Page 16 of Healer’s Reckoning (The Healer’s #3)

Ava

I reach up and wipe my eyes. Glancing out at the main floor, I notice more vampires than there were a few minutes ago. “Go ahead and lay back down. We don’t want to take a chance of anybody seeing you.” I reach out to help him, but he does it by himself. I lean forward and talk softly. “I’m working on a plan. Okay? Don’t give up, little brother. We’re going to get out of here. Together.” My voice is still raspy, but he seems to understand my words.

“Let’s go, Healer.”

I nearly jump out of my skin at the vampire standing inside Brandon’s enclosure. I glance back at Brandon and sigh in relief when I see his eyes are closed. I follow the vampire out the door and notice Ajax nearby. I keep walking and keep my head down. “Healer!” I stop and wait for him to walk over to me. “Anything more you want to tell me about the baby you stole?”

I keep my expression perfectly blank. “I didn’t steal the baby, and I don’t know where it is.”

He steps closer. “Yeah, but do you know who does, I wonder.” He leans towards me and sniffs. My heartbeat speeds up, and I try to take a deep breath to slow it down. I’m pretty sure he’s a shifter, and I’m pretty sure this is going to end badly. He gives me a cold grin before turning to the other vampire. “No need to walk her back; I’ll see her back this time.” He turns back to me. “Shall we?” I do my best to keep a neutral expression on my face and turn away and start the walk back to the house.

As we walk, I mentally beg Hunter to be out of the house. When we get to the front door, I stop and turn, hoping he’ll just walk back. No such luck. He steps in front of me and opens the door and walks inside. I follow quickly and take in the room quickly. Nobody’s in the kitchen at least. Ajax quickly leaves me behind and walks through the house. I take a seat at the table, trying to look like I don’t care that he’s in the house. He comes back into the kitchen seconds later. Without a word to me, he leaves the house, slamming the door behind him. My breath whooshes out. “What was that?” Sherese asks, coming into the kitchen.

“I don’t know.” Exhaustion slams into me now that my adrenaline is crashing.

“What’s wrong with your voice?” she asks, dropping into the chair next to me.

“Rizo.” I can’t help the anger that slips out at just the mention of his name.

She eyes me warily. “What did he do?”

“They’re still trying to find out what happened to the baby. That’s what that was about with Ajax too. He sniffed me earlier. Do you think he smelled Hunter?”

“Not possible,” Hunter says from behind us, causing us both to jump.

“Wear a bell, Wolf,” Sherese snaps.

“Some protector you are if you can’t even hear me entering the kitchen, Vampire,” he responds.

“How is it not possible?” I ask, going back to my original question. “He leaned forward and sniffed me.”

“He won’t catch my scent,” he says.

“How?”

“He’s a wolf; he’s going to catch your scent,” Sherese tells him.

“I don’t have a scent.”

Sherese laughs out loud. “Of course you have a scent. Everybody does, even vampires and wolves.”

“I don’t.” He crosses his arms across his chest and holds his ground.

Sherese just shakes her head. “Yes, you do. I can smell you from here, and my nose isn’t all that great.”

He stares hard at her, but I’m still trying to figure out why he would think he doesn’t have a scent. “Not possible,” he reiterates his words from earlier.

“Totally possible,” Sherese argues.

“As much as I’d love to see who wins this argument, I’m going to take advantage of this time to—” There’s a thud from one of the rooms, and the room goes quiet. Sherese stands up, but Hunter puts his hand out, stopping her movement forward. She rolls her eyes but stays put. He sniffs the air and then frowns and disappears. Sherese and I follow him to my room.

“You idiot.” I hear Hunter’s low tone and push forward, only to stop in shock. Bryce is lying on the floor next to my bed with his eyes closed.

I push forward. “What happened to him?”

His eyes flash open, and I see that his wolf is very present. I take a cautious step backwards. “Ava.” His voice is gruff and sounds nothing like how he usually does. He stands up, or at least he tries to. Hunter supports his weight.

“You’re an idiot,” Hunter says, shaking his head.

“Don’t call him that,” I snap. “And good grief, help the guy sit down before he falls over.” I move in to help, but Hunter easily maneuvers him and helps him sit on my bed.

“Just give me a minute,” Bryce says in a heavy voice.

“Uh, I think you’re going to need a lot of minutes,” Sherese says from where she’s standing in my doorway.

“Why?” I turn back to Bryce. “What happened to you?”

“I’m fine.” His voice is still gruff. He looks up at me in concern. “What happened to your voice?”

I don’t answer his question. Hunter makes a sound, and I turn my attention to him. “What happened?” I ask nice and slow in case he didn’t understand me the first time.

“He came through the barrier.” It’s Sherese that answers. I turn to her. She shakes her head. “It’s a wonder he didn’t die.”

I turn back to Bryce, who meets my eyes. “I’m fine.”

“What’s the damage? What happens?”

“It jolts his body with what may as well be electric current,” Sherese explains. “It’s the equivalent of it, anyway. Check his chest for burns.” She seems to know exactly what she’s talking about.

I turn back to Bryce. “Take off your shirt.”

