Glancing at the doctor, Jadrian walked toward Taura without hesitation. “Real as anything, I promise. Sorry not to have visited sooner, but we had a busy day.”
She fumbled with the leather thong. A promise was a promise and surely he’d want his good luck charm returned promptly. “I kept your amulet safe, like you asked.”
Closing the distance between them with only a step, he took her hand, stilling her frantic pulling at the necklace. “You keep it a while longer.”
She stared into his face. He was probably two feet taller than she was and built like a battleship, but his presence was reassuring, not fear inducing.
“I’m glad you’re doing better, but you need to let the doc take care of you.” He drew Taura out of the corner and toward the bed.
Reluctant to tamely climb into the bed, she voiced her primary desire. “Can I go outside? Make sure we’re not at the Khagrish lab?”
Jadrian looked at the doctor. “Doc?”
To Taura’s surprise, the doctor nodded. “A short field trip might be a good idea, but only for a few minutes. She’s very weak, obviously disoriented and having flashbacks, whether she remembers them or not.”
“May I?” he asked, holding his hands out to Taura. “I question your ability to walk too far but I’d be pleased to assist.”
Reassured yet again by his understanding of how she might be feeling, she managed to whisper her consent.
He swept Taura into his arms, exactly as he had in the burning lab, and carried her from the hospital room.
She nestled closer to his reassuring bulk. “I just—the Khagrish screwed with my mind—I have to be sure—” Biting her lip, frustrated at being unable to string together a coherent sentence, she closed her eyes. “I’m not crazy.”
Jadrian hugged her. “Of course you’re not. I understand. We all do. For starters, if you’re doubting us, you might notice we took off the Khagrish neurocontroller before we loaded you onto the flyer at the lab.”
She stared at her right arm, rubbing the slightly discolored skin where the black bracelet had been. “Thank you.”
Her gallant rescuer moved past other people who stepped aside, gawking. She kept her focus on Jadrian, refusing to be embarrassed. The plain blue hospital gown was a boxy one piece garment keeping her modest. Her current physical and mental condition was not her fault. I need to know I’m truly out of that hellhole of a lab. If she could verify she’d been taken to a new location, she could let down her guard a little bit. Maybe unwind a turn or two of the intense anxiety tying her in knots. Her hope grew the further Jadrian carried her.
A door whooshed open at his approach and a cool night breeze brushed against her as Jadrian carried her away from the building.
“I’m going to set you on your feet now,” he said. “I imagine you’d prefer to stand, tough little human you’ve shown yourself to be. But I’ll stay right here.”
As he loosened his grip she slid from his embrace. He had to steady her because the vertigo was overwhelming, but she stared hungrily around. It was pitch dark, save for the lights of the medical building behind her and a few softly glowing pools of illumination in the distance. Moss-like growth cushioned her bare feet, and she scrunched her toes into the velvet texture, so different from the cold bare floor of the prison. A breeze ruffled her hair, and she sniffed greedily at the scent of forest trees and night blooming flowers.
“Sanctuary valley,” he said, making a sweeping gesture. His voice held a note of pride. “The Khagrish can’t get you here.”
“So you and the doctor keep telling me.” She threw her head back to contemplate the stars blanketing the night sky with points of brilliance. She didn’t recognize any of the constellations, but the fact didn’t upset her. She knew she was on an alien world, kidnapped from the Sectors, so of course she wouldn’t be able to read the stars. “I’m free.”
Jadrian nodded. “You’re shivering—no wonder in a flimsy medical gown. I ought to have grabbed a blanket for you. We should go inside, let the doc take care of you.”
She was reluctant to re-enter the building, wanting to keep to the complete freedom the outdoors represented. For a brief moment she was tempted to run, but she was too weak to get more than a few steps, and this warrior would easily recapture her. Trust. I need to trust someone again, and he’s it. Off in the distance a lake gleamed under the three moons and a night bird called. Despite her agreement to return to the hospital bed, she took an involuntary step toward the silvery water.
