ANGEL'S KISS (A Dark Angel's Novel) (3 page)

“I’m okay, at least I...I think I am. It was just a mugger. Did you see my purse?” Then I wondered again if the coffee had been drugged. “Alan, call Ottie and have him see if he can find my cup and get a sample of that coffee, I want to have it checked.”

“I’ll let him know. And no, I didn’t see your purse. Honey, I’m on my way. We’ll figure this out, don’t worry. Sirens? I hear sirens. Are you hurt?”

“This nice man, Shane, called 911 when he found me on the construction site. I’m not hurt, just come and get me. I reeeally don’t want to deal with the cops and medics on my own.”

After replaying the attack twice for Officer Maloran, I was ready to go. I told him everything I could remember. Although, I left out the part about my blood boiling and seeing the attacker with my shoe sticking out the side of his head. It seemed too crazy to say out loud. I just said that I hit him with it and now I couldn’t find it. He listened and jotted down notes while I talked. Nice guy, but his cologne was killing my nose and he needed to brush his teeth.

“Miss Lewis…”

“Mrs.” Alan corrected him.

I rolled my eyes. I hate it when Alan gets all possessive. But right now, I was happy to have his arms around me. He’d arrived shortly before my second spiel, so at least I wouldn’t have to repeat the whole story again for him. Both of them insisted that I go to the hospital for a blood test. Even though I didn’t want to admit it, I needed to rule out drugs, too so I agreed. Officer Maloran wanted me to ride in the ambulance, but I put my foot down—I was not riding in an ambulance.

When the cops were finally finished, Alan helped me stand. I didn’t really need the support, but his arms felt like home.

“Mrs. Lewis.” Officer Maloran put emphasis on the Mrs. as he pointed to a large uniformed woman standing by her police car. “Officer Williams will follow you to the hospital, just in case you remember anything and to collect any further evidence. Do you have any questions about the investigation?”

“Nope, I’ve got it, thanks.” Before we could turn to leave, Maloran stopped us.

“Mrs. Lewis,” he said with intensity. “One more thing.” Oh, my God, he actually said “one more thing.” His speech and mannerisms reminded me of that old
Colombo
show my dad used to watch. All Maloran needed was the tan trench coat and he’d be a dead ringer for the TV detective. “I wish you’d allow us to perform a complete exam.”

I knew what he was getting at, because I’d told them of my fear that the coffee had been drugged. I lifted my head high and looked directly in his eyes. I knew that I had nothing to be embarrassed about. But before I could open my mouth, he held up his hand as if he could hold back my answer and continued.

“I’ve seen too many cases where memories resurface days or weeks later. If we don’t collect evidence now, it’ll be too late. Please let us take samples for your own peace of mind. Or if not for you, what about other potential victims? If we can ID him now, you can make others safe.”

Oooh, the guilt card. I’d invented the guilt card. I felt my eyes narrow. I knew I wasn’t raped. I just knew it.

“Officer Maloran, I appreciate your concern. But I can assure you that I was not raped.” I felt Alan tighten his hold on me as I turned away from the police officer. Crap, he was worrying about that same thing.

While Alan walked me to the car, I thought it over. Had the attacker dragged me up to the roof to rape me? Maybe since I fought back, he got scared and left. I thought back to the way he’d tilted my head and leaned in to caress my neck. It sounded sexual, but it just didn’t fit. My gut was telling me he wasn’t after sex. I’d swear to it.

Blood work might be a good idea, though. The whole “I can’t remember getting here” thing worried me. Plus, even though I neglected to mention it to Maloran, I remembered when everything seemed to speed up and my blood started to burn. It was painful and yet invigorating, an extreme rush of adrenaline. I could’ve run a marathon or swum 100 laps, and...I lost that thought as I looked up at Alan’s sad eyes checking me over.

On the way to the hospital, I calmed Alan down by describing how I was going to find this guy and shove my other shoe up his ass. At least I got him to chuckle once between his constantly asking if I was all right.

