Knights of Black Swan, Books 7-9 (Knights of Black Swan Box Set Book 3)

by Victoria Danann

  Bein’ someone’s mate was new to me. I mean, o’ course you hear all the stories, but nothin’ prepares you for the compulsion you feel to make things right for your female. I could no’ stand seein’ her in distress.

  “Shhhh. ‘Tis probably no’ more than bruised ego. Stop now before you make me cry, too.”

  When the doc arrived, Storm pulled Elora up and away to make room. He knelt down next to me and pushed ‘round tryin’ to see if he could make me scream. I swear all medics are sadists.

  “Get me a wheelchair,” the doc said. “It’s probably a broken rib, but we’re going to need an x-ray to tell how bad and how many.”

  I heard a murmur wave through the spectators just before a loud gruff voice said, “What the hel happened here?”

  Sol swearin’? That was two for two in less than an hour.

  I may no’ be rememberin’ perfectly because it was difficult to think about anything except the pain in my ribcage when I breathed in, even worse when I breathed out, but Storm seemed to be managin’ the situation and was maneuverin’ the sovereign out of the room.

  The only thing I had to say to that was, “Good.”

  The medics trotted me through the routine in the infirmary. Like I said, it was a busted rib.

  I was sittin’ on the side of a bed. The tape helped and so did the pain meds, undoubtedly. Still, I was experimentin’ with findin’ a way to avoid breathing.

  Kay and Storm came through the door with an athletic force that reminded me of what I must have looked like an hour before. Elora was with them, but lingerin’ on the threshold.

  Kay shook his head. “What were you thinking?” Without stoppin’ for a reply, as if he assumed I was no’ thinkin’, he went on. “It’s a fracture. Six weeks off rotation, with NO strain on the rib. We’re going to get you up to your own bed so you can sleep for a couple of days.”

  Storm brought the wheelchair over, locked it in place, and presented his forearm for me to grab onto. That was a lot of information to process through the haze of pain and pain meds. Off rotation another six weeks? That meant the decision about replacin’ Lan could also be delayed six weeks. Worth the price of a broken rib every day of the year. I should find a way to thank the lass proper.

  I had to lean ‘round Storm to keep her in sight, which was no’ comfortable, but definitely worth it. She was still standin’ there in the doorway chewin’ on her bottom lip like she was afraid I’d be prosecutin’ for assault. Cute.

  “You hungry?” Storm asked.

  I shook my head no. “Loopy. Sleepy."

  Kay helped me get a shirt on, then pushed me through the halls, through the Hub, and into the elevator. Yeah. O’ course it was humiliatin’ to know everybody was sayin’ that a decorated knight was laid flat by a human female. Paddy. I would never live it down. But I had bigger problems. Like tryin’ to figure out how she did it.

  Kay backed the wheelchair into the elevator, then Storm and Elora got on. She skittered to the side of the car and put her back against the wall. When I looked up at her, I saw only sympathy on her face. She mouthed, “I’m sorry.”

  I started to shrug, but the movement made me wince, which in turn made her drop her head.

  At my door I punched in the code and the three of them entered. Kay helped me out of my pants and into the bed.

  “Your pain med is in the kitchen,” he said. “Take one every six hours as needed. Do not take more than that. I’m leaving your phone right here by the bed. If you need anything, call one of us and we’ll be here in five minutes.”

  I nodded. He turned to leave. “Kay.” He stopped. “How’d she do it?”

  “Don’t know, but we’re going to find out. Monq thinks her body was designed for the particular physics of her native world. The translation to our dimension is what tore her up so bad when she arrived. She might be a bit stronger than she looks.”

  “You think?”

  Kay laughed. “Get some sleep. Take care of yourself.”

  “Okay.” Already half asleep I said, “This bought us another six weeks.”

  Kay nodded thoughtfully. “That it did, Rammel.”

