Jocelyn, wait…
She spun around, glaring up at him. What? What do you want now? You have taken everything from me!
Her words speared through him. No. I would give you everything.
Everything to me is my family. Let me—us—go.
Her eyes were angry, confused, and hurt as she stared up at him. The green of her eyes the exact shade of his House color. Had the goddess done that deliberately? To link her to him in that small of a way? I cannot do that.
Then you can give me nothing.
****
Josey wiped the tears from her eyes with one hand and opened the door to the suite with the other. She wasn’t the type of woman who spent much time crying in her bed, but it was to the great silk-covered mattress that dominated the room that she headed. She stretched out across the foot and faced the far wall.
Free jumped up beside her, the little dog kissing Josey’s salty cheeks. Josey cuddled her close as the tears continued to fall. Had she cried even once since he had kidnapped her? She didn’t think so. Now she made up for the past several days, until the silk of the comforter under her head was dampened.
She didn’t feel him come up behind her until his large hands slid around her waist and he pulled her up. He turned her to face him so effortlessly, his strength ten times that of an ordinary man. A human man. Josey refused to look up. She wouldn’t even give him that respect.
Jocelyn. Look at me. His hands were insistent, one raising her chin toward him, the other pulling her lower body into his.
His face was serious. I wish…
Wish what? That it was different? That you had not done to me what you had? What?
His thumb brushed at a tear. She refused to acknowledge how the touch of his skin against hers sent warmth through her. It was chemistry; that’s all it was. A physiological reaction caused by something in his blood and hers. I wish I could make you happy. The goddess chose you for me, as sure as she chose me for you.
What goddess? Do you think I care? I just want to go home! Back to my life!
****
The strength of her wish knocked him back a step though he moved not at all. The depth of her unhappiness was written on her mind so clearly he could not miss the truth of it.
Unhappiness he had caused.
Then go, then. Go back to your life. I will see that you are safe. And I will never bother you again.
Surprised green eyes met his. A small feminine hand covered her mouth. You mean it? You will let me go? When?
When I can guarantee you will be safe. A day, two at the most. You are different now. You will never be the same as your family and friends again. You must be taught to co-exist with them. Or you could hurt them. Had pain ever cut so deeply? A life, thousands of years, without his Rajni. Now he truly understood how his younger sister had felt. Probably still felt. Her mate Iavius had died so horribly…and right in front of Kindara.
How had his sister survived it all? Cormac felt a renewed awe for his sister’s strength. He cupped the back of his Rajni’s blonde head and brushed the smallest of kisses across her brow. I will trouble you no longer.
****
Josey watched him walk away with the strangest pain in her heart. Just like that? He ripped her from her home under some guise of destined mates, told her he would kill her if she didn’t cooperate, then he just decides to let her go? It made no sense to her at all.
She sank back down on the mattress behind her, absently petting the fuzzy black and white head that was placed in her lap. Free licked her hand gently. Josey dropped her chin to rest on the dog’s head and hugged the warm body to her chest. She felt rather than heard Free whine.
If he truly let her go, would she be a danger to her family? Her father, or even worse…her little sister? Maybe she should just go away somewhere until she got a handle on this…new life. But what about Emily, Mickey, and Mallory? Could she leave here without them?
****
That question was still up front in her mind more than a day and a half later as she tossed a rope toy for Free to retrieve. A movement across the courtyard and up caught her attention. A woman dressed in the same clothing as she was chasing a small golden puppy on the balcony two floors up from Cormac’s. Jierra.
She’d spent most of the previous day with the other woman. Cormac had asked his niece to explain to Josey what being this would entail. It hadn’t been an easy day; Jierra was still very nervous of Josey and her cousins. But Jierra was the only one of these people who could communicate with Josey easily. And Cormac had insisted.
Should she get Jierra’s attention? Ask her the rest of the questions flooding her mind?
Another movement caught her gaze, this time near the doors leading to the suite Emily shared with the king. Josey turned toward her cousin and stepped toward her.
Emily saw her and started in Josey’s direction. Josey suppressed a sigh. She wasn’t sure she wanted to talk to her cousins right now.
Emily walked toward Josey, then stopped abruptly. Josey had no difficulty reading the horror and fear on her cousin’s face. She turned to see what Emily was looking at.
Chapter Nine
The meeting with Dhar Rydere was drawn out and dismal. Cormac wasn’t the only one considering sending his Rajni home. Cormac slammed his hands down on the table in front of him. “We should just get it over with, then. I will take them back tomorrow morning! Get it done, so that we can return to the way our lives were before we made the idiotic decision to take them.”
“Cauterize the wounds, then?” Aodhan continued to stare out the window that overlooked the front of the hotel. “We will need to watch them from afar. Keep them safe until they adjust.”
Cormac stood and prowled the room. Just let her go. Send her back to her family, her sister, and father. Make her happy.
What did it matter if he spent the rest of his life alone? He’d made it six hundred plus years so far without her. But damn the goddess, nothing had ever hurt as much as the thought of sending his Rajni away forever. Not even the bleeding deaths of his parents two hundred years ago had hurt quite so badly.
