Chapter 11
Chapter
Eleven
Ididn’t even think or scream. There was no time. I covered Garrett’s body with my own, squeezed my eyes shut, and blinked out of existence.
Moira smiled when she saw me, but the amusement dropped from her face when she saw Garrett’s lifeless body underneath mine.
“He’s injured. Put pressure on the wound and call Caelan,” I grunted. “I’ll be right back.”
“Evie—”
I blinked back onto the edge of Thorvin’s property, several feet away from where we’d ended up, no longer giving a shit if he sensed me. Garrett’s blood had stained the snow crimson. Thorvin was still close to the house, carefully making his way toward our hiding place, the gun held up and aimed.
I crouched behind a tree and sent my power into the earth toward where Garrett fell.
His blood disappeared into the soil, along with any evidence of our trespassing.
Smoothing the snow over took a little more time than I expected, but there was still time left on the potion.
I could make it back in time if I hurried.
I peered up at the sky. No fresh snowfall which wasn’t the best news.
Chewing on the side of my lips, my heart pounding like a bass drum, I slowly lifted the dirt underneath the ground a few feet away, shifting the snow up and over to cover where we’d been.
If Thorvin dug around, he might scent us, but if all he did was look, this could work.
By tomorrow, all traces of our scent should be gone, especially if the weather cooperated and dropped more snow on the ground.
Once a new layer of snow covered the old, I closed my eyes and blinked away.
It had to be enough.
I’d been gone less than two minutes, but that amount of time when someone might be bleeding out could be the difference between life and death. Moira crouched over Garrett, her face pale even in the dim light, and pressed a hand against Garrett’s chest.
I fell to my knees beside her. “Keep pressure on the wound. I’m going in.”
Moira gave me a sharp nod. “Caelan’s on his way.”
I adjusted into a cross-legged position and put my hands on Garrett’s body, closing my eyes as I called to the earth.
It responded so quickly the ground rumbled. Moira inhaled a sharp breath.
“Time is of the essence,” I murmured. “Don’t be alarmed.”
She settled next to me, her breathing ragged. “He’s losing too much blood.”
I didn’t answer, my consciousness invading Garrett’s bloodstream, searching for the damage.
The answer made me swallow hard. Tears swam behind my closed eyes. First, I looked for the bullet. If it was still inside him, anything I did might not be enough.
“Exit wound?” I croaked when my search yielded no fruit.
“Not that I can tell,” Moira said.
A vicious curse flew from my mouth. “How far out is Caelan?”
A flash of light from behind.
“Here.” His voice was rough with fury. “What happened?”
“No time,” I snapped. “Take over for Moira.”
To his credit, he didn’t hesitate. When his hands were over Garrett’s wound, I turned my attention to Moira, my magic still invading Garrett’s body. “Go inside the house and get the sharpest knife I have, towels, and a lighter.”
Moira went even paler, but she nodded and took off for the door.
“The bullet is still inside him. If we don’t get it out, my magic may not help him as much as it should.”
Moira was back in less than thirty seconds. Her hands trembled as she handed the towel over.
“Give me a moment. I’m still looking for the bullet.” With that, I closed my eyes again and did another sweep through Garrett’s body. “There.” Lodged at the back of one of his ribs.
“Should we call an ambulance?” Caelan asked.
“No time. I’m going to need one of you to tilt him onto his side and the other needs to cut him open where I tell you. Once he’s open, I can push the bullet out. It’s too dangerous to take it out through the entrance wound.”
Moira shut her eyes briefly and let out a slow breath. “Tilt or cut?” she asked Caelan.
“I’ll cut.” His voice was grim. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Evie.”
“I saved you once, and you were in similar shape.”
Caelan nodded and adjusted. Moira took over the pressure.
“Ready?” I asked.
Moira’s dark eyes were wide with fear. “Yes.”
“Start tilting.”
Moira gently pulled Garrett toward her, exposing the back of his shirt, soaked with blood. Caelan cut the material away. I lifted a hand and touched a spot on the middle of his back. “Small cut. Large enough to push out a rifle bullet.”
“Rifle?” Caelan snarled. He took a deep breath and cut into his Second’s skin.
“Deeper,” I said. “Get through the muscle.”
Moira closed her eyes and whispered a prayer.
Caelan dug deeper, blood bubbling over his hands.
“There. Stop.”
He lifted the knife away. I gently extricated the bullet from his rib and worked it through his body until it surfaced through the hole. Caelan plucked it away and tucked it into his pocket, then gently wiped most of the blood away before folding the towel and setting it on the ground.
