Page 25 of Whispered Warnings: Part One

“What’s going on?” I ask since no one has said anything.

At the sound of my voice, River’s chest rumbles in almost a purr, and I find it strangely comforting.

“Well I’ll be damned,” Doc mutters.

I give him an unimpressed look as I ask again, “What is going on? Not that I mind being held by River because well, obvious reasons, but this doesn’t seem like he just wants to hold me? Plus, I am covered in blood and icky grossness from being in the, wherever the fuck I was, I still don’t fucking know.”

“Obvious reasons?” Raiden asks, a smirk playing around his lips. When I just stare at him, narrowing my eyes to prove my point, he sighs, “It appears that River’s kitsune is having a problem with you being hurt, and didn’t like that we were taking too long to see to you.”

“Oh,” I reply. I’m not really sure what else to say. I feel like Raiden is giving me the simplified version of what is going on with River, but like everything else, I just leave it. I am sure that I will figure it out at some point, and if I don’t, I will forget about it.

“River, Neith is bleeding. Can I have a look at her and make sure that she is okay?” Doc asks.

I would be offended that he isn’t asking me if he can look at me, but I know that shifters, especially alphas can get a bit funny when they have been triggered. River is definitely an alpha and a damn strong one at that, which surprises me because of how laidback and bouncy he is, that, and he easily lets Evander be in control. I feel like I am missing something big again. The last thing we want is for him to get defensive, which probably won’t be good for anyone in this room.

River growls.

“That’s a good sign,” Griff says drily, and I smirk.

“Not helpful,” Reed grumbles, although there is no mistaking the flash of amusement in his eyes.

I sigh, we aren’t getting anywhere, I am tired, my shoulder is burning with pain now and I desperately need a shower.

I place my hand on River’s cheek, stopping him from glaring at the guys as his gaze immediately moves to me, his cheek nuzzling my hand and threatening to derail me in the absolute cuteness of the act.

“River, babe, I really need you to let Doc look at my shoulder, I got bitten, and it hurts like a bitch,” I explain, hoping that I can get through to his kitsune and him since they are one and the same.

River stiffens and then dips his head to my wounded shoulder and inhales deeply, exhaling a vicious sounding growl that really shouldn’t turn me on, but it really fucking does.

“Shit,” Reed curses. “I really don’t want to have to take her off him. Not only is it going to trigger his fight response, which means both us and him could get hurt while we try to calm him down, but Neith could get hurt too.”

I don’t like the sound of any of that, so I know that I need to do something to try to diffuse the situation. The problem is I have no idea what. I try to cast my mind back over the books that I have read about shifters to see if I can remember anything thatmay help me. I think I remember that you are supposed to be firm with them, but then that could be that you aren’t supposed to be firm with them because they saw it as a challenge. I don’t remember, but it is all I have.

“River,” I snap, and he finally lifts his head from sniffing my shoulder. “I love that you are being all growly and protective, it’s weirdly hot, I will admit that, but I need Doc to look at my shoulder, and he can’t do that while you are behaving like you are, I’m in pain, Doc can fix that. Got it?”

River lets out a sigh and then strides across the room with me still in his arms, I sigh, thinking that he hasn’t listened to a word that I have said and that he is just going to carry me around for however long it takes for him to calm down, which I wouldn’t usually complain about, I mean there is something thrilling about being easily carried around by a man, at least there is for me, but my shoulder fucking hurts.

I’m just about to try again when River gently lowers us onto the couch, being careful not to jostle me, and then looks up at Doc.

“Fix,” his voice is a rumble of a growl, more his kitsune than his human voice, and absolutely fascinating.

“Well okay then,” Doc mutters. He wastes no time in summoning a bag that I am assuming contains some sort of medical supplies.

“Can’t you just heal me?” I ask.

He glances up at me, surprised, “I can, I just assumed that you wouldn’t want me to since it’s not an emergency. Most humans find magic uncomfortable and don’t like being healed when conscious.”

“I’m not human though,” I point out, saying it aloud for the first time feels strange and almost like I’m pretending so I add, “well, not entirely. There is a little supe in me. That’s what she said,” I snicker.

Raiden bursts out laughing while everyone else just looks amused. Evander shakes his head with a smile. It says a lot about the current state that River is in because he doesn’t laugh at all, and I know that he would have found that just as amusing as me under normal circumstances.

I think.

Doc gains my attention again, his expression still amused, “As you pointed out, you are still mostly human, so I just assumed that you wouldn’t like it. If you are sure that you are okay with it, then I will use my magic, but I still need to see the wound.”

I nod, “Yeah, it’s fine with me. I like the feeling of magic. I am going to need help to show you my shoulder though if River isn’t going to let go of me,” River growls in protest, and I smile, “I guess that answered that. The bite is on my shoulder, if you could pull the jacket off my arm, then I can pull my arm out of it. You are probably going to have to cut my shirt to get at it.”

Doc nods and he grasps the sleeve of my jacket and pulls, together we manage to get it off. I really wish that River’s shirt that he gave me back in the golden bubble wasn’t white when gasps and growls sound throughout the room and the magic level amps up, the guys all gritting their teeth but somehow managing to stay upright this time, under the onslaught of Reed’s power, which I’m assuming means that he is holding the majority of it under wraps like usual.

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