  I was dreamin’ about Elora Laiken bendin’ over my bed, her hand on my shoulder, callin’ my name while the perfume of jasmine teased my sex. I grabbed her arms to pull her to me so that I could feel the sweetness of her body coverin’ mine. I came partially awake when I heard her give a little cry. That was a split second before she landed across my ribcage. At that I came fully awake instantly, I assure you.

  She scrambled off the bed while I held my bum rib.

  “Rammel Hawking! Look what you’ve done. Probably made yourself worse.”

  “Look what I’ve done? I thought I was dreamin’ because, silly me, I did no’ expect to wake and find you bendin’ over my bed in the middle of the night.” After playin’ that back in my head, I decided ‘twould be better clarified. “No’ that I mind wakin’ to find you bendin’ over my bed in the middle of the night, mind you.”

  “I’m here to make sure you take the right amount of medicine at the right time. I convinced your friends to leave the door open so I could check on you. The last thing I wanted was to make this worse. It’s all… very embarrassing.”

  “Aye,” I said as I threw the covers back and began the process of risin’ as gingerly as possible.

  “What do you need?” she asked.

  “Bathroom.”

  “Let me help you. Take my arm.” She crooked her arm at the elbow to form a brace the same way Storm had done in the infirmary. I tested my weight on her arm and she did no’ seem bothered.

  “You’re goin’ to help me pee?”

  “You wish,” she said, but continued walkin’ with me until I reached the door.

  When I came out of the bathroom, she was nowhere in sight, but she appeared in the doorway within seconds.

  “Hungry?” she asked. I shook my head. “You can take two more pills if you want.”

  I nodded. She set a glass of water on the night stand and handed me two pills. I downed them and said, “Thanks be to glory.”

  “I’m Elora.”

  I looked up at her. “What?”

  “Never mind. It was a joke. A bad one, I guess.”

  “Do no’ be mad about me askin’, but why are you here?”

  “Bein’ your nurse is… well, it’s the least I could do, considering.” She sighed, then said, “Do you want anything else before you go back to sleep? I brought an extra club sandwich. It might not be good anymore. I don’t know.”

  I shook my head and settled back. When she pulled the covers over me, I thought I might have died and gone to Summerland.

  “You should sleep until morning. I’m going back to my place now. Here’s my phone.” She punched her name and number into contacts. “If you need something, I’m right next door.”

  “Elora. You do no’ owe me a debt. You did nothin’ to be embarrassed about either.”

  “Good night,” she said. I may have heard the door close or I may have already been asleep by that time. I can no’ say.

  CHAPTER 10

  Ram

  I woke up thinkin’ I felt better until I tried to move. I knew I needed to set part of my mind to work managin’ pain. And I was hungry.

  I spied a glass left next to the bed and wondered if I had no’ just dreamed that Elora had been in my apartment, takin’ care of me. I remembered she’d said something about a club sandwich and, sure enough, there was a club sandwich standin’ sentry on the kitchen counter, although it surely had seen a better day.

  So ‘twas no’ a dream.

  When I pulled the lettuce and tomato off, what was left was passably edible. Meat. Cheese. Bread. What’s no’ to like? I pulled a large juice box out of the refrigerator and sat down to see if I had messages. All clear.

  I was plannin’ to call Storm to find out how much trouble I was in for sparrin’ with the outworlder, but there, plain as day, was a listin’ for Elora Laiken right before E
ngel Storm. Aye. I alphabetize by first name. Sue me.

  Maybe I’m a fool for love, but I can no’ remember ever havin’ a bigger thrill than seein’ that she’d put her number in my phone. While I was sleepin’! I’d never in my life wanted to brag to other boys about what passed between myself and a female, but on that occasion I wanted to run down the hall shoutin’, “SHE PUT HER NUMBER IN MY PHONE!”

  If my fuckin’ rib had no’ been broken, I’d have laughed out loud.

  Naturally, I dialed her number. I mean, ‘twas the reason she gave it to me. Right?

  “Hello.” She answered on the first ring.

  “You left your number.”

  “I know. How are you? Do you need anything?”

  “I need help takin’ a shower.”

