Skin Walkers - King

by Susan Bliler

  “KING!” she heard herself shriek.

  Monroe and several laborers appeared and lifted the girder off King, but he still didn’t move. Lilly was already on her smart phone. “JENNY! We need help! We’re on the fourth floor. King’s been injured!” She hung up abruptly. She hadn’t known who else to call, but she did know that King needed medical help.

  To her and the laborer’s utter shock, Monroe bent and lifted King’s body, settling the dead weight over one shoulder.

  “You shouldn’t move him!” Lilly chastised in a panic, not wanting King to suffer more injury.

  As usual, Monroe ignored her and moved for the elevator.

  Lilly drug herself up from the ground, ignoring the throbbing pain in her ankle even as she kicked off her Louboutin’s and limped ahead of Monroe to punch the elevator call button. Seconds seemed to drag on, and when the doors opened Jenny and Legion were both inside. Unable to fit in the crammed space, Lilly stayed back as Jenny reached for King to check his pulse. She heard Jenny and Legion both asked what happened and Monroe began to explain when the doors slid closed leaving Lilly on the fourth floor.

  Her breathing frantic, Lilly stared at the closed doors for a moment before spinning and pinning the foreman with such fiery disdain that the man actually paled. “What in the hell kind of operation are you running up here?” She took a step closer and barely caught herself before she fell.

  “Ma’am,” the foreman’s eyes shot down. “You’re bleeding.”

  “BLEEDING!” she shrieked. “I nearly died! And Mr. Muholland is injured.” Her hands, balled into tight fists, shook with the rage coursing through her. “I speak for Mr. StoneCrow when I say that if you don’t get this goddamn site secure then you and your men can get your incompetent asses off this estate.” She was taking liberties and she knew it, but she was too damn angry to care.

  “It was an accident, I…”

  “Accidents like this are the result of laziness or stupidity, and neither is acceptable here!” When tears of anger overwhelmed her she ordered, “Get your project in line and do it now! I can assure you that once Mr. StoneCrow is finished at the infirmary, he’ll be coming here and he’ll want some answers.”

  Lilly spun on the man and punched the button summoning the elevator. Behind her she heard a muttered curse before the foreman began barking angry orders.

  When the elevator car arrived she stepped inside but didn’t turn, and when the doors closed, she sunk to the ground and buried her face in her hands. Fear for King mingled with relief at not having been crushed. Guilt came second. She should have been paying attention; she should have jumped out of the way. She should have… She lifted her head to eye her throbbing ankle. It was slightly swollen and a deep gash ran from the top of her foot up to her calve. It was bleeding badly.

  The elevator doors chimed and slid open and she turned to find Legion’s shocked expression as he stared down at her. “Ms. Worthington! You okay?”

  Afraid to speak, she nodded and was about to struggle to her feet when Legion bent and scooped her up. “We didn’t know you were injured!” He walked quickly toward the doors that led to the infirmary.

  “I’m not. It’s just a scratch.”

  Inside the long corridor that led to the infirmary, she could hear Jenny barking orders as several medical personnel raced to comply.

  She was almost afraid to ask. “Is King okay?”

  “He’ll be fine. We heal quickly.”

  We heal quickly? What in the hell does that mean. Her confused gaze met Legions and he swallowed hard before taking her into an exam room.

  “Wait here. I’ll get someone.”

  Moments later, a lovely young woman with short, white-blonde, hair entered. Legion loomed behind her in the doorway. “Hi, I’m Stoney.” She snapped on a pair of gloves, “Let’s take a look at your ankle.”

  “How’s King?”

  Stoney gently probed Lilly’s ankle bone. “He’s going to be fine. Dr. Houlton is with him now.”

  “She’s a vet!” Lilly accused and instantly felt guilt when both Stoney and Legion looked at her. “I just mean that maybe someone should call 9-1-1, or Mr. StoneCrow could have him taken to town in the estate’s helicopter.”

  Stoney cast a look at Legion but continued examining her ankle. “Dr. Houlton knows something of human anatomy. King is in good hands. If things get worse, Jenny knows what to do.”

