Hunting Human (16 page)

“You do. Are you hungry?” Anna asked, already reaching for another plate.

“You bet.” He pulled the chair out next to Lucy and ruffled her hair.

“Hey!” She shoved him in the shoulder, complaining around a mouthful of eggs.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full, Lucy.” Anna set a plate in front of Mike. “Mike, this is Beth.”

“Oh, Beth. Hi.” He smiled widely and held out his hand.

Transfixed by the familiarity in his face, Beth absently shook his hand.

“Nice job by the way.”

“What?”

He reached across the counter and snagged some bacon off the plate by the stove. “The cut I stitched up on Braden’s head was a beauty.” He laughed over her shoulder, obviously taunting Braden. “He must have done something to seriously piss you off—you look too nice to wield blunt instruments at men’s heads as a hobby.”

Beth smiled again, finding it difficult not to relax a little in the strange family dynamic that permeated the room. She studied Mike’s face as he chewed his bacon. “Have we met?”

“Nah, I don’t come into Portland too much. These guys keep me too busy out here.”

“You look familiar.”

“I’m told I have my mother’s grin.” He smiled again, as if to give her a comparison. “What do you think?”

“I think I’d have to meet your mother.” For some reason Beth couldn’t fathom, he burst out laughing.

Confused, she glanced around the kitchen.

“Mike is Angie’s son,” Braden explained. “He’s, ah, aware of our situation. Helps us out from time to time.”

Beth turned back to Mike. “And is your mother aware of their
situation
?”

“Lord, no!” He chuckled, shaking his head.

“So she doesn’t know you provide medical services to people who kidnap women?” Beth couldn’t quite keep the humor out of her expression when Mike choked and turned horrified eyes on her.

“Oh God, you aren’t going to tell her I had anything to do with this, are you?” He sounded genuinely terrified.

Lucy burst out laughing. “I knew I’d like you.” She seemed to bounce out of her chair, clapping Beth on her shoulder as she went. “I’m going to go catch a shower and change.” She paused by the door. “I’ll run into town later and grab you some things—fresh clothes, a toothbrush. Write down your sizes, okay?”

Beth faltered under the easy gesture of friendship, but said, “Okay.”

“Cool,” Lucy said as she flitted out of the room.

“Seriously, though. You aren’t going to tell her, right?” Mike’s eyes were still wide as he stared at Beth. The horror of what his mother would say written clearly across his face.

“I don’t know what I’m going to tell her.” Beth grimaced. “I’m sure she’s worried. I didn’t show up for my shift this morning.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Braden said. “I called her last night, said you had to fly home for a family emergency. She’s not expecting you back for the next week or two.”

“I guess you thought of everything,” Beth said and turned back to her breakfast.

***

“Well, all things considered, you’re in pretty good shape.” Mike gently taped off the bandage he’d wrapped around her wrist. “Try to keep these clean and dry. I’ll leave some triple antibiotic cream with you. Use it after you wash the cuts. Morning and evening, okay?”

Beth nodded and pulled her hands away from him. “Okay.”

“One last thing. If it’s alright with you, I’d like to take a blood sample, run a complete work-up.”

“Is something wrong?” Beth asked.

“No. Nothing I’m worried about specifically. But from what you’ve said in the last half hour, and what Braden filled me in on, you weren’t bitten and turned in a conventional method. I’m betting you have some distinct knowledge gaps where your physiology is concerned. A complete work-up will help us fill those in.”

“Knowledge gaps?” Fear skittered across the back of her mind. “Like what?”

“Well, when we were talking earlier you mentioned you’d been taking some prescription drugs.” He flipped through his notepad. “Medication for depression—anxiety and a sleep aid, right?”

“Yeah. But I haven’t taken them in a while.” She rubbed her hands back and forth across her jeans and tried to ignore the way Braden suddenly stepped away from where he lounged against the wall.

“Because they didn’t work, right? Probably made you feel worse, instead of better?” Mike asked.

“Yeah. How’d you know?”

“Werewolf physiology is just…well, different, for lack of a better word. Some medications work just fine and very few are truly dangerous. But some medications, particularly those that influence the mind, do more harm than good. Lots of people who’ve been turned report that medications like the ones you were taking make them feel skittish, jumpy. And I’ve never met a werewolf that hadn’t experienced exasperated side effects from sleep aids.”

