Page 5 of Swimming With the Sharks
“Jabari, you know I cannot help you.Why doyou call me?”
“I am not calling for me, but that of mymate.Please great healer.He is human and he is going to die ifyou don’t help him.”
Jabari hated to have to ask for help, let alonebeg, but there was little he wouldn’t do to save the man the fatesdeemed as his own.
“Your mate?Are you saying the fates havegifted you when they have not done so for any other of ourkind?”
“I am.”
There was silence for almost a full thirtyseconds, before she finally said,“Take him to your home.I willmeet you there.”
“Thank you, great healer.”
“Do not thank me yet, Jabari.I do not knowif I can help the human or not, but I will come.Leave the backdoor open.”
“Yes, great healer.”
Jabari rushed to his home and quickly made hisway into his room.Gently placing the gorgeous human on the bed,Jabari began to strip him of his wet clothing.“My gods, you areskin and bones.I will have to make sure you are well fed from thisday forward.”
After all his mate’s clothing was removed,Jabari couldn’t help but take notice of the man’s naked flesh.Jabari wanted nothing more than to run his tongue from the tips ofthose adorable toes to the top of his mate’s spiky blond hair.Thenhe saw the scars.
Gripping his mate’s wrist, Jabari looked at whatcould only be needle marks that ran all over the man’s right andleft arms as well as another jagged scar on his hip and side.“Whatis this?Are you a drug user?”
Taking a deep breath, Jabari didn’t smell thehint of taint, but there was something out of place, he just didn’tknow what it was.Hell, it wasn’t like Jabari had much contact withhumans to begin with, but there was definitely something off.Hewould have to ask the healer.
Hearing his back door open and then close,Jabari quickly covered his mate’s naked flesh.Yes, the man neededa healer, but the idea of someone else seeing his mate’s nude bodyunsettled Jabari greatly.
“Jabari, are you back here?”The healer calledout.
“Yes, great healer.Please come in.”
The great healer hesitated a moment beforecoming into his room.Giving Jabari a wide berth, she made her wayto his mate.Slowly she ran her hand over his body, “He is notwell.There is something, but I don’t know what it is.Human issuesare not my thing.However, right now it looks like he suffers fromhypothermia and exhaustion.He needs to be kept warm and get plentyof rest.He should be alright.There is a small bump on his headwhich may be why he is still unconscious.There is little I cando.”
“And you don’t know what the illness is hesuffers from?”Jabari asked.
Shaking her head, the great healer replied, “No.I will take care of the swelling and the rest will be up toyou.”
“Thank you, great healer.How can I repay yourgift?”Jabari asked.
Shaking her head, the healer replied, “There isnothing I want from you, Jabari.I will heal your mate, and all Iask is you tell no one of this.It could ruin me.”
Sadness washed through Jabari, but he nodded andaccepted her terms.He knew she was right.If anyone in Atlantisdiscovered the great healer had come to him in a time of need, theywould shun her as much as they did him.It was a sad fact, but itwas a fact.“Thank you, great healer.If you could heal his headwound I will make sure my mate stays comfortable and gets plenty ofrest.”
She lightly ran her hand over his mate’s head,and when finished, looked up once again, “You do know I don’t feelas the others Jabari.Yes, you make me nervous, I will admit that,but in all the years I have known you, never have you brought harmto anyone.”
Jabari nodded, “I thank you for that.It means alot to me, great healer.”
Giving Jabari a small smile, she said, “Andreas,Jabari.My name is Andreas.”
Unable to look away from the man lying in hisbed, Jabari could do no more than nod, whispering, “Andreas.I willremember that and use it only when others are not around.”
Gathering her bag, Andreas started to leave, butturned around.“You know, if this man is your true mate it mightshow the others that you aren’t a bad man.It is general knowledgethat evil cannot have mates of any kind, because they don’t haveany capacity to love or accept love in their life.”
Snorting, Jabari replied, “And who is going tobelieve what I’m saying?The people of Atlantis are not ones to letgo of their beliefs, Andreas.In their minds I am the spawn ofdemons, and therefore I am evil.Most likely they won’t believe me.Hell, I don’t even know how it is you believed me enough to comehere.”
Her lips raised on one side in a half smile.“That’s easily answered.I heard something I’ve never heard comefrom you.”
“What’s that?”Jabari asked in confusion.