Dawn of a Dark Knight (24 page)

Kira’s rasped, “Dizzy. Thirsty. Want something to drink.”

Julie poured a glass of water from a pitcher on a small table near the bed. She helped Kira sit up enough to drink from the glass, and even then it was awkward.

This is why they use straws in the hospital.
She mumbled, “I need pain relief. Ibuprofen.”

“Give me a few minutes. I’ll see what I can find.”

Returning sometime later, she handed over two small tablets. Julie again helped Kira upright to down the pills and drink.

Afterwards, Julie said, “You worried us. Vance informed us you lost a lot of blood before we could get you here. Apparently you didn’t look good and he wasn’t sure you would pull through. He’s the one that did your little patch-up job.”

She took in the several body-sized dents in the plaster walls, the torn curtains, and the chair that was missing an armrest. “I get the feeling it wasn’t quite that simple. Did a tornado hit in here?”

“Maybe that was an understatement. You looked like ghost-white crap when you got here. Vance was in his own little world of pity about the few superficial scrapes he had. He took one look at you and suggested we say our good-byes. Let’s just say, that did
not
go over well with Ashor.”

“I can only imagine.”

“The guy turned bloody terrifying, if you want the truth. It’s the first time I’ve ever glimpsed what he’s like when he goes crazy angry. I tell you, I don’t want to be on the receiving end of that.” She shivered.

“He’d never hurt you.”

Julie shot her an
I’m-not-so-sure
. “Eric was there to protect me. I don’t want to consider what Ashor would’ve done, if you’d died. Anyway, Ashor went for Vance’s jugular. He issued some rather graphic threats that would’ve inspired a rock to shit just to avoid what he promised. It took three of them to pry Ashor off Vance. I gather from Eric, they fought Ashor until he passed out. Everyone looked pretty bad afterwards.”

“Poor Ashor.”

“Poor Ashor, my ass. You should’ve seen Javen and my poor Eric. They’re still licking their wounds.”

“How long have I been out?”

“About a day.”

“Doesn’t feel like it’s been that long. Where’d the medical supplies come from?”

“Viktor keeps us stocked. The boys have acquired some ugly injuries recently. Surprisingly, they’ve done a fair job of caring for themselves without any proper medical training.”

“What did you give me within the past twelve hours? As in injections.”

Julie walked over to the end table and lifted up two bottles of injectable medication. “Looks like morphine and cefa-zo-lin. What’s the c-drug?”

“It’s an antibiotic. The morphine explains why I feel weird. Did Markus find Kane?”

“Who’s Markus? Kane didn’t say anything. When he arrived at the gate to get you after you no-showed on your meet with him, he was completely cheesed off to find out you were missing.”

“Can I see Kane?”

“He left. Said if you woke up to tell you he had to finish something and would be back tonight. He also left you that bag over there.”

“He left?”
Who leaves an injured family member with unknowns?

“You should rest. Is there anything I can get for you?

“I’d like a phone to call Kane. And can you tell Ashor I’d like a word?”

Julie nodded. She returned about fifteen minutes later with cell phone and a cheese sandwich, but left without commenting on Ashor.

Kira’s stomach growled in anticipation of the food. As she reached for the sandwich, her stomach lurched. Morphine was a bitch.

She propped herself up with several pillows and sipped the water as she waited for Kane to answer his cell.

He picked up on the second ring. “Who’s this?”

“It’s me. Where’s Markus?”

“Glad you’re awake. Haven’t heard from him. How ya doing?” A car horn beeped in the background.

“I’m recovering. So, Markus got into the building right before the guys did. I helped him get out, but then I got tripped up.”

“You’ve got to be kidding. Where is he now?”

“I told him to call you. Since he didn’t, I bet they recaptured him. We’ve got to find him.”

“You’ve been through quite enough already. I think it best you stay put. I’ll figure this out.”

“No. I want out of this place. When are you coming back?”

“I’m not sure they’ll let you leave that easily. That Ashor fellow was violently concerned about you. Any comments on that?”

“Did he hurt you?”

“No, but let’s just say I’m not in any hurry to get on his bad side.”

“He’s their leader. So, naturally he’s probably the most concerned. We can chat more about this once I leave.”

“Can you get out without me coming inside?”

“I think so. This time I swear when I say meet me by the west wall that I’ll be there. Just give me a time.”

