She screamed and tried to get way. She thrashed her arms to prevent it biting her neck. She kicked at the sheets, trying to get up and run away.
“Fuck. Shut the fuck up, you’re scaring her.” Big warm hands grasped her forearms firmly. “It’s Gabriel. There’s no danger here, Jordanna. We won’t let anything near you.”
She tried to slow her breathing, but she couldn’t see that she was safe. She needed to see that the wolf was nowhere near. The warm hands left her arms and held her waist. She was lifted up placed on something hard. She couldn’t mistake the feeling of arms wrapping around her waist. She was pulled back against a hard chest.
“My name is Caine, Jordanna. I’m a paramedic here in Eminence. I’m holding you on my lap. Nothing can harm you here.” His warm breath tickled her ear as he spoke the soothing words. “The doc, Jason, is going to examine you now.”
She listened intently, but heard no more growling. She could only hear the sound of her own rapid breathing. Did I imagine it?
Relaxing a little, she tried to slow her breathing. The man holding her was huge. She rested her hands on the arms that encircled her waist. The arms were hard, muscled, and warm. She flattened her palms against his forearms, absorbing some of that heat into her cold hands. Her hands tingled as they warmed.
“I’m going to shine that light now.” She nodded her head and felt him gently place his fingers around one eye, then the other. She blinked, waiting for him to shine the light.
A cold shiver of dread trickled along her scalp and then down her spine. Someone had said that she had brown eyes. They could see her.
“I can feel your fear, Jordanna,” Caine said, tightening his hold on her waist. “We’re here to help you. You’re not alone.”
“You’ll never be alone, Jordanna. We’ll always be there for you now.” A warm hand took one of hers off Caine’s arm and held it against a hard muscled chest.
“Drake, can I please finish examining Jordanna? If you keep pushing me away, I’ll never finish.”
The chest under her palm vibrated, sending shivers down her arm. Not shivers of fear this time. The rumbling felt nice, almost comforting.
“Fine, I’ll just sit here next to her.”
The bed dipped and her hand was held firmly between two warm hands.
“What time is it? What day?” She really wasn’t sure she wanted to know. There was silence in the room. She didn’t hear anyone moving and Caine was as still as a statue under her.
“It’s Saturday, Jordanna,” Gabriel said, and she flinched in surprise as something brushed her cheek. “You were hurt only six hours ago, it’s eight in the morning.” He was brushing tears off her cheek with his thumb as his warm hand cupped her face.
“I can’t see.” She sagged against Caine as she spoke the words out loud. She used her free hand to touch her eyes. There were no bandages there. Her eyes didn’t hurt when she touched them. “Why can’t I see?”
“It’s Jason, Jordanna. Your eyes are uninjured, but you sustained a head injury last night. Do you remember hitting your head?”
“I remember everything. I saw two men fighting when I was walking home. I crossed the street to avoid them, they were really big guys.” She shuddered as she recalled what happened next. She knew what she’d seen, but who would believe her. She hardly believed it.
“My name is Rowan. My cousins and I are all paramedics. You’re safe with us, Jordanna. We need to know how you were hurt. Did one of the men attack you?”
“How many people are here?” It was very disconcerting to be in a room full of strangers and not even know how many people were there.
“There’re just five of us,” Rowan said. “My cousins are Drake, Caine, and Gabriel. The only other person present is Doc.”
At least she’d met everyone now. “Am I in a hospital?”
“No, honey,” said Caine, squeezing her a little tighter against his chest. “We’ve brought you to our home in Eminence. We thought you’d be safer here.”
“Do you think he’s looking for me? The monster that killed that man.”
* * * *
Caine held his injured mate tight in his arms as dread spread through his veins. As if things weren’t bad enough. He would come for her.
He looked up at his brothers and Rowan. They looked as grim as he felt. The consequences of her witnessing the man shift and kill, as well as her being blind, began to run through his mind.
“Before we have the police interview you, Jordanna,” Doc said. “I would like to do another CT scan to check on the swelling in the temporal lobe of your brain.”