“I used to wake up so disoriented. I’d feel heavy, uncoordinated. Sometimes for hours,” Beth supplied.

“Right. That’s a consistent reaction with everyone else I’ve treated. I want to make sure all of the medications are out of your system. I can also see if there are any supplements or dietary recommendations I can make to you.” He reached into his bag and pulled out a tourniquet, vial and butterfly needle. “I can do this another time if you’re uncomfortable. But it really should be done sooner rather than later.”

“It’s fine.” Beth rolled up her sleeve and let him slip the tourniquet around her upper arm. She looked away as he pulled the needle out of the sterile packaging.

Her head spun as he closed fingers around her arm. So many questions raced through her mind; she couldn’t catch one long enough to figure out how to voice it. Her questions had gone unanswered for so long.

There so much I still don’t know.

“That’s it.” He announced a few minutes later, removing the tourniquet and storing the vials in his bag. “I’ll be back to check on you tomorrow morning.” He stood and snapped off his rubber gloves.

“I’ll be fine. You don’t need to come back out.” She’d heal, with or without the visit. Still, she was reluctant to see him go. He’d acted as a comforting buffer between her and Braden. Since they’d moved into the living room, he’d been a solid presence between them. And, if Beth was being completely honest, an amusing one as well.

He’d laughed and joked as he gently inspected her wrists, then carefully lifted her sweatshirt, gently probing at the bruises the Taser had left. Focusing on him helped her ignore Braden every time he pushed away from the wall and fell into a routine of pacing and glaring.

“I’m sure you’ll be fine, too.” He said as he packed all of his medical supplies into his bag. “But I’m still going to come out and see if you need anything. I’m afraid tonight might be more difficult than what you’re used to.”

The blood drained from her face. Tonight? “What do you mean?”

He glanced up at her question and his face softened. “Oh, nothing. Just that with the amount of stress you’ve been under and how sore I know you are…the shift tonight will probably be a little rougher than normal. So I’ll be out here first thing to check up on you.”

Beth smiled weakly and rose from the sofa, folding her arms against her chest. “Thanks.”

“Sure.” He must have sensed her unease because he joked, “I’ll even charge Braden double, if it’ll make you feel better.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, I guess.”

The moment Mike left, Braden moved toward her, concern creasing his forehead. “You okay?”

“I’m fine.” She wished it were true. How had she forgotten about the full moon? She never forgot.

“You aren’t.”

Irritated, Beth moved away from him and toward the huge windows overlooking the front lawn. “I said I’m fine.”

“Was that Mike leaving?” Lucy came down the stairs, barefoot in jeans and a pink henley.

“Yeah.” Braden shoved a hand through his hair and turned to his sister. “He’ll be by in the morning.”

“Okay.” Lucy shrugged. “Mom!”

“Don’t shout, Lucy, I’m right here.” Anna strode out of the kitchen, digging through her purse. “Have you seen my keys?”

“They’re by the door.”

“Okay. Grab some shoes and we’ll get going.”

“Where are you guys headed?” Braden asked.

“We’re going to run a couple of errands in town.” Anna slid a slim pair of glasses onto her face. “We’ll be back by dinner. I’m going to pick up stuff to make the apple turnovers Angie sent me the recipe for.”

Mystified, Beth watched Lucy and Braden exchange a worried glance.

“Elizabeth, we’re going to pick a few things up for you, do you have any preferences regarding toothpaste or anything?”

“Um, no. Whatever’s fine.” She hoped she wouldn’t be staying long enough to care.

“Okay. I’m sure you’re tired. I changed the sheets in Braden’s room. You’ll be more comfortable in there.”

Beth bristled at the same time Braden choked. “That’s not necessary.”

“Nonsense.” Anna dismissed them with a wave and a glare in Braden’s direction. “Braden’s room is far more comfortable and it has a private bathroom. Braden can sleep down the hall in one of the guest rooms for the time being.” Between her tone and her pointed glare in her son’s direction, Beth decided not to argue.

“Come on, Lucy.” Anna stepped out the front door, beckoning her daughter to follow.

“You two be careful,” Braden said, his words weighted with caution.