  The words stung. Lilly had been with Monroe for five years and in that time she’d seen a great deal that led her believe that all with the man, his estate, and his staff wasn’t as it seemed. Having once been an investigator for the state, Lilly had done some snooping on her off time. She’d discovered that Jenny Houlton was not the veterinarian she proclaimed to be, but was a graduated and licensed doctor. Not just any doctor, the woman was a surgeon, and one of the best in the nation. Why she was pretending to be a vet for a wildlife preserve and rehabilitation facility made little sense.

  That was another thing that was odd. For supposedly being in the business of rescuing and rehabilitating the state’s wildlife, Monroe had made zero inquires into actually attaining any animals. He’d hired a Naval Special Warfare Master Chief as his head of security, had one of the best surgeons in the nation hired as a vet, and was amassing a staff that would rival the Pentagon, but not one stinking inquiry had been made, nor one comment mentioned regarding a single species of animal.

  Lilly’s anger flamed as she eyed Stoney. Even this woman had been part of Lilly’s research. She was a registered nurse, not the vet-tech her resume had stated. They were lying to her. They were all lying to her!

  “I think I’m gonna be sick.” Lilly’s words had Stoney’s eyes jerking from her foot to her face.

  The nurse quickly grabbed a sick pan and held it under Lilly’s chin.

  Swallowing several times, Lilly regained her composure. “Can I lie down?”

  Wordlessly, Legion entered and helped ease Lilly back. Slowly closing her eyes, Lilly was forcing herself to relax. Too much emotion roiled through her. Fear, anger, pain, anxiety. Her eyes snapped open when she heard King’s unrecognizable voice boom from somewhere down the hall.

  “WHERE IS SHE?”

  Lilly tried to sit up, but Stoney’s hands on her shoulders kept her down. “Easy, Lilly.” The nurse’s nervous eyes darted toward the door and Legion raced from the room.

  “Is that King? Is he okay?”

  “DAMN IT, KING!” She recognized Monroe’s voice.

  Stoney dashed to the door and closed it before returning to her. “I’m going to clean the wound. You’ll need stitches.”

  Suddenly, the door crashed open and King braced himself in the doorway. Lilly shot upright and clutched her chest. He looked furious. Was he upset with her for having gotten him injured?

  Fierce eyes slid down her frame and settled on her bloodied ankle. When King’s eyes met hers again his expression had softened. “Are you okay?”

  Numbly, Lilly nodded. When King’s eyes rolled back in his head and he dropped, she screamed, but strong arms caught him from behind.

  Monroe once again lifted King with Legion’s help as Monroe spoke, “Okay, tough guy. You see she’s okay. Let’s get you back to your room.”

  He’d come to check on me! The revelation was shocking. Why would he care?

  “Get him back in bed and restrain him if you must.” Jenny entered shaking her head. “Jesus, Lill! What happened to you?”

  “King shoved me out of the way.” She swallowed down the emotion that clogged her throat. “He saved me.” She waved absentmindedly at her ankle. “I don’t know how that happened. It all happened so fast.”

  Jenny mimicked Stoney’s examination and spoke to the nurse. “Get it cleaned and stitched up.” She lifted her head, “Do you need something for the pain?”

  “Is King going to be alright,” Jenny ignored the question.

  Jenny shook her head and pursed her lips. “You saw him. He’ll be fine. He’s a little…” s
he snuck a glance at Stoney, “bruised but that’s it.”

  “Bruised?” Lilly’s tone was incredulous. “That beam landed on him. Crushed him! There’s gotta be internal bleeding or broken bones. Did you scan him? Can you do that? Do we even have the equipment?” Panicky tears threatened again.

  “Easy, Lill.” Jenny nodded at Stoney and the nurse pushed Lilly’s skirt higher, rubbed a strong scented swab over her thigh, and jabbed her with a needle.

  Lilly winced. “What’s that? For pain?”

  “Among other things,” Jenny soothed. “Lie down, Lill.”

  She obeyed and felt warmth seep through her limbs.

  Jenny’s voice lowered, “Can you handle this?”

  “I’ve got it,” Stoney replied. “Go.”

  Lilly listened as Jenny left, and Stoney busied herself with cleaning and suturing her wound.

  “Lilly? Can you name all the employees here at StoneCrow? I bet ya can’t.” Stoney’s tone turned playful, “Monroe’s hired so many lately.”

