Skin Walkers: Gauge

by Susan A Bliler

  “If you want to help her,” Jenny whispered, “do what she’d want you to do. Go find Alysa and take care of her. Protect her child for her, Gauge.”

  Jenny was right. Jenny was always right. It would kill Ella to know that Alysa was alone somewhere on the Estate. Yes, she was with a family that Gauge trusted with his own life, but Ella wouldn’t know that. She’d want Alysa with Gauge.

  He stood quietly and bent to brush his lips across the knuckles of Ella’s hand before he stalked past Jenny and left to find Ella’s heart and soul, her little daughter, Alysa. He’d do now what he should have done from the moment he’d met the small woman that was too damned defiant for her size. He’d ensure her and her child’s safety.

  Chapter 13

  Gauge stood seething beside Ella’s bed in the infirmary. “Why won’t you just tell me what it is?” he quietly hissed.

  “Because,” Jenny whispered in angry response, planting hands on her hips to scowl up at the Walker. “You’re no relation and the information is confidential. You should be grateful for the information I have given you.”

  Large hands balled into fists. He’d been badgering Jenny for the past three days in an attempt to find out the full extent of Ella’s injuries. While the Doctor had supplied some information, she still refused to divulge the source of the blood he’d scented when they’d brought Ella into the infirmary or the reason for the severe reaction of the Walkers who’d assisted with carrying her that day.

  “I’m going to find out,” Gauge growled low.

  “I need to clean her, so you need to leave.”

  The two stood scowling at each other for long tense moments.

  Finally, a low raspy voice offered, “It’s fine, Doc.”

  Both heads jerked to find Ella staring up at the stand-off they were having at the foot of her bed.

  Jenny cleared her throat and turned toward the bed, “Sorry to wake you, Ella. How you feeling?”

  “Like hell,” she offered truthfully. She winced as she used her good arm to adjust herself on the bed. “You here to clean my back?”

  Jenny’s eyes slashed to Gauge then back before she nodded once.

  “He can stay.”

  Gauge had watched the conversation with a grim determination. He wasn’t leaving and he felt a slight victory at Ella’s acceptance of the fact.

  “You sure?” Jenny asked quietly. She didn’t miss the way Gauge turned to frown at her.

  “Yeah. I’ll need some help anyway.”

  “I can call a nurse,” Jenny offered earning her a displeased growl from Gauge.

  Ella chuffed a laugh, drawing both Jenny and Gauge’s attention. “Did you just growl at her?” Her brows hiked. She was surprised that Gauge had forgotten that she wasn’t supposed to know about Walkers.

  It was Gauge’s turn to clear his throat as he crossed to the bed addressing Jenny but looking at Ella. “What do you need me to do?”

  Jenny snatched up a pair of rubber gloves and put them on before reaching into a box on the wall and pulling a much larger pair for Gauge. “Put these on.”

  He did as directed and waited.

  “We need to roll her over,” Jenny approached carrying a foam square that she placed on the bed near Ella’s shin before crossed to the opposite side of the bed to face Gauge. “We need to go slow and easy, okay?”

  Gauge nodded once and attempted to mask his concern. Why did they need to move her? It’d be impossible to not hurt her. His eyes met Ella’s and he tried to look reassuring, but had to swallow hard when he watched Ella pale and scented her escalated fear. He looked up to Jenny, “Is this necessary?”

  Jenny didn’t look at him as she tucked Ella’s good arm securely at her side. “Her back has a wound that needs to be cleaned. It must be done. On the count of three, I’m going to roll her toward you. You’re going to put one hand on her chest and one on her lower abdomen to keep her from rolling too quickly. She doesn’t have much muscle control, so it’ll be up to us to do the work. Got it?”

  Again Gauge nodded, nerves making his mouth suddenly dry as his own fear spiked. He’d ever rarely felt the emotion, but the thought of hurting Ella brought the unfamiliar feeling to the surface and he hated it. He hated that someone had done this to her and had left him feeling fear of injuring her worse.

  Too soon, Jenny looked at Ella apologetically, “You ready?”

  Gauge tensed and Ella took a deep breath and nodded.

