“Go ahead and change. I need to find where they put my clothes,” he said and closed the door as he stepped out.
Within moments, Kate appeared, covered to her knees by the large shirt. She kept her hair in the braid. She found Isaac standing in the small pool of light by the bed. He’d changed into a pair of cotton pajama pants. “Don’t forget to text the man Etienne asked you to contact,” she reminded him.
“Right. Damn. Sorry.” Isaac moved across the room and gathered both phones. He came back, placed his phone on the nightstand, and figured out how to turn on Etienne’s iPhone. “Ick. Not an Apple person.”
“Why?”
“Don’t know. Never was. I like my Android base one.” Isaac nodded to the bright blue phone. He figured the pattern to swipe and the phone lit up. “There we go. Contacts or messages. Where is the icon?”
“This one. The bubble one.” Kate pointed at the screen.
“Ahh. Thanks.” Isaac hit the icon and scrolled through the messages until he found a conversation with Paul. He figured how to get the keyboard and spelled out a message to explain what happened. He hit the send button and set the phone aside. It beeped back.
“The message was replied to,” Kate said.
“Sheesh.” Isaac checked, hit it to read, tapped out a reply, and waited. Sure enough, he continued the conversation with Paul for another fifteen minutes. “Hey, sorry about this.”
“It’s okay. This man needs to know what happened.”
Isaac tapped out another reply. “Have you ever slept with someone?”
“Neither sleep nor sex. I’ve always slept alone, protected in our own wing.”
He glanced at her under his lashes before dropping his attention to the screen. “Sort of like one of those desert harems?”
“In a fashion, yes,” she said with a warm flush. She touched her fingers to his smooth firm shoulder.
He gave her a smile, encouraging her touch. “If I can ever finish this conversation, I would like to hold you as we sleep. Sound good?”
“Sounds like heaven,” she said and leapt up on the high bed. She wiggled her way across the soft mattress to the center. “This is so high.”
“You’re little. Though, I’m on the short side, too,” he said as he stayed in his spot. He felt her push at his back, but he didn’t move. He tapped out a few more texts while he heard her move the covers and pillow around.
“Any luck?”
“Not much. He’s still yapping.”
“Hmm. I’m going to sleep. G’night,” she said, turning until her back faced him. She let out a warm sigh. She closed her eyes and fell asleep with ease.
Isaac glanced over his shoulder to watch her fall asleep. He knew he would soon spoon against her slender body. He returned his attention to the phone and tapped out a final message after Paul gave him a few more updates about a supposed “mole” in Etienne’s former office leaking information about him. Whatever Etienne last worked on stirred had up a hornets’ nest, and the leftover members were pissed and hunting him. Paul worked the angle of the “mole” from his end, but he wanted Isaac to know and protect Etienne.
Agreeing to the plan, Isaac sent him a good-night message. He turned off the light, lay back, and rolled to his side. He adjusted his cock and wrapped an arm around Kate's lower waist as he spooned behind her. His eyes drifted closed. With the warm scent of his lover drifting from the cloth mixing in with the unique feminine scent of Katie surrounding him, he let out a long breath. Soothed by the combination, he slid into sleep.
Chapter 13
As Melinda had warned them, it took a couple of days and three IV bags of the moon flower fusion to remove the trace poisoning. The realization of his internal injuries and neglect ticked Melinda off because of the incompetence of his previous doctors who had attended him. She wanted to rip them to shreds.
“I swear, half of these so-called jaguar doctors are not medically trained in any field. They shouldn’t be allowed near any patients.”
Quiet as she muttered dark things under her breath, Etienne held still and watched the pretty doctor do her glowing thing. She did this several times over the last day and a half. Her hands glimmered over his shoulder, side, and hip where the previous bullets had left tiny fragments to burrow and destroy his blood.
With a heavy sigh, Melinda stepped back and dropped in the chair Isaac pushed behind her. “Thanks, sorry. Healing these heavy-metal injuries takes its toll. Even though the metal no longer is in the body, the issues are there. I hate those damn liquid bullets.”
