Page 3 of Flying Blind

“Luna has been screwed over by an alpha as well. You will get along. I will be back at dawn. You are safe. They won’t come near you when we are around. Our minds don’t bend like most folks.”

“Wait. So the police officer...”

“The demons are probably outside trying to charm their way in. Fortunately, they don’t want to be on the cameras. Luna will turn them into pretzels if they get near you, and here she is.”

Wren’s voice was soft. “Luna, this is Bethany, but she is going to want to change that name so they can’t track it on the wind. Why don’t you spend the night playing at renaming? I will be back at dawn to make it happen.”

Bethany frowned. “Wait. Give me your hand.”

Wren’s small, warm hand was under hers in a moment.

“Thank you. Thank you for stopping. Thank you for staying.”

“I am only sorry I couldn’t get there sooner. I will see you tomorrow, and we can talk about erasing traces of you and getting you some help.”

Luna’s voice was smooth. “It isn’t as bad as it sounds. Wren, get going. Shadows are getting darker.”

Wren’s hand went cold. “Right. On my way. Take good care of her.”

“Of course.” Luna chuckled.

Bethany felt Wren leave like the light going out of the room. “So, you have been messed with by alphas as well?”

Luna took her hand. “It’s a long tale.”

“I think we have time. I don’t want to sleep. I am afraid I will dream.”

“First, we will get you comfortable, and then if you feel it, you can rest. I will wake you if you dream, and no one is getting in here without my say-so.”

“Why are you so powerful?”

“Because one day long ago, I was the lover of a dragon against my will. Consent wasn’t a question because he didn’t say anything. And I had a baby. I survived that, and my son is great, but screwing that kind of alpha leaves a mark,” Luna said softly. “And the ability to pull energy out of just about anyone, but that is a longer story.”

A rustling came through the door. Luna said, “The nurse is here. It looks like there is a dressing change for your eyes and one for your back.”

The male nurse said, “You can leave until I am done with the dressing change.”

Bethany held tight to Luna’s hand. “No. I don’t want to be alone with anyone. I can feel you, Luna, but I can’t feel the nurse. No body heat, none of the energy, is he speaking?”

Bethany had no idea what happened next, but there was a clatter of equipment, and Luna let go of her hand to lunge somewhere, and the sound of fists meeting flesh was repetitive but strange in the quiet of her ward.

Luna came back and muttered, “Thank you for telling me that. That must have been one of your intendeds.”

“What?”

“It’s fine. He’s very broken right now and probably going to one of the others. If I had to guess, this would be the one who injured you.”

“Why do you guess that?”

“He had heavy sedatives with him. He was going to tranq you and carry you out. I am not trying to scare you. He had no chance of making it.” Luna squeezed her hand. “We have other Book Club members watching the doors to the hospital and parkade for a man with a limp.”

“A limp?”

“If he were carrying you over his shoulder or even in his arms, he wouldn’t be moving normally. I describe it as a limp, but they understood it as any unusual motion.”

Luna leaned over and pressed the call button. It took a few minutes, but then a nurse came in and asked, “Did your boyfriend find you?”

Luna said softly, “That was one of her abductors. No more staff in here unless it is female, please.”

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