She couldn’t prevent the sob that escaped her as she thought about the silver that was poisoning their systems. She knew she didn’t have much time to help them. She picked up the poker that she had dropped when Boyd had grabbed her, and charged Boyd, swinging it with all her might and hitting him across his back as he fought Alex.
Boyd kicked out, catching her in the hip and causing her to fall to the ground once again. She couldn’t prevent the moan of pain from escaping her. Language unbecoming a lady left her lips as she fought to regain her footing. She couldn’t give up.
Nikki!
Alex’s voice screamed in her head. She could sense his terror at the sight of her being hit.
Together, Alex. Butler’s voice was weak as he spoke through their bond. We need to end this and take our mate and our cubs home.
As one, the two men surrounded Boyd, their large bodies overpowering him. Nikki watched them, terrified as her men struggled to contain Boyd, who still fought furiously. Alex reached up and grabbed him from behind, just beneath his jaw, locking his arm around his throat as he pushed him against Butler. Butler grabbed for Boyd’s head, twisting it sharply as Alex held him in place. There was the sound of bones snapping. Boyd’s body went limp between them. Releasing their hold on him, both men stepped back, breathing heavily as Boyd fell to the ground, dead.
Nikki held her hip as she walked toward her men. They grabbed her weakly, sandwiching her between them and holding her tightly. She allowed them only a moment to hold her in their shared embrace then pushed at them.
“Get in the truck,” she demanded. “We need to get you home so we can get those bullets out.”
Alex helped Butler into the back seat of the truck, turning to reach for Nikki with the intention of lifting her into the front passenger seat. She shook her head and pushed him into the front seat.
“I’m driving,” she told him. “Don’t you dare argue with me.”
Alex smiled as he sat back in the passenger seat and settled against the door. “I love you, Mate,” he whispered as he closed his eyes.
“I love you, too, sweetness,” Butler told her, his voice weak.
“I love you both,” she told them, turning the keys that were thankfully still in the ignition. Shifting the gear into drive, she gunned the gas and competently and quickly drove away from the cabin.
Fear grabbed her heart, and she had to steel herself to stay strong. She could not fall apart. Her men were counting on her. Instead of losing control and giving in to the fear that filled her, she got angry.
She sped down the rutted path toward the main road, determined to get them home as quickly as she could. She could feel the pain radiating from both men. They were quiet and trying to keep their feelings from her, but she could sense their worry as the poisonous silver coursed through their bodies.
“Can’t you both shift and heal yourselves?” she asked them, trying to stay calm despite the panic that was nearly overwhelming her.
“The silver won’t allow it,” Alex explained with effort. “We have to remove the bullets and clean out the wounds. Doc will know what to do.”
Nikki looked at Alex quickly before returning her focus to the road ahead of her. Chancing a look in the rearview mirror, she saw that Butler had closed his eyes and was leaning back against the seat. Both men were covered in perspiration and decidedly pale.
“If either of you die on me, I will never speak to you again,” she threatened them, relieved when she heard both men chuckle at her words.
Chapter 25
Alex’s truck roared up to the main entrance of the private lodge. Nikki screamed for help as she jumped from the truck, running around to the passenger side to pull open the door. Alex stumbled out, grabbing onto the truck door to hold himself up.
Nikki went to him immediately, wrapping her arm around his waist and putting her shoulder beneath his armpit to hold him up. He accepted her help, but instead of allowing her to walk him into the ranch house, he guided them to the back door of the truck and pulled it open quickly.
Reaching into the cab, he dragged Butler into his arms, taking the brunt of his weight as he stumbled from the truck. The wound in Butler’s side was bleeding profusely, making his odds of survival from the silver poisoning that much less.
The front door of the ranch home burst open, and Martha, Cole, and Lucian rushed toward the truck. Alex stepped back and allowed Lucian and Cole to support Butler, lifting him between them and rushing as quickly as they could up the porch stairs. Mitchell and Dean suddenly appeared beside them and took hold of Alex, supporting him as he walked on his own power up the front steps.
