“Is he dead?” she asks when she sees how still Fang is.
“No, he passed out,” I reply as she sets the water on the bedside table and the cloths on the bed. “What are you doing?” She places a cloth in the water and then sits next to Fang.
“I’m going to clean this blood away so we can see the extent of the wound.”
“He’s been shot,” I mutter, which has her head snapping around to look at me.
“Come, help me turn him,” she says as she starts to push at Fang’s shoulder.
“Why?” King asks, as he’s the one who moves onto the bed and pulls at Fang’s shoulder and hip until he’s on his side.
“To see if the bullet has gone right through. Ahh, yes, it has.” Looking up at King, she points at Fang’s back, which I can’t see from where I’m standing. “See,” She murmurs as she lifts the cloth out of the water and then proceeds to start cleaning the blood away.
“How do you know about this?” I ask, which has Dakota shrugging, not stopping her ministrations.
“My mom was a nurse, and I also spent a lot of time healing myself after one of Jason’s beatings.”
The anger that engulfs me is scorching. I see King and Gunner look at each other, then at me. It’s clear that Jason won’t be receiving a warning any longer. Dakota asks King to place pressure on Fang’s wound while she cleans the blood away and looks for other injuries. Dakota doesn’t cease to amaze me. She took complete command of the situation and is now ordering us around, in complete control.
DAKOTA 10
I am nearly finished cleaning away all the blood, when a distinguished older man enters the room. Only now do I realize that Gunner has left and only Hunter, who is leaning against the wall on the far side, and King are still in the room.
“Well, let’s see what this fool has done to himself,” the doctor says as he comes to stand next to me. “Looks like you have done a fantastic job, sweetheart. Don’t go far.”
I stand and step back to give him access to Fang. “The bullet has gone out through his back,” I say as the doctor starts to poke around the wound.
“Good, good,” he murmurs as he takes Fang’s blood pressure. “His pulse is weak. He’s going to need nourishment when he awakens.” It’s interesting that he doesn’t suggest a transfusion but nourishment.
“Fuck,” Fang murmurs as the doctor pokes closer to the wound.
“Welcome back,” the doctor says. “I see you tried to get yourself killed this time, but you were lucky because it missed all your major organs.”
“No,” Fang mutters, “those fuckers ambushed me. If it weren’t for my quick reflexes, I would have been dead.” Just then, Gunner walks in with a bowl, the aroma of broth engulfing the room.
“I believe this is just what the doctor will order,” Gunner says as he hands the bowl over to me. Looking down, I see that it’s a thick broth. Bringing it closer to my nose, I smell a strong scent of ginger and clove.
“Well, sweetheart, I don’t believe we have met.” The doctor starts to close the wound. “Stop being such a baby,” he mutters as Fang flinches at his ministrations.
“Easy for you to say. You haven’t got a hole the size of a wheel in your body,” Fang mutters as he flinches again.
“Oh please, this is smaller than a coin,” the doctor says as he finishes, Turning, he smiles at me. “I’m the doctor who takes care of these dogs.” With those words, he laughs at his own joke. “I see you’re mated to Hunter.”
“Nice meeting you. I’m Dakota,” I greet.
“Well, Dakota, you did a good job here, saved me a lot of time. Now if you don’t mind, will you give him that broth and make sure that he eats every gulp of it.” Fang mutters something I don’t catch but makes Hunter growl.
“What?” I ask.
“Nothing. He just doesn’t like the broth too much, but it’s too bad because it’s just what I prescribed.” And with those words, he grabs his bag, says his goodbyes, and leaves. Strange doctor, but this whole experience has been strange ever since the moment I met Hunter.
“Well, Fang, shall we get some of this down you?”
“I don’t want any of that.” Well, it looks like this is going to be more difficult than I thought.
“Well, from what the doctor said, I don’t think you have an option. So, open up.” As I sit down and bring the spoon towards his mouth, he grunts and turns his head away.
“You are acting like a little baby. I thought you guys were supposed to be this tough bunch of bikers.”