same room. In here, I smelled tropical flowers and heard the sound of soft native flute music.
A warm, soft hand picked up one of mine, chaffing it gently. “ Carys ? Are you awake?”
Suddenly all the memories flashed into my brain and I cried out, throwing my free hand down over my abdomen.
“Your baby is safe,” the voice said. “So are you. Think you can open your eyes for me now?”
I blinked and managed to separate my stuck-together lashes. The woman sitting beside the bed was smiling at me with comforting warmth in her serene expression. She was beautiful, with high cheekbones, full lips and big brown eyes. Her copper-brown hair waved softly to her waist, and I wanted to hate her on sight, except she’d just said the one thing in the world I most wanted to hear.
“I’m Hope Rivera,” she said, anticipating my question. Her accent was pure southern California . “Or Esperanza, if you ask my grandmother. I’m Charlie’s sister, and the resident medic for this misbegotten crew. We caught everything in time, pobrecita , and both you and the baby are going to be just fine.”
“How…?” I didn’t see any tubes or machines, or other hospital-type equipment. “How can you be sure?”
Her smile twisted into a warm, wry grin. “You have your gifts, I have mine. I can’t fly, but I can heal.” She shrugged her shoulders, as if to say I should believe it or not, my choice. If I was surprised that she knew about the Maddox shifting abilities, it didn’t register until later.
“You—healed me?” I didn’t understand it, but I wasn’t going to argue with a gift from the gods—I’d have fought every demon or devil I could think of, or kissed their asses to save my child. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. They weren’t going to let me go on the extraction mission anyway. As an empath, it’s hard for me to be around the fighting.”
“That crew? I’m constantly amazed that even Hannah gets to go. Talk about a bunch of male chauvinists.” I moved to sit up against the headboard, and instantly, Hope was there, putting a fluffy pillow behind my back.
“Oh they tried to leave her here, on communications duty.” Hope’s big brown eyes danced merrily, then narrowed. “I thought she was going to throw a chair at your cousin Vaughn. That one is the worst, I think.”
“You haven’t met my brother Gavin,” I told her, rolling my eyes. “Or Will. When I first joined Guardian, he spent months yelling at me every time I tried to take a field assignment.” I stifled a sob, wondering what they’d done to Will when they came in and found me missing. How would he explain that?
“They’ll get him back.” She patted my hand. “It’s what they do, and they’re the best. Plus they have your family to help. I’m sure a grizzly bear and a panther come in handy in a fight.”
“Yeah.” I leaned aback against the pillows. I didn’t hurt anywhere, but I had all the energy of a half-drowned kitten.
Hope brought me a plastic cup of water, which helped somewhat. I handed her back the empty cup and asked. “So this healing—how does it work?”
“I don’t know. How do you explain your shape shifting? I just know what needs to be fixed when I touch someone, and I can visualise it happening. In your case, you were too fatigued, and there was a drug in your system making things worse. I convinced your body to reject the drug, repaired the dehydration damage in your uterus, and managed to infuse some fresh energy into you so your body quit trying to miscarry. It was enough, but you’re going to be a little weak for a couple of days.”
I looked at her then, noticing the lines around her eyes and mouth. “Energy from you. Thank you, Hope.” I owed her more than I could ever repay.
“No problem,” she said. “It’s what I do. I recover it very quickly.”
“How did you end up down here with your brother?” I figured Charlie was just as bad as the rest, wanting to keep the women safe
A warm, soft hand picked up one of mine, chaffing it gently. “ Carys ? Are you awake?”
Suddenly all the memories flashed into my brain and I cried out, throwing my free hand down over my abdomen.
“Your baby is safe,” the voice said. “So are you. Think you can open your eyes for me now?”
I blinked and managed to separate my stuck-together lashes. The woman sitting beside the bed was smiling at me with comforting warmth in her serene expression. She was beautiful, with high cheekbones, full lips and big brown eyes. Her copper-brown hair waved softly to her waist, and I wanted to hate her on sight, except she’d just said the one thing in the world I most wanted to hear.
“I’m Hope Rivera,” she said, anticipating my question. Her accent was pure southern California . “Or Esperanza, if you ask my grandmother. I’m Charlie’s sister, and the resident medic for this misbegotten crew. We caught everything in time, pobrecita , and both you and the baby are going to be just fine.”
“How…?” I didn’t see any tubes or machines, or other hospital-type equipment. “How can you be sure?”
Her smile twisted into a warm, wry grin. “You have your gifts, I have mine. I can’t fly, but I can heal.” She shrugged her shoulders, as if to say I should believe it or not, my choice. If I was surprised that she knew about the Maddox shifting abilities, it didn’t register until later.
“You—healed me?” I didn’t understand it, but I wasn’t going to argue with a gift from the gods—I’d have fought every demon or devil I could think of, or kissed their asses to save my child. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. They weren’t going to let me go on the extraction mission anyway. As an empath, it’s hard for me to be around the fighting.”
“That crew? I’m constantly amazed that even Hannah gets to go. Talk about a bunch of male chauvinists.” I moved to sit up against the headboard, and instantly, Hope was there, putting a fluffy pillow behind my back.
“Oh they tried to leave her here, on communications duty.” Hope’s big brown eyes danced merrily, then narrowed. “I thought she was going to throw a chair at your cousin Vaughn. That one is the worst, I think.”
“You haven’t met my brother Gavin,” I told her, rolling my eyes. “Or Will. When I first joined Guardian, he spent months yelling at me every time I tried to take a field assignment.” I stifled a sob, wondering what they’d done to Will when they came in and found me missing. How would he explain that?
“They’ll get him back.” She patted my hand. “It’s what they do, and they’re the best. Plus they have your family to help. I’m sure a grizzly bear and a panther come in handy in a fight.”
“Yeah.” I leaned aback against the pillows. I didn’t hurt anywhere, but I had all the energy of a half-drowned kitten.
Hope brought me a plastic cup of water, which helped somewhat. I handed her back the empty cup and asked. “So this healing—how does it work?”
“I don’t know. How do you explain your shape shifting? I just know what needs to be fixed when I touch someone, and I can visualise it happening. In your case, you were too fatigued, and there was a drug in your system making things worse. I convinced your body to reject the drug, repaired the dehydration damage in your uterus, and managed to infuse some fresh energy into you so your body quit trying to miscarry. It was enough, but you’re going to be a little weak for a couple of days.”
I looked at her then, noticing the lines around her eyes and mouth. “Energy from you. Thank you, Hope.” I owed her more than I could ever repay.
“No problem,” she said. “It’s what I do. I recover it very quickly.”
“How did you end up down here with your brother?” I figured Charlie was just as bad as the rest, wanting to keep the women safe
Similar Books