  Of course I can! Without preamble, Lilly began ticking down the list of employees that she’d been responsible for adding to payroll…and secretly investigating. “King Mulholland, Stoney Lydon, Jenny Houlton, Legion Knight…” her speech began to sound slurred, but she shook it off. “RedKnife KillsPrettyEnemy, Remy McCabe, Amanda Chandler…” she took a deep breath and her eyelids drooped. “Brooklyn Ami, Mason EnemyHunter…” Wait! Mason wasn’t a recent hire. She stopped talking to figure out why she was confused and her eyes drifted closed.

  Stoney’s hands stilled in their ministrations when Jenny contacted her through the mist, “Once she’s out, administer the serum. Let’s see if it works.”

  “I feel a little guilty, Jen. Why can’t we just tell King and Lilly? I’m sure they’d volunteer for study.”

  “NO!” Jenny’s tone was sharp. While Stoney was helping her to experiment on Lilly and King, the nurse had no idea that the sole reasoning behind the deception was Jenny’s own fear at having discovered her sudden odd reaction to Bishop Arkinson. “We can’t get anyone’s hopes up here. If we even hint to King or Lilly that we think their mating is predetermined, it can alter their perceptions and pollute the study. We need firm data that hasn’t been influenced, Stoney. Just do as I say for now…please.”

  Stoney sighed but administered the specialized serum Jenny had created using samples she’d taken from King. The two had discovered that King’s enhanced Walker DNA acted as an opportunistic infection when coupled with Lilly’s cells, but infection in a good way. Like a retro virus replicating in a host cell, King’s stronger DNA lent strength to Lilly’s. She wouldn’t become a Walker, but if Jenny’s guess was correct, Lilly would become immune to disease like Walkers and would be able to heal more quickly.

  Unfortunately, they’d need to test the theory and who better than an injured Lilly. In her own exam room staring down at King, Jenny felt guilt bite hard. She hated lying to King and Lilly and she despised herself for doing so, not in the name of science, but for her own personal benefit.

  If the serum being used on Lilly disproved Jenny’s hope, then she’d know once and for all that Walker mates were pre-destined. A one in a million chance of finding that one, the one who would take Walker seed and manipulate it to strengthen their own genes and immune systems to become the able bodies that would be required to carry Skin Walker children.

  If that were the case, there’d be no escaping Bishop, no denying what he was to Jenny, and the thought was terrifying. She’d worked hard her whole life to become the independent Surgeon she was today. She didn’t need reliance on a man fucking that up.

  Chapter 6

  Lilly woke to the sound of knocking. Groggy, she sat up not quite remembering where she was. Surveying her surroundings, the accident quickly came back as she discovered her bandaged leg propped on a pillow. She was lying in bed in one of the suites that she’d helped design on the second floor of the manor.

  The knocking sounded again and the door slowly opened. She was startled when King entered.

  “Mr. Mulholland!” Her eyes quickly scanned him. “Are you okay? Should you be up?”

  His smile reassured her. “I’m fine.” He entered and stopped at the foot of the bed. “I wanted to apologize…”

  “Apologize?” she cut him off. “Apologize for what?”

  His eyes dipped and when they lifted they were considerably darker. “You should not have been injured. I should have been quicker.” His eyes lowered again and his tongue darted out to wet his lips.

  “Stop! Please don’t apologize for saving me. I should apologize to you.” She lifted her hands to her temples, and could’ve swore she heard King growl. Something brushed her hands and she reached up and felt that her hair had been taken down. Distracted momentarily, she looked at King and his eyes were locked on her chest. Looking down, her face seared when she realized someone had removed most of her clothes. The lacey, see through, cups of her red bra barely contained her breasts as they jutted forward with her hands still tangled in her hair. Her injured leg was propped up on a pillow and sticking out of the blanket. The blanket was pulled to the side revealing one satiny leg and smooth hip where a thin strip of red lace showed that she was clad in only bra and panties.

  “Sorry,” she muttered, jerking the blanket higher and then covered most of her leg.

  “Don’t be,” there was a hunger in his tone, which drew her eyes back to his.

  “Thank you for saving me.”