Her knees gave way, but Jadrian kept her from falling. “Now I know you’ve had enough.” He picked her up. “Time to be sensible.”
The soothing heat from his body radiated through his fatigues and her thin gown like a furnace. “When can I go outside again?” she asked as he crossed the threshold of the clinic. Hating the way she sounded – weak and childlike – she bit her lip in irritation. The bright lights made her eyes water, and she blinked.
“When the doc says it’s ok. She gives the orders, right, Dr. Garrison?”
Taura startled, not having realized the doctor was nearby. Her situational awareness was shot to hell, either due to stress or the medications she’d been given. Inattention could be dangerous but her thought processes were still fuzzy.
“When it comes to medical matters, yes. But my goal is to get you on your feet and able to join the community,” the physician said, patting Taura’s arm. “I’m not trying to keep my patient load artificially high, I promise.”
Jadrian placed Taura on the rumpled hospital bed as if she was a feather and stepped back. “If the doc says it’s okay, I’ll come check on you tomorrow, or later today rather, during regular visiting hours. Keep the necklace—call it a welcome present.”
She clutched the cool stone pendant in her hand as she scooted against the pillows. “Thank you. Do you have to go right now?”
Jadrian and the doctor exchanged glances. “I guess not.” He hooked a chair and pulled it to the bedside. “How about I stay till you go to sleep?”
“Aren’t you deploying again tomorrow?” the doctor asked as her nurse brought her a tray of instruments and injects. “I don’t need Aydarr and Mateer mad at me for ruining your combat readiness.”
“Let me worry about my commanders. I’ll be fine.” He stifled a yawn. “We were trained under more demanding conditions than losing a few hours of sleep.”
Now Taura felt awkward having begged him to stay and keep her company but she didn’t think she could very well change her mind without seeming capricious. These people probably thought she was a basket case as it was. No need to add evidence of her fractured state to the tally. Tired, Taura endured the cursory exam the doctor performed and didn’t put up any resistance when an inject was pressed to her arm. She needed to trust Jadrian deep down inside the way she kept saying she did or else she needed to rethink her situation and right now she was too weak. Taura settled onto the pillows, and Jadrian drew the blanket over her shoulders. Her medications were taking hold already, and she couldn’t manage to keep her eyes open. She forced herself to enunciate. “Taura.”
He leaned closer, and she took a deep breath of his clean masculine scent, with an undertone of a spice unknown to her. “What did you say?”
Taura concentrated to remember what she had said. “It’s my name. I may not be able to remember anything else useful about myself or my past, but I held onto one fact, and I never told the Khagrish bastard who tortured me. I—I want you to know it. A gift from me. I don’t have anything else to offer.”
“I’m honored. Pleased to meet you, Taura of the Sectors. Other memories will come,” Jadrian assured her, offering her his hand to shake as if they’d just been introduced. “Give it time.”
She shook, trying to make her grip as strong as his. With his promise ringing in her ears, she fell asleep, holding onto the amulet for dear life.
CHAPTER TWO
Jadrian was run ragged the next day, doing after action reports on the small lab they�
Taura kept crossing his mind as the day wore on. He wondered how she was doing, and if her memory was beginning to return yet. Her blue eyes reminded him of the amulet he’d worn for so many years. He wanted to see the hunted look fade from her face, to be replaced by happiness.
He wanted to bring her reassurance, help her see the valley as a special place where she was safe. Thinking over what he might be able to do along those lines distracted him from focusing on the planning session. Mateer, his direct superior called him to order sharply over the Badari private mental channel.
As he studied the map of the terrain he’d be patrolling with renewed attention to detail, he wished he had a way to talk to Taura privately, the way the Badari could speak to other pack members. He’d check on her later as he’d promised and see if she was regaining her strength today.
When it was time for dinner, he stepped away from his packmates as the group boisterously made their way into the large cave which served as the communal dining hall. “You go ahead—I’ve got something to do. Be sure you save me a generous portion of the stew.”
