They were clearly his gloves, part of his turn out gear. Ivy accepted them, being careful not to get close to his bare skin. The thick fire-resistant material dwarfed her hands, engulfed her from fingertip to elbow.
The red-headed man’s broad shoulders eased down a little once her skin was safely covered. “That’s better. I’m Firefighter Daifydd Drake of the East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service.”
“I know who you are.” Ivy didn’t let a hint of fear show on her face, although her heart was pounding. “You’re Alpha Team.”
There was only one all-shifter group of firefighters in Brighton. Ivy had run into Dai Drake before—though that time, he’d been snarling down at her in red dragon form. She’d met some of the other members of the team before too, under less than pleasant circumstances. Since then, she’d done her level best to avoid their paths crossing again.
Which, apparently, was exceedingly ironic. She forced herself to keep her eyes fixed on Dai rather than glance again at the gorgeous paramedic.
“I remember you too,” Dai said, in a tone of voice that made it clear he too didn’t relish the memory. “There was a large amount of property destruction involved on that occasion as well. I need to ask you a few questions.”
“Back off, Dai,” the bastard snapped, before Ivy could respond. He didn’t look up from his examination of Hope. “Leave my—patients alone. I’m not having you badgering them while I’m working.”
Had he hesitated, just fractionally? What had he nearly said instead?
Bastard, bastard, bastard, she mentally chanted, ruthlessly forcing herself to remember the look on his face when he’d first met her eyes. He’s an arrogant bastard, and don’t you forget it.
Unfortunately, it was kind of hard to focus on how horrible he was when those strong hands were treating her sister with such exquisite gentleness. Ivy had been forced to watch Hope stoically suffer through far too many rough, careless medical examinations in the past. A lot of doctors seemed to think that just because Hope couldn’t move her legs, she couldn’t feel anything in them either.
But there wasn’t even a hint of discomfort in Hope’s expression as the bastard carefully tested her limbs and spine. The usual drawn tightness in her face had smoothed out, as if for once she wasn’t in any pain at all.
“I don’t think you’ve suffered any spinal injuries,” the bastard said. Nonetheless, a slight crease marked his brow, as if something was bothering him.
Even his voice was beautiful. He had an unmistakably upper-class English accent, the sort that you only got by being born with a solid silver spoon in your mouth. Every cut-glass syllable just made it even more painfully clear that they were from completely different worlds.
“What the hell?” he muttered, apparently to himself. His long fingers hesitated at the nape of Hope’s neck. “What is this?”
Ivy’s heart skipped a beat with fear. “What’s wrong?”
“Apparently everything,” he said, still without looking up at her. “But whatever it is, it’s not from the fall. Hope, exactly what is your condition?”
“Motor neuron disease,” Hope lied, with the smooth ease of long practice. “It’s degenerative, and incurable. Don’t worry, I couldn’t use my legs even before I fell down an elevator.”
“Hmm.” The bastard sounded less than convinced. “You’re very young for motor neuron disease.”
“I’m just super-special,” Hope said cheerfully. “Can I sit up yet?”
“I’d rather put you on a body board, just to be safe. You should stay at the hospital overnight for observation.”
“No hospitals,” Hope and Ivy said in unison.
The bastard let out an annoyed breath. “Why does no one ever want to go to the hospital?”
“Must be your bedside manner,” Dai said, green eyes crinkling with amusement. Then his expression turned more serious. “Miss, you really should go to the hospital. They can take proper care of you there.”
“I can take care of her,” Ivy said sharply.
“You’re going to be needed elsewhere,” Dai said, voice hardening. “The police are on their way. They’ll take you to the station so you can give a statement.”
Ivy took an involuntary step back. “No. I don’t have anything to say to them.”
Hope struggled up to her elbows, shrugging off the bastard’s hands when he tried to get her to lie flat again. “You can’t arrest her! It was an accident, that’s all!”
“No one’s getting arrested,” Dai said. “Yet. But we do need to get to the bottom of what happened here.”
Cold fear gripped her stomach. Ivy knew that the shifters in the police force were just itching for an excuse to lock her up. There were too many officials who thought a wyvern was far too dangerous to be allowed to run around loose.
“No,” she forced out, through her tightening throat. “No police.”