Page 112 of Blade's Battle
“Blood-bond her now, Blade,” Tess suggested.
Blade started ripping through the drawers of medical supplies. He found a scalpel. Pryce clamped down on his wrist. “It’s a forced bond. It might not take.”
“I have to try!”
“It could kill her if it puts too much strain on an already compromised system.”
That stopped Blade cold. Pryce eased the scalpel from his hand. “As hard as it is, Blade, we need to wait and watch her closely. Maybe the antivirals will help.”
Nothing seemed real anymore. His Angel was laying there, lifeless, and Pryce wanted towait. “Watch for what?”
“Signs that her body is shutting down. At that point, they’ll be nothing to lose by forcing a blood-bond.”
Chapter Eighteen
ANNA
“Ican’t believe I slept through my wedding day.”
“You weren’t sleeping. You were unconscious for three days. And technically it’s still your wedding day, though you’re not leaving this bed for a while,” Tess said as she retrieved another pillow from the closet.
Anna struggled to sit up in bed. Pryce had her hooked up to an IV line with some saline, probably to hydrate her or maybe it was medicine for the pain. Either way, she had never felt so weak.
Tess stood there crushing the pillow against her chest, her lips thinned. “Pryce said to lay flat.”
“Pryce can go lay flat. I’m tired of staring at the ceiling. Prop me up, please.” Tess piled the pillows behind her and helped her sit up. That simple action winded Anna enough to reconsider laying back down. “Pryce may have been right. I feel like shit.”
“Language,” Tess scolded, grinning.
“What?”
“Never mind. I’ll wait until you’re better to pick on you. I just never hear you use such language.”
“Too many weeks living with Frank, Callen, and Blade.”
“That will do it. Bad influence, every one of them.”
“A month of everyone getting along and it all went to hell the moment the WSSO got there. Now Blade and Callen aren’t talking to one another, Frank’s imitating a wounded rabbit caught between a coyote and a cougar, and Katy’s out there somewhere. Or has Callen found her?”
“We haven’t heard from Callen.” Tess raised the shade, letting the sunlight stream in. “And don’t forget you look like shit. Add that to the list of things to blame on the WSSO.”
“I’d rather not think about that. My ribs still hurt. And what’s with you swearing? I thought you were against it,” Anna pointed out, as she closed her eyes to combat the dizziness.
“Generally speaking, I’m not a fan of foul language, but you set the precedent here and I’m putting things into perspective. Making it sound like the guys are worse off while you’re sitting here healing after being some guy’s punching bag doesn’t cut it. You’re allowed to complain. They aren’t.”
Anna’s gaze drifted to the dozens of vases filled with wildflowers on the dresser and table. Above the flowers, handprint paintings adorned the bedroom walls.
“Those are from the kindergarteners.” Tess pointed to the paintings. “Kai’s students. The older kids gathered the flowers.” Tess helped the teachers at the pack’s school by filling in where needed.
This very simple but potent display of love filled Anna with utter joy. “I don’t even know the kids.”
“They know you. You’re famous now.”
“Because I’m the human that’s going to blood-bond a shifter?” Anna asked. The kids at Kurt’s pack had been curious about her, but once they realized she wasn’t much different from them, they’d treated her as one of the pack.
“The human thing isn’t as much of a novelty around here anymore. Sorry, I killed that for you my first few weeks here. You’re famous because you gave me back my ability to shift. That picture there, the one with little smiley faces on each finger of the handprint is from Molly. She’s very excited that you’re going to help her mom shift without pain.”
“That’s sweet, but I haven’t—”