  I heard a surprisin’ly girlish-sounding giggle. “You have other friends for that, Sir Hawking. I meant do you need anything like breakfast?”

  Well, it never hurts to ask. “Havin’ breakfast now. Club sandwich sans lettuce and tomato, at least I think ‘twas what they had once been. And thank you. For takin’ good care of me.”

  “Please do not thank me. I feel wretched about the whole mess, but we’re taking steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

  “What kind of steps?”

  “They’ve arranged to close the fitness level for the next couple of hours. Storm, Kay, and Monq are setting up a series of tests to quantify my, um, strengths…and weaknesses, I suppose.”

  “And this is when?”

  “Half an hour.”

  “I’ll be there.”

  “No. Isn’t that too much activity too soon?”

  “Rib’s taped up nice and tight and tidy. Good as a cast. I’m no’ proposin’ bench press, just walkin’ to the elevator. Believe me, I’ve lived through worse than this.”

  “But that’s a story for another time?”

  “Could be, if you’re a really good girl.”

  “I am that, but I won’t be asking for your definition of a really good girl.” I started to laugh and hated myself for bein’ forgetful. “How about a bargain? I’ll walk you down if you promise to come back and be truly inactive for a reasonable time after lunch.”

  “Like a nap?”

  “Exactly.”

  “Will you join me?”

  “No.”

  It never hurts to ask. “You drive a hard bargain. Naps alone it is then.”

  “Hallway. Twenty minutes?”

  “You want to help dress me?”

  “No.”

  “Okay. Hallway. Twenty minutes.”

  I was movin’ slow, but I did manage to clean up and get dressed in the time allotted. In fact, I stepped into the hall at the same time she opened her door. I smiled.

  She laughed. “So, how are you feeling? Really.”

  “No’ bad. I will no’ be takin’ any more sleepy medicines. I can sleep when I’m dead.”

  She nodded. “Storm said you were tough like that.”

  I could no’ have been more surprised if a human girl had broken my bones sparrin’ with me. “He did? Are you sure it was Storm? He’s no’ handy with the compliments.”

  “All the more reason for you to be flattered.”

  I nodded. “True enough.”

  “I noticed your fine collection of stringed instruments. Do you play them all or are they for collection?”

  “Collection?” I smiled at that. “No. I play. I come from musical people.”

  We got on the elevator and punched sublevel three. I could tell by her body language that she was uncomfortable standin’ in the elevator car alone with me. I wondered if that meant she was interested. Paddy. I was lost as to how to woo a human woman. In my defense, I’d never had to. How ironic that the first time a woman was no’ throwin’ herself in my path was the first time I was wantin’ that very thing more than life?

  When the elevators opened on sublevel three, two upper classmen held up their hands to block our exit.

  “Sorry. This level is closed for the next two hours, sir,” said the one on the left, lookin’ directly at me.

  I waved toward Elora and made no effort to suppress my sneer.

  “She’s the reason this level is closed! Kindly remove your dunderheads from your little, juvie asses and stand clear.”

  When the doors started to auto close, I reached out to stop them and really, really wished I had no’ when the pain shot straight to my rib. Fortunately the kids took my expression as an indication that I was out of patience, which I was, in addition to wantin’ to scream from the pain. I was spendin’ the mornin’ drug free after all. Among other things, I wanted my head clear durin’ Elora’s “tests”.

  A look passed between the boys. I guessed it was a silent agreement to acquiesce because they stepped back.

  I put my hand on the small of Elora’s back in a universal gesture of male claimin’ as we moved past and said, “Now you can make sure nobody else comes through unless ‘tis the sovereign himself.”

  “The sovereign is already on this level, sir.”

  “Very well. Then change that order to no one comes through.” They nodded. For good measure, I had to add, “If you two are the future of Black Swan knighthood, we’re in a lot of trouble.”

  When Elora looked at me like I was bein’ overly harsh, I winked so there would be no question in her mind that my comment was more hazin’ than serious.

  Sol, Monq, Storm, and Kay were in a little huddle discussion.

