Chapter 23
Nine Lives
JESSICA
PRESENT DAY:
Carmen gawks at me with wide eyes. “How the hell are you alive?”
I smirk. “I ask myself that same question all the time. At this point, I should have died twice.”
She shakes her head. “On top of the trauma you already suffered, you survived internal bleeding, anaphylaxis, sepsis, and organ failure. I mean, the list goes on. How?”
I laugh softly. “Dr. York couldn’t figure it out either. He called in specialists, and they didn’t understand it. No one really knows how it happened in the first place. I mean, there were theories.” I lift my hands and shrug.
“So just like that, you got better and woke up.”
“Not exactly. After they took me off life support, I didn’t die, as the medical team and specialist predicted.
I spontaneously started breathing on my own, and my heart rate remained slow but steady.
After about twenty-four hours, maybe… Sorry.
This is all secondhand information. My timeline could be wrong.
My vital signs improved, and I began to heal.
Apparently, there was only one donor from which I could receive without a negative reaction, so they gave that a try, monitoring closely for any signs of rejection.
When there were none, they moved forward and gradually incorporated other treatments.
It was very limited because my body just healed on its own, like a normal, nontransitioned shifter should.
It took about a week or so before I woke up. ”
Carmen purses her lips. “Did you experience other medical emergencies?”
“Yeah. Near-death experiences seem to be my forte.” Licking my lips, I gaze around the room. “My brothers and I have a running joke, you know, because I’m adopted without any recollection of where I came from. They used to tease me that I was part feline.”
“Feline?”
Christian and I bark with laughter at Carmen’s question. Clearly, she doesn’t understand.
“You know, cats have nine lives. I think I’m down to my last one.”