“We all hate them, but they are a necessity in the fight against the rogues and other enemies,” Isaac said.
“Still hate healing the injuries,” Melinda said.
Kate entered the room and carried a steaming cup in her hands. She held it out to the doctor. “Doctor Melinda, your mates said to drink this after the healing. Something about a tea made with your flowers.”
“Thank you, Kate, I appreciate it. Mmm, it does help when there isn’t moonlight for me. A tea from the flowers helps fortify my energy and gifts,” Melinda said and sipped slow at the hot, delicate brew.
“What’s the damage, Doc?” Etienne asked as he pushed a button to raise the bed to a sitting position.
“You’ll never throw a baseball again,” Melinda said with a grin.
“Good thing I never played the game.”
Melinda blew out a long breath, cooling the tea and releasing tension. “Truth?”
“The plain and unvarnished, if you would, please.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less from a guardian. Truth is I don’t know for certain how much strength and flexibility you’ll have after all this over.”
“What do you know?”
“The bullets, both the previous time and this round, tore through your right rotator cuff and several ligaments, broke the clavicle, and cracked the head of the humerus and the joint of scapula. Various shards tore the ligaments. A lot of your pain was caused by the shards digging into skin, muscle, and ligaments,” Melinda said.
“Ouch, even I feel the pain after hearing all of it,” Isaac said with a wince and rubbed his shoulder.
“You’re feeling the mate connection. As you two become closer, the bond entwines your lives deeper than a physical one.”
“Can I feel anything he does?”
“You’ll capture the extreme pain or emotional levels.”
“Is there more?”
“After you dance, yes, everything will be intertwined,” Melinda said. “I have two guys in my head all the time. You can learn to create blocks when you need to concentrate.”
“I don’t know if I want him to feel or hear everything,” Etienne said.
“Hey,” Isaac said with a playful pout. “Don’t you trust me?”
Etienne gave him a look.
“Oh. Oops. Hey, it was one time,” Isaac said with an innocent look.
“Don’t go there.”
“What are you two talking about?” Kate asked.
“Nothing,” Isaac said in a singsong tone.
Kate asked the doctor, “Are you saying all of the damage was in his right shoulder?”
“The majority of the damage was to the shoulder. The force of the bullets traveled, broke, and split to tear more.”
“Oh sweet Goddess.” Kate stared down at Etienne and touched his shoulder. “All this damage because you put yourself in the path of those bullets.”
“I’m a guardian. It’s my job to protect your life with mine. I was the closest one to the path to block it. There isn’t a decision in what we do. It’s automatic from our training and commitment. Isaac and I committed our pledge to protect you to our Alpha during your stay here, Kate,” Etienne said to reassure her.
“If he didn’t move in front of the bullet, I would have moved to protect you. He speaks the truth,” Isaac added.
“You’re different than our protectors. They protect my father’s life because he’s the sheikh, and no one else,”
she said.
“Guardians protect everyone within the clan, from the Alpha to the newest cub.”
“What about the other time?”
“Got caught in a bad situation,” Etienne answered.
“If we could, let’s get back to the problem. As we all know, there is more damage,” the doctor said.
“Lay it out for me, Doc.”
“On your right side, your ribs are nicked but not cracked or broken. You no longer have a spleen, and a lobe of your liver was removed.” She glanced at him. “You’re lucky you didn’t bleed out into your belly. Your entire hip joint area is repairing itself, but again may not be as strong as before. You have one thick skull or you wouldn’t be here with the temple shot, which ricocheted.”
“Yes, I’m grateful for having a hard head,” Etienne said, rubbing his temple. He didn’t feel the scar after Melinda’s magical touch. “It does come in handy.”
“Oooh. Stubborn male, open your ears and listen to her,” Kate said and smacked his forearm.
“Ow. Hey. I’m injured here,” Etienne said.
