murmured as he elbowed on a couple of lights here and there so Katherine could see where she was going.
Katherine nodded and moved through to the bathroom. “Can I do it a by mysef?” There was fear there in her little eyes. She trusted Janos, but she had been hurt far too many times to trust too far yet.
“I won’t make no mess,” she promised as she shifted from foot to foot, the sign of her agitation. “I don’t gots nuffing to wear to bed either.” She frowned at that thought and tried to work out how she would take care of that issue.
Laying Mina down on the bed, he went to her and crouched down. “Course you can, honey. I’ll get you some bubbles and then you can have the bathroom all to yourself. When you’re ready I’ll have a shirt waiting for you. It’ll be a little on the big side. I don’t have anything pint size, sorry, sweets.” Getting to his feet, he dug out the bubbles and then went to the tub to plug it for her.
“Why d
on’t you start the water up while I grab you towels and the shirt and then you can sit and just relax?” He smiled at her. “If you want to wash your hair, feel free to use any of the shampoo in here, all right?” he asked as he moved past her, knowing she was afraid, the smell a sharp tang in the air.
Katherine nodded and backed into the bedroom. When he was gone, she quickly started the water running and surreptitiously added a small amount of bubbles, grinning as she watched the mountain building.
Mina’s head turned when Janos walked past her. Her hand reached out and clasped his lightly. “I will take those back to her,” she whispered, because anything more simply hurt too much. “She needs a mother right now, darling, and as wonderful as you are, you don’t have the equipment.” She was battling sleep, but for their new guest Mina would do anything.
Making a face at her, Janos helped her to her feet. “I want you sitting the whole time, Mina,” he said quietly. Touching her cheek, he felt his eyes shift as he looked at her throat, a reaction he couldn’t help, nor did he particularly want to. “I’m sorry, love,” he murmured, letting his fingers ghost over her skin, not really touching the painful flesh. “I should have been faster.”
“Don’t apologize, darling.” She swallowed and touched his cheek. “I love you, Janos. I promise I will sit the whole time. Just don’t be surprised if you have to come and haul me up and back to my feet, all right, sweetheart?” She looked toward the bathroom. “Let’s go so that our little one can get all cleaned up and curled up in our bed, shall we?”
“I promised her a shirt,” he said as he stepped back and waited. Once she seemed balanced, he went to the closet and grabbed up one of his as well as a pair of boxers that had shrunk. “I have no idea if she’ll even need these, but…” Shrugging, he passed them to his mate. “Come on, love.” He took her arm and led her to the bath, gently knocking before he moved inside, eyes closed. “Is it safe to look?” he asked no one in particular.
Katherine looked up from beside the bathtub. “Yes, Daddy ’Anos, you can come in.” She was itching to get into the bathtub, really wanted to be in there, but she couldn’t get undressed until she was sure that she was able to get in, until they told her she could get in.
Peeking through the lashes of one eye, he scoped out the room and then opened his eyes completely. Smiling at her, he led Mina over to the tub and, dragging the stool over, had her sit. Laying the clothing on her other side, away from the water, Janos dropped a couple towels on top.
Then he did the last thing before he was officially banished from the bathroom and checked the water temperature. “Good deal, kiddo.” He winked at Katherine. “Call if you need me, otherwise I’ll be in the kitchen making a light snack for everyone for when you’re all squeaky clean,” he told her, touching her hair lightly. Stepping back, he pulled the door closed and, for a moment, he waited until he heard clothing shuffling and then left his womenfolk to their business.
Chapter 48
Mina smiled as she watched Katherine pull off her clothes and held her hand while the little girl stepped into the small pile of bubbles. Picking up the clothes, Mina frowned and shook her head. “We will wash these, Katherine, love. Hopefully the things that you and Janos ordered will be here soon, and in the meantime you can wear Janos’s shirts or we will send him out to get you some new clothes, love.” She wanted to burn the clothes, but she would leave that for Katherine to decide.
“Okay,” Katherine said and looked up at Mina. “Can you help me wif my hair?”
“Of course, darling,” Mina told her and began to help Katherine with her bath. The dirt on the child was a surprise, and when she finally got out, Mina said, “Go ahead and get dressed, love. Head on to the kitchen while I clean up in here.”
Katherine nodded and turned to walk from the room. Seeing Janos, she smiled. “I’m clean now, Daddy ’Anos.”
Turning, he smiled. “So you are,” he said with a grin. “Come here, honey, and let’s do the inspection.” He winked, picking up her fingers when she was close as he crouched down. “Nails are clean, check.” He nodded and then tweaked her ears. “Behind the ears are clean, double check. Good job,” he told her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “You ready for a snack before bed, honey?” he asked her as he kept an ear open to what Mina was doing.
Mina took the hand-held shower sprayer in hand and cleaned out the now filthy tub. She couldn’t believe there was so much dirt on the small child. She didn’t look that dirty, but she certainly was.