“We will,” Lucy said, dismissing him.

Beth wondered if Lucy had been overprotected in a family with so many men.

“I’m serious,” Braden persisted.

“Oh, relax. We’re meeting Chase and Dad for a late lunch, we’ll be fine.” Lucy followed her mother out the door. She shot a beaming smile in Braden’s direction and gave a little finger wave. “You two have the whole place to yourselves…have a good time!” She pulled the door shut behind her before Braden could reply.

Braden cleared his throat, cutting the silence. “Can I get you anything?”

“A car and directions back to Portland,” Beth blurted out before she could stop herself. She knew she couldn’t leave. A part of her even acknowledged that Markko was as responsible for that as Braden was. Still, the lack of choice rankled.

“Anything else?” The words came out as a quiet apology that Beth didn’t want to deal with.

“I could use some sleep. I didn’t get much last night.” She let the accusation hang between them.

“Right. I’ll show you where my room is.”

Beth followed him quietly up the stairs and down a sunlit hallway. They passed a loft showcasing an ornate pool table, a forgotten game still laid out on the green surface. The room overlooked the entryway and a portion of the family room. The two-story windows at the front of the house poured light in and provided a breathtaking view of the forest.

Their home was everything she might have imagined of Braden’s family, had her arrival not been so hostile. The picture of normalcy, the warmth of his parents, Lucy’s constant laughter; all of that a weighty force that made it difficult to believe she’d arrived in the trunk of a car. The contradiction exhausted her.

Braden opened the second door on the left and allowed Beth to precede him into the room. A queen-size, cherry sleigh bed dominated the middle of the room, crisp white sheets and what looked like a down comforter were pulled back invitingly.

Fatigue overtook her in a rush. She ignored the rest of the room, sat on the edge of the bed, toed off her shoes and ignored Braden hovering in the doorway.

“Do you need anything?”

“I’m fine.”

“Beth, I…”

Beth cut him off with a jerk of her hand. She didn’t want to hear what he had to say. “Go away, Braden.”

“Look, I just want to…”

“I don’t care what you want.” She tucked her feet underneath the sheets and sank into a mattress as soft as a cloud. “Go away.” She closed her eyes, willing Braden to leave her alone. Maybe she’d have a better idea of what to say to him after she slept.

He sighed, but switched off the light. “I’ll be down the hall in the office, third door to the right, if you need me.”

Beth turned her back to him and burrowed into the pillows. “I won’t.”

***

Beth had been lying awake for a little more than an hour, staring out the window, watching the sun’s steady arc toward the horizon. She knew the moon marched steadily in behind it.

“Knock, knock.” Lucy lightly rapped her knuckles on the door as she pushed it open. “Oh good, you’re awake.” She grabbed four large shopping bags off the floor and marched into the room.

Beth sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed, reluctant to leave the quiet behind her. “What’s all that?”

Lucy started pulling things out of the bags she dropped by the dresser.

“The stuff I picked up for you in town,” she answered, pulling out several long-sleeve shirts, a couple of T-shirts, two pairs of jeans and several satin pajama sets.

“You didn’t need to get all of this. Some underwear and a toothbrush would have been plenty,” Beth said as Lucy continued to pull things out of bags, laying them either across the end of the bed or on top of the dresser.

Lucy grinned at her. “Don’t be silly. My clothes don’t fit you and Braden said to make sure you’re comfortable.”

More items appeared by the second: several sets of underwear, a hairbrush, makeup, toothpaste, even a silky robe. Beth felt anything but comfortable. “It’s too much.”

“Nah. Besides, I parted Braden from his credit card before I left.” Lucy looked at her, an earnest expression crossing her face. “He wanted to make sure you have everything you need.”

“Well, thanks, I guess.”

Lucy beamed at her response and started sorting through things. “Okay, I got you a couple of extra bras and some underwear, I followed the sizes you gave me, but I hope I got the right styles. You didn’t say.”

Lucy shoved some lacy undergarments,
matching
lacy undergarments, Beth realized, into her hands.

“These are great.”

“Oh good.” Lucy began pulling dresser drawers open until she found an empty one. “I got you some pj’s. I hope satin’s alright.”

Lucy ripped off store tags and started depositing items in drawers.

“Oh, well yeah, but…”