“You know the head cook will hold a gallon or two aside for you,” Mateer, the pack’s top enforcer punched Jadrian lightly on the shoulder. “The human is sweet on you.”
Jadrian’s cheeks warmed uncomfortably at the teasing. Sandara, the woman who ran the kitchens was beautiful and talented, but he’d never encouraged her obvious attraction to him. She wasn’t his mate, end of story for him. He’d been on several of what the humans referred to as “group dates” to the lake for swimming and a meal. Now there were getting to be so many humans in the valley, many very interested in the Badari, quite a lot of socializing was happening.
While he’d had fun, no special bond had formed for him with any of the human women, not even Sandara. There was no stirring in his heart when he thought of the flamboyant head cook.
Some of his packmates and various of the rescued human women had enthusiastically entered into relationships based on mutual attraction and fun times in bed, but that wasn’t for him. They might not be mates, but the couples were enjoying the moment. What others chose to do was their business, but he longed for a mate, a woman to cherish and be cherished by, the way Mateer and Dr. Garrison had found each other.
He wouldn’t settle for anything less. Did the fact Taura was always on his mind mean she might be a potential mate? His preoccupation with her was certainly out of the ordinary for him and demanded further exploration.
So it was easy to walk away from the dining hall and head for the clinic, to do what he regarded as his duty to the former prisoner he’d rescued. If his steps quickened in anticipation of seeing Taura as he went, of course he was curious how she was doing.
As Jadrian entered the medical building, he met Dr. Garrison leaving. “Mateer just arrived at the dining hall as I left,” he said.
“I know, he and I are linked, remember?” Gently, she tapped her temple. Megan was the only human woman to share a telepathic bond with her Badari mate, which was a source of mild jealousy in everyone else. “Come to see Taura?” she asked.
“Yes, if you don’t have any objections.”
“For a few minutes only,” Megan specified. “But she may not realize you’re there—she spiked a fever this morning and according to my scans and tests, is fighting several infections. I think she was at the end of her rope when you rescued her, and now her body’s gone into a different kind of shock. A bit of delirium from the high temperature she was running as well.” The doctor shook her head. “Going by a few things she’s said and my medical test results, the Khagrish really dragged her through hell.”
Shocked by the unexpected news of Taura’s illness, he asked, “Will she pull through?”
“We don’t have access to all the medicines I’d like, obviously.” Megan frowned. “Only what we can scrounge from the labs we’ve destroyed, or the supplies the enemy pilfered from captured human ships. And I’m a trauma surgeon by trade, not a general practitioner, much less a psychologist, but I’m doing the best I can on all fronts. She’s a fighter.”
“Should I ask Timtur the pack healer to see if he can help?” Jadrian cleared his throat, watching Megan’s reaction. He hoped he hadn’t offended her, but Taura’s life was more important than a human doctor’s pride. “Timtur doesn’t normally work on humans, but I’m sure he’d be willing to look at her again.”
Megan patted his arm. “I already requested his help. He was here this afternoon for a healing session. I did see improvement. Taura has a powerful will to live which can be a critical success factor in these cases.”
Reassured, Jadrian continued inside and down the corridor to the private room where Taura was located. He had no fear of catching anything from her. The Khagrish had created his kind to be immune to infections and illnesses, and there were few toxins on the planet capable of affecting him adversely. She was asleep when he cautiously opened the door, so he stepped lightly to the bedside. Her breathing was labored and her skin was pale, clearly showing bruises from the harsh treatment at the hands of the Khagrish.
She still wore his pendant. I’m glad such a simple thing comforts her. I wish I could do more, but unlike Timtur I’ve no healing powers.
As if hearing his thoughts, Taura’s blue eyes flickered open. They were bright from the fever, and her brow furrowed as she attempted to focus on his face.
“Hi, remember me? Jadrian?” He leaned closer. “Do you want me to get the nurse? Do you need anything?”