“They’ve both been shot with silver bullets,” Nikki told them quickly. “Where’s Drew?”
“Not here, Nikki,” Alex interrupted weakly. “Doc and Carter went to get their mate.”
Martha stepped forward and grabbed Nikki’s hand. “You and I will have to take out the bullets,” she said firmly.
Nikki quickly walked with Martha, following her men into the lodge. She was thankful that Lucian, Cole, Mitchell, and Dean were there to help get her injured mates inside. She had to fight the panic that was threatening to overtake her. Now was not the time to fall apart. She and Martha had to take care of Butler and Alex.
Thankful for her nursing training, she pushed aside her emotions and got to work. She followed Martha into one of the small guest bedrooms on the first floor. Mitchell and Dean helped Alex onto one of the single beds, and Lucian and Cole helped Butler onto the other. Their large frames overflowed the small beds, but they would have to do.
“Get the medical bag from Doc’s office, Cole,” Martha told him quickly. “I’ll get my herbs. There’s not much I can do except keep them comfortable and try to prevent their fevers from getting too high. I’ll help you get out the bullets as soon as we get all the tools we’ll need, Nikki.”
“Won’t the silver affect you too, Martha?” Nikki asked worriedly.
“It will be minimal,” Martha insisted. “I’ll be fine.”
Nikki looked at her with concern, shaking her head in refusal. “No. I won’t allow you to put yourself at risk.” She turned to face Lucian. “Go and get Mia. She’ll help me.”
Lucian’s eyes flashed golden for just a brief moment, before changing back to his original soft brown color. “I’ll be right back,” he told her calmly, turning and leaving the room quickly. Martha followed closely behind him.
Nikki looked at her men briefly then walked toward the small bathroom that adjoined the guest room. She scrubbed her hands and arms with the disinfectant soap there. Taking the clean towel from the rack, she covered her hands and walked back into the bedroom.
Alex was watching her silently, his eyes glazed over with pain and fever. “Take care of Butler first,” he told her softly. “He’s in worse shape.”
Nikki looked at Butler, concern filling her as she saw that he was unconscious. Despite his size and strength, he almost looked frail in the small bed. She felt a moment of fear rushing through her. Looking up, she saw Alex watching her.
Don’t worry, Mate. The Fates wouldn’t be so cruel as to have us find each other and give us the blessing of our cubs only to have everything taken away. Have faith.
Nikki walked over to Alex and knelt down beside the bed. She leaned forward and kissed his lips tenderly. She smiled as he purred softly against her lips. When she pulled back to look at him, she saw that he had lost consciousness.
I love you, Alex. Her voice whispered softly in his head as she sent her feelings of love to him. You’re going to be a wonderful Daddy.
She kissed his forehead and stood to walk over to Butler. Leaning forward, she kissed his lips tenderly.
I love you, Butler. Please fight to come back to me. Our babies need their Poppa. She leaned her forehead against his briefly, allowing herself only one last second of worry before pushing aside her emotions and getting down to the business of saving her mates.
She straightened and turned as
Martha came back into the bedroom carrying a medical kit slung with a strap over one shoulder and a tray with several small glass jars that contained a wealth of healing herbs. Laurie’s daughter Mia came in with her, carrying clean linens.
“Don’t worry, Aunt Nikki,” Mia told her quietly. “You and I will remove the bullets. Alex and Butler will be fine.”
Nikki smiled at Laurie’s daughter. She had always been proud of the young woman, and she certainly loved her to death, but at that moment, she had never been more thankful that Mia was a capable caregiver. She was going to make a wonderful nurse.
“We’ll be able to do this, Mia,” Nikki whispered, reassuring herself as well as Mia. “Thank you, honey.” She tried to flex her injured hand, determined to push through her pain so she could do what needed to be done. She would worry about herself later, once her men were taken care of.