He smirks at me, but I can see the pain beneath it. “Wasn’t exactly how I fantasized about you asking me that.”

I refuse to blush. “Shirt off. Now.”

“You’re a demanding woman.”

He makes no move to get his shirt off, and I realize he’s trying to joke to keep me from getting a good look at him. Now, I’m worried. I decide to take matters into my own hands. I stand up and step between his legs and grab the bottom of his shirt. He puts his hands over mine, stilling me and looks me in the eye. “I’m fine, Ava.”

“Good. Then there’s nothing to worry about if I lift your shirt and look for myself.” Without waiting for his approval, I begin to pull his shirt up. I stop halfway when I catch his jaw clenching.

“It’s fine; it’s already healing.”

“Stop being stubborn and let me see.” I’m as gentle as I can be as I wrangle his shirt off him. I drop the shirt on the bed and turn to look at him, and the breath stalls in my chest. “Bryce.” My already hoarse voice is so much more hoarse. His chest looks like somebody threw scalding water all over it. I want to reach out and touch him, but I fear hurting him even more.

Sherese sucks in a breath. “That’s so bad.”

“I’m going to take care of it.” I step closer to Bryce and take a deep breath and blow it out. I reach out my hands, but Bryce grabs both of them gently.

“No.” My eyes snap to his. “You’re not going to heal me.”

My eyebrows lift of their own accord. “Yes, I am.”

“Here we go,” Hunter mutters.

I don’t even bother looking at him. “Shut it, Hunter.” Sherese laughs, but I don’t look at her either. “Bryce, I’m going to heal you, and you’re not going to stop me.”

He hasn’t looked away from me. “You’re incredibly weak, Ava. I will heal in time. You’re not going to heal me.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “I don’t like being told what I can and can’t do.”

His lips curl up in the corners just the slightest bit. “Noted.”

“I’m going to heal you,” I insist.

“No, you’re not.”

I try to pull my hands from his, but his grip is too strong. “I’m betting on Ava,” I hear Sherese say from behind me. “Who are you betting on?”

“Bryce,” Hunter responds.

I roll my eyes and ignore the two of them. “Bryce, let go of me.”

“Just as soon as you give me your word that you’re not going to heal me.”

“This is ridiculous! Let me go.”

He cocks his head to the side. “I think you forget that I’m an alpha.” His voice is deceptively calm. “Just because I don’t come in and order everyone around doesn’t mean I don’t have the power and authority to do so. I am not going to let you further weaken yourself by healing me when I can heal myself. It’s just a matter of time.”

“Fine.” I jerk my hands from his and walk out of the room without looking back. “Don’t call me when you pass out from the pain.” I’m so irritated when I hit the kitchen.

“Ava,” Sherese calls out.

“What?” I snap and then immediately regret it. “Sorry.” I slump into a chair.

She pulls out a chair across from me. “It’s okay.”

She looks behind her for a moment and then leans forward. “I’m going to have to sneak back into the building tonight and grab a dose of that scent removal stuff for your alpha.”

“He’s not my alpha.” The words are automatic.

She watches me a moment. “Okay. I’m going to have to sneak in there for a dose for the alpha. There’s no way at least Ajax won't recognize the scent of another wolf, especially a powerful alpha.”

“Hunter too?” I ask.

She shakes her head, looking pensive. “No. I mean I can smell his scent, but it’s not nearly as strong as the alpha’s.”

“Why?” I ask.

She shrugs. “I have no idea. Maybe you could ask him; he’s so chatty.” A wry smile spreads across my cracked lips.

“Do you want me to go with you?” I ask.

“No, I’ll be much faster on my own. Thanks though.”

“Just be careful,” I tell her.

“I will.”

She stands up and looks out the window. “They’re coming for you.”

“Ajax?” I ask, worried.

“No.”

I stand up. “Okay. I’ll just meet them outside. See you later.” I head out the front door, shutting it fully behind me. If these two vampires are surprised to see me, they don’t show it on their faces. Actually, Sherese is the only vampire that I’ve ever seen show any emotion of any kind.

We get to the room and they get right to it. My arms are so bruised from taking blood, yet they continue on. They slip the mask over my face, and I feel myself slipping away. When I come to, I take the little white pill they always give me. I take a few minutes to get my equilibrium back before I make the trip to Brandon’s. When I get into the open area where the subjects are being kept, it’s not as crazy as it was earlier. I’m hoping that’s a good sign. I make my way to Brandon’s enclosure but stop suddenly when I see who’s inside. “Healer, just who I was hoping to see,” Ajax says with a smile that’s as fake as can be. I refuse to take a step back, even though my brain is screaming at me too. “How’s your brother been doing?” He asks and steps out of the way, so I can see Brandon.

I keep my voice steady. “He’s the same as always.”

“Is he?”

I don’t know what he’s trying to get at, and I refuse to give him anything. “Yep.” I breeze past him and over to the chair beside Brandon’s bed and will him not to open his eyes. I’m afraid Ajax will take one look at his eyes that are nowhere near as red as they used to be and up whatever they’re using on him. I’m not about to let that happen.