Page 47 of Monstrous Rampage
“I already accessed her file,” I said as coldly as possible. “Please step aside and let me examine her.”
Snyder stood close on her other side as I approached. I didn’t need a verbal warning to proceed with caution. I saw the innocuous silver wand in his hand. One touch from that device and I’d be knocked out, likely forever. It acted as a kill switch, overriding all programming and systems, shutting down all connections.
Though every cell in my body raged at me to scoop her up into my arms and bite anything and anyone who dared come near her, I merely placed my palm on her forehead and clasped her hand in my other, while my implements touched her temple and over her heart.
Her eyelids fluttered, her dry, chapped lips mumbling my name. Tears flooded her eyes.
My beast slammed his armored head back and forth inside me, crushing my ribs and organs. It pained me to breathe. To speak. But that allowed me to keep up the illusion of calm.
“Her fingertips are cold, and her forehead is damp with sweat. A warmed blanket is required to prevent her from going further into shock.”
“Chamber temperature has been adjusted,” the medic said. “She shouldn’t experience any further temperature fluctuation requiring?—”
“It’s for comfort,” I growled out. Caught myself. Regulated my tone to something more clinical. “Soft, warm blankets are given to patients in human hospitals after procedures. It helps them regulate after surgery or illness.”
The agent paused a moment as if checking the databanks to confirm. Then a compartment door opened with a low ding. He fetched the warmed blanket and offered it to me. It was all I could do not to snatch it out of his hands with bared teeth.
I quickly tucked the blanket around her and then placed my hand back on her forehead, waiting for the results to begin dropping into my databanks.
“I’m sick,” she rasped out. “Weak. Don’t like.”
Of course she felt weak. Not just her iron levels were low but also blood platelets. Her kidneys were failing. Then the rest of her organs would fail one after another. Even her brain scans showed decreased activity, where her neural network had been firing at exponentially higher levels just hours ago.
“Well?” Snyder asked.
“Thrombocytopenia, renal failure, depression of synaptic plasticity, anemia, hypotension, tachycardia.”
“Cause?”
“It’s merely a hypothesis but I suspect acute hormonal shock, similar to anaphylactic shock.”
“Acute hormonal shock is not a valid or known diagnosis,” the other medic said.
My beast wanted to snap off his head with irritation. It wouldn’t kill him but it’d make me feel better. Instead, I allowed my lip to curl slightly with derision. “As I said, it’s my personal opinion, which is why I was ordered to attend our patient and provide my expertise. She’s in shock because of withdrawal. Her body isn’t getting the hormones it needs.”
“Then inject her with whatever’s missing,” Snyder replied. “I don’t see why we need a detailed discussion or explanation.”
I inhaled deeply and held it for five full seconds before I could sound like a medic and not a mate on the rampage. “It’s not so simple. Anything I could inject as a medic is synthetic. Her body is smart enough to know the difference.” I paused, letting them digest my words. “But Icanhelp her.”
“What are you suggesting?”
:Careful,:Syko whispered on our private grid.:She was uncomfortable with the thought of Snyder watching us mate.:
:I know. I don’t think coitus will be necessary. I will protect her human sensibilities as much as possible.:
Making my voice as robotic and unemotional as possible, I looked directly into Snyder’s silver eyes. “I need to come on her.”
22
HOLLY
Imust be hallucinating. He needed to do what now?
Come? Onme? Here?Now?
“Explain your reasoning, SPTD.” Snyder sounded more and more like the DSC agent and less like the human professor he’d been masquerading as the entire time I’d known him.
“She needs her mates.”