Mia nodded and helped Nikki drape the sterile sheet over Butler’s abdomen, covering everything but the wound. Martha placed the jars and med kit on the small table between the two beds, opening the leather medical kit and removing the sealed, sterile surgical tools. The three of them pulled on surgical gloves, and Nikki carefully cleaned Butler’s wound with the disinfecting herbal salves that Martha offered her. She handed Mia the used gauze squares that had quickly become saturated with Butler’s blood and was thankful at how efficiently Mia assisted her and was able to anticipate her needs.
Taking the scalpel that Martha handed her, Nikki made a clean incision. Mia clamped the open wound and held back the skin as Nikki reached in to probe for the bullet. Finding it, she pulled it out in one firm move, dropping it into the small metal cup that Martha held up for her. Mia rinsed the open wound with sterile water then accepted the small bottle of liquid that Martha offered her.
“It’s sterile water with a mixture of herbs that will help cleanse the wound,” Martha explained.
“Will it help get rid of the silver in his system?” Nikki asked softly, afraid of what the older woman’s answer might be.
“No,” Martha told her quietly. “The herbs will fight off infection, but Butler’s wolf will have to fight off the effects of the silver. Hopefully, we’ve gotten the bullet out in time. The longer silver is in a shifter’s body, the worse the outcome.”
Nikki nodded. She waited until Mia poured the herbal mixture into the open wound and handed the half-filled bottle back to Martha before patting the area dry.
“Let’s close the wound,” she told Mia firmly. “I have another mate to help.”
Mia dried the area around Butler’s injury. Handing her aunt the suture kit, she aided her in the closing of the wound. She spread a layer of antibiotic ointment over the incision and covered it with a sterile square of gauze, holding it in place while Nikki taped it down securely.
Martha took away the soiled linens and helped cover Butler before turning to go to her son. Alex was still and pale as he lay on the bed. She helped Mia and Nikki put on fresh surgical gloves and prepare him for the surgical procedure that he needed, sending a quick prayer to the Fates that her son and his triad partner would recover quickly from this horrible attack.
Mia covered Alex with the sterile linens, leaning back to give her aunt space to work. Nikki took a fresh scalpel from Martha and quickly cut into the muscle of Alex’s bicep, digging in with a probe to clamp down on the bullet. Pulling it out, she dropped it into the metal cup Martha offered her then held the wound open so Mia could flush it with sterile water. Martha offered the herbal mixture once again, waiting while Mia poured it into the open wound, taking the empty bottle from her when she was finished.
Working silently together, Nikki stitched the incision closed, and Mia cleansed and covered it with antibiotic ointment and a sterile gauze square. Nikki taped it down then wrapped it with a length of gauze, praying fiercely that her men would recover. Only when Alex was covered with a warm quilt and the surgical materials were put away did Nikki finally fall apart.
Her legs gave out on her and she slid to the floor. Mia and Martha were by her side immediately. She remained stoic and looked ahead unseeing, but her body shook with uncontrollable tremors as her fears took over.
“It will be all right, Nikki,” Martha assured her. “It will just take time.”
“Why aren’t they shifting?” Nikki asked, struggling to get herself under control. “We got out the silver. Shouldn’t they be able to shift now?”
Martha shook her head sadly. “No, daughter. They’ll be stuck in their human form until they get strong enough for their wolves to take over to heal them completely.”
“They will heal completely, won’t they, Martha?” Agony filled Nikki’s eyes as she looked at the elderly woman.
“It’s in the hands of the Fates now,” Martha whispered, tears filling her own soft gray eyes. “Now we need to take care of you.” She reached out and touched the abrasions on Nikki’s wrists before reaching up to touch the bruise on her cheek.
“I’m fine,” Nikki insisted. “I’ll take care of my injuries once I shower. Can we carry Butler and Alex up to our room so they can sleep in our bed?”
“I’ll see that they’re moved,” Martha promised. She handed Nikki a small jar of salve. “Rub this on your wrists after you’ve showered. It will help with the pain and prevent infection.” She smiled and winked through her tears. “Once your men are better, they can claim you again and help you heal.”
