Entangled Interaction (15 page)

Meat. I stacked the dishes in the dishwasher and sighed. What am I going to tell him? How can I choose one man over the other? Just by asking for access to the stone, I'd be telling my present boyfriend that I picked the potential for my deceased husband over him.

How could I look into Meat's eyes and tell him I wanted Wills back? After everything we'd been through. With his patience, his sense of humor, his love and devotion to my boys, which showed in his actions and their excitement whenever he dropped by. To them, Wills would be the stranger.

Indecision pressed my shoulders down and weighted my spirits. How do I choose one man who I love with all my heart right now over the man who owned my heart in the past?

"Mommy!"

"Coming." I closed the door on the dishwasher, washed my hands, and followed the sound of Sasha's voice.

Maybe an answer would come to me in the form of divine inspiration. I could only hope for some guidance and soon.

Chapter 15

"What's up with you? You've been quiet and distracted since we returned from the visit to the pride." We walked from the front door of the club and into the parking lot as Meat escorted me to my car. I'd dropped by earlier to watch him dance and spend a little time with him before heading home since the boys were at the parents' night out party at the daycare.

I looked up, met Meat's concerned gaze, and knew I had to lay everything on the line. "Remember Sawyer spoke to me?"

"Yeah."

"You said he's never wrong."

"As far as I know he's never been. But it's still possible. Why do you ask?"

I plucked at imaginary lint on my shirt. "He told me with the stone's help, I had the power to bring Wills back from the dead."

Meat's mouth fell open. "He what?"

"Since I brought the dinosaur back from the dead at the city museum with the stone in hand, he told me I had unlocked magic, including the ability to bring back my deceased husband."

"That's a damn big difference and gamble. Magic doesn't always work out the way you want it to." He held my gaze as his voice lowered. "Didn't you say he was lost on a particularly dangerous and violent mission? What if you try it and he's a completely different man? What if he's a quadriplegic? Or a vegetable?"

I lowered my head, trying to process his words. He had a good point, ones that I'd vaguely tossed back and forth myself. Unfortunately, I still couldn't wrap my mind around the golden opportunity with a huge risk attached. "I know it's possible. The same way it's possible he could return safe and whole."

Running one large hand through his dark hair, Meat turned and walked a couple of steps before spinning back to me. "Are you going to do it?"

I chewed my bottom lip. "I don't know."

He sighed heavily. "Damn Sawyer."

"I agree." He tilted his head as bafflement flashed over his features. "Hey, it's not like I wanted to know that particular tidbit, which put me in a horrible position. I would've much preferred to remain ignorant."

He stared at me for a long moment, then pulled me into his snug embrace. "I know you loved your husband deeply. You wouldn't have waited four years to start dating again if you didn't."

A lump formed in my throat. I swallowed hard.

Meat pressed a kiss to the top of my head. "If you're positive after thinking about this for a while, I'll get the stone for you."

Astonished, I pulled back enough to peer up at him. "You'd do that for me?"

"Don't you realize your happiness means more to me than anything else?" His cobalt blue eyes flashed with truth and emotion.

My heart lurched. "Thank you." The words seemed so inadequate, yet my overwhelmed mind refused to come up with anything better. How could I choose one over the other? By bringing Wills back, I was essentially turning my back on Meat. The impossible question remained unanswered.

Crack. Crack.
Gunfire erupted from nearby, nearly deafening me with the loud blast. Meat slammed against the SUV behind him, banged his head, and crumpled to the ground.

Panicked, I dropped to my knees beside him. "Meat. Please. Say something." He remained silent even as his breathing became more labored. Blood pooled under his head while a smaller puddle stained his shirt.

Frantically, I searched for the shooter, not finding anyone close. Fear like I'd never known turned my blood to ice, set my heart to pounding through my chest, and sent my thoughts into a chaotic whirlwind. Meat lay shot and somewhere a deadly hunter more than likely stalked us like cornered prey. I forced my overwhelmed mind to basic functioning and concentrated on one task at a time.

"Oh my god. Just hang on. Damn it. Listen to me, you hardheaded cat. Stay with me. No matter what." With newfound courage and determination, I placed my hands on his chest and focused.

