Page 16 of The Healer (The Blood of Legends #2)
Chapter Sixteen
WELL-MEANING INTRUDER
A scraping noise pierced the fog of sleep. Ilona twitched then snuggled deeper under the blankets, dismissing the sound as a branch against a window. But when banging followed, she sat up and shivered. Cold air lashed across her bare arms, pebbling her unprotected nipples in her thin tank. The house had been warmer last night, but in the pre-dawn temperatures, the fireplace and central heating couldn’t cope.
She swung her legs off the side of the bed, her knees chilling in seconds. Better pajamas might be a good idea. Ripping the quilt off the bed, she whipped it around her and paused, listening for the direction of the noises.
Something tinkled, like glass touching glass. She spun, searching for a weapon of some sort. A boot? An electric toothbrush? Smothering a groan, she gripped the quilt at her chest and peeled her bedroom door open. Sticking to the side of the passage, she crept forward, one well-placed foot at a time, keeping her breathing shallow and silent despite her deafening heartbeat. The wall against her shoulder offered some comfort.
The closer she came to the kitchen, the more familiar the sounds: the popping of toast, the sizzle of bacon. Its delicious aroma merged with freshly brewed coffee. She peered around the wall and groaned. “Dane!”
The ass didn’t jerk in surprise. He must have had heard her approaching. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”
He scooped bacon onto a plate of scrambled eggs. Coffee gurgled in the machine, and she sighed, eager for a cup. But succumbing to one meant he won.
“What the hell are you doing in my house?” She tugged the cover tighter, wishing she had taken the time to dress.
“Making you breakfast.” His puzzled expression shot frustration through her. “You like bacon. I remember that.”
“I also value my privacy.” She raised her arm to point at the door, then lowered it. Maybe he’d broken into her home because he needed her medical expertise. “Is someone hurt?”
“Nah, just thought a sweet breakfast and a drive to Lover’s Point made sense.” He placed two glasses of orange juice on the dining table.
She blinked at him, then at his bare toes like the cold didn’t seep through the floorboards. “Did you turn down the heating?”
“Nope, it’s set to seventy.” He gestured to the panel mounted on the wall. “You must still be sensitive to the cooler temperatures.”
“Still?” She chose a chair to slump into. “I doubt I’ll ever acclimatize.” After a sip of orange juice, she swallowed past a delighted hum. “Freshly squeezed?”
“Only the best for our doctor.” He winked, then chose the chair opposite her. “I did knock, but when you didn’t answer, I worried.”
“Sorry, I was super tired.” She flicked a glance outside at the dark blue skies and the bright glow of thick snow. His SUV wasn’t out front. “You didn’t walk here, did you?”
“Sure did.” He grinned, scooping eggs and bacon onto her plate.
“In bear form?” She dished most of the food off her plate—she couldn’t eat the mountain he had served.
“Yup.” He picked at his T-shirt. “Carried these so you wouldn’t be alarmed by my naked self in your kitchen.”
She bit her tongue, not wanting to remind him she had been alarmed regardless of the state of his modesty. A bite of bacon kept her mouth occupied, but she glared at him while she chewed. Had he not intruded, she would be dreaming and in blissful warmth.
“What are your plans for the day, Doc?” He sipped his juice with his pinky sticking out.
With a dip of her head, she hid her smile as she rearranged her cutlery. “Where I need to be. At the clinic.” She spooned in the fluffiest scrambled eggs she had ever tasted. A pot of marmalade sat on the table, along with butter. Waking up to this was heaven, but if she told him that, he would intrude willy-nilly.
“So, a quick trip to Lover’s Point and a bit of snowboarding?” He arched a brow.
“Sounds like a plan.” She smiled, smearing butter onto a slice of perfectly toasted ciabatta. “Trying to bribe me to stay?” As she swept a hand across the table, she bit into her toast then licked butter off her bottom lip.
“Maybe.” He smirked.