Mia laughed and reached out to pick up the pile of soiled linens. “On that note, I’m out of here,” she teased.
“Thanks for your help, Mia,” Nikki whispered, smiling.
“Any time, Aunt Nikki,” Mia told her, turning to look over her shoulder and smiling. “You know I love you and would do anything for you.”
Nikki nodded, pride filling her as she looked at Laurie’s daughter. Mia turned to leave but crashed into Lucian and Cole, nearly losing her balance. Their strong arms encircled her immediately, holding her tightly between them and smiling down at her.
“Careful, darlin’,” Lucian told her warmly. “We wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself.”
Mia pushed herself out of their arms, not liking the fact that she felt a deep loss as she stepped out of their embrace. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to step on you,” she apologized. Looking at both men briefly, she couldn’t prevent the blush that filled her cheeks.
“You sure are sweet when you blush, baby,” Cole whispered against the side of her face before kissing her cheek lightly.
Mia had no words. Stepping away from the men, she made her way out of the small guest room and nearly ran to the laundry room. She couldn’t get away fast enough.
Nikki smiled as she walked over to her two men, leaning down to kiss each of them softly on their foreheads before straightening and turning to face Martha.
“Go on and shower, Nikki,” Martha told her. “We’ll get Alex and Butler upstairs and settled in a few minutes.”
Nikki nodded and turned to leave the room. She was suddenly very tired.
Martha smiled as she watched Nikki leave the room. She could scent the woman’s pregnancy and couldn’t be happier. Turning, she faced the two men who lay so still in the small beds before her.
“Now, you two listen to me,” she told them sternly. “You need to fight that silver, shift, and heal yourselves. You have a mate who is pregnant and needs you.”
* * * *
Nikki walked back into their bedroom, freshly showered and wearing her oversized violet T-shirt with soft pink rosebuds. Taking two wet cloths and a small bowl of cool water, she climbed onto the bed and settled herself between her two mates, placing the bowl in front of her as she kneeled to face them. She had to fight back her fear as she saw how pale they were. Both men were covered with a sheen of perspiration, and she knew they had fevers. Their bodies were fighting the effects of the silver poisoning. It was a good sign.
Very slowly and tenderly, she passed the cool, wet clothes over their faces and down their necks, tenderly wiping their ches
ts, arms, and stomachs. She repeated the process continuously, stopping only to immerse the cloths into cool water and squeezing out the excess before continuing her soothing ministrations once again.
Sitting back, she set down the cloths and reached for their wrists to feel for their pulses. Finding them beating strongly beneath her fingertips, she breathed a sigh of relief. Removing herself from the bed, she brought the bowl and cloths into the bathroom, coming back to her men quickly. Climbing between her men, she lay down between them. Taking their hands in hers, she brought them to her lips and kissed them gently.
Please come back to me.
She whispered the loving plea to both her mates, closing her eyes tiredly and falling into a deep healing sleep of her own. She was blissfully unaware when first Butler and then Alex shifted into their wolf forms in the middle of the night.
Chapter 26
“Nikki,” Alex whispered against her temple. “Wake up, darlin’.”
“I’m tired, Alex,” she protested. “Go back to sleep.”
She moved restlessly away from Alex, turning to cuddle into Butler’s side and sighing contentedly when his arm reached around her back and pulled her to him tightly.
“Butler, tell Alex to go back to sleep,” she whispered against his chest.
Butler chuckled softly, the soft purring of his contentment soothing Nikki and sending her back into the land of oblivion. “Whatever you say, sweetness,” he whispered, kissing her forehead lightly before looking up at Alex. “You heard her. Go back to sleep. She’s tired.”
“I’m worried about her injuries,” Alex explained quietly. “We need to take care of them so she’s not in any pain.”
Butler nodded and carefully eased Nikki away from him so she lay on her back between them. He lifted her right hand and saw the raw abrasions on her wrist. Laving at it gently, he couldn’t prevent the growl of anger that rumbled from him.
Babies for Nikki Page 37
