by Cheree Alsop
“Keep pressure here.”
Aleric turned back to the table to find Dr. Worthen pressing a bandage to the wood nymph’s stomach. He did what the doctor asked.
“We need to scrub up, but there has to be pressure on that wound to slow the bleeding. I’m assuming there’s a bullet in it?”
Aleric gave him a surprised look. “How did you know?”
“I thought I heard a gunshot. When Gregory said someone was hurt, I half expected it to be you.”
“It almost was,” Aleric said, remembering how close the bullet had come to striking him. “The gunman got her first. Dartan’s handling him.”
Dr. Worthen paused on his way out the door. “You left the gunman with a vampire?”
Aleric realized it might have been a poor decision, but Dartan had proven himself to be far more trustworthy than Aleric had ever known a vampire to be. “He’ll be fine, though you may have to treat the man for a wolf bite when Dartan brings him in.”
Dr. Worthen pushed through the door, leaving Aleric with the bleeding wood nymph.
Her eyes were closed. A breathy moan of pain escaped her green lips.
“It’s okay,” Aleric said, his voice gentle. “You’re in good hands; the best. Dr. Worthen is a great guy. He takes good care of the fae.”
“It hurts,” Valerian said.
Aleric wanted to ease up the pressure on her stomach, but with the amount of green blood covering his hands, he knew if she lost any more, the wood nymph would be in trouble.
“I’m sorry it hurts,” he told her. “They’ll give you medicine to relive the pain as soon as they can. Just breathe and stay with me, alright?”
She nodded. Aleric counted the seconds Dr. Worthen was away and listened closely to the wood nymph’s heartbeat to ensure that it didn’t weaken. He let out a breath when the door opened and the doctor returned, his clean and gloves hands held out to avoid contamination with the door. Nurse Eastwick followed close behind. She brought fresh bandages and nodded for Aleric to let go. Smoothly as though she changed bandages on wood nymphs all the time, the nurse slipped new bandages under the first one and threw it away without letting anything Aleric had touched get near the wound.
“I put a fresh pair of scrubs in the scrub room,” she told him. “I also placed bandages in there. You look like you’re going to need stitches.”
Aleric glanced down at his chest. He forgot that he wasn’t wearing a shirt. The bandages from the police precinct were long gone and the gashes bled again. “I had to phase to wolf form to stop the gunman,” he explained. “Changing form isn’t exactly nice to wounds like this.”
“You’re lucky the vampire has some self-control,” Nurse Eastwick said.
“He’s full of surprises,” Aleric replied. He pushed open the door that led to the scrub room.
It took a few minutes to bandage the wound, change his clothes, and scrub up. Aleric tried to hurry, but given the fact that he had spent time in the precinct, traversed the alleys of Edge City, and took down the gunman, he could just imagine the bacteria all over of him. He scrubbed with the thought that he had never worried about something like bacteria before. If Dr. Worthen had known some of the places he had lived growing up, he doubted the doctor would let him anywhere near the operating room.
“Dr. Wolf, hold this,” Dr. Worthen instructed as soon as he entered the room.
Aleric reached the table in time to see what the doctor was indicating.
Dr. Worthen had sliced into the wood nymph’s stomach and was instructing Aleric to hold the instrument that kept the sides from closing.
“I don’t know if—”
“Forceps,” Dr. Worthen said.
Aleric had to grab the instrument to free up the doctor’s hand. The werewolf concentrated on keeping his fingers from shaking as he held the tool. Nurse Eastwick dabbed up the blood that trickled down the side of the wood nymph’s stomach. Aleric could hear the nearly silent drip of the bag that made up Valerian’s I.V.; he wondered what kind of liquid was inside. Fortunately, with wood nymphs, any kind of liquid would have a good effect.
“Dr. Wolf, hold this.”
Aleric took the curved instrument the doctor held out.
“Good. Clamp it there to stop the bleeding. I need to close this before she bleeds out.”
Aleric did as the doctor instructed. He watched Dr. Worthen carefully pull the metal slug from the wood nymph’s stomach and drop it into the plastic bowl in Nurse Eastwick’s hand. The doctor quickly cleaned the area, then began stitches.
