Page 103 of Callen's Captive
CALLEN
“I don’t know,” Anna answered Callen’s question. “I thought she was conscious when I was cleaning her up. She never opened her eyes or responded to anything. She’s in a lot of pain, Callen. We need to give her something to dull it.”
“Tell me what to get. There’s a pharmacy on Main Street.”
Blade placed a hand on Callen’s shoulder. “I’ll get it. You stay with her, in case she wakes.”
Anna started writing a list of supplies for him. “You’ll have to go to a medical center or the hospital for what I need. Though, honestly, I still think we should take her to the hospital, even a family doctor.”
“No. It’s too risky,” Callen said as he sat on the floor by the mattress. He wasn’t taking her anywhere the WSSO could find her.
Anna blew out a breath. “I hate to say this. . . Maybe kidnap a doctor and bring him here? Or another location?”
Callen traded glances with Blade. They’d already had this discussion. Neither one of them trusted anyone in the nearby towns. The WSSO had too much of a foothold in the area.
“Sorry, Angel. It’s too risky. Callen’s going to take her back to the pack where the WSSO can’t reach her.”
“But how? The virus will kill—” Anna stopped mid-sentence. “You’re going to blood-bond her, hope that protects her from the virus.”
“Won’t it?” Callen asked, suddenly nervous about his decision. Anna hadn’t been exposed to the virus, so no one knew for sure if a blood-bonded human would fall sick, die, or be totally fine.
“My preliminary test shows the virus won’t harm me, so if you blood-bond her, she’ll probably be fine. You’ll also have to make sure she shows signs that she’s acquired some of your healing abilities before you enter the pack. If your shifter blood doesn’t heal any of her injuries, then don’t enter.”
“Good, then it’s decided.”
“Nothing’s decided!” Anna shouted, throwing her hands up in frustration.
Callen had never seen Anna look so unsettled before. “You just said—”
“I said it could work. I wasn’t condoning it. Have you even discussed blood-bonding with her?”
He hadn’t, and he knew this wasn’t the way to blood-bond her. He’d intended on asking her eventually, but they hadn’t reached that point in their relationship. Now there was no choice. He needed to share his healing abilities with her through the blood-bond, to save her.
“I explained what it is, but we didn’t talk about doing it.”
“But she’s the one for you, right?” Blade asked. Callen could see his friend was uneasy about Callen’s decision as well.
The problem was Callen didn’t know what Kate would say. She’d shared herself with him, given her virginity to him which he knew was a big step for her, but it still wasn’t a life-long commitment. They had never really talked about his role as enforcer either, and she had concerns about that. More than concerns. She’d been terrified when she first heard. Then there was the issue of living in the forest. While he knew the very isolation there would be what would help protect her, it would also be hard for her, given her fear of the woods.
“She’s mine, Blade, but I’m not sure this is something she’d want.”
Blade inhaled sharply. “A forced blood-bond. . .”
Anna shivered and wrapped her arms around her body. “I need to be elsewhere.” She practically ran out of the conference room.
Callen’s eyes shot up toward Blade, not sure what had just happened. “What did I say?”
“Drake forcibly blood-bonded her while he held her captive.” Blade blew out a deep breath as he stared at her room. “He did a lot of damage.” They could both hear Anna crying, muted as it was. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Blade said as he headed out after Anna.
Callen laid down next to Kate on the mattress, with his head next to hers. “I don’t know if you can hear me, Kate. I’m going to do some stuff you’re not going to like. You may even end up hating me for the rest of our lives, but I’d rather have that than let you die. I can’t lose you, Kate. No matter what you think about me, I need you, more than I’ve needed anything or anyone in my life.”
At some point he must have drifted off to sleep for the warehouse was dark, except the few lights on in the lab. The main door creaked open really slowly.
Callen slipped from the bed and then heard Anna running toward the door, screeching Blade’s name. Seconds later, the blood-bonded pair was locked together in a long drawn-out kiss. It seemed as if Blade was the only medicine Anna needed. Callen shut the door to the conference room and returned to Kate’s side.
A few minutes later, Blade and Anna entered, with a bag full of supplies. Anna started spreading the items out on the table.
“Blade got everything I need from a small hospital over in Meadville. I’m not a medical doctor, but I know enough to hopefully take the edge off the pain and get some fluids into her for the journey.”