  “Oh look,” I said to Elora. “They’re waitin’ in the weight room.”

  She laughed. You’ve got to love a girl who appreciates the fine art of punditry.

  “Rammel.” Storm raised his chin. “Thought you’d be sleeping.”

  And from the look of it, he wished I was.

  Elora said, “He can sleep when he’s dead,” at the same time I said, “I can sleep when I’m dead.”

  We shared a look with each other and a chuckle, which seemed to annoy Storm.

  “Sir Hawking,” Monq interjected. “We’re going to ask the lady to perform a series of physical tasks to determine how her constitution reacts to the physics governing our dimension.”

  To Elora, he said, “The first item is weight. As a purely informal exercise, let’s each venture a guess as to how much you think she weighs. Take her height, muscle tone, and bone structure into account. Who wants to go first?”

  Monq raised his clipboard, ready to write.

  “Hundred fifty,” said Kay.

  “One thirty-five,” said Storm.

  Monq looked at me. I used the opportunity to look Elora over, nice and slow. “Somewhere between.”

  “Name a number,” Monq said.

  I pursed my lips and settled on, “A hundred and forty.”

  “My dear.” Monq gestured to Elora.

  She took off her shoes and stepped onto the scale.

  After changing the bench mark twice and adjusting the slider Monq announced, “Two hundred thirty-six.”

  Kay whistled. I took another look. My mate weighed more than I did. Great Paddy fuck a duck.

  “That explains a lot,” Storm put in.

  “What do you mean?” asked Monq.

  “The night she arrived I had a hard time picking her up. Kay had to help me. I knew she felt really heavy, but I thought maybe it was partly because she was unconscious and partly because she was… slippery and hard to hold on to.”

  “And none who work in the infirmary ever mentioned this?” I was lookin’ from Monq to Sol. They had to be aware of her weight because they’d moved her from gurney to bed, and probably back again.

  “Maybe they thought we already knew.” Monq looked at Elora, waving his clipboard to emphasize his point. “Anyway, it’s an indicator of cell density, but it’s just a number.”

  “If you’re worried that I may be self-conscious about my weight,” Elora gave him a crooked smile, “there’s no need. I have more pressing issues.”

  “Yes. So let’s get
to that,” said Sol. “We have less than two hours to learn what we can.”

  Storm stepped toward Monq and Sol, sayin’, “In two hours she can get through a complete circuit of weights and machines.”

  Monq nodded. “Then I’ll compare those results with what would normally be expected of a twenty-three-year-old female in good physical condition.”

  An hour and a half later, they listened as Monq rattled off how much her numbers exceeded currently held records of males of any age.

  I laughed out loud.

  When Elora looked at me with a question on her face, I touched my rib and said, “I just realized you actually did take it easy on me. I could’ve ended up squashed like a bug. I should be thankin’ you for exercisin’ restraint.”

  “That covers strength,” Monq said. “Ms. Laiken, will you indulge us with a treadmill test for speed?”

  She nodded and climbed onto the newest state-of-the-art equipment, which topped out at twenty miles per hour. We could all see that, at that speed, she was practically fallin’ asleep.

  “We’re going to need to test her out on the track,” Monq affirmed.

  All five men proceeded to argue about the best way to do that when they were brought to a halt by Elora’s rather loud and obnoxious whistle.

  “I gave you two hours.” She was lookin’ at Storm. “Now it’s your turn to have your fight style critiqued.”

  Storm looked flummoxed. “Well, I…”

  “That was the deal,” she said in a no nonsense tone.

  I could no’ help but grin. Storm made a deal to have his fightin’ style critiqued by my girl? “Oh, this should be good.” Yeah. I said that out loud.

  Fifteen minutes later, Storm and Kay were dancin’ around with half-assed written all over them. I wondered if she would detect the total lack of sincerity. They were no’ even botherin’ to wear gloves. Playin’ her is what they were doin’. I was curious to see if she could tell when somebody was havin’ her on.

  I did no’ have long to wait to find out. No’ a full minute into the charade, she stopped them.