“These will dissolve on their own,” Dr. Worthen said.
Aleric realized the man was speaking aloud for his benefit.
Dr. Worthen glanced at him. “I figure our friend here would prefer to stay away from humans if possible after this.”
Aleric nodded. His mouth was numb. Green blood from the wood nymph covered his hands. It took great concentration to will his fingers to not shake. One slip, and he could be responsible for the end of the wood nymph’s life.
The voice in the back of his mind reminded him that it would actually be the shooter’s responsibility.
“Why would somebody shoot a wood nymph?” he asked quietly aloud. “They take care of plants and don’t harm anybody. They’re gentle creatures.”
“People are afraid of what they don’t understand,” Dr. Worthen replied as he closed the wound with small, well-practiced stitches. “Fear drives reckless decisions. Perhaps he thought he was protecting his loved ones.”
Aleric shook his head. Killing someone to protect somebody else was a concept he struggled with; it had changed the course of his life, and it had almost changed Valerian’s.
“Dr. Wolf, you don’t need to hold those anymore.”
Aleric realized he was standing there with the metal instruments in his hands as he intently watched the doctor work.
He looked at Nurse Eastwick. She motioned toward the tray next to the operating table. Aleric set them down.
“Ready for swab and bandage,” Dr. Worthen said. He stepped back and Nurse Eastwick went to work cleaning the area and preparing it for bandaging.
Dr. Worthen pulled down his mask and smiled at Aleric. “Congratulations, Doctor. You just participated in your first surgery.”
Aleric followed him from the room. In the scrub room, he pulled off his gloves and the scrubs shirt, dumping them into the bin in the corner as Dr. Worthen did.
He stood there a moment, his mind still caught up with the wood nymph on the table, her blood on his hands. The cold, metal instruments had felt hard and unyielding next to her fragile body. He wondered how such things could save a life.
“Aleric.”
He looked up with the realization that Dr. Worthen had called his name several times.
“Sorry,” he said. “Distracted, I guess.”
Dr. Worthen gave him an understanding smile. “I was just saying that we need to get you stitched up. It appears glue doesn’t hold when you’re changing form.”
Aleric looked down at his chest. The gashes had bleed through the gauze. He sighed. “Remind me to thank Forsythe for that.”
“Nobody will be speaking to him for quite a while,” Dr. Worthen said. “Dr. Indley dropped off more of the horse tranquilizers. We’re keeping him very heavily sedated until we can figure out what to do with him. It’s the only way I could keep the Commissioner from hauling him out of here.”
Aleric shook his head. “Forsythe would destroy the precinct.”
“That’s what I told him over the phone,” Dr. Worthen said. “He’s trusting us, for now.”
“He’s a good man,” Aleric replied.
Dr. Worthen nodded. “We went to high school together. I was wondering how you two would get on. He really cares about this city.”
“I can tell. I’m glad he can be rational. His men snuck me out of the precinct against orders from the mayor. I hope that doesn’t get him into too much trouble.”
Dr. Worthen led the way to another op
erating room. He grabbed a clean pair of scrubs, washed thoroughly, and motioned for Aleric to do the same. Aleric followed, his actions automatic. He walked into the operating room with Dr. Worthen and, at the doctor’s motion, laid on the table.
“I hope stitches will hold,” Dr. Worthen said, swabbing the gashes. “I’ve never had a patient who changes form. They don’t put that on the contraindications for skin glue.”
Aleric sucked in a breath at the cold antiseptic. “I guess they need a more diverse group of test subjects.”
Dr. Worthen chuckled through his mask. “I’ll have to tell them that.”
He was quiet for a few moments as he worked the needle in and out of Aleric’s skin. Aleric tried to ignore the pulling sensation.
“I’m glad you’re back,” the older doctor said without meeting Aleric’s gaze.
Aleric nodded. “Me, too.”
Nurse Eastwick stepped into the room. “The patient is ready for relocation to the recovery wing.”
Dr. Worthen snipped the last thread and straightened. “I’m done here. Swab and bandage.”