“Pay attention to what she’s saying. You keep placing yourself in danger on your secret job, it can kill you. Dead. Muerte. Der Tod. Morte. Do you hear me?”
“I’m listening. I know things are dangerous, but I was trained for the job. There are times where I can’t understand or predict the consequences,” Etienne said.
Kate opened her mouth to protest, but shut it without another word.
Melinda set aside her cup and leaned forward. “I need you to sit up and turn to face me, feet on the floor.”
Grateful someone dressed him in scrub pants instead of one of those pansy open-to-let-your-ass-flap-in-the-wind smocks, Etienne did as ordered. He planted his feet on the floor and winced at the coldness.
“Yeah, the doc realized none of us would stand those smock thingies, so we get pants,” Isaac said when he noticed how Etienne plucked at the pants in question.
“Good to know. Not fond of my goods hanging in the wind.”
“None of you boys are,” Melinda said in a droll tone.
Etienne was about to make a smart remark. He noticed Kate smacked Isaac in the arm when he was ready.
“Guardians,” Melinda muttered and shook her head.
“You left the door open,” Isaac said before Kate whacked him again. “Hey.”
“Shush,” Kate said. “Please continue, Doc.”
“Thank you. I think you’ll fit well around this bunch.”
“It comes from growing up with brothers,” Kate said with a smirk.
“Hmm, there's another potential bunch of idiots.” Melinda returned her attention to Etienne. “Drop your arms to your sides, straight as you can.”
Etienne wiggled to give himself room, and lowered his arms.
“Keep your palms down and lift your arms straight out in front of you. I want your elbows locked. Try to keep all the movement kept to your shoulder so I can see if anything is hinky.”
“Hinky?” Etienne asked as he raised his arms. “Is this a new medical term?”
“Yup, I’m adding it to Webster’s for the next edition. Would you shut your mouth and lift your arms to shoulder height?“
He kept quiet as he followed her instructions.
“Hmm. Right one is a little off. Move them straight out to the sides, same level.”
Etienne winced when his bum shoulder protested.
“Turn until your palms face me. Again, move everything from your shoulder, not wrist.”
Again, Etienne followed directions, his right one not as straight.
“Face your palms up.” The doc waited and studied. “Now face them away from me.”
Etienne winced as a ligament twitched.
“Hold it there,” Melinda said as she placed her hands on his shoulder. She found the ligament and massaged with a few fingers until he winced in pain. Her palms glowed with healing. “There’s the little troublesome bugger. I thought I missed something earlier. It was hiding behind the thicker tendon.” She returned to her seat when she finished and picked the cup for another drink. “Go back through the same motions from the beginning.” She twirled her finger to tell him to start.
“I thought massages were supposed to be nice, gentle, and umm…sexy?” Etienne dropped his arms to his sides and repeated the pattern.
“Yeah. No, the pain tells me you’re healing, breaking any leftover scar tissue,” the doc said. “Palms facedown. Flap them like a duck.”
“What?” Etienne asked.
Isaac quacked as Kate chuckled.
“Flap them. Up, down, up, down. Full-range motion from your sides, too, as far as you can raise them,” Melinda said and made a hurry-it-up motion with her fingers.
“Unreal,” Etienne muttered as he flapped his arms like a freaking naked duck.
“Hold it at the top of the motion.” Melinda stood and checked his range.
“Dearest, why are you touching a half-naked male while he’s flapping his arms like an idiot?” another male asked after a low growl.
“I’m doing my job, you oversensitive and testosterone-bearing pest,” Melinda said, not at all offended, and pressed her lips in a kissing motion at Collin.
“She’s making me flap my arms like a duck, man. Get her to stop,” Etienne pleaded.
Isaac quacked again.
Etienne glared at his mate.
“At least she didn’t say like a naked crazy chicken,” Collin said with an evil grin.
Isaac and Kate distilled into loud, long bouts of laughter at the comment.
Etienne rolled his eyes. “Don’t even think about clucking over there.”
Isaac crossed his finger over his heart.