Fire shot through his stomach, sending him to his knees.
At first he didn’t put it together. Then it shot into his head that it was not his pain.
Hers.
The other men stared at him. Dhar Rydere stood. “Cormac?”
“She’s hurt!” Cormac said nothing else as he bolted out of the conference room and to the gardens.
Her silent screams echoed in his head. Her pleas. Her fear. Sweat burned his eyes as he ran, shoving anyone and everyone in the way out of his path.
Her screams stopped abruptly. The cessation terrified him. Was he already too late? Would he not know if her spirit was already gone?
He tore into the gardens and found her lying next to her dog. Both were bleeding, but his Josey had three Lupoiux wolf bastards clawing at her. Ripping at her ruthlessly.
Cormac roared, the sound one he was barely aware of making. He grabbed the first wolf. With only a twist, he crushed the wolf’s spine beneath his hands. He was only vaguely aware of Rydere and Aodhan attacking the rest of the wolf pack.
The next two wolves were harder to dispatch, but he did it. He flung the last body away from his Rajni and dropped to his knees beside her. Jocelyn.
She remained silent, still. But he could feel her heart still beating, despite the amount of blood she had so obviously lost. He scooped her into his arms and ran for the doors. The healer Barlaam, Rydere’s younger brother, waiting just inside.
“Take her to your suite, it is close! I will have Bronwyn and Melando meet us there! Go!”
Cormac cradled close, not wanting to let her go. She still remained so quiet.
Her skin was pale, the white of her vestis and pardus ripped, muddied, and bloodied. Had they bitten her? He ripped the vestis from her body as efficiently and as quickly as he could. Her bra was next, the garment ruined beyond hope. The gash in her stomach, the worst of
the five wounds, still bled. It crossed from right under her left breast and curled over her right hip. Two shallower wounds ran parallel on each side of the deeper gash. All five marks still bled. She had lost so much blood. He had seen Dardaptoans die from far less blood loss.
Barlaam was there, tugging her from his arms. Cormac fought.
“Cormac! I must help her! You have to let go, or I will have you banned from the room!” Barlaam was just as strong as Cormac and just as determined when it came to his patients. Cormac had long known that about the second healer. Only Cormac’s sister Kindara was a more talented healer than this man.
Jocelyn whimpered; the sound strong enough for both men to hear. Cormac tightened his hold around her then lowered her to the bed they had yet to share. The black and green silk made the white of her skin, of her garments, so much more shocking. Jocelyn. I am here. You are not alone. You are safe. I am here! Please open your eyes and look at me.
Green eyes opened, for only a moment. I…hurt. What? Did you…
No! Cormac dropped his head to rest against her brow as Barlaam started cleaning the worst of the wounds. He would clean it and stitch it together as quickly as he could. Otherwise, she could bleed to death so easily. Wolves. Sick, heartless beasts, baby. I killed them. They will never hurt you again!
Free? I was with Free…and Em was there! Is Em ok? Where is she? She tried to pull out of his arms. Was she honestly trying to go to her cousin? Goddess, she had a will of pure strength. Iron. He held her in place as Barlaam began the first row of stitches.
Only he heard her pleas for them to stop. Hush, my love. We must.
“Can’t you give her something?” A female voice demanded from behind Barlaam.
It was her cousin, the redhead that belonged to Aodhan.
Barlaam shook his head though he did not look up from his work. “There are none of your people’s drugs that will work on our people. Or your cousin now. We need to stop the bleeding and watch for blood infections. Barring bleeding to death or infection, she will survive.”
“Take her to a hospital or something!”
Cormac briefly considered it, but the rational part of him knew that would be the worst thing he could do for her. They could not help her, and would waste valuable time trying. “We cannot. They will surely kill her just trying to save her. Barlaam and Kindara, they are the best.”
His sister was there, guiding the redhead out of the room. Cormac missed what she said to the girl. She returned and pushed him aside. “Brother. Let me help Barlaam. With two of us, the stitching will go much quicker. You must be ready to give her blood when I tell you to.”
His sister was gentle with Josey, despite the fact that Kindara had to know who Josey’s grandfather was. Kindara’s hands were steady as she replaced Barlaam, stitching the area just under Josey’s left breast. The work was long and painstaking. And his woman was awake for it all.
I promise you, you will never feel this pain again. I will protect you every day for the rest of our lives. And I will make today’s failure up to you!
Chapter Ten
Josey focused on the man above her, seeing nothing and no one but him. He became her entire world as the doctors continued to work on her. She was so tired. So cold. She barely felt the pain anymore. Did that mean…Will I die?
No!
She hadn’t realized she thought it, hadn’t realized he was still in her head. He was always there. Always with her.
She wasn’t alone now.
I’m bleeding. I know I am. If I die, I want to be buried by my Aunt Elisabeth. Emily’s mother. Promise me! She could barely see him above her, dark haze sneaking in her vision. If I die, take me home!
You will not die!
Josey closed her eyes, too tired to keep them open any longer. She just wanted to sleep…
****
Her eyes closed and Cormac fought the urge to scream at her to open them again.
