CHAPTER 22 #2
“He’s on iridescence,” Eleri exhaled a tight breath as she offered an explanation to no one in particular for his behavior.
Whatever damage was caused here, she’d have to patch up later, but stones below, she didn’t want to be alone in a room with Minio.
Her hands trembled as she felt around the sizeable bald patch near her temple where her hair had been yanked out by the root.
S’kasia was crouched beside her, saying something that didn’t quite come through the haze of shock.
Voices raised, and the crowd parted as a second levibike careened around the corner.
S’samph jumped off the vehicle before it even came to a proper stop.
“K’kaen. Status report. Do not kill the target.
” His voice was low and commanding, and he kept his eyes focused with intent on the unfolding situation even as he knelt beside Eleri and scooped her off the ground.
She was too surprised by his sudden arrival to protest against him using his injured shoulder so intensely.
“I’ve got him grounded.” K’kaen gritted out as he maintained a watchful eye on Minio’s still form.
“Hold position. I will evacuate the females.” S’samph carried her back away from the crowd as though she weighed nothing, while at the same time escorting S’kasia from the violence. Finally, Myla arrived on the scene. She emitted an ear-splitting screech when she saw her brother on the ground.
“He needs medical attention immediately,” her voice rose shrill through the crowd. Her attention pinpointed on Eleri. “Well? What are you doing? Get over here and help him.”
Eleri started to pull away from S’samph.
Although it was the last thing she wanted to do, she had a responsibility.
She was still the only medical professional available, and iridescence intoxication was still a medical situation.
Besides, Minio was unconscious. He wouldn’t be able to harm her in his current state.
“No.” He tightened the grip around her.
“It’s my job.” Her job had almost gotten her killed, but she wasn’t about to let anything get in the way of her licensure. Not even Minio. “Denying a patient care would be a black mark on my record.”
“He tried to kill you. He’s not at risk of dying. You will take care of yourself first. I’ll speak to this licensing board myself if they have anything to say about it.”
Eleri stared up at him, her mouth working, but her mind unable to come up with an adequate response. S’samph’s grip loosened, but she remained where she was, pressed against his chest. He fixed his attention on Myla who had started shrieking again.
“Are you deaf? Come and help him now!”
“Your brother attacked my mate. The IA has very strict consequences for this.”
“Your mate?” Myla’s bark was harsh. “She doesn’t belong to you S’samph, as you made abundantly clear when she arrived.”
“I’ll restate the point to something you cannot argue with. Your brother attacked a female. We will understand why as soon as Eleri is well enough to examine him. But the reason is obvious enough.”
“You have no evidence.” Myla emitted an eerie, shrieking howl. Finally, Pyo came rushing over. From the confines of his office on the far end of town, he must have missed the commotion until someone went to fetch him.
“Someone, explain what’s happening here immediately. Myla? What has your brother done?”
K’kaen kept his grip on Minio’s limp form but turned his head up to answer Pyo. “He attacked Eleri in the clinic.”
“I’m okay,” Eleri piped up from the back, finally regaining control over her voice. “My injuries are minor. If someone can secure him to a bed in the clinic, I can examine him soon.”
Behind her, S’samph produced a sound of annoyance and gathered her closer to him. If she could see his frill, she imagined it would be flattened against his spine. “You’re not going anywhere near him,” he muttered against the back of her head.
“He doesn’t need to go to the clinic,” Myla interjected.
“We’ll take him home, and I’ll make sure he stays out of trouble.
” She looked to her mate, who was busy pacing up at the front of the crowd without saying a word.
His wings were pinned tight to his back.
When Pyo finally stopped, he turned to Myla.
“Clinic or the custody cell. You decide.”
“Pyo. He’s your brother.”
“He’s your brother. I take no responsibility for the quality of his blood. Myla, I told you this would be the outcome. I told you, and you insisted things would work out.” Pyo ignored his mate’s persistent shrieky wails. “Make a decision. The clinic or the custody cell.”
Myla shook her head, refusing to answer.
Pyo gestured to K’kaen. “Help me move him to the cell.” Pyo turned his attention to S’samph and Eleri.
“Take care of her, S’samph. I’ll get a statement, and she can come examine him once we have him calm.