“Got things to do back home, Dane, and a job at Indes Pediatric Hospital.” She winced.
A decision needed to be made there. She couldn’t keep them hanging on. Dr. Olson had been most understanding when the news of her parents’ death reached him. Still, they needed a doctor dedicated to saving lives and to helping children. She didn’t fit the mold anymore. Staying in Coedwig, or a place like it, might be the safer option. At least, her medical training wouldn’t have gone to waste.
Tears prickled, so she hastily squeezed her eyes shut. This wasn’t what her parents would have wanted, but neither had they foreseen their deaths nor Ilona’s inability to save them.
Dane didn’t speak, just watched her, concern furrowing his brow.
The thump of a car door snapped her out of her daze. Jake strolled across the fresh snow, stomped his boots on the porch, then knocked on the front door.
“Come on in, Jake.” Dane’s invitation gritted her teeth. This was still her home, for now.
“Good morning.” Jake’s wide grin dampened her ire.
“Grab some coffee, Sheriff, and help yourself. Dane made it.” She gestured to the fast-dwindling food Dane muscled through.
He glared at her but rose to grab Jake a plate.
“Whoa, what a privilege.” The scent of snow and wet cat reached her when Jake chose a chair. A sprinkle of white sloughed off his shoulders. “How did you sleep, Doc?” He scooped mountains of egg and bacon onto his plate then buttered a slice of toast.
“Well, just cold.” She shivered on cue, then shrugged the quilt in place, not wanting to reveal her barely decent pajamas. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll dress for the day.”
Not waiting for their replies, she bolted, shutting her bedroom door on a soft click when she was tempted to bang it. Fuck. Sucking in calming breaths didn’t steady the staccato of her heartbeat. This was small-town life. Neighbors became friends became family.
With two men in the house, she wasn’t about to shower. Thermal underwear, jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, and a jacket would be good for starters. Psyching herself up, she tossed off the quilt, her tank and boy shorts, then yanked on her clothes. On the edge, she sat, donned thick socks and her boots, lacing them tight. In the bathroom, she ran a brush through her hair without looking in the mirror, but when she brushed her teeth, she made the mistake of meeting her gaze.
She gasped then gagged, swallowing toothpaste. Spitting out the remnants, she gargled and rinsed before studying her reflection. Where there had been an angry gash down her cheek, the skin had knitted like the wound was weeks old. Holy fuck. She needed a sample of Dane’s blood, pronto. All those kids in car accidents or suffering from leukemia? Didn’t he care? Did he know how his blood could save lives?
She had to play nice.
Opening her bedroom door, she called out she was ready before reaching the dining room.
“Talk was wild yesterday about your treatment of Edison,” Jake said around a mouthful of buttered ciabatta.
“I had to if he has mange. I wouldn’t be able to say for sure without a skin sample.” Or blood sample, but she didn’t mention that. “I gave him a general antibiotic, even though I don’t know how your blood reacts to human meds. Dane said the only way to find out was to inject him and see.”
Jake shrugged. “I haven’t heard of a shifter dying from antibiotics.”
“His mange might be from catnip abuse.” Dane drained his coffee and rose to gather the dirty plates.
Jake chuckled. “Yup, you’re a doctor, Ilona. After receiving an injury from him, most folks wouldn’t want to help him.”
“Leave the dishes, Dane, I’ll get to it later.” She wanted this morning done, and with any luck, a little quiet time before she opened the clinic.
“You didn’t eat much,” Jake said as he headed for the front door. He held it open for her, along with her woolen cap and gloves.
“Saving myself for Mo’s apple pie.” The explosive combination of cinnamon, baked apple, and whipped cream made her mouth water. Pausing on the porch, she tugged on the cap and her gloves while her breath condensed.
“The cold burns more calories, Doc. You’ve got to eat more.”