“Help me send the messages? Stop the nightmares?” she asked, sounding disoriented. She focused in on him a bit more. “Water?” Her voice was thready.
“Whatever messages you’re worrying over can wait,” he said in a soothing tone. “Deal with them when you’re stronger.” A pitcher sat on the table, and he poured a drink for her. But the glass slipped from his fingers as Taura began violently convulsing. He rushed to the bed as the medical devices sounded their alarms. Afraid he might inadvertently hurt her, he held her body as still as he could to keep her from falling to the floor while he waited impatiently for knowledgeable help.
The male nurse and an aide rushed in. Shoving him aside, the medical team went to work on Taura, administering an inject, then starting an intravenous line to deliver other drugs or fluids. Jadrian stayed in the room, out of the way, but too concerned for her to leave. Finally, she lay quiet, unconscious again.
Preparing to walk out with the now empty injects, Rik the nurse beckoned to him. “She won’t wake up for hours. No use in your staying.”
Like a physical ache, his body protested as he followed the man into the hallway. He didn’t want to leave Taura, but he lacked authority to argue with the med staff. “I had no idea she was doing so badly. She seemed much better when I was here last night.” Jadrian walked into the corridor behind Rik, glancing over his shoulder for one more glimpse of Taura. Her face looked peaceful, which was some small comfort. “I’m glad you let her keep my amulet.”
Rik disposed of the injects and sighed. “Yes, rubbing her fingers over the stone pendant comforts her. The repetitive nature of the act perhaps. Sometimes when a person has been under tremendous stress, as she was in the lab and then the situation changes, the result can be pretty shocking. Her body’s been operating at such a high level, ready for flight or fight, and all those hormones have side effects. I’m not surprised she fell ill. We observed the same development in a subset of the other survivors from the lab where we were held, but not to this degree.”
“Dr. Garrison said basically the same thing, when I met her just now at the door. You humans are susceptible to so many problems, I marvel that you survive at all.” He punched Rik in the arm gently to show he was joking. “You’re a tougher species than you seem, as the Khagrish and their masters have learned. Can you call me when Taura wakes up again?”
Rubbing his bicep, Rik eyed him curiously. “Sure. Even if it’s the middle of the night, like last time?”
“Well, maybe not. My packmates didn’t appreciate being awakened—tight quarters in the barracks cave. But if she needs to see me, then sure.” Jadrian left the clinic unsatisfied and concerned about Taura, puzzled at himself for thinking so much about her.
The Badari had rescued other humans from labs, dozens of them by now, but only this one woman stayed on his mind with her haunted blue eyes. He’d more than done his duty by her already. It should be time to move on. Only with Taura, closure didn’t seem possible. He paused in the shade of a towering tree and examined his overriding motivation to be a part of the efforts to help her. Could this unusual attraction mean she was meant to be his mate? Was this how it happened for a man? He drew a deep breath, suffused with happiness rapidly tempered by harsh reality. He didn’t even know her, might never get to know her as a person if she couldn’t throw off the infection and other aftereffects of her captivity.
No rapid solution to the puzzle of whether she was his mate presented itself to him—she had to regain her health and her memory. He’d better try to maintain his emotional distance, if possible, until the outcome of her illness was assured. His desire to help her was at war with his self-protective instincts, could threaten his control over the secrets of his own past under Khagrish rule and he rubbed his forehead, unused to such internal conflicts.
Too much deep thinking about what’s only a possibility for now.
With a shrug, he went to collect his noon meal before reporting to the training area.
Taura had no clear memory of her time in the grip of a high fever, but she was grateful to awaken clear-headed after what she was told had been three days, and have the doctor pronounce her much improved. With a female aide to watch over her, she was allowed to take a long, restorative bath in a natural heated pool. Afterwards, she was relieved to go back to her bed. Her legs were none too steady and vertigo assailed her. The trip to the bath, even in an antigrav litter, had worn her out.
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