“Yeah. Don’t believe it for one second, buddy.”
“Knock it off, you boneheads, or I’ll shove a big needle in your asses.”
“Ouch!” Collin rubbed his ass.
“Do I need to flap my arms again?” Etienne ignored the needle comment since he didn’t want to get stuck with another one.
“Yes, keep them there. I’m checking out your range of motion. Still a little hinky, but you’re starting the real healing process. Once this last bag of fusion is done, we can unplug you and send you home,” Melinda said.
Etienne winced.
“What? What is it?”
“My house is a disaster,” Etienne said.
“Nope,” Isaac interrupted with a grin. “We got help.”
“What?”
“Your house is all clean. The ladies got inside it while you were down for the count.”
“The ladies?”
“The ones who run this clan though they let the men think they’re in charge,” Collin added and oofed when Melinda shoved a fist into his stomach.
“The clan females volunteered to clean, rearrange, and shop. They offered after Nathan found the list. It let us be able to stay with you during and after the surgery. I mentioned to Alex about how things were messy since your parents’ deaths.”
“Oh, please give them my thanks,” Etienne said.
“I’ll make sure to pass on your message to them,” Collin said.
“Now you have a clean place to go home to,” Melinda said as she rose to her feet.
“Would be nice to settle in a clean home,” Etienne said. “After I finish this IV, I’m outta here?”
“Yes. Hit the button and someone will unhook you. I believe Isaac brought some new clothes.”
“They’re in a bag stuffed under the table,” Isaac said and pointed down to the floor.
“Great,” Etienne drawled. “Wrinkle my clothes, why don’tcha?”
“Sorry. I managed to find jeans, boxers, a shirt, and some beat-up loafers for you, bud. I didn’t go digging around all of your drawers.”
Etienne rolled his eyes.
“Collin, darling, I need something to eat,” Melinda said as she curled her hand around his elbow as they left.
“Nice doc, better than the old geezer we ha
d before. She whipped this place into shape.” Etienne twisted to sit back against the raised bed and put his feet back under the covers. He glanced at the bag to see he had another quarter of it left. He studied the slow drip and grimaced. “I’ll be here for a few more hours.”
“We’re in no hurry to disappear,” Isaac said. “You kicked us out once, but we’re not leaving your side again.”
“Hmm. I’m stuck under your protection. My father and brothers went out on a long-range scan of things with several guardians,” Kate added. “Sleep and rest. We’re not leaving.” She reached out and smoothed back a lock of his hair.
Trusting in them to keep watch, Etienne closed his eyes and slipped back into sleep.
Chapter 14
While the sun drifted below the valley’s edge, Etienne stepped out of the SUV, went to the front porch, and shuffled to the far end. Bracing his body on the rail, he lifted his head and breathed in the fresh air and purred in pleasure.
“How do you feel?” Isaac slid an arm around Etienne’s back. He leaned against his taller partner, head on his shoulder.
“It feels wonderful to breathe in this air. I smell autumn coming on the wind. The cool, crisp feeling of autumn is here. I noticed there’re colors on the leaves. Do we have the special Harvest Moon Celebration?”
“Yeah, the whole week before the full moon we gather near the ceremonial area with feasts, dances, and parties. The clan wouldn’t let the old Alpha get away with removing the celebration. I’m sure Alex is planning something special and grander.”
“Are the greenhouses around here?”
“They’re on the southeast end of our territory, larger in size. There’s an apple orchard as well. The clan sells and trades the produce with other clans and normals for revenue while the rest is passed through the downtown market. They’re turning everything organic and year-round growing seasons.”
“Impressive.”
“We want to be less reliant on the normals. A wind and solar farm were built on a flat area south and supply the power. We have dedicated Wi-Fi and phone systems.”
“I wish other clans were as productive.” Etienne leaned against the rail, lifting his face as a bit of wind whipped around them. “I missed this smell of the change of seasons.”
Dark Moon Dance [Fire Jaguars 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 9