Page 34 of Healing Creek (Arena Dogs #3)
Chapter Twenty-Eight
When Grace had cried herself out in relief, Creek set her a little away from him and lifted her chin to meet his eyes.
“Can you climb?”
She looked down at her legs as if needing to visually assess them.
She rubbed her hands down the length of each, brushing dirt away.
There were rips in the fabric of her pants and a few small spots of blood, but nothing that would indicate serious injury.
She wiped down her arms in the same manner.
Where there had been deep scratches moments earlier, there were already signs of healing.
“Yes,” she said. “I can climb.”
He’d never had cause to notice before, but her ability to heal surpassed his own.
They had much to discuss, but the night had fallen around them and the bottom of a hole was not where he intended to spend it.
He stood and lifted her to her feet then guided her in placing her hands and feet on the ragged surface of the pit.
He kept close behind her as she climbed, so he could steady her when she needed help.
Together they managed the climb without further injury.
Grace turned in a slow circle. “Where are they?”
Creek didn’t bother to look for them. “They’re very good at camouflage. They’re also easily startled, but quick to regain their courage. We need to get out of their territory before we sleep.
“Sleep?” She sounded startled—maybe even frightened.
“We need rest. It has been a long day for us both.” And the first part of the day had been spent with her healing his injuries and him recovering. “And it will be a long journey back.”
“Zachary—”
“I believe the others found him about the time I left the plateau.”
“That’s good.”
“Let me check in with them to let them know I found you.”
Her eyebrows drew together in question, and he used a careful finger to gently trace the arc of one and then the other.
He was getting more used to having his claws back.
His cheeks were tight with the happiness he felt at finding her alive and relatively unharmed.
He lifted his chin to the canopy of trees overhead and howled.
Their howls were not a language he could use to convey any detail.
But they would know by his tone that they were safe.
He filled his lungs again and bellowed twice in the lowest tone he could manage.
They would carry the farthest. Faintly, he heard a return howl.
Creek twined his fingers with Grace’s and set out for the closest edge of the primate territory. “Step careful but quick.”
She followed his lead as they walked in silence. The scuttle of small creatures moving in the cool of the night echoed around them, and the soft grunts of the primates drifted overhead. Good. They had calmed. They were not nocturnal creatures and were finding their own beds.
All signs of their calls had stopped an hour later when the terrain began to change.
The trees were as dense as ever, but a mossy covering began to soften the roots and rocks that had made the ground where they walked treacherous.
Bioluminescent flowers glowed white and blue in the vines that wound around the tree trunks.
Creek squeezed her fingers as he released a sigh of relief. “We’re out of their territory, now we only need to find a good spot to stop. Can you walk a while longer.”
“Yes.” She’d been so quiet. “Creek.” He stopped and looked back at her. “Thank you for coming for me. For saving me.”
He shook his head. “I’m so proud of you.
You fought and you saved yourself.” He cupped her face with one hand and brought his lips to hers.
They were soft and warm and welcoming. He dipped his tongue into her mouth and she met it without hesitation.
Reluctantly, he ended the kiss. “And I will always come for you.”
She grinned sadly. “I’ll hold you to that.”
Creek released her and led her onward until he spotted the large round bulbs of a stand of chiluy plants.
“Look.” He pointed at the saffron yellow and emerald green spheres of the chiluy. “Those glowing orbs deter insects and rodents.” He reached for one of the broad leaves of the tysee bush and broke it at the stem. “We can use these to make a bed over amongst the chiluy.”
Grace followed his lead, gathering the leaves as they made their way over. “Are there any other dangerous predators out here,” she asked softly.
“The chiluy discourage their prey so the predators keep to the darker sections of the jungle. We’ll be safe enough to sleep here tonight.” Creek led her to the center of the stand of waist high bulbs and started arranging a bed from the leaves they’d gathered.
Grace inhaled a deep breath. “They smell like mint.” Some of the stress had left her voice and her cookie sweet scent mixed with the herbal scent of the chiluy.
When Creek was satisfied with his task, he put out a hand to guide her down.
She smiled at him in wonder. “Look at you.” She took the offered hand and settled next to him, keeping his hand in hers. She ran a finger over the surface of one of his claws. “I never imagined the healing would go this far. It’s actual restoration. And you’re moving like you have no more pain.”
He pulled her fingers to his lips and brushed kisses against her knuckles. Her skin was salty and sweet. “Tell me, my butterfly. How did you heal me?”
Her eyes had been wide and fixed on his face. Now her head lowered, and her gaze drifted away. “I gave you my blood.”
“I don’t know much about medicine, but I don’t think a simple blood donation can heal wounds like I had. Let alone the many other things that have been healed.” Creek lifted her chin and met her gaze.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t explain first, but…”
“I was dying.”
“Yes. And I couldn’t imagine a life without you in it.”
He twined his fingers with hers. “So, you gave me your blood?”
She nodded. “And my blood is full of medi-bots.”
“Machines?”
“Tiny ones, yes.”
“I’ve heard of them, but don’t they have to be programmed for a specific surgery?”
“Usually, they do. But mine are special. Mine run more sophisticated programming. Together, the whole network functions like an artificial intelligence. They can diagnosis and decide how to treat any illness. My family developed them.”
“This is why you heal so quickly?”
“They’re always healing me.”
“The disease you were born with. These special medi-bots are what cured you?”
“Not exactly. You remember I told you what’s wrong with me is on a genetic level?” He made a noise of agreement and she continued. “The bots can’t rewrite DNA. They can only fix things as they begin to break down. They don’t cure me. They’re always healing me.”
Her words terrified him. “You’re always sick. Always dying?”
She smiled. “We’re all dying from the day we’re born.”
“This isn’t funny, my Grace. Tell me you haven’t endangered your own life by saving mine.”
“It’s a risk. If I’m seriously injured, with fewer bots in my system, they might struggle to heal me.
But the bots are self-replicating. They’ll eventually multiply enough to return to full strength.
Before that happens, I could suffer some of the effects of the Batten disease I told you about.
Those effects could get worse over time if I don’t take care of myself.
” She grinned. “A few good meals and some sleep will help.”
Creek pulled her down onto the bed of leaves and wrapped his arms around her. She rested her cheek on his chest.
“This is why the medic stole you.”
“He tested my blood and found the bots. He thought they could resolve the fertility problem, but it shouldn’t work that way. Not if it’s genetic, like Jennifer claimed.”
“They did much more than heal my wounds.”
“Yes, but they followed your genetic code. They didn’t alter it. And they won’t work long term. They were designed to shut down within twenty-four hours of leaving my system.”
“So, the medi-bots in me—”
“They’ll start shutting down, but everything they’ve healed or regenerated should remain. Just don’t get fatally injured again, okay?”
“It isn’t in my plan, Butterfly. I plan to be at your side as long as you want me.”
Grace pushed up on one side. She looked at him a long while then leaned down to press her lips against his. She tasted sweet and, even with the smell of the chiluy plants around them, her scent enveloped him. Everything about her was right. She was his.