“Yes, Doctor,” she replied.
“I can do it myself,” Aleric said when Dr. Worthen left the room.
Nurse Eastwick gave him a kind smile as she gently pushed him back to a lying position on the table. “Dr. Wolf, sometimes you need to let other people take care of you. Pretend like you’re at a spa.”
That brought an answering smile to Aleric’s lips. “A spa that smells like blood. I must be in Cruor.”
“What’s that?” the nurse asked as she finished cleaning the wound and pressed fresh bandages over it.
“The city of the vampires in Blays,” Aleric replied with his eyes closed against the overhead lights. “I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard stories. Anyone with a pulse avoids it.”
“I can imagine,” she said. She stepped back. “Done. Now try to take care of yourself.”
“Yes, boss,” Aleric replied. He climbed gingerly off the table. His legs wavered when he hit the ground.
Nurse Eastwick grabbed his arm to steady him. “Take it easy. You’ve had an eventful couple of days. Tarli brought some lunch. You should stop by the break room.”
Aleric followed her through the doors. “Gregory said she’s the one who called the police.”
Nurse Eastwick nodded. “She was trying to protect the hospital. Dr. Worthen spoke to her. It won’t happen again.” She washed her hands and then handed Aleric a pair of fresh scrubs. “I can’t keep up with your laundry. You destroy more shirts than we have here.”
Aleric pulled on the scrubs shirt. “I don’t normally have to phase so quickly. It takes a lot of energy doing it that way, but I had to stop the gunman.” He glanced at her. “Do you know what they’ve done with him?”
Nurse Eastwick led the way out to the hall. “If you’ll go prepare a room for our guest, I’ll find out and meet you at the D Wing with Valerian and her sister.”
“Will do,” Aleric replied. He started down the hallway, then a thought occurred to him. “Will you bring more blood?”
“I will,” the nurse said.
Aleric pushed through the doors to the D Wing. He glanced at the Dark fae side, but ducked through the door to the Light.
“Ready for duty, Dr. Wolf, sir,” Tranquility said with a salute when he entered the room.
“We have another patient coming in, a wood nymph who was shot,” Aleric told her.
“Wood nymph. She needs water and sunlight.” Tranquility pushed her bed away from the window. At Aleric’s surprised look, she shrugged her tiny shoulders. “She needs it more than I do. Besides, I was hoping you’d get here. The faun woke up.”
Relief filled Aleric. He walked over to the faun’s room. As soon as he stepped inside, the faun screamed.
Chapter 12
“Werewolf!” Braum yelled at the top of his lungs. “Werewolf! Get me out of here!” He pushed to the top of the bed and stood on his good leg, holding the pillow in front of him with the other.
Aleric raised his hands. “Whoa. Calm down! I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Says every werewolf I’ve ever met,” Braum shot back. “Get out of my room!”
“I’m your doctor,” Aleric replied.
That caught the faun by surprise. He lowered his pillow slightly. “Say that again.”
“I’m your doctor, remember? We met before you went into surgery.”
Braum stared at him for a moment. “It’s all blurry. I remember being chased by the wolf pack. I hit a ditch that wasn’t a ditch.” He glared at Aleric and lifted his pillow again. “Is this some sort of intricate plot? Are you healing me to kill me, that sort of thing?”
Aleric folded his arms and leaned against the door frame. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
His words deflated the faun a bit. “I suppose you’re right.” Braum eyed him. “Why should I trust you?”
Aleric motioned toward the door. “I’m pretty much your only option unless you want a fairy to take over.”
Braum shook his head quickly. “No, please. No fairies. They give me a headache.”
“Her name’s Tranquility,” Aleric said.
Braum let out a sound of disbelief. “Give me a fairy who’s not an overwhelming whirlwind of sunshine, positivity, and glitter and I’ll cut off my horns.”
Aleric chuckled. “Fine. The fairy stays out.”
“I heard that,” Tranquility called from the other room.
Braum stepped carefully down to the bed. His leg hit the mattress and he nearly fell over. Aleric was at his side in an instant. He helped ease the faun to a sitting position.