I had discovered my ability to heal in my mid-teens; however I never ventured into training or cared to admit the skill to many people. After all, I lived in a volatile world and acceptance remained elusive for many. My luck, someone would discover my magical abilities, declare me a witch, and try to burn me at a stake.

"I know you're out there, you son of a bitch. If you're not already dead, you soon will be."

The male voice sounded a distance away. I took a deep breath and set about stopping the river of blood from flowing from Meat's body. Keep him from bleeding out, then figure a way out of this nightmare. First things first.

Heat warmed my hands and entered Meat's body. I knew little about healing, just how to send the energy into the victim, where the waves seemed to know how to repair damage on their own accord. Good thing, since typically my abilities were only used to treat simple skinned knees and paper cuts. Gunshot wounds were way out of my league.

"Please. You have to live. Just stay with me. I'll get you…"

"Paybacks are hell." A male voice drew my attention from my critically injured boyfriend. Glancing over, I found a light-haired man of medium build leveling a handgun at me.

"You're the dancer who distracted me while he closed in on me. Hot damn, it's my lucky night after all."

I struggled to maintain my attention on the healing process and hold a conversation with the shooter at the same time. "I don't understand."

He sneered. "I had a nice little scheme going. Cull the next woman, play the role of her playboy, then take my just desserts before moving on to the next one. Until he intervened. Turned me over to the cops."

My foggy brain latched onto a name. "Jack? Jack the Ripper-offer?"

"Oh, you remember me. Too bad. I so love blondes, but can't have witnesses, either."

He aimed the gun at Meat and then back to me. "Say your final prayer."

"Wait." The warmth began to fade in my hands.
Damn it.
I forced myself to pour more energy into patching Meat as best as I could in the limited time before Jack decided to do me in as well. Desperate, I prayed for a way out of this mess. I could teleport Meat and me, but took the chance on Jack shooting before we flashed out. Not to mention the crazed idiot would just track us down again.
If I could only turn his gun around…

No sooner had I had the thought than Jack's hand began to turn, not stopping until he looked down the barrel of his own revolver. His eyes widened as fear covered his face in the lights of the parking lot.

"What are you doing? Stop it! Stop it right now."

I might not have been able to help Wills but, by damn, I wasn't about to sit there and let some revenge-seeking crazy guy kill the man I loved again. Not when I could do something about it. Rage and determination drove me to the edge. I pushed harder.

"No!"

I closed my eyes, pictured his finger pulling the trigger, and sent one final mental surge.

Bang. Thud. Clang.

When I opened my eyes again, I found Jack lying on the ground, the gun flung a few feet away. He didn't move, and I didn't bother to go investigate. Instead, I pictured Meat's parents' house and teleported us out.

In a blink, we ended up in the floor of their living room. I immediately started screaming for help as I poured my attention back to healing my boyfriend.

Running footsteps announced the cavalry had arrived.

"What happened?" Micah kneeled at Meat's side.

"He's been shot. I'm trying to stabilize him, but…" Tears began to fall in earnest. "He can't die. Not now. Please, let him live." I don't know if I begged Micah or a higher power, but it didn't matter. I'd give anything for my boyfriend to sit up, wrap me in his arms, and declare himself healthy as a horse.

Daphne ran in, dragging an older man in her wake. "The healer is here."

He went to his knees, checked Meat's carotid pulse and frowned. His gaze met mine. "What happened?"

"He was shot. Once or twice. I don't know. When he went down his head banged on a car. I've been trying to heal…" My words faded on a sob.

The healer placed his hands on Meat's chest, murmured some foreign words, and gave a small nod. "Let's get him to bed, and I'll see what I can do."

Before I could utter a sound, Micah, Meat, and the healer disappeared.

Daphne latched onto my elbow. "Shy? Come on. Let's get you cleaned up while the men work."

I looked up into her worried face and found compassion. For the first time, I glanced at my hands and clothes, finding more blood than I cared to see. "Will he…?"

"He's in the best hands. The fact the healer took time to move him comforts me."

I nodded, suddenly worn out from the whole ordeal. Worry and guilt weighed heavily on my shoulders. "Let me arrange for someone to pick up the boys first." Grabbing my cell phone, I punched in a familiar number. "Jessica?"

