A hand pointed behind me and I spun about and tended to the next patient. I didn’t know how long I worked, but it took some time to stabilize a man that had a punctured lung. Using a simple sheet of a plastic-like substance that was attached to a strange electronic clipboard, I was able to create a makeshift seal for the wound to allow the man to breathe better. Stabilized, he was led to the med unit for the ReGen wand. I didn’t know what a revitalization pod was, but it sounded like something I’d like to check out.
The remainder of the injured had been carried off on simple pallets to the med unit. I braced a broken leg, but Trion’s gadgetry could heal it better than me making a cast, which I couldn’t do in the middle of a desert, no matter how good my skills.
When the last of the wounded were gone, Tark approached, along with a few other men. I must have been a sight. I had blood up to my elbows, my robe was torn at the hem and hanging off my shoulders, and smears of blood coated the front of my slip dress. I was sweating and my hair clung to my damp forehead and neck.
I was tired and hot and hungry and the adrenaline had worn off, leaving me in no mood to be led back to the harem or tied to a stake or told I was a murderer. My hackles were raised when the man who’d met us spoke.
“I am Doctor Rahm. That was quite impressive.”
I lifted my head to the man in surprise.
“High Councilor Tark told me that you were a doctor on Earth. Watching you work was incredible. Your field skills are far beyond any medical technician here on Trion and I am thankful you were here today to help. I fear we have become too dependent on our technology. Thank you for assisting us today.”
I cleared my throat, for it was so dry and I was quite thirsty. “Thank you.”
“I have heard that the first of the wounded have completely recovered in the med unit, the others are almost complete with their revitalization. Even the woman with the leg wound.”
I couldn’t help but smile, knowing that my skills had been helpful, that people had lived because of me.
“That is good to hear.”
The man eyed me with curiosity, but not like the men on the council.
“I would like to talk to you further, for perhaps you can teach some of us how some of your skills. The knot work you did on the sutures—”
“Doctor Rahm, my mate is obviously weary.” Tark’s protective voice cut the man off. “You may question her another time. She needs a bathing unit and food, otherwise she will need revitalization of her own.”
He bowed slightly. “Of course. I apologize. I have not seen someone of her skill here on Trion.”
“I will arrange a time for you to meet, if that is acceptable to you, Eva.”
Tark was deferring to me, which was a surprise in itself. He was the one who had been in control in our relationship. I was the one who submitted. This change was a surprise.
“Yes, of course.”
“Until then, thank you.” The man bowed, not to Tark, but to me, and retreated.
Tark leaned down so he could whisper in my ear. “It seems, gara, that I am not the only one enthralled with you.”
Chapter Eight
I was in complete awe of my mate. Once back in my tent, I helped her strip off her bloody clothes, letting them fall to a dirty pile at her feet. I thought of her as she’d helped the injured people. The way she’d deftly saved Mara’s life had been scary and exhilarating and intense.
A ReGen wand hadn’t been able to tackle a wound of that size. They were made to treat small cuts and scrapes, thing that didn’t require full use of the regeneration units. Doctor Rahm hadn’t been able to help Mara. People on Trion didn’t die very often from the kind of wound Mara had. We had healing tools that resolved most emergencies swiftly and efficiently. In this particular case, combining the remote location and other factors, the tools were ineffective. Skills that Eva had were what had been needed, what our doctors needed to learn.
Waving medical devices about only did so much. Perhaps this was a topic for the high council. If Eva’s hands-on skills could save a person on Trion from death, then they were worth teaching to our medical technicians.
I opened the bathing pod door for Eva and set the unit to run the full cleaning cycle. “Remember to close your eyes,” I murmured, remembering the first time she’d used the machine and hadn’t known what to do. It had been a scary experience for her. She’d told me how she bathed on Earth and while it was archaic, the idea of having my soapy hands on her naked body had made my cock hard. “The blood will come off and you will be cleaned without any scrubbing.”
This time, she was much more docile, a combination of familiarity and weariness.
I’d been to battle many times and remembered the feel of the tension in the air. The high stakes. It was life or death and the rush of adrenaline in my blood had me almost high for hours after. Then, it would wear away and I’d be drained, as if my energy was washed off me in the bathing unit.
While Eva had not gone through battle—she’d been perfectly safe with me and the guards surrounding her—she had a similar reaction. She’d tended to everyone else and now it was my turn to tend to her.
Once finished, she stepped out and not a hint of blood remained. Her beauty was breathtaking. Her mind, her intelligence was awe-inspiring. I was more amazed by my mate than ever before.
“Stand still, gara.”