“I have swelling?”
“Yes, but I’m hesitant to say too much more without another scan. I need to investigate your loss of sight. Do you feel well enough to come into town for a scan?”
“I’ll do anything you recommend, Jason. Will I get my sight back soon?”
“I really need to do another scan, Jordanna. I’m sorry I can’t offer you any further reassurances at this stage.”
“Gabe, can you take Jordanna? I’ll go and get the truck ready.” Caine stood with Jordanna in his arms and handed her to Gabriel. She was too thin; she weighed about as much as a child. He needed to speak to Doc.
He followed Doc downstairs and into the kitchen. “What’s happened to her, Jason?”
“I wasn’t lying, Caine. I need to do another scan. The blindness may be temporary. If you claim her, you may be able to reverse the damage.”
“Fuck. We can’t claim her until she knows about us, and after what I think she saw…”
“I know. It’s going to be difficult, Caine, but Melanie was attacked by a shifter and still felt no fear of her mates.”
“She didn’t see her attacker shift and nearly rip a man’s head off.”
“I’ll notify the Alpha. You need to have him and Hunter present before you ask her any further questions about her attack. She doesn’t need to go through it repeatedly.”
“I think we need Shana, too. Jordanna will need to be told about us as soon as possible.”
After Doc left, Caine brought the truck around close to the kitchen door and went to get Jordanna. He was devastated that she’d been injured so badly by a shifter. Her blindness was going to make their explanation much more difficult, but it didn’t affect how he felt about her.
She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Her scent called to him on a visceral level, its sweet flavor one that drove him crazy with the need to taste her. He had inhaled her deep into his body as he’d held her on his lap. The scent now something he would crave for the rest of his life. He couldn’t wait to get to know her.
Gabriel carried her to the truck and arranged her on his lap to keep any pressure off her back. Her intravenous line had been removed and she was wrapped in a thick blanket to keep her warm.
“I’m sorry to be causing you all so much trouble.”
“It’s no trouble, angel. We want you to be safe,” Gabriel said, kissing her lightly on the top of her head as he tucked her under his chin.
Drake lifted her legs and draped them across his lap as he sat down next to Gabe.
“Can I ask what I’m wearing?” Jordanna said softly.
“I never thought hospital gowns could look good, but you seem to be pulling it off,” Drake said. She gasped and her creamy cheeks turned pink with a blush. “Especially matched with a pair of Caine’s boxer briefs.”
Caine laughed as he glanced at her in the rearview mirror while he drove. Her cheeks reddened further and she ducked her head against Gabriel’s chest. “We can get you some clothes in town while you have your scan.”
“I really don’t understand why you’ve brought me here. But I’m grateful for you looking after me so well. Thank you.”
“It’s our pleasure,” Rowan said, turning in the seat to look at her. “Do you need to call anyone and let them know where you are?”
Caine’s heart nearly stopped. He had a lump in his chest that was painful. He ha
dn’t seen a ring on her finger. Had assumed she would be theirs. She’s fucking gorgeous; of course she has a boyfriend. He looked across at Rowan and saw barely contained terror in his eyes.
None of the other mates had been involved prior to meeting their men, but really, how likely was it that a woman as beautiful as Jordanna was single.
“Darn it. I’m supposed to be at work at nine. I’ll need to call my boss.”
Caine tried to speak clearly through his clenched teeth. “No boyfriend or husband out looking for you then?” The words came out low and husky. Dread filled him as he stared at her face in the mirror.
She sighed deeply and sagged farther into Gabriel’s embrace. “I’m widowed. The only one likely to miss me is my slave-driver of a boss.”
Caine heard the inhalations as Rowan and his brothers all started to breathe again.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Jordanna. How long ago did you lose your husband?” Gabriel asked, kissing the top of Jordanna’s head so softly that Caine doubted she’d even felt it. He had a small smile of relief on his face. Caine was sure they all felt the same relief.
