by V. A. Dold
“Can you use your mojo stuff to save him?” El searched her eyes frantically. “Please, tell me you can save him.”
“He was too gravely injured for my healing abilities. He needs modern medicine first, and perhaps after they do their thing I can augment his recovery.” Emma’s shoulders slumped. “Until then I’m as helpless as everyone else.”
*****
Sunlight in the hospital’s arboretum began to fade before the surgeon came out to speak with them. The grim look on his face made her heart stop.
“How is he?” Isaac was the first to ask.
“He made it through surgery. He’s suffered multiple broken bones, a punctured lung and massive head trauma. It took quite a while to stop his internal bleeding and we had to alleviate pressure on his brain. It’ll be some time before we can tell more.”
“Can I see him?” El asked as she pushed to the front of his family.
The doctor looked to Emma and Isaac. “Only one or two are allowed in his ICU room at a time.”
“Do you know who I am?” Isaac asked the doctor calmly.
“No. Should I?”
“I should hope so, my name is on this hospital.”
“My apologies, Mr. Le Beau, I had no idea.”
“My daughter-in-law will receive every courtesy available while my son is here. That includes having anyone we want in that room. Understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I had the ICU rooms designed large enough for at least two beds and several chairs. I want a second bed rolled in. El will be staying with him for the duration of his recovery,” Isaac commanded.
A nurse began to protest, but one look at Isaac’s face and she did as she was told. When Isaac spoke it was wise to listen and do as requested.
Emma touched Isaac’s arm. “Let me take El back first and then I’ll come out and get the rest of you.”
Isaac nodded and indicated for everyone to take a seat and wait their turn.
As she walked into Stefan’s room her heart stuttered to a complete stop.
“Oh my God.” El covered her mouth with a trembling hand as she stared at Stefan. Machines of every kind were attached to him. Tubes and wires everywhere. And she could scarcely see an inch of exposed skin for all the bandages.
Emma walked to her side and took her hand. “He’s holding his own.”
“That should have been me,” El whispered.
“Thank goddess it wasn’t. As a human, you never would have survived the accident. Stefan’s healing ability will take care of all this.” Emma swept her hand at the machines and his injuries. “I’ve already called the healing circle and they’re on the way. Now it’s our turn.”
“He’ll make it? He’s so gray.” Now that he was washed and bandaged his face looked badly bruised, and where it wasn’t purple his skin was so pale it didn’t look human.
“Oh, my. Yes,” Emma patted her arm reassuringly.
Voices were coming closer moments before Anna led Emma’s friends into the room.
“Where do you want us, Emma?” Anna asked.
“Make a circle around the bed, then very carefully find a place to lay your hands.”
The women each took their place in a well-rehearsed routine.
El watched as they closed their eyes and allowed the energy to flow. It was fascinating to witness these women in action.
About twenty minutes later they lifted their hands and Stefan’s color was normal again. Even the bruising had lessened.
Emma thanked her friends for coming and the room cleared, leaving El alone with Stefan for the first time.
El’s heart ached to see him so injured. Slowly her tears began to fall as she laid her cheek against his hand, needing to feel his touch.
Emma rejoined her but knew better than to speak. Rather she rubbed small circles on El’s back to comfort her.
A few minutes had passed when the nurse came to check his vitals. She checked and rechecked, unable to believe his sudden improvement.
Emma simply smiled at the nurse as she left the room.
“We have a few minutes before they clear the floor of visitors for the night,” Emma whispered. “I’ll get the others so they can see him one last time before we leave you with him.”
El?
El stared at Stefan, had she really heard him?
“Emma!”
“What is it, cher?”
“I think I heard him in my head.”
“Did you answer him?”
“I don’t know how.”
“Say it in your mind but direct it at him as if you are speaking to him out loud.”
Stefan?
Thank goddess! Were you injured? I’ve been terrified I didn’t get to you in time and I’ve been trapped in my head unable to get through to you. What’s going on? Why can’t I move or wake up?
You’re in the hospital. A brick wall collapsed and you shoved me out of the way but it hit you.
How bad is it, cher?
Your mother says you’ll be fine. Her healing circle came and seemed to help you a lot.
If my mother has the ladies involved, it’s serious, but there isn’t much those women can’t do. Don’t worry about me. I’m sure I’ll be fine.
They’re announcing the end of visiting hours. Your family has to leave, but they want to see you one last time before they go.
Only they have to leave? Does that mean you get to stay?
Yes, your father was quite insistent they roll a bed in for me. El chuckled in her mind.
Sounds like my father.
She could feel him smiling.
Would you tell them I love them for me?
Sure. I’ll get them now.
El walked into the waiting room feeling a thousand pounds lighter. Being able to talk with Stefan made all the difference.
“He told me to tell you all that he loves you. Would you like to see him before you leave?”
Isaac pulled her into a hug. “Thank you, cher, for being here for him.”