She didn’t know whether to find Jake’s concern sweet or creepy for checking her out. Snorting, she slid into the driver’s seat when he pointed at it. She would go with sweet because he was a loving father and had a wife…no, a mate. “I’ll eat my fill of Harriet’s chocolate cake too, Jake, don’t you worry. She’s hellbent on fattening me up.”
Dane shut her front door and leaped off the porch in nothing but jeans and a T-shirt. Barefoot, he ran across the snow and climbed in the back, shoving a scarf between the seats for Jake to grab.
“So ready for this. A few inches fell last night which means untouched snow as far as the eye can see.” Dane rubbed his palms together and grinned.
Without responding, she started the engine and steered the SUV onto the ‘road.’ By now, she had the trees memorized since she was unable to rely on road markings or grooves in the snow. Jake and Dane remained silent as she careened around corners, clipping it at a steady pace. Not once did Jake encourage her to speed up nor did Dane warn her of too-sharp bends. She drew the SUV to a gentle halt to not lock the tires and switched off the engine.
“Impressive.” Jake smiled before flicking the scarf around her neck. “Let’s suit up.” He bolted from the cab, circled to the trunk, and flipped it open.
She stared out the window at Echon Mountain, the flickering lights of the tower, the dark green of the forests, and the sunlight creeping across the snow, painting it in golden yellow. From inside the cab warmed by the heater, the world around her was breathtaking.
Shivering in anticipation, she opened the door and stepped out. The wind snuck through the gaps of her clothing. She looped the scarf, zipped the jacket closed, then joined Dane and Jake. After gearing up, Dane checked her goggles and raised her hoodie, before securing it with a tug.
She threw herself off the cliff with more confidence than before, this time eager for the ride. The wind slapped her cheeks, icy cold lashing her face. She bent her knees to absorb the landing. By going first, she carved the untouched snow and chose where to board. But despite the thrill sparking adrenaline through her and summoning a smile, the hike back remained at the forefront of her decisions. The farther she went, the longer the return walk.
Resting her weight on her heels, she skidded to a halt, furrowing the snow, and spraying up a cloud of white powder. She raised her face to the sun’s rays, eager to feel the kiss of warmth against her chapped cheeks.
Dane and Jake stopped beside her.
“So beautiful.” Dane’s breath condensed as he huffed. “I couldn’t imagine leaving this for the city.”
“Same.” Jake twisted and waved at a man on the tower’s small balcony.
Unclipping the board, she stomped back, longing for a hot cup of coffee or cocoa. Gripping the nose of the board, she used the tail like a ski pole, dipping into the snow and dragging herself forward. It eased the effort on her thighs, but by the time they reached the SUV, she sucked in ragged breaths, and her arms trembled.
The return drive to her house was in silence.
As soon as she parked, she hopped out with a wave. “See you guys later.” With a pointed look at Dane hoping to convey he better give her some space, she disappeared inside.
She shut the door, rested her temple on it, and waited for the rumble of the SUV to fade. A peek outside showed no sign of a polar bear or lion. After a quick shower and a hot cup of coffee on her porch, she headed for the clinic to start the day.
Little Allison had come in covered in burrs, and in her cub form too. That had taken time to untangle. Mrs. Cromwell just wanted to chat to a friendly face about her grandchildren not visiting and the possibility of winning the town’s crochet contest this year. Ilona didn’t have the patience to learn that skill, and despite the waste of her time, she cherished those Harriet-chats. Not that Ilona charged for them either when the elderly woman brought lunch, cake, and coffee.
The highlight of Ilona’s day was a glimpse of Rhys’s gorgeous ass as he ran naked into the forest behind Cromwell’s. She hadn’t blinked, savoring the ripple of muscle along his fine legs and broad shoulders. Holy shit, he was a sexy man.
She fanned herself with medical cards on STDs before snorting. Looking never hurt anybody, and besides, he hadn’t known she ogled him. Heat burst across her cheeks anew. If he did know, what could she say?
She hurried away from the window, planning on confronting him soon enough about his not-so-secret interest in her grandmother.