“It’s a long, boring story. He died two years ago, but I really lost him six months after we were married.”
“Nothing about your life would be boring to us, Jordanna,” Drake said, caressing her legs over the blanket. “But if it’s too sad to talk about, we’d understand.”
“I don’t really feel comfortable talking to strangers about it.”
Caine was unable to stop the small growl from erupting. When his mate referred to him as a stranger, his cat went crazy. He saw her stiffen and her eyes widened in alarm.
“I keep hearing him,” she said, her voice soft as she wrapped her arms around herself. She began to gently rock back and forth on Gabriel’s lap. Caine could smell fear tainting her sweet scent and felt like a complete asshole.
“There’s no one here except us, Jordanna. That was Caine growling,” said Gabriel. He glared up at him, but Caine couldn’t have felt any worse than he already did. “We all have a habit of growling when we’re upset about something.”
“I’m sorry, Jordanna,” Caine said sincerely, “I didn’t mean to frighten you.” She didn’t answer, just buried her head in her arms and shivered against Gabriel.
Chapter 5
As soon as Drake carried her into the clinic, Jason ushered them to the room with the scanner. The place smelled like a hospital. Disinfectant and medicines. She had never been fond of confined spaces, and not being able to see the walls of the scanner close to her head didn’t mean she couldn’t feel them.
“I’m terrified of small spaces, Jason. Is this going to take long?”
Jason squeezed her hand. “I’m sorry, but without the scan I’m not going to be able to give you any idea of what’s happened to your vision.” She swallowed past the lump forming in her throat.
“I’ll go as fast as I can, Jordanna. It will be quicker if you can manage not to move.” He withdrew his hand and she felt the loss of it immediately. She felt alone in the dark.
She tried to lie still, but was aching to move. She wanted to get away from this whole situation really. She’d just been walking home. She couldn’t believe this had happened to her. Damned Clive. You’re such a shitty boss. I bet you’re cursing me right now because you have to do the damned prep yourself. She was living in this nightmare because of him.
But she really knew it wasn’t his fault. It was just her shitty luck. Fuck. My life sucks.
She refused to dwell on the possibility that she might be permanently blind. She’d let the doctor do his tests before she began to try to imagine all the life changing ramifications that would entail. They were just too numerous to really embrace right now.
Then there was the damned werewolf. She knew it wasn’t possible, but that was what she’d seen. A man had changed into a wolf. A wolf she knew had huge claws. Her back was painfully aware of how real those claws were. She was sore from the nape of her neck right down to her ass. Maybe it was good she couldn’t see exactly what those claws had done to her.
“I’ll just check these images, Jordanna. If they’re all satisfactory, then we’re finished.” Jason’s voice came out of the speaker right by her ear. I want to be out of this damn machine and back in those warm arms. The thought came out of nowhere, and it shook her to her marrow.
She’d sworn off men after her husband’s death. Not because she missed him, but because she felt unable to trust her own judgment. She’d thought Garry was a nice guy. Thought that he’d loved her and that they’d have a wonderful life together. Wrong. All she’d had was years of abuse and misery.
Caine, Drake, Rowan, and Gabriel were kind and caring toward her. “They’re paramedics, you idiot.”
“Do you need something?” Jason said. “I’m all done. I’ll get one of your men for you.” The bed moved and she felt fresh air wash over her face.
She breathed in a sigh of relief to be out of the damn machine. Her men? What an odd thing to say. But even as she thought that, her pussy did a little clench. The unfamiliar but unmistakable feelings of arousal stirred within her. Her men.
She’d thought her sex drive long dead, but it appeared not. She heard footsteps and a door opening. More than one person had entered the room. She took a deep breath in and was rewarded with the smell of pine and forest. The cologne that all the men wore. Her pussy clenched again, harder this time. Sex drive was definitely not dead.
“Let’s get you into the conference room, angel,” Gabriel said. His voice was low and husky, she barely recognized it as his.
“You must be anxious to know what Doc has found on your scans,” Rowan said. His voice also sounded strained.