“There’s no place on this earth I would rather be.”
Ten minutes later the family turned to go. As Emma reached the ICU door she turned. “The circle will gather again in the morning and continue to heal him twice a day until he’s one hundred percent.”
“Thank you, Emma, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
El gently touched his face. “This should be me.”
No, cher, it shouldn’t. I’ll always protect you. Even with my life.
There was utter resolve in his tone and El felt her heart constrict until she thought her chest would burst open. “That’s not acceptable to me,” she murmured as her lungs burned for air.
It’s the only option. I’m not ever going to live without you. Ever.
Then you’ll need to understand. I won’t live without you either. You die, I go with you.
It sounded as though Stefan sucked in a sharp breath.
I can’t suppress the need to protect my mate. I was protecting you from injury.
You’re so… She searched for the right word. Maddening. Sometimes I just want to shake you until your teeth rattle.
Well, try to control the impulse, at least until I’m healed, he chuckled. Then he went very still in her mind. I love you, El.
I love you, too, Stefan.
His heart hitched and the heart alarm went off.
The nurse checked him over again but found no cause for the strange occurrence and left a little confused.
I love you, too? Where in the world had that come from? Holy mackerel! When did that happen?
There wasn’t an exact moment El could pinpoint as to when her heart had gotten involved without her realizing it. She swallowed hard and looked at him through a new perspective. Her heart swelled and her whole body warmed, slowly a smile spread across her face.
I’m in love with Stefan Le Beau.
About time, too.
Shut up, Le Beau. She smiled secretly, waiting for the nurse to leave again.
<
br /> That night as she tried to sleep, the day’s events came roaring back. The moment El closed her eyes the scene of Stefan broken and bloody ran through her mind like a gruesome horror movie. A video on a repeating loop, Stefan lay dying before her, over and over.
Terror gripped her, so intense it sucked the breath from her chest. She only slept a few minutes at a time, waking, gasping for air with burning lungs.
Stefan had come so close to dying. So very close.
El thought sitting at her father’s side as he quietly left this world had been bad. This was a thousand times worse.
Baby, I’m going to be fine, Stefan whispered in her mind.
I know, but I can’t seem to shake it.
Can you reach my hand? Hold my hand, and I’ll keep you safe as we sleep.
That was how the nurse found them when she checked his IV. Hand in hand, sleeping together but in separate beds.
*****
Days later, she was reading quietly in her bed next to Stefan when she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye.
Did he move?
She focused intently and a second later, a finger moved. Then another.
“Nurse!”
The floor nurse ran in. “What’s wrong?”
“He moved. His fingers, they moved.”
The nurse checked the monitors and took his vitals. The whole while a smile of satisfaction grew on her face.
“He’s coming out of the coma. I’m going to get the doctor.”
The doctor examined him and seemed pleased as well. “Take him for a scan, I want to check the swelling.”
By the time they rolled Stefan back to the room the family had arrived.
“The swelling on his brain is gone. I’ve removed the drain tubes,” the doctor said as he joined the anxious Le Beaus. “Excellent, excellent progress. He’s improving much faster than average. I expect you will be able to take him home in a day or two.”
Emma breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s wonderful news.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
The Gathering
Stefan was settled into his old room at his parents’ until his healing was complete.
Now that he was conscious, he could talk with his family. Something was very wrong about that wall coming down the way it had.
“Dad?” he called toward the door.
“What do you need, son?”
He remembered something El had told him. “Did you investigate the cause of the accident?”
“No. Thomas has been at a training camp with some of Simon’s buddies testing earpieces for the security team and working on drills.” Isaac gave him a hard look. “Why?”
“El mentioned that when she touched one of the bricks that hit me, Joe, the guy who tampered with her truck, had also touched it. I don’t believe that wall coming down was an accident at all.”
Isaac rumbled a low, menacing growl. “I’m going to take a look right now.”
Within minutes Isaac and Cade were at the construction site. They had twenty minutes before the general contractor arrived.
“Let’s shift and see what we pick up. I’ll take the second story, you scout the exterior,” Isaac growled.
Cade’s silver and black wolf trotted toward the rear of the house as Isaac’s massive, solid black wolf bounded up the stairs. Frustrated, Isaac’s wolf howled through the gaping hole in the wall; he hadn’t found any unusual scents.
*****
A few hours later Stefan watched as his father filed into his room with Cade.
“I called the general contractor and he met us at the site,” Isaac said with a worried expression. “We found evidence that indicated someone had, in fact, sabotaged that wall to fall. The mortar used was mixed specifically to hold the bricks in place, but only barely. That way, it appeared to be solid but was hardly maintaining its shape it was so weak.
“A strong wind could have brought it down. It would have been easy enough for one man to give it a good shove from inside the house the second one of us was under it. Problem is, there were no strange scents to go with the sabotage. Whoever set that wall to fall is on the construction crew.”