“I’m not very close and probably unable to get to you until…What time is it now? Uh, looks close to oh seven hundred. I can’t get to you until tomorrow morning. How about oh six hundred? That work?”

“I’ll see you outside the wall then, and we’ll search for Markus.” She hung up and felt better for having a plan. What was Kane doing so far away?

Kira waited. She dozed. Where was Ashor?

The morphine wore off.

She turned off the IV and pulled out the catheter. And stood. God, she was weak. She grabbed Kane’s bag and slow-limped to the adjoining bath.

In Kane’s bag she found a pair of jeans, a green knit sweater, and underwear in her size. She smiled when she spied her gun and several loaded magazines.
Thank you, Kane
.

She lay the gun on the edge of the beautifully tiled sunken tub and examined a basket of expensive soap items. She popped the top on an English bath gel and sighed happily. These couldn’t belong to Ashor unless he had a secret fetish for ginger lilies.

As she rested a hip on the bathtub’s edge, she listened to the water run. Her mind wandered. Ashor was close, but ignoring her. That stung.

****

“What happened?” Ashor asked.

Christian carried Ethan into the room at the back of the main house that served as the medical ward. Blood soaked them both.

“Daemon gut-swiped him. He’s seriously fucked.” Christian grunted as he lowered Ethan’s body onto the only bed in the room.

Ethan mumbled incoherently and thrashed. Reactively, Christian anchored Ethan’s shoulders. “Little help with his legs.”

Ashor leaned in and grabbed a flying ankle. “Is Eric okay?”

“Yeah, he went to Julie. Said he needed a little boost. Whatever that means.”

“You?” Ashor asked, eyeing the multiple bloody spots along Christian’s arms and torso.

“All superficial. I’ll live.”

“You got the daemon?”

“Of course.”

V clucked pessimistically while evaluating the Grand Canyon in Ethan’s stomach. After a few moments, he stepped away to draw some medication into a syringe and shot the drug into Ethan’s arm.

With his thick accent, he said, “I gave him a tranquilizer so we can work. He needs blood, but we used the last of the transfusion supplies the other day on the lady.”

“Have we got more?” Ashor asked. Ethan’s struggling ceased.

“
Da
, in my house. Storage fridge in the back.”

“You get started. I’ll get the blood.” Ashor ordered.

“What about the healer lady? Julie said she’s awake.”

“Leave her out of this.

****

Kira soaked. And never wanted to leave the warm bubbles. Heavy lidded, she floated beneath the caress of heavy humidity.

An aura in severe pain cut into her pleasure. The aura dulled as if the person masked his suffering or was drugged. And damn it all if that aura didn’t call her like a siren’s song. The healing power demanded she move.

With a resigned sigh, she eased out of the tub and toweled off. Dressing proceeded far slower than normal.

She traced the aura downstairs to the back of the house, walking into what had to be the medical ward. On the wall to her right, glass-front cabinets stretched to the ceiling. The hospital supply closet she’d raided for Eric’s scrubs didn’t have this much stuff. That had been…six days ago. Seemed like yesterday.

The far wall had a sink, top-of-the-line autoclave, and ultrasonic cleaner. Tucked into a corner was a portable x-ray and a gigantic state-of-the-art ultrasound. She’d love to have about an hour to play on that machine.

The prolifically pierced, shaved-bald, Russian magus directed Christian to hand him items. A jagged scar with an intricate tattoo trekked over each of his cheekbones.

For a better view Kira moved around to the opposite side of the bed. Ethan. And, yikes that yawning cavity into his abdomen...no one survived that. The Russian swabbed the area with gauze, which came away saturated with blood.

Ethan’s eyes opened and locked onto hers.

“Got in the way again, did you? Perhaps, you should try moving a little bit faster.” She touched his arm. His stats piled into her brain. She bit her lip to hide her distress. So much damage. Yet, he fought against sedation harder than he did the pain of his injuries.

The other two magi froze mid motion. They gaped, obviously unaware of her presence until that moment. A few seconds of tense silence ticked by.

“I’ll clear the drug, if that’s what you want, Ethan.”

He made an exaggerated jerk of his head that she assumed to be a yes.

She nodded in the Russian’s direction and said in her confident doctor tone, “Keep pressure on that bleeding. We haven’t met yet. I’m Kira Hardy.”