“What’s wrong? You both sound strange.” She heard a growl then from Rowan. “Are you angry?” They’d said they growled when they were angry.
“No, sweetheart, we’re not angry,” Rowan said, his voice soft, his breath tickling her ear. “You’re just smelling particularly delicious right now.”
She gasped in shock, both from his words and from being suddenly lifted into his arms. She wrapped an arm around his neck for balance as he cradled her against his wide chest, one arm under her knees, the other behind her back. She took a big breath in. Pine forest and musky man. Delicious described him, too.
“Thank you, sweetheart. You have no idea how happy that makes me. But you will shortly,” Rowan whispered into her ear. He nibbled gently on the lobe and she thought she’d melt. Her belly quivered and her nipples hardened.
She used her free hand to feel for his ear. He had soft hair that fell to his collar. “I’m sorry. I think it’s the head injury. I didn’t mean to say that out loud.” She’d whispered the words into his ear, but heard Gabriel chuckle. Was he part bat?
“No, angel. Part something much bigger and way cooler,” Gabriel murmured.
* * * *
Drake waited in the conference room at the clinic with Caine while Gabe and Rowan went to get Jordanna. Doc said he’d be a few more minutes as he wanted to call a specialist in California. He didn’t like the sound of that one bit. He hoped that the head injury wasn’t going to prove fatal. He may not have completed the mating bond with Jordanna, but he already knew he didn’t want to live without her.
She was everything to him. She completed him in a way that nothing ever had before and ever would again. She had only been awake a matter of hours, but her sweet soul had already captured his heart. She was adorable, and he couldn’t wait to know everything about her. Excitement and arousal bubbled under his worry for her health.
He heard his brother and Rowan approaching, and scented the wonderful aroma of Jordanna’s musky sweet arousal. The mating musk was certainly working its magic on Jordanna. She was injured and without her eyesight, but the mating bond had still opened her heart and senses to them. Mates were unable to ignore the instinctual attraction they felt for each other. It allowed for open and honest communication and a deep unbreakable bond.
/>
When they entered the room, he could see the flush of arousal on her cheeks. The small smile on her lips made his heart skip a beat. She was so beautiful.
“Doc is calling a specialist out of state,” Caine said. “He’ll be back soon.”
Jordanna’s smile faded, as did the color to her cheeks. Her pupils dilated and she paled instantly. “What’s wrong, Jordanna? Are you going to faint?” Caine asked, rising to meet Rowan and Jordanna.
She swallowed and shook her head. “I’m just anxious about the scan results.”
“We’re here with you, Jordanna,” Drake said. “We’ve arranged for the sheriff to come and take your statement while we’re in town. He should be here shortly.” He saw her shudder as Rowan sat down at the table and wrapped her in his arms.
“I don’t understand why I’m here or why you’re all being so nice to me. This is surely above and beyond the call of duty.”
Gabriel sat down next to her and stroked a hand down her arm to clasp her hand in his. “We understand that this must seem strange. After you’ve given your statement to the sheriff, we’ll explain everything, angel.”
Drake heard trucks pull up outside, followed by the unmistakable sounds and scents of members of his pride approaching.
“Jordanna, it’s Jason,” Doc said as he entered the room. “The sheriff and his brother are here to interview you. Do I have your permission to allow them to hear the results of your scan?”
Jordanna nodded and sunk back against Rowan’s chest. “You only have to tell us what happened this one time, Jordanna,” Drake said. He sat down on the other side of Rowan and held her other hand. She was so cold. Her fear was making her whole body shake.
“Nothing can hurt you now.” He was careful not to growl, but her fear was making his cat swipe and snarl in anger. It wanted to hunt down that damned wolf and end its measurable existence.
She looked in his direction, her eyes wide and shimmering with unshed tears. “I know I’m being a big baby about this, but it’s the last thing I saw. It’s like the images are burned into my brain and I can’t see anything else.”
Jordanna [Eminence Shifters 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 3