“If we hadn’t been looking specifically for tampering, we would have missed it. Whoever did the job was good,” Cade added.
“We’ve halted any further work on the houses until the perpetrator is caught,” Isaac scowled. “This means whoever tried to kill you is one of our own.”
“I’m sure Thomas will figure it out. He always does,” Stefan said yawning.
Isaac frowned. “So, El told you, she touched a brick and knew this Joe character had handled it?”
“Yeah. Apparently she’s able to catch impressions from touching things.”
“Psychometry. Interesting, I’ve never met anyone with that gift,” Isaac mused. “I bet it’ll be stronger once the ritual is completed. You get some rest and we’ll take care of the intruder. Psychometry, huh.”
He could hear his father still mumbling to himself as he walked down the hall.
*****
Stefan stretched and scratched his fingers through his hair. He was done lying in bed. It had been a week since he’d been discharged and the healers had pronounced him completely healed a few minutes ago.
The only saving grace to the situation was El had been with him every night. Sure, she went home during the day to take care of the horses and exercise the few in training, but every night she was all his.
Looking at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, he rubbed the stubble on his jaw; he needed a shave and, damn, was that smell coming from him? Once again he thanked the goddess for his shifter healing abilities. No one would know by looking at him that a couple weeks ago he had resembled hamburger.
He was determined to look his best tonight. He had a mating ritual to discuss with El and plans to get his romance kicked back into high gear.
*****
An hour later he joined his parents in the kitchen.
“How do I look?”
“Wow! I love it when you boys wear a suit. What’s the occasion?”
“I’m going to talk to El about the ritual tonight.”
“Well, about that,” Emma hedged.
Stefan frowned at his mother. “What did you do?”
“El had a lot of time on her hands while you were in the coma and asked a lot of questions.”
“And?”
“I may have explained the ritual to her already.”
“May have or did?” Stefan growled.
“Don’t growl at your mother,” Isaac barked.
“I did, okay? She wanted to know everything about becoming a shifter, so we talked about the things she didn’t know yet.”
Stefan scrubbed his hands through his hair in agitation. “How did she take it?”
“Rather well. She was most intrigued by the fact that older women regress. Of course, at her age that won’t be a factor.”
“The first annual all pack gathering is tonight anyway,” Isaac mentioned. “I need you here tonight.
“Damn, I forgot about that. There’s a band and stuff, right?”
“Yes.” They both looked at him curiously.
Stefan grinned at them. “I’ll just have to make it a romantic gathering then.”
“That’s my boy.” Isaac chuckled. “Do you need my help with anything?”
“As a matter of fact, I could use help from you, Cade, and Simon.”
“I know that look.” Emma grinned. “You have something really good up your sleeve.”
“You’ll just have to wait like everyone else to see what it is,” he winked and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
Grabbing his phone, he sent El a text. “Can’t wait to hold you on the dance floor tonight.”
His phone chimed her response. “You got the all-clear? Wait, what do you mean dance floor?”
He chuckled. “Yes, all clear. There is a huge shifter gathering here at the plantation tonight with a banquet and dancing.”
&nbs
p; “Interesting. So, I should maybe wear something other than jeans and cowboy boots?” she texted playfully.
“That might be wise,” he teased back.
“Okay, I’ll see you in a few hours. I expect you to be ready to rock my world.”
Holy cow! Did El just flirt with him? He decided to test his theory.
“Rock your world on the dance floor and in my bed. I moved my stuff home after breakfast.”
“So, leave my panties at home?”
Damn that woman was on a roll. His libido was raging.
“Cher! You’re killing me.”
She sent him a cyber-kiss. “I expect very thorough follow-through on those promises. Got to go, Mystic is waiting.”
She was gone and he was headed for a cold shower. The woman was hell on wheels sometimes.
*****
When El walked into his house a few hours later she was floored. Romantic candles and flowers were everywhere she looked.
When she glanced toward the bedroom, Stefan stood leaning against the doorframe with a wicked grin. “Welcome home, mon amour.”
“Wow.”
“You like it?”
“Do I get to come home to this every night?” she teased.
“Play your cards right and it just might happen,” he growled playfully as he pulled her in for a kiss. It was several minutes before they came up for air.
“You look great,” he growled against her neck as he laid a trail of hot kisses from her jaw to her collarbone. His hands slid down her backside...no panty line.
Ah, hell.
El laughed as she pulled from his arms. “Find something you like, Le Beau?”
“Damn, woman. How am I supposed to make small talk tonight with you walking around like that?”
“I’m sure you’ll manage.” She grinned and cuddled close.
“Come on, I want to show you off,” Stefan said as he gave her a deep, dimpled smile.
The main yard was filling as family packs, one after the other, joined the celebration. The band was set up and doing a sound-check while the caterer laid out the buffet table. Emma had utilized Rose’s event-planning skills and the party looked like a complete success.
Cade was the official greeter and Isaac watched as he shook Sam’s hand and patted him on the back.