“The cut is minor. Moira, tilt him back.”
With the utmost gentleness, she laid him onto his back.
“Move a few feet back,” I commanded. “This will take…effort.” And it would expose a secret I’d been keeping from everyone. But there was no time to worry about it.
I opened my eyes. Garrett lay still as death, covered in blood and dirt. Tears swam in my eyes, and I prayed I could help him. Closing my eyes, I sank back into the magic and sent power soaring through Garrett’s cells.
He was worse off than Caelan had been the night I’d found him in the woods.
Much worse, and he’d been close to death.
I could not lose Garrett. He’d come for Thalia because he cared about her, and even though Garrett and I weren’t exactly friends, he didn’t deserve to die because he’d gone along with our shenanigans.
The bullet had torn through his body, severing veins and arteries, and nicked the edge of his heart, usually a fatal wound if he hadn’t had someone like me close. I sank deep into the earth’s power and got to work.
The smell of jasmine jerked me awake. I blinked several times, dislodging flowers and leaves from my face, and took stock of my surroundings.
I lay encased in a structure of roots and brambles, covered with vining jasmine, not unheard of after a healing like this.
The odd thing was the male body lying next to me without a stitch of clothing.
I inhaled a sharp breath and reached out a hand to brush over Garrett’s face.
He was breathing. Thank the gods.
A warm hand snapped up and gripped my wrist. “Who are you?”
“It’s Evie.” I swallowed hard. “When you open your eyes, don’t freak out.”
A soft sigh. “Why does that make me want to freak out?”
“You were injured. A mortal wound.”
Garrett, who still hadn’t dropped my hand, went still as the grave. “Then why are we talking?”
“I have healing abilities.”
Garrett opened his eyes. His nostrils flared and he blinked several times. “Fuck,” he said in a low voice. “Where are we?”
“On my property. Front yard.”
“Caelan?”
“He was here…earlier. I don’t know where he is now. Probably close.”
He turned his head, a stunned gaze finding mine. “What is this thing we’re in?”
“My abilities are tied to the earth. I exhausted myself last night. This is the earth’s way of protecting me, though I’m surprised you’re in here with me. Normally, it only covers my body. I must have burned out before I could finish healing you all the way.”
He nodded slowly. “Are you going to let me out?”
I snorted. “It should release us in a bit. I’ve already tried, but the structure isn’t quite ready to relinquish us yet.”
“Is there any particular reason you’re naked?”
I sucked in a breath. Shit. I’d been so focused on him being naked, I hadn’t bothered to check myself. “Um. Energy, I think? This doesn’t always happen, but sometimes the earth does better work when bare skin is touching the ground.”
He shifted and swore. “And I had to be naked too?”
“The magic wants what the magic wants.”
Garrett let out a heavy sigh. “Caelan is going to lose his shit when this thing opens and we’re lying here in our birthday suits.”
I had no desire to face the Shifter Lord after last night’s debacle. “He’s going to lose his shit regardless.”
“You didn’t tell him where you were going.” Garrett laughed.
My silence was answer enough.
“Thorvin came home. I remember that, but nothing after.”
“He shot you with a high-caliber rifle.”
Garrett whistled low. “He knew we were out there.”
“I have no idea how. Maybe we missed a camera.”
He shook his head. “No. There was nothing else out there. I would have sensed it.” His brow furrowed. “Thorvin must have another ability we’re unaware of.”
He cursed. “If he knows who was on the property, we’re fucked.”
The shelter creaked, some of the leaves beginning to recede. “I went back and got rid of the blood and our presence. As much as I could. He may not know who was there.”
“You better hope,” Garrett said grimly. “This could start a war with the other Lords.”
Light began to pour through the shelter as the brambles and roots slowly receded into the ground. My teeth started to chatter as cold air whistled through the openings.
“By the way,” Garrett said quietly. “Thank you for saving me.”
I snorted. “Considering we were the reason you got shot, there’s no need to thank me.”
“Mm. True. Gotta say, though. Waking up next to a beautiful naked woman feeling twenty years younger isn’t a bad way to start the day.”
“Say that when you’re out of there, and I’ll punch you in the fucking face,” growled a deep, furious voice.
Garrett laughed. “I knew you were there, asshole.”
The top of the shelter opened enough to reveal Caelan and Moira, peering down at us.
Moira’s eyebrows lifted. “Damn, Evie. Nice tits.”