  “It is my duty and my honor.”

  Her cheeks warmed. “Hardly your duty or an honor. You’re Monroe’s Chief of Security, not my personal body guard.” She startled when he actually growled and a pained expression crossed his face. “Mr. Mulholland?”

  “Guarding your body is something I find myself more inclined to do with each passing day.”

  Unsure how to respond, Lilly’s mouth formed a silent ‘O’ before she clicked her teeth together and dropped her head.

  ***

  You’re scaring her! King self-admonished. He couldn’t help it. He couldn’t help a lot of things where Lilly was concerned. He’d never wanted anything so badly in his life and it was really beginning to piss him off. A man of steely resolve, he’d never chased a woman, but it felt like he was chasing Lilly, and worse he didn’t give a damn. He’d get down on all fours and beg if he had to.

  NO! The thought had him straightening, a scowl darkening his features. He saw Lilly’s shock at the sudden change in his demeanor and he turned to exit the room before he apologized or did something more out of character, like climb in bed and hold her just so he could feel that she was actually safe.

  “Be careful,” he muttered as he left, not knowing that Lilly wasn’t sure if it was advice or a threat.

  “Mr. Mulholland. King!” her softly spoken words had him halting just outside the door. “Thank you.”

  He didn’t respond, just simply left.

  Chapter 7

  Lilly eyed King over the legal brief she was supposed to be proof reading. He was leaning casually against the wall just beside Monroe’s closed door, waiting for the CEO to finish the private call he’d opted to take in his office rather than use the phone on Lilly’s desk. King was pre-occupied with the pistol sights on the firearm that he always kept strapped to his thigh.

  Lilly gnawed on her bottom lip as she watched him use the hem of his black t-shirt to massage the weapon, her eyes were locked on the hard, tanned, abs that were left exposed by his hiked up shirt. God, should I be this envious of a pistol? Shortly after accepting the position as Chief of Security, King had ditched his battle fatigues for a more casual look. At first, she’d thought he couldn’t look any sexier than he had in his military BDU’s. She’d been wrong. The form fitting t-shirts and jeans that clung to a firm ass and thickly corded thighs had Lilly wondering why he wasn’t a model.

  Her lips quirked in an appreciative smile and seconds before King’s green eyes shot to hers, she had her face shov
ed back into the brief as she twirled a pen in her fingers absentmindedly. Crossing her legs at the ankle, she’d forgotten about the scar on her ankle and winced at the tenderness as she hissed and quickly uncrossed her legs.

  Lilly had been shocked when she’d gone back to see Jenny a mere three days after the incident only to discover that the incision was practically fully healed and the bruising and swelling had disappeared completely. A miracle, Jenny had called it, and it must have truly been because the Surgeon looked like she was going to faint from shock.

  Lilly looked up to find King staring at her. His nostrils flared and she swore his eyes darkened. Quickly, she dipped her head back to her brief.

  Why is he always here? It’s not like there’s a threat to Monroe while he’s in his office.

  King’s presence was growing more and more distracting; therefore, annoying. Why couldn’t she keep her damn eyes off him?

  Lilly dropped the brief she hadn’t even looked over as Monroe’s door opened and he strode out while King holstered his pistol and followed closely on the CEO’s heels.

  “Finished proofing the brief, Ms. Worthington?”

  Lilly snapped to her feet and caught pace with the CEO as he made a bee line for the door.

  “It’s perfect.” She didn’t need to proof read it for the umpteenth time. She’d written it, she knew it was flawless, but Monroe was as meticulous as he was ruthless. Lilly handed the brief to Monroe seconds before he exited the door.

  King followed him, none too quickly, stopping to wink at Lilly before he followed the CEO to the elevator that would take them up to the roof of the manor, where Lilly had ensured his helicopter was awaiting him.

  Lilly sighed heavily as she stared down at her desk. Her small hands went to her hips as she shook her head dejectedly. She hated it when Monroe was in the office. Even after five years as an assistant, for the CEO of StoneCrow Industries, she still despised his brash mannerisms and outright rude treatment. But at the end of the day, hepaid her well and after accruing a thirty-thousand dollar student loan debt, she couldn’t afford to walk away from the job.