Cold Blood (37 page)

Chapter Thirty Four

The sound of a door being yanked on its hinges raked across the nerves behind my eyeballs, and I tensed and grit my teeth so hard my jaw hurt. Before I could form a complaint, even to myself, the goose bumps began. Voices sounded in the outer office and got louder before the sound of hurrying feet cut off the words. I looked around for a weapon, trying to ignore the pain in my head, but I came up empty. Unless a bedpan counted. Probably not.

Then the curtain surrounding my bed was being viciously ripped aside. I blinked into the dim fluorescent lighting and a halo of auburn hair came into focus.

Wes was at my side before I could move.

He grabbed me and pulled me up into his arms, holding me tight against his chest and burying his face in my hair.

“
Hey,” I mumbled.

My voice was muffled against the leather of his jacket, but I didn’t care. I closed my eyes and inhaled the scent of leather and woods. An ache that I’d never even realized was there dissolved into relief.

We stayed like that until someone cleared their throat. I jerked away, remembering the goose bumps. Two pairs of eyes stared back at me from the foot of the bed.

“
Jack, Fee, you came.” I beamed at them, and they smiled back and came closer.

“
Of course we came, honey. How are you feeling? I was worried when they said you were in the infirmary,” Fee said. She came and put a hand on my forehead, a motherly gesture. Warmth flowed from her hand to my skin, and the headache dialed back into something bearable.

“
Oh, I’m fine,” I said, sighing at the small relief from the headache. “I stayed to keep an eye on George.”

“
And how is he?” she asked.

“
Seems okay. A few bruises but nothing serious. They kept him overnight for observation.” I glanced at Wes again, who was staring at me with an intent expression, like he was trying to memorize the sight of me. I squeezed his hand and he squeezed back.

“
But you’re sure you’re okay?” Fee asked, her brows pulling together in concern. Her eyes scanned my body and she frowned.

“
Other than a massive headache, yes,” I said.

“
Ahh. I knew there was something. I’ll take care of it.” She came closer and laid her hand across my forehead again. She bent down close to me, whispering a string of words that were too low and quick for me to understand. Then she fished in her bag and handed me a small vial of clear liquid. “Drink this. It’ll clear you right up.”

I took it gratefully, trying not to remember how gross her potions tasted. “Thanks.”

She nodded. “I’m going to go speak with the nurse and see if there’s anything I can do for George,” she said. “I would’ve already asked, but someone wasn’t very nice on his way in and I didn’t get a chance.” She sent Wes an accusatory glare.

He shrugged. “She wasn’t going to let us in until morning.”

Fee rolled her eyes. “You catch more flies with honey, ever heard that?”

He shrugged. “I don’t like flies. They’re annoying.” He grinned. “I’d rather catch hell.”

Fee shook her head. “Obviously.”

She disappeared around the curtain, and I pulled the lid off the vial and braced myself before downing the medicine all in one swallow. I made a face and shuddered, but I could feel the medicine warming inside me as it traveled to my stomach and spread. Already, the pain in my head was receding. In another moment, it was gone. I sighed.

Jack took Fee’s place on the empty side of my bed and looked down at me. He leaned heavily on a polished cane, but otherwise, he looked good. His beard had grown out and he looked more like the bear I imagined he was.

He grinned. “You went off and had all the fun without us.”

“
It’s boring here,” I said. “And they don’t yell at me nearly as much as you do. Had to find something else to pass the time.”

He grinned wider. “I knew it. Hunters are going soft.”

“
He’s really dead, though, right?” Wes said. He wasn’t smiling. He looked worried.

“
He’s really dead,” I said.

“
Vera said it was Cord who finished him,” said Wes. His lips pressed together in a thin line, and I couldn’t tell if he was pleased with the news or not.

“
That’s right,” I said, and left it at that.

Remembering those last few seconds with Cord still made me uncomfortable. The look in her eyes, the level of violence, was disturbing. Not that I had any real sympathy for Miles, but part of me felt like Cord had been a little too hasty with killing him. He could’ve just as easily been pulled aside and restrained. I’d yet to find a minute alone to confront her about it but I fully planned on it, very soon.

“
Ah, you’re only jealous it wasn’t you, kid. Wipe the sourpuss look off your face,” Jack said. He slapped Wes on the shoulder and it seemed to pull Wes out of it because he smiled and swatted at Jack.

“
I’m not the only one jealous of missing the action, old man,” Wes said.

“
Damn straight. Next time, I’ll be in it, I can guarantee you that.” There was a serious promise in Jack’s eyes, and I didn’t doubt him for a second. He wouldn’t be kept out of the fighting for much longer, not by anyone. And I was glad for it, because it meant he was alive.

“
If we don’t take a year to get here, that might be possible,” said Wes.

Jack frowned, and I realized it really had taken them a lot longer to get here than it should have.

“
What took you guys so long anyway?” I asked. Jack and Wes exchanged a look that I didn’t like. “What?” I demanded.

Wes spoke up. “You know Miles found a way to create Werewolves, right?” I nodded. “He failed to mention he left a pack of them outside the front gates of the school.”

My eyes widened. “Were you attacked?”

“
No. Detained,” he said in a flat voice.

Even Jack looked pissed, and I realized what they meant. “They didn’t think you guys were part of them? But Vera would’ve vouched for you.”

“
Vera was a little busy with Miles’ body and other arrangements. They conveniently couldn’t get a hold of her right away,” said Wes.

“
Thought I was going to have to put those kids in their place,” Jack muttered.

He looked annoyed and dangerous, but I wondered how well he really would’ve done against a group of Hunters, with his injuries. I was glad it hadn’t come to that.

“
Did they hurt you?” I asked, looking at Wes again.