"Shy?"

"I need a huge favor."

"Anything."

"Can you please pick up the boys from daycare for me?"

"Sure. Aren't you going to be home tonight?"

"I don't think so." I sucked in a breath. "Meat was shot. I got him to his parents. The healer is with him now."

"Oh, no. Is he going to be okay?"

"They think so, but I want to be here…"

"Understandable. Don't worry about a thing. I'll get the boys and take care of them until you get home. Tell Meat that I wish him a speedy recovery."

"My car is still at Meat's club."

"We'll get it back as well."

"Thanks, Jessica. You're a godsend. I'll check in with the boys no later than the morning. I don't want them to worry."

"I'll tell them you got tied up at work or something. It'll be okay. Take as long as you need."

"I never can thank you enough."

"Just go be with your man." She clicked off.

"Everything set?"

"Yeah. My roommate is going to take care of them for me."

"Good. Let's get washed up."

I stood up and followed Daphne to the bathroom.

Thirty minutes later, I sat on the living room couch, fresh from a quick shower. Daphne offered to lend me clothes. When I declined, she snapped her fingers, and my jeans and pink blouse appeared wrinkle free and clean as if they just came out of the dryer.

Pulling my waist-length blonde hair into a ponytail, I stared across the room, impatient to receive word about Meat's condition.

"Patience, dear." Daphne spared me a small smile.

"It's tearing me up. I need to be with him."

"And you can, in a couple of minutes." A male voice entered the conversation.

I twisted around to see the healer emerging from a long hallway.

"Is he going to be okay?" I jumped up and rushed over.

"Yes, thanks to you."

"Me?"

He studied me for a long moment. "Why haven't you been trained as a healer?"

I shrugged. "My grandmother thought it unwise with the unstable society we lived in at the time. Besides, I'm human. Who would I train with? People would label me a witch or worse."

The gray-headed man slowly nodded. "You might reconsider that. Because you were able to seal off the blood pouring into his chest and lungs, you bought enough time for me to finish your work."

I toed the floor, uncomfortable with the praise.

He reached out and lifted the sleeve of my blouse. "Why didn't you tell me you were hit?"

Lifting my arm, I found a groove where a bullet grazed the muscle of my upper arm. Despite my cleaning up, I hadn't known the wound existed. "I didn't feel it. Didn't realize…"

He covered the area with one large hand. Heat sparked, then faded as quickly as it appeared. When he lifted his fingers, any evidence of a bullet wound had been removed, replaced by healthy tissue with not even a scab or scar.

"Wow."

The corner of his mouth hitched up. "You're welcome." He turned his attention to Daphne. "Micah is sitting with him now. Tygerius will probably sleep the rest of the night. I'll be back early in the morning to check on him."

"Thank you." She ushered him to the door as I made a beeline where the shifter healer came from.

Two doors down, I found Micah sitting beside a large bed occupied by my boyfriend. Softly, I walked in, took Meat's hand, and kneeled beside the bed. Watching Meat breathe normally, noting that color returned to his face, and feeling the natural warmth in his hand, I released a sigh of relief. The only thing missing was for him to wake up and chew me out for not running to save myself. Let him try. A ghost of a smile teased my lips.

"Penny for your thoughts," Micah asked from the other side of the bed.

I met his gaze for a brief moment before my focus returned to Meat. "I was just thinking when he wakes up he's going to read me the riot act for not running to save myself or at least to find help. He's always been quite vocal about his opinion on my safety."

The corner of Micah's lips hitched up. "Sounds like him." He stared at his son's face for a long moment. "Maybe this once, he'll realize he's pretty damn lucky. Most couldn't or wouldn't have done what you did."

A tear leaked out. "I already lost one man I loved dearly. I just couldn't lose another." I met his gaze. "You see, he's my life, now and forever."

Chapter 16

Meat held his own throughout the night, sleeping deeply, yet comfortably. I stayed, sitting in a chair while holding his hand, lest he wake up. His parents took turns watching over him from the other side of the bed, no one willing to leave him alone for a second even though the healer promised the danger had passed and Meat would make a full recovery with no ill effects from his attack.