“Viktor. Call me V.” He inclined his head respectfully and resumed his attempt at hemostasis.

“Got into a little trouble too, Christian? You okay?” Christian’s shirt looked like a lion had taken a couple of good swipes across his chest. Blood soaked each tear, and based on the way he held himself stiffly, he was hurting.

All she got back from Christian was a shrug as he continued to stare at Ethan.

Vance scurried into the room and surveyed the disaster. His back went ramrod rigid. Like a doctor who’s used to being the super-shit in charge, he barked at V, “Get out of the way. Let me look. What did this?”

V refused to move. His massive form didn’t allow Vance any access to Ethan. V’s eyes remained fixed on Kira, waiting for her to give him orders. When Vance shoved harder, V grunted a threat.

Vance’s eyes went wide. He jumped away from V and skirted around to Kira’s side of the bed. “Move, Kira. Holding the patient’s hand when he needs work is asinine.” When Kira didn’t move, he hip-butted her out of his way.

Stumbling into the wall, Kira grabbed uselessly for purchase. Her injured leg gave out and she found herself hitting the hardwood floor with a resentful, “Ow!”

Acute pain brought the sting of tears to her eyes. She felt along her leg to see if the sutured wound was bleeding. No, but it hurt.
What an asshole.

Ethan closed his eyes and moaned softly. He turned toward Kira with his hand out.

Vance paid no attention. Instead, he worked to remove the temporary bandages to get a better view of the wound beneath.

“Stop,” Ethan groaned as he tried to roll away from Vance’s probing hands.

V growled. In less than a second, he launched Vance airborne. His flight ended in an ear-splitting crash against a glass-front case of medical supplies. V stalked toward him, clearly intent on ripping him into oblivion.

Kira’s gaze met Christian’s startled
oh-shit
. “Get Vance out of here.” The veins in V’s neck pulsated. She could literally take his heart rate from across the room, if she’d wanted. “Now!”

Christian grabbed Vance roughly before V reached him. Vance struggled and kicked, but Christian was far stronger. He threw Vance over his shoulder and left.

In her doctor tone, Kira ordered, “V. Put that temper on ice. I need your help. Or we’re going to lose Ethan. He needs a blood transfusion. Do you have stored blood products?” She pulled herself up.

V breathed shallowly. His face and neck were now mottled dark red. He stared wildly at Kira, and then Ethan. After a few seconds, the madness receded from his face.

He took two deep breaths and replied, “Ashor went to get blood.”

“Ready him for that, please.”

V gathered the supplies needed to place a catheter.

Kira looked over Ethan’s injuries, gently prodding along his abdomen. She mumbled, “I don’t know how you’ve made it this long, Ethan. It’s a tribute to your strength. Simply amazing.”

Ethan whispered, “I know I’m up shit creek, Doc. But so long as you promise not to let go again…not to let the pain through, I’m okay with this being the end.”

“You think you can hold on a little longer before you give up? Maybe give me a chance to try?”

“Okay, but I don’t want you to be disappointed, if it doesn’t work out. I mean, I’ve lived a good life. I’ll come back. There’s no woman here that needs me in the world.”

God, he sounded so sad about that last part. “Then, maybe now isn’t your time. Sounds like you’ve still got some things to do in this world.”

“All right. Do your thing, Doc.”

Ethan had so much damage and far too much blood loss. Her mind logically catalogued through what she’d need to stop the hemorrhage and repair all his damage. She needed a surgery pack, anesthesia, suture, better light…What was she doing? These guys wouldn’t care if she used her healing ability on Ethan. In fact, they were used to it, or so Ashor claimed.

But this was way more damage than she’d ever attempted to repair. His damage made both Eric’s and Ashor’s wounds the other day seem no more significant than a scraped knee.

Ashor entered in a rush. Kira glanced up sharply. Relief and exhilaration filled her. She should shout at him for ignoring her.

His eyes flared when he spotted her. He stumbled, but caught himself with a grunt before he dropped the bags of blood. His cheeks colored.

Her chest tightened at that rare glimpse of vulnerability.

Ashor boomed in her mind.
You shouldn’t be out of bed. What are you doing down here?

She jumped, still not used to that kind of communication. The room whirled eerily for a few seconds. She gripped the side of the bed hard.