  Jenny bent and slid one hand behind Ella’s shoulder. Gauge clenched his teeth at the rage that surfaced when Ella whimpered at the pressure Jenny applied to her bruised arm.

  Jenny’s other hand slid behind Ella’s knee and she slowly stood, forcing Ella’s body onto its side.

  Gauge’s large hand pressed to Ella’s chest and he’d already flattened the other on her lower abdomen. When the weight of her body would have sent her rolling onto her stomach, he caught the weight and painstakingly lowered her.

  “Get her injured leg on the foam pad,” Jenny directed as she raced around the bed to assist. Her hand gripped Ella’s calf and directed the leg to where she wanted it before she dashed around Gauge’s large body and jerked the pillows off the bed before returning to help Ella turn her head to the side.

  Finally, Ella was settled on her stomach with her head turned toward Gauge. He scented her tears before his eyes shot to her face.

  “Damn it, Jenny! Why can’t you give her pain medication? Or put her out for this procedure?”

  “I don’t want to be put back out,” Ella explained weakly. “It’s not her fault, please don’t yell at her.”

  Gauge growled his frustration. He wanted to hit something. He wanted to hit someone. Jenny had kept Ella out for the past few days so no answers were forthcoming. He had no outlet for the rage that was eating at him.

  “Calm yourself or leave,” Jenny whispered as she crossed to stand behind Gauge. When he turned to scowl at her, she lowered her voice so only his Walker hearing would pick it up. “It’s about to get worse. If you can’t control yourself at any point, just walk out.”

  The words had Gauge’s gut wrenching. Worse!

  For the first time, he eyed Ella’s back and watched as Jenny’s slight fingers untied the two ties of Ella’s hospital gown at her shoulder and hip. She pulled a white towel from off her shoulder and placed it across Ella’s ass before she parted Ella’s gown exposing a gauze covered back.

  Jenny’s fingers began prying at the medical tape that held the large padding in place, and had Gauge wondering at the wound. The padding covered Ella’s back from shoulder to shoulder and from just below her neck to just above her ass. What could have happened that would cover that much area?

  When all the tape was loose Jenny stilled to look up at Gauge. His eyes found hers and he watched as she drew in a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, indicating he should do the same. He did, but instead of exhaling he held the breath as Jenny peeled the gauze back.

  Gauge felt the color drain from his face and the room tilted as the air left him all at once. Involuntarily, his hands reached up to grip the side railing of Ella’s bed. He tried to see through the angry tears that flooded his eyes.

  Someone had taken a knife to Ella. The wounds were long, deep, and gouged from one shoulder across her back to the opposite hip was one gnarled word. THIEF.

  He didn’t even look at Ella or Jenny as he drug in an agonized breath. Without blinking, he bent and brushed his lips across Ella’s forehead before he released the bed rail and stalked from the room.

  Jenny crossed to stand in front of Ella as she bent to her eye level, “You okay?”

  “Guess that didn’t go well.”

  Jenny followed the path of Ella’s eyes and locked on the rail of the bed. Both spots where Gauge had been holding the rail were crushed into forms that perfectly fit the inside of his fists.

  Jenny’s eyes darted back to Ella’s. “He’s going to want answers, Ella. They all are.”

  Ella closed her eyes
and sighed. I know.

  Chapter 14

  Two weeks had passed with Ella in the infirmary, and while she wasn’t delighted that she couldn’t take care of Alysa, she was extremely grateful to Gauge for stepping in and doing the job for her. She toyed with the sling that held her arm clamped to her chest as Gauge beamed down at her.

  He’d been to see her every day and each visit ended the same way. He said, “See you soon, gorgeous.” Then bent and brushed his lips across her forehead before leaving.

  Dr. Jenny Arkinson eyed the couple from the corner of the room, smiling to herself.

  Once Gauge exited, Ella turned to eye Jenny suspiciously. “You alright, doc?”

  Jenny knew the truth of Ella and Gauge. Hell, she’d been dabbling in the genetic pre-disposition of mated pairs since she’d arrived at StoneCrow, and while the secret was still well-hidden, Stoney was the only other Walker aware of Jenny’s actions.