We’ll send notice ahead to the IA agent arriving soon. ”
Myla screeched unintelligibly as K’kaen and Pyo dragged Minio’s limp body down to Pyo’s office, which housed the holding cell.
Eleri felt all the strength rush out of her knees.
When Myla was able to gain enough composure, she came for Eleri.
Though S’samph’s grip prevented her from turning, she felt him tense protectively around her.
“This is your fault! You should have just agreed to mate with him. If you’d just made his life easier, none of this would have happened. He was devastated after what happened on Brasnia Prime. Who are you to ruin things, you from a backwater nothing colony? You should be ashamed of yourself."
Eleri felt familiar heat build behind her eyes.
She pulled away from S’samph and to her surprise, he let her go.
This was her burden to bear. Again. This was happening again.
She’d left Gaia specifically to avoid being scapegoated for an addict’s bad behavior, and now here she was again.
Change the name. Change the species. Keep the results.
However, his relenting was short lived as S’samph made a solid step between Myla and herself.
He pushed Eleri back away toward S’kasia, who also took a protective stance beside her.
“Leave Myla. You’ve done enough damage bringing your brother to Laurus.
The only shame is what you bring on yourself by placing your poor choices on Eleri. ”
“How dare you lecture me on poor choices? You of all people. I know what you did, S’samph. Your planet burned, and you fled like a coward. You’re no better than anyone here.” Her wings unfurled with self-righteous rage as she advanced toward S’samph.
“I have atoned for my mistakes. Will you?” S’samph asked, his voice revealed nothing, but Eleri noticed the slump of his frill and the drag of his tail.
“You and your human bitch walk around here thinking like you’re better than the rest of us!” Myla shrieked, claws unfurling. She was about to strike when Pyo hauled her back away from them. S’samph held his ground, unbothered by the aggression.
“Enough. Everyone, clear out.” Pyo started shooing the crowd apart with his wings flapping wide to disperse the rubberneckers. When the din of conversation had quieted enough for her to be heard, Eleri stepped forward toward S’samph.
“You shouldn’t be here. You’re supposed to be resting.” She knew he was mostly healed at this point, but she worried for his health all the same.
“And you are meant to practice relying on others, relying on me.” The front half of S’samph’s torn frill pulled taut against his spine.
“I won’t allow your good nature to get you killed or maimed.
This is unacceptable. Since you have no sense of self-preservation, I have no choice but to intervene on your behalf. ”
Eleri wilted under his reproach. Mostly it stung because he was right.
“Stop it. You’re being horrible.” S’kasia hissed at her brother.
“This wouldn’t have happened if she was more careful with herself.”
S’kasia’s neck frill puffed dramatically. “This would not have happened if you weren’t such a ravik and you were doing your job as her mate to keep her safe. You know this is true. This is why you’re angry. Don’t push your anger onto your injured mate.”
Eleri felt tears welling against her eyelashes despite her best efforts to hold them back.
S’samph was right after all. She’d fled across multiple galaxies to get away from people who would use her, and now she was back right where she’d started.
There had been no forward progress in learning how to stand up for herself.
“You are leaking.” S’samph approached her. “Come, you’ll stay at my nest tonight. It is unwise to leave you alone. Myla has many friends in Laurus, and I don’t trust her.”
Eleri turned away from him, thinking back to the night she’d vomited on his boots.
She wasn’t nauseous, but she felt like she might vomit again, all the same.
Her head throbbed where the hair had been pulled out, and deep bruises were forming on her hands and knees where she’d fallen.
Most of all, she was so bitterly disappointed with herself that she didn’t even know where to begin.
All the promises she’d made herself when she left home, she’d reneged on.
Her family was still under the impression that they’d get their hands on her credits as soon as she had any to spare.
Her life had become entangled with another iridescence addict.
And now, even though all of that, she was still being cowed by other people and their demands.
“I want to sleep in my own bed tonight.” She wiped her snotty nose on the sleeve of her torn uniform in an inelegant motion. Her eyes were still damp as she stared up at S’samph, daring him to argue with her.
He did not. Instead, he bowed his head low and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Then I will stay with you at the clinic tonight. Does this compromise satisfy you?”