He shook his head. “No, but only because they thought we were one of Miles’ people. They were on orders to detain, not kill, so they could bring them in. Apparently, he found a way to turn Hunters into Werewolves, creating some sort of hybrids. Some of them were recognized as the alumni that have gone missing.”

“
He said he’d found a way to turn Hunters.” I was reminded of the shocked gasps from Alex and the others when the Werewolves had walked into the cavern. They must’ve recognized some of them… like Victoria’s parents, maybe? I remembered what I’d overhead from Kane earlier in the night. I opened my mouth to tell them but I was interrupted.

“
Tara?” George’s sleepy voice came from the other side of the curtain and then he was pulling it aside, rubbing his face. He blinked when he saw that I had company and then his eyes narrowed as he realized who it was.

“
Hello, George,” said Wes. He nodded stiffly, which was about all I could hope for at this point.

George gave some sort of grunt and nodded back, looking fully awake now. “Wes, right? What are you doing here? Do you go here, too?”

George had asked me a lot of questions when everything had quieted down, but I’d really only answered the ones I had to. Like the fact that no, he wasn’t crazy; those were people turning into wolves. And no, I wasn’t one of them; I was a Hunter, which led to a whole new round of explanations needed. Cord hadn’t looked very happy that I’d spilled everything; neither had Alex, for that matter, but there was really no better option. George had been infected and on the off chance it led to a monster version of himself, he needed to know that Werewolves existed. But none of my explaining had covered Wes, so George was guessing right now.

“
No, I don’t go here,” was all Wes said.

George raised an eyebrow at him. Jack cut in and held out his hand across the bed to George.

“
I’m Jack,” he said.

George took Jack’s massive hand in his and they shook.

“
George.”

“
Nice to meet you, George. Thanks for being there for Tara today.”

That seemed to be all George needed to hear to make up his mind because he smiled, and I felt some of his tension dissolve. “Anytime. Tara’s a really special girl.”

Wes’ hand tightened on mine.

“
That, she is.” Jack was smiling and glancing between Wes and George, and I could see he was enjoying this way more than he should.

Thankfully, Fee came back and poked her head around the curtain.

“
Oh, George, you’re awake,” she said. She came into the little room and held out her hand for him to shake. “I’m Fee, Jack’s wife. It’s nice to meet you.”

“
Nice to meet you, too, ma’am,” George said, taking her hand.

“
Oh, listen to you. A boy with manners,” she said, poking an elbow at Wes, who grumbled. George grinned wider. “The nurse says you escaped with minor injuries, but I want to make sure you’re feeling okay. Can we talk for a minute, in your room?” Fee asked.

“
Sure...” George glanced from her to me. I nodded, letting him know it was okay to go with her, and they disappeared behind the curtain.

I could hear Fee asking him to show her his bruises and scrapes and then offering him a vial of something to drink. When they were done, George returned looking like he’d chugged a pot of coffee.

“
Wow, I feel amazing,” he said. He looked at Fee in open awe. “What was in that stuff?”

“
The usual healing ingredients,” she said, waving a dismissive hand. “Hawk’s eyes, lizard guts, dragon tongue.” George gaped at her, and she laughed. “I’m kidding. There’s ginseng and some vitamins and herbs. It’s more about the words spoken over the liquid than anything else. It heightens their power over your body.”

George nodded, pretending to understand everything she’d said, and still looking completely taken with Fee.

Jack cleared his throat and hobbled closer to her. “Well, I’m tired, and since I’m off Wood Point’s Most Wanted list, maybe we could get a room,” he said, wiggling an eyebrow at Fee.

She swatted his arm. “All right, Vera said to come see her when we were ready to get some rest. Let’s go old man.” Fee turned to me. “We’ll see you in the morning, Tara. Try to get some rest.” Her eyes flickered to Wes. “All of you.”

They left and George stood around awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. “I’m going to uh, go see if the nurse has anything to eat,” he said, scooting around the curtain and leaving me alone with Wes.

He sank onto the bed beside me and reached out his hand, letting his finger trail the scratch on my face. When his hand fell away I caught it in my own.

I felt restless, all of a sudden. I needed to move. “Can we take a walk?” I asked.

“
Now?” He glanced at the window, even though it was too glazed over to tell what time of day it might be. “It’s not even dawn.”

“
I need to stretch my legs.”

He shrugged. “Why not?”

He helped me to my feet, and I pulled my boots on. We crept past the nurse’s station without being seen. I was here of my own free will, but I wasn’t sure how pleased she would be to see me leaving with a Werewolf, in the middle of the night.

We didn’t speak again until we were far away from Griffin Hall, under the cover of thick woods.

“
I’m glad you’re okay,” said Wes, pulling me to a stop under a wide oak whose branches were just beginning to bud. “I was worried.”

In the filtered moonlight, I could see his expression. Worry lines etched across his forehead and his jaw looked tense. I ran my hand over the roughness of his cheek.

“
I’m glad you’re here,” I said.

“
Where else would I be? I wish I could’ve gotten here sooner.” He frowned; an expression that reminded me of Jack.

“
I’m glad it’s over,” I said. The frown deepened. “What?”

“
When I was being held by security earlier, I heard them talking. They know that Miles found a way to turn those Hunters. They’re forming search parties to hunt them down and kill them.”

“
But… why? They aren’t necessarily evil. Miles was making them work for him, but what if they chose to be good?”

Wes shook his head. “Sounds like they aren’t going to give them the choice. They don’t like that it was possible in the first place and they’re going to eliminate them before it gets out of control.”

“
But some of them were kids, like us. I saw them.”

“
I know.”

“
I can’t believe this. I thought they were detaining them, trying to capture them, like Victoria’s parents.”

“
Victoria’s parents?” Wes’ brows crinkled in confusion.