  Stoney had contacted Jenny weeks earlier to ask a favor. She wanted Jenny to find a Walker that was compatible with the sample Stoney had provided. It’d been Ella’s blood, and Jenny hadn’t just found a compatible male, she’d found Ella mate.

  Jenny blurted out, “He has the ability to change ya’ know.” She trusted Ella and if King and Monroe’s experiences were anything to go by then Gauge was well and truly on his way to claiming is angel.

  “We all have the ability to change, Jen.”

  Something in Ella’s tone had Jenny smiling. She knew the two were about to come to Jesus, so to speak. “It’s not that kind of change.”

  Ella dipped her eyes sheepishly and whispered, “I know.”

  “You know?” Jenny straightened her shoulders and took a step closer. “What do you know?”

  “I know about Skin Walkers,” Ella clarified. She too was confident she could trust Jenny. “I know about shifters and I know what this place really is.”

  The tell-tale flush on Jenny’s cheeks told Ella that she may have just revealed too much.

  “Look,” Ella rushed on, “I’ve known about Walkers for years. I haven’t told anyone and I never intend to. I have a personal stake here too.”

  “Personal?” Jenny’s lips quirked, “How personal?” The Surgeon eyed Ella with a renewed interest.

  “Well not that personal.” Ella shrunk under the scrutiny. “I’m not a Walker if that’s what you mean.”

  “Obviously. But you’re dating one? Is that what you mean?”

  Ella’s cheeks flamed at the insinuation. I wish I were dating a Walker…one in particular. “No. I just meant that I am friends with a Walker. She’s like my sister and I’d do anything for her, including taking the secret of her genetic make-up with me to the grave.”

  Jenny’s shoulders relaxed. “What about Gauge?”

  “What about him?” Ella was surprised at the flare of jealousy that suddenly erupted. Her eyes shot to the Doctor’s hand, but found no wedding ring. Her eyes darted up and she spotted a halo similar to the ones Gauge and Stoney wore, but it was thicker like two halos twined together.

  “I’m not interested,” Jenny huffed, lifting a hand to her halo. “I’m already taken.”

  “Why does your halo look so different?”

  A Skin Walker’s halo was generated over time much like the antlers of a deer. Only the Walker could remove his halo and it was only taken off to gift to his angel, his mate. Only that Walker’s hand could remove it and it would never break, never be removed otherwise.

  The halo branded the Walker’s throat upon removal, marking him to show he was claimed, and a Walker’s angel experienced a transformation with the acceptance of the halo. Like their Walker mate, angels would become immune to illness and would be able to communicate with their Walker mate through the mist.

  “Mine is a double-helix,” Jenny offered. “It’s what happens when two Walkers mate. I had my own halo and Bishop’s combined with mine once he gifted me his.”

  “Stoney said a Walker will be affected by his angel when he finds her. Is that true?”

  “Stoney, huh?”

  Ella blanched. Shit! The last thing she wanted was to get her friend in trouble. “Wait! I uh…I meant,”

  “It’s alright,” Jenny smiled. “Stoney is good people, and if she trusts you then I trust you.”

  Ella relaxed back into her bed. “Thank God! I-I don’t want to get her in trouble. She really is like a sister to me.”

  “So,” Jenny pulled up a chair and sat facing Ella. “She’s the source of your information? How much has she told you?”

  Slightly nervous, Ella stared at Jenny attempting to gauge just how much to give away. “We’ve been friends for a very long time. The information she’s given me was told to me years before StoneCrow was ever built. We were roommates in college. She was having a hard time figuring out what she was and trying to deal with it while getting a degree at the same time. She needed someone to count on to keep her secret.” Ella shrugged with a rueful smile, “I’m her person.”

  Smiling, Jenny nodded. “Thank you for that.” Silence reigned a moment before Jenny offered, “Afflicted.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Stoney didn’t say a Walker would be affected, she said afflicted. The Walker affliction is what we refer to when a male Walker finds his mate. He is physically affected. The men are extremely volatile during this period. I can only best compare it to how a rutting bull elk is urged by his desire to ensure that his seed is passed on. Bull elk will fight for a harem and then fight to keep it. This ensures that only the seed of the strongest and most virile species is passed on. It truly is survival of the fittest and we Walkers are no different.