Finally standing, she moved slowly to the door and leaned against it as she watched Janos with Katherine. “I love you both,” she said simply and then told him, “Go ahead and take our little girl for a snack. I am going to curl up in bed. Katherine, you can either sleep in the middle or on the outside.” Mina was hoping for middle so they could keep her safe, but for the outside so she could be held by Janos all night.
Straightening, Janos took her hand in his and guided her to the bed. “In you get, darling,” he said, lifting the blankets for her. “When we come back, we’ll get you all changed, but you need to rest a little, darling. You look exhausted.” Stepping back, he gently ran a finger down her cheek. “We’ll be back soon, love,” he murmured softly.
Mina smiled and nodded, her hand capturing his as she looked into the eyes of the man she loved. “Later we will discuss me becoming as you are.” Because she realized if she had been a bit stronger, a bit faster, she wouldn’t be in the shape she was now. Plus, as a Wolf she would heal faster, so that would be all the better.
Turning, he took Katherine’s hand in his and led her to the kitchen before scooping her up and settling her on a stool before the counter. “All right, miss, we have fruits, veggies with dips, some meats with crackers, and a fine selection of cheeses from…” He looked at the packages. “North America and Europe apparently.” Shaking his head, he set the package aside. “Dig in, sweets. Did you want some milk or water to go with the spread?”
“Can I have bof pweeze?” Katherine asked and watched Janos, and then turned her eyes to the cheeses, and picking one up, she sounded it out. “Goo-dah,” she whispered. “I want to try this one, okay?” she asked even as she began to peel the wrapping from the cheese and grabbed a piece of ham and an apple slice. “Oh, Daddy ’Anos, I wike this Goo-dah cheese.”
“So noted, darling.” He grinned as he poured her a glass of milk and then a glass of water and carried both back to the counter to sit at her side. “Keep trying other things, too, honey, so that when I go shopping with Mina and yourself, we can get your favorite items.”
Reaching over, he lightly stroked back her damp hair and smiled slightly at her happy look to him, the shadows not nearly as clear in her eyes but still there. Time, Janos, he reminded himself. She needs time to fully trust and to believe that Mina and I will always be there for her.
She sat on her stool, bouncing and eating as only a four-year-old could before she finally pushed the plate away from herself and took the last sip of milk in her glass. Setting it on the counter, she grinned up with a milk mustache and said, “I’m weady for bed now, Daddy ’Anos.” Her arms held out to him, waiting on him to pick her up and carry her.
Chuckling at her, he picked up her napkin before scooping her into his arms. Gently he wiped her face and kissed her cheek. “Let’s get you into bed with Mina and then I’ll come back and clean up before I rejoin you both.” Walking to the bedroom, he paused and smiled at how spread out his mate was. “We’ll have to remind her to share,” he whispered in Katherine’s ear as he moved to the bathroom.
Setting her on her feet, Janos pulled the stool over and then lifted her up onto it so she’d be able to reach to sink. Passing her a new toothbrush, he gave her a bit of toothpaste and patiently waited as she did her teeth. “We’ll have to pick you up your own toothbrush, I think. That one’s a tad too big for you, sweets.”
She grinned around the toothbrush. “It’s okay, Daddy ’Anos. I wike just being able to bwush my teeth,
Daddy ’Anos.” She spit out the contents of her mouth and then took the small glass of water he held out and rinsed her mouth and then her toothbrush. Grinning unabashedly up at him, she nodded. “Awrite, I’m ready.” She held her skinny little arms up, waiting on him.
Picking her up once more, he held her to him for a moment, just enjoying the feel of her little body holding onto him so trustingly. Closing his eyes for a moment, he breathed her in and prayed that he never disappointed her or made her lose that trust. Releasing a breath, he moved toward the bed and set her down at Mina’s side even as he stroked his mate’s face.
“Come on, darling, you need to wake up enough to clean up and get changed, darling,” he said softly. “It’s time for bed and, as much as I know you want to sleep, you need to get out of all those clothes and into something more comfortable.”
Mina moved slowly and sat up with a smile on her face. Reaching out, she sleepily touched Janos’s face and then Katherine’s. “Right, Janos, can you bring me something to wear into the bathroom?” She wasn’t sure she would make the closet and then bathroom all in one trip. “And next time”—she looked serious—“no drugs please? I can’t shake this feeling of tiredness. I would rather hurt, okay?”
“Wasn’t my call, the guy with the giant needle was calling the shots,” he told her even as he chuckled at his own double entendre. Helping her to her feet, he kissed her nose. “Go and clean up, love. I’ll grab you a shirt,” he promised, pointing her the right way when she was actually aiming for a wall.
Shaking his head as she just missed bouncing off the doorjamb, he looked to Katherine. “She’s actually pretty amusing when she’s like this,” he commented, shaking his head again and moving to the closet. Grabbing one of his T-shirts, he took it to the bathroom and peeked in. “No sleeping on the toilet, woman,” he reprimanded as she sat on the seat, her head propped against the vanity.