“That really hurts,” Braum said.
Aleric could tell by his tight expression that the faun was trying to be strong despite the pain.
“I’ll have the nurse bring some more painkillers. She should be in at any moment with another patient,” Aleric told him.
Braum was quiet for a few minutes. Aleric was about to go when the faun’s voice stopped him.
“This isn’t Drake City, is it?”
Aleric turned back. “No; it’s not Blays, either.”
The faun’s expression was lost when he said, “Then where are we?”
Aleric shook his head. “I’m not sure. The hospital is in Edge City. It’s a human world. They haven’t seen creatures like us before.”
“Lucky,” Braum replied.
Aleric watched the faun. “Lucky for them or us?”
“Both, I suppose,” Braum said. He fell silent, then continued, “There was such fear on the woman’s face when she saw me in that alley.” He shook his head. “Nobody’s ever afraid of a faun. We’re harmless, really.”
“So was the wood nymph,” Aleric said, his voice quiet. At the faun’s questioning expression, he explained, “She was shot by a human.”
Braum gave a low whistle. “Who hurts a wood nymph? What kind of a place is this?”
“The humans are defensive and on edge since we started appearing in their city. I can’t blame them, but I can’t protect us, either. We need to get home.”
There it was, that statement again. Aleric wondered why he wanted to return to Drake City so badly. After the Fallow Conflict, there wasn’t anything left to go back to.
“How do we get home?” Braum asked. “My family’s going to be worried. Mom thinks I’m working at the Grass Patch. She’ll be furious and then worried when I don’t go home.”
“We’ll get there,” Aleric reassured him.
He heard the door behind him open.
“I’m going to go help with the wood nymph. Nurse Eastwick will be in with your pain meds in a bit.”
“Thank you.” Aleric was almost through the door when the faun said, “And I’m sorry about my reaction. Werewolves haven’t been exactly kind to my people.”
Aleric looked back at him. “Trust me. I understand completely. Werewolves aren’t my favorite either.”
He left the faun and found Nurse Eastwick
setting Valerian up in the sunniest spot near the window.
“…And then I was rushing through the Cobble Store. The elf wouldn’t leave me alone. She kept saying that I stole her ruby necklace, which I didn’t. Why would I do that? Fairies don’t steal. We may borrow things once in a while, and it’s not our fault that we forget to return them. We have short memories and all that. I just can’t help that I like shiny objects. Mom says it’s a genetic condition and that I can blame her because she also likes things that sparkle.”
Aleric cleared his throat. “Tranquility, I think we need to let the wood nymphs rest for a bit. They’ve had quite the scare.”
The fairy gave a bright smile. “Hi, Dr. Wolf.”
“Hi, Tranquility,” he replied. He waited for her to do as he had asked. When she continued to give him her beaming smile, he cleared his throat again.
“Oh, uh, right. On my way, Dr. Wolf. I was in the middle of telling the selkie a story anyway.”
“The selkie? Is she awake?” Aleric asked. He took a step in that direction, but the fairy stopped him.
“No, but I figured she could use a story while she’s sleeping. Maybe it’ll give her something good to dream about.” The fairy’s blue-streaked blonde hair bobbed around her face as she spoke. She shook her head and fluttered her eyelashes at him.
Aleric’s inner voice said, “Maybe she’ll wake up just to get away from the fairy.”
Aleric fought back a wry smile and nodded. “Good idea. Keep up the good work.”
“Yes, sir, Dr. Wolf, sir,” Tranquility said. She disappeared around the corner.
“I think that fairy has a crush on you,” Nurse Eastwick said.
Aleric stared at her. “Could you never say something like that again?”
Nurse Eastwick smiled as she checked the numbers of the wood nymph’s monitor.
“Can you blame her? You saved her life and you run around like you own the place. If I was twenty years younger, I’d have my eyes on you, too.”
Aleric shook his head. “That’s ridiculous. How’s Valerian?”
The nurse chuckled at his change of subject. “Her vitals are stable, at least. Dr. Worthen recommended extra liquids, but wanted me to check with you first.”
