Page 85 of Sapphire Flame
“I figured.”
“Sure, you don’t want some morphine?”
“Not on your life. Nothing. Ouch, dammit.” She squeezed Grant’s hand hard. “I need to be alert in case that asshole comes for us and you know he will.” She put her head down on the pillow and once more squeezed her eyes shut. She was breathing hard and sweating. “Is Agnes here yet?”
“Any minute.”
Natalie opened her eyes then glanced past his shoulder. “How are you doing, Alanna?”
Grant shifted to look at the small wolf as well. Alanna had dark eyes, straight black hair to her chin parted down the middle, and a slightly upturned nose. She was adorable.
Tears flooded her eyes once more, but she chuckled as she said, “Better than you are, I’ll bet.”
Alanna had spirit.
“Good girl,” Natalie said, “You’ll be safe with Agnes. She has the best security system in Five Bridges. Kryder won’t be able to reach you once you’re in her compound.”
“Took one to the leg, did you?” Agnes’s voice surprised Grant. He lifted a hand in greeting. Agnes inclined her head, but her attention was all for the patient on the ER bed.
Natalie twisted her torso to better see Agnes, then gave a yelp as the doctor dug the needle once more into her skin.
“It feels like the bullet started at the bottom of my calf, skipped the back of my knee then traveled up through my thigh. Burns like hell.”
Agnes craned her neck slightly to view the doctor’s work. “Not quite, but almost.” She pivoted slightly and called out. “Good, you’re here. Natalie’s being brave, but I want her out of pain. She’s suffered enough for one night.”
Emma appeared at the edge of the bay curtains.
Grant had never been more grateful for anything in his life.
The doctor stopped stitching as Emma gripped Natalie by the ankle.
Grant could feel her healing power as though it was a whirlwind in the small room.
“Oh. Thank. God.” Natalie’s whole body relaxed.
Grant leaned up to watch the wound begin to heal like magic. The sutures started rising to the surface of Natalie’s skin as the wound closed up below. The doctor brushed them off one by one then said, “Sure as hell wish I could close up a wound the way you do. It’s no fun hurting people that have already been hurt.”
When the wound was completely healed, Natalie rolled onto her back. “Thank you, Emma. If there’s ever anything I can do for you, just ask. But thank you.”
She remained where she was and looked like a limp rag. Pain would do that, especially after all the adrenaline left.
Grant sat back in his chair and took a long, deep breath.
~ ~ ~
Once Alanna had thanked them both about a hundred times for coming to her rescue, Agnes carted the young wolf off with an arm around her shoulders. Emma went with them.
Natalie watched them go and felt a sweet softness in her soul that sometimes good things happened, even in Five Bridges.
She wanted a shower and she wanted to be home for a while, to rest, to think, and yes, to be with Grant, if possible.
But would she be safe in her canal home?
Once they were alone, she was about to address the subject with Grant when he said in a low voice, “I’ve been thinking. Maybe some of my wolves should stay at your house with us.”
With us. She couldn’t help but smile.
She caught his hand with her own and squeezed. “It’s a good idea except for one thing: We won’t have much privacy.”
