Finally Kalen lowered him gently into their waiting hands, and they eased his battered body into the back of the lead SUV, where someone had already put down the seats and covered them with blankets. Zan waited there to keep him stable during the drive back to the compound.
“Goddammit, look at him,” Aric whispered, his face a mask of rage. “And that fucker got away.”
“We’ll get him.” Nick gripped his shoulder. “In the meantime, we need to get Micah back. Let’s hurry.”
Nick climbed into the back with Zan, and they were on their way. Micah’s eyes were closed, and his breath rattled in his lungs, the sound wet as he struggled. “Hang on, Micah. You’ve been through too much to give up now. You’re a survivor—remember that.”
“I’m not going to let him die,” Zan said, his jaw set determinedly. Placing both hands on his patient’s chest, he began to work.
The blue glow enveloped Zan’s hands and then spread to Micah’s upper extremities. Then on to the rest of his body. The entire ride, Zan never let up, nor did he speak.
As they pulled up to Sanctuary, Nick noted that Micah seemed to be breathing a little easier. The blood flow had slowed as well. The back doors were yanked open, and Zan slumped backward, clearly worn-out. “I did all I can,” he said hoarsely. “He’s a fucking disaster inside. The monster’s talons got some major organs.”
“You did good,” Nick assured him.
Mac nodded as she and Noah prepared to get their patient onto a gurney. “You did, my friend. We’ll take it from here.”
Nick and Aric helped load Micah onto the stretcher; then Mac and Noah took off with their charge. “I’ve never felt so useless.”
From beside Nick, Aric’s voice was quiet. “You did what you could. God, what am I going to say to Rowan?”
Just then, Rowan came jogging around the corner and across the drive toward to where they stood near the emergency entrance. Selene, Zan’s mate, was with her.
“Dad!” Selene called to Nick. “What happened?”
“Micah was attacked,” he said to the women. Their faces reflected their shock and worry. “By that creature who’s after him.”
“Is my brother going to be okay?” Rowan clutched at her mate. “Tell me the truth.”
“He’s in good hands, baby.”
That wasn’t an answer, and they knew it. But it was the best they had. As the women held on to their mates, Nick dug out his cell phone and placed the one call he dreaded the most.
“Hello?” Jacee answered.
* * *
Shouted orders reached his ears.
He was flying. No, bumping along, moving fast. Feet running beside him.
Everything hurt. Breathing was agony. Cracking open his eyes, he was nearly blinded by white light and too much movement. But as his vision cleared a bit, he saw walls and doorways rushing past. At his side was someone in nurse’s scrubs with SpongeBob characters all over them.
Noah. “Hey, you’re back. Stay with us, okay?”
“I’ll try,” Micah said. Or thought he did. He turned his head to try to look where they were headed, and that was when he saw her in the hallway. Sitting calmly, oddly enough. “Jacee?”
Reaching out, he tried to take her hand as the gurney rolled past, and her surprise struck him as odd. He couldn’t see well, blood and sweat in his eyes, but . . . it had been her. Right?
No, wait. The face was too young, the hair too light. His mistake.
Then the doctors and nurses were pulling him into an operating room, or at least that was his guess. A mask went over his nose and mouth, and a sting pricked his arm. Things grew fuzzy again, and he began to float away.
“You’re going to be all right,” Noah said, his kind blue eyes gazing down at Micah.
If only he could believe that.
Then he knew nothing more.