  Like the rutting bull elk, Walker males will forego eating, drinking, and sleeping, too pre-occupied with protecting and claiming his mate.”

  “So if there’s no instantaneous reaction, a Walker and a female aren’t mates?”

  “Well, not exactly.” Jenny liked Ella and didn’t want her to think that just because Gauge hadn’t yet been afflicted by her that they weren’t meant for each other, but she also couldn’t tell Ella that the reason the affliction was delayed was because Jenny had been injecting all male Walkers with a serum she’d concocted to delay the affliction. “Sometimes it happens later.” She stood and smoothed her hands down her thighs, “Look at Monroe and Eden. He wasn’t afflicted by her until after she’d come to stay at StoneCrow. They’d had numerous interactions prior to that.”

  “Oh,” Ella nodded, no longer wanting to continue the line of conversation lest Jenny see where she was heading.

  “Well, now you know Gauge’s secret.” She planted hands on her hips and pursed her lips. “You gonna tell him yours?”

  Ella’s belly dropped. “What?” Had Stoney told Jenny the truth about Alysa?

  “He deserves to know who did this to you, Ella, and you deserve some revenge.”

  Oh, that! Ella relaxed.

  “The truth will come out eventually, Ella. It’d be best if you’re the one who supplied it.”

  I know!

  When Ella didn’t respond, Jenny huffed an exasperated breath and exited the infirmary, stopping out in the hall just long enough to pass on one message to Gauge Alexander. “Gauge, it’s Jenny. Just thought you’d like to know that I’ve just had a nice little visit with Ella. Your assistant knows all about Skin Walkers, and has since she started working here. You can thank Stoney Lydon for the breach in protocol, but between you and I… I think Ella can be trusted with the Intel.”

  Chapter 15

  Gauge continued to visit the infirmary. Most days Ella slept, and when she wasn’t sleeping she was demanding to see her daughter. Gauge, like Jenny, tried to convince Ella that it would be best if Alysa didn’t see her mother in her current condition. He hated using the excuse, but he knew it was the only argument that kept Ella from ripping out the IV’s connected to her arm and hunting down her child.

  Today, he was looking forward to his visit. Something about the revelation that Ella knew
all about his kind had him feeling light hearted and--much to his displeasure--giddy!

  Stepping into her room, he was annoyed to find Monroe seated next to Ella. As Gauge entered, the scent of her tears hit him first and he couldn’t control the growl that vibrated his chest as his eyes darted from Ella’s soft features, contorted in anger, to Monroe as he sat with his back to Gauge.

  “I’ve told you a hundred times, Mr. StoneCrow. I fell!”

  Monroe turned cautiously to eye Gauge as he stood glaring down at the CEO.

  “Get out!” Gauge bit out between clenched teeth.

  Monroe stood and straightened his suit coat before looking up to meet Gauge’s angry glare. “We need answers, Gauge.”

  Behind Monroe, Ella sniffed quietly and exhaled a shaky breath. She was exhausted, apparently having been fending off Monroe’s inquires for some time.

  Gauge’s eyes slid from Monroe to Ella then back before he took a step closer in warning, his hands balling into tight fists at his side. “Get the fuck out, Monroe!”

  Monroe smirked then strode past Gauge. “You know I’ll get my answers one way or the other. I suggest you save me the trouble.”

  With Monroe gone Gauge claimed his seat and reached for Ella’s hand when he felt something hit his knee. Looking down, his anger swelled as he saw the light gray cord with a red button on the end as it dangled from the side of the bed. It was for Ella to self-medicate when she felt the need for pain medication. The device was on a timer to prevent overdose, and he knew she’d used it often over the past few weeks.

  He reached down and grabbed the device before looking up and locking eyes with her. He pressed the button and heard the machine moan as it administered the pre-measured painkiller into her IV. His eyes dulled and his teeth creaked under the pressure of his clamped jaw. “He was keeping this from you for answers!” It wasn’t a question.