“Cormac, give her blood now!” Kindara gave the order and Cormac obeyed instantly. He bit into his wrist and held it against her mouth. She did nothing.
“She isn’t feeding!”
“Keep trying while Bronwen sets up the IV."
It took several long minutes, but they got the gashes sewn together and kept transfusing blood into his Rajni. She never woke, never stirred. That terrified him more than anything—she was so far gone she felt no pain? She should have been screaming uncontrollably. What did her silence mean?
He held her for several hours, ignoring the pain in his shredded hands. He hadn't even realized he'd injured himself killing the Lupoiux bastards. It didn't matter, couldn't compare to the pain she had endured.
Once she recovered, he'd find every last whelp and dog in that Lupoiux pack and part them from their skins. He'd not even let them have the dignity of dying first.
Then he'd use their damned pelts as a rug for her to walk on.
You are still here?
Cormac jerked his head up from where he'd rested it upon her hair. Yes. I will not leave you.
What...were those things in the garden? She tried to shift her arm, but the IV Kindara had inserted kept her arm immobile.
Lupoiux werewolves. Evil, soulless animals.
So vampire attack and werewolf attack? Lucky me. Green eyes blinked at him from a pale face. A beautiful face.
My fault.
Was Emily ok? I thought I heard her here earlier.
Barely bruised. Her Rajni was hurt, but he will survive. Another sin to heap on Cormac's head. He had been given the orders to protect the Dhar and the new Rajnis. And he had failed. He would always remember that.
My dog? Where's Free? Did she...suffer much? Tears began to leak; she tried to wipe at them, but couldn't reach her face through the IV tubing.
Cormac brushed the tears aside. She's with Theo's sister Bronwen. She is gifted with animals as well as people.
Her body relaxed and hope entered her eyes. She's alive? I remember them...things...attacking her!
They only attacked her to get to you. She will be fine, although...
She tensed again. Although?
They had to give her a bit of blood. They used Dardaptoan blood.
And? What does that mean?
She'll live for a very long time. Should he tell her how long? It would be an unnatural life for the canine.
How long?
At least a thousand years, if not more. Our blood...can increase longevity of some creatures. Dogs are one of them. Tajic, Aodhan's wolf, is close to two hundred years old. And nearly sentient.
Oh. I want to see her. She's probably frightened. She tried again to move; Cormac held her down gently. Her bond with the dog was so obviously strong; he was glad the animal would recover. And be able to be at her side for a very long time. At least she would have the dog.
In the morning. Tonight you need to sleep. Get strong again.
So what’s the damage? She patted her stomach with the non-IVed hand. What was done to me?
You were…bleeding. Kindara sewed the injuries closed and began the blood transfusions. You will need to keep that IV constant for the next few days. Kinney said a constant supply of blood is needed to help the stitches stay in place. They had stopped the bleeding, but infection was a very real threat. Dardaptoan women had no defense against infection. Dardaptoan men were slightly better off, fighting infection simply because of their strength and size, but the women…He would not lose her. No matter what he had to do.
He’d made the decision while he watched her rest—she was going nowhere. He would dedicate the rest of his days to protecting this woman, no matter what the cost to himself—or anyone else.
No coagulants? I think I read that. She felt around the bandaged areas of her chest, pure curiosity easy for him to see on her face.
Sit still. You will damage the stitches and will have to go through it all again. And he would not survive watching the needle piercing her flesh a second time. Sweat beaded on his forehead at the mere thought. His
hands were insistent when he moved hers away from the bandages.
I need to see. Assess the damage for myself. How many stitches? What gauge thread? Not staples? Will it scar? How many lacerations? It feels like quite a few.
Slow down. And do not move. You will hurt yourself again.
More than I am hurting now? Can I really not have anything for the pain? Although, the pain does not seem any worse than when I broke my arm when I was ten. I kind of feel numb. I shouldn’t. I should be having burning, and itching. And aching. I don’t. I need to see! There may be nerve damage. I need to see! She shifted, determination in her movements. Her free hand grasped the bandage before Cormac could stop her. The peel of the tape from her skin echoed through the room. Help me up!
He slipped an arm beneath her shoulders and lifted her at a slight angle. He didn’t want to raise her too far or the pressure would become unbearable on her injuries.
Easy. I am just lifting you so you can look down. Careful.
I am a doctor, you know.
I know. Just do as you are told. What exactly are you expecting to see? Cormac flipped on the lamp beside the bed; the small desk lamp burning across the room from where the bed was located was too dim for studying the wounds closely. His woman looked even worse than he had thought. Her skin was so pale, attesting to the large volume of blood she had lost. Her near platinum hair was braided in two long braids, soft and clean of the blood that had saturated it earlier. Its paleness was eclipsed only by her skin. Her eyes were dull, but he rejoiced that she had opened them again. When he had held her so still earlier, he had held little hope that she ever would glare at him again.
Stitches are even, very precise. Expertly done. How deep were the lacerations? Her clinical tone had his brows rising. She sounded so detached from it all. A way for her to cope with what had to be a very frightening experience, or was she—as a physician— simply able to turn off the personal aspect of it all? You’ll have to ask Kindara. She is responsible for your care.
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