“Honey, you know you can tell me anything—no matter what. We’ll get through it,” Alan said, while watching the road. His hands gripped the wheel so tightly I thought he might rip it right from the steering column.

“Alan.” I touched his arm gently. “I’m really fine. He didn’t assault me in any way except to drag me off and steal my purse. I must have hurt him with my shoe. When I woke up, I thought he’d still be there with a shoe sticking out of his head.”

Alan looked over at me and released the steering wheel to take my hand.

“Lexie, you sound so casual about this, like it was just a walk in the park. I think you’re in shock. I want you to do whatever the doctors tell you. Please listen to them.”

He knows me so well. That’s what happens when you marry your college sweetheart. I’m not very good at listening to what’s good for me. To my credit, I didn’t argue. I just nodded my head and turned to look out the window. I hope he’s not watching me sulk in my seat.

By the time we pulled into
Hope
Memorial
Hospital
, Alan’s shoulders were pulled up so tightly they almost covered his ears. His tension spilled into me. I tried to shake it off by tidying myself up. I straightened my skirt and adjusted my blouse. Then I pulled down the visor to get a look at my hair and face. I rarely worry about my hair. I wear it short and spiky so it can’t get too messed up. But after the night I’d had, I suspected it might need a little work.

Ugh! I looked like I have a Mohawk. I attempted to flatten it out by licking my hand and smashing the hair back into place. Turning my head from side to side to see how I was doing, I noticed my neck and…

I hadn’t told the police everything. The fire ants started marching in my veins as I remembered his hands on me again. I felt the pop as his teeth broke my skin, like it was happening now. He’d bitten me. Then his pale face replaced my image in the mirror. Only now did I remember hearing a growl, low and deep, come from behind me as I watched him run his tongue across his red lips. Too red... blood red...my blood. Before I could remember more, Alan’s worried voice and strong shake brought me back. My hands were holding my neck and I was shaking. I quickly looked in the visor mirror, but my skin was unmarked.

“Lexie, what’s wrong? Talk to me!” Alan was hysterical.

“I was... just remembering the attack.” I managed to say through the shaking that was racking my body. Alan pulled me out of the car and into a big hug.

“Lexie,” he whispered. “What do you remember? Tell me what you remember.”

The feel of Alan’s breath on my neck and his arms wrapped around me brought back the trapped feeling from last night. He was too close. I couldn’t move my arms...the vision returned. I struggled… cloth ripped, people yelled. Hands grabbed me. My fist connected with something hard and then a sharp stab of pain in my arm sent me into darkness.

Beep…Beep…Beep.

Buzz…Buzz.

Swoosh.

Loud voices woke me. Conversations swirled around me. So many voices I didn’t recognize. I tried to roll over. My body felt like lead. I was extremely uncomfortable, but the darkness took me again.

Again the sounds woke me, beep…beep…beep…swoosh. My eyelids were heavy, but I managed to open them a crack. Everything was out of focus. Fortunately, I didn’t want to focus. Sleep sounded too goo….d, if I could just roll over and get comfortable.

“Lexie.” I recognized Alan’s voice. “Lexie, can you hear me?” He sounded so far away. “Nurse, I think she’s coming around.”

“Wha…” I still couldn’t focus.

“Lexie, can you hear me? Honey, I’m here.” I could hear him, and I desperately wanted to roll toward his voice, but my body wouldn’t budge. “Don’t struggle honey, they…had to restrain you to get the IV in. It’s okay. Just li
e still and I’ll get someone.”

“Nurse!” I heard Alan roar.

Concentrate, I told myself. Focus on waking up. The darkness tried to drag me back. I could feel Alan’s hand in mine. Then his fingers lightly brushed the side of my face, and slowly I opened my eyes again. I could see a little patch of sky with white fluffy clouds surrounded by… ceiling tiles. How strange. Are we inside or outside? I wanted to ask, but a swoosh brought everything back: all the noise— the beeping, talking, wheels on a hard floor—and the smell—ozone and bleach. HOSPITAL.

“Mrs. Lewis, can you hear me?” Another male with a self-assured voice and a patronizing expression replaced Alan’s face. “Mrs. Lewis,” he repeated.

“Alan,” I croaked. The roof of my mouth felt like sand paper and I sounded like Kathleen Turner.

“I’m here, honey.”

“Wha …happened, I …so sleepy.” I hoped he could understand what I was saying. Just getting my mouth to form the words was a huge struggle.

“Honey.” Alan touched my face with his rough hand. “You …don’t worry about that now. Just save your strength.”

Not a good enough answer. I don’t like being out of control. “Alan…what happened?” I sounded a little better. My annoyance at his ambiguity helped me focus and wake up.

“You struggled with me in the parking lot. Lexie, you were so strong…I couldn’t hold you.”

Then I noticed the fat lip and the dried blood on his nose. I tried to sit up again to touch his face, to comfort him. “Alan, I don’t remember.” My voice was making a comeback along with my memories. He noticed me struggling to sit.

“Doctor please—the restraints.” Alan’s voice was anxious.

I followed his gaze to the doctor who was staring at the clock on the wall and mumbling to himself.

“She shouldn’t be awake yet… for her size, the dose should have kept her out for at least two hours…but it’s only been twenty minutes.” He sounded confused, even to me, and I was by no means a reliable source.

Alan seized the doctor’s hesitation to press his point. “Look, I want my wife untied this minute.” He loosened the restraining straps. The doctor finally turned away from the clock and helped Alan.

“Damn nurses…wrong dose,” he whispered under this breath.

My eyes shot to his face. “I want to know what you gave me and how much,” I said with a threatening glare.

He was startled that I’d heard him. He and Alan stopped undoing my restraints and looked at me.

“Nothing happened, but what if they had given me too much instead of too little?” I asked Alan. Alan went back to undoing the restraints while the doctor tried to pacify me.

“Mrs. Lewis, I assure you, you’re not in danger. Everyone processes medicine at different rates. I just hope this was enough time for your mind to process the trauma you experienced last night. And that you will not have another violent episode.”

The doctor had his game face back on and his God complex was leaking out into the room.

“Now, please don’t try to get up too fast. We’re waiting for your blood work to come back. You need to rest. Even though you’re awake, you’re still under the effects of the sedative.”

With that, he took my chart and left the room. Alan helped me sit up, and I felt a little more like myself now that I had use of my arms and legs. As Alan adjusted the bed, I noticed his fat lip again and the bandage under his shredded sleeve.

“Alan, what did I do?”

As I said the words, I remembered. Alan had been hugging me, trying to provide comfort. It had the opposite effect. I’d lashed out, using my nails to tear at his arms and my head to bash the face of my attacker.

No, not my attacker. Alan.

“Oh, Alan, I’m so sorry, I thought you were…” I started to touch his face, but I didn’t trust myself. I tucked my hand under my leg. I’d never hurt anyone like that, let alone someone I love.

“What’s wrong with me?” I turned away. I couldn’t bear to look at what I’d done, not with his face showing only concern for me.

“Shush.” He gently turned me to face him. “I think it was a flashback to the attack, sort of like an aftershock. You didn’t know it was me. You were so strong. It took three of us to control you long enough for the nurse to give you a sedative. You seemed possessed. Wild.”

He shook his head. “No, that’s not right. You weren’t wild.” He put a hand up to his jaw. “Stronger, faster—yes. But definitely under control.”

I tried to turn away again. I was disgusted with what I’d done, but he wouldn’t let me.

“Don’t worry about that now. Just rest, and please listen to the doctors.” He let my chin go, and I turned away so he wouldn’t see the tear that trickled down my cheek.

“No, I will not wait in the waiting room! Hell, yes, I’m family!”

The booming voice brought my head around. I barely had time to wipe away the tears before Ottie thrust aside the curtain and burst into my little section of hell. I mean hospital.

Ottie, at 6'5" and 230 pounds is our most requested bodyguard at Haynes and Haynes Investigations. He is intimidation on legs, but to me he’s a big protective uncle. He’s been family ever since my dad hired him right out of the army at 26. The nurses didn’t stand a chance of keeping him out.