Wolf’s Heart (8 page)

“Is there a back way in?”

Mr. Nicotine shook his head. “Um, no, there’s just a balcony. N-no steps.”

Ryden was out the back and made his way across the pool area, jumping fences as he looked for her room. He prayed luck was with them both. She was in trouble, and his wolf was on edge.

As Ryden moved along the back of the hotel, he put his nose to the air. He knew her scent as well as his own. Just then, the wind shifted, and he caught her scent along with the same cologne from her apartment. His hackles rose as he noticed the change in her scent. He could sense her fear and pain. The wolf in him was growling at the thought she might be injured. The only thing Ryden wanted at that moment was to get her out of there. He tucked his gun back in the waistband of his jeans and leapt up to the second floor, not caring if anyone saw him in the waning light. Carlee was hurt and in danger. That was all Ryden cared about. She jumped when she saw him, and he quickly shushed her.

“Easy, Carlee. It’s Ryden. I’m gonna get you out of here, Buttercup.” He could smell her fear and anger boiled in him. That anger nearly turned to rage when he looked at her and saw the bruises that covered her face. Her eyes were swollen and barely open. Whoever had hurt her was a walking dead man.

“Ryden?” She gasped. “Where did you come...never mind, just get me out of here!”

“That’s precisely why I’m here. You’ve got someone after you, I take it? We’ll figure this out later.” He hesitated, not even sure where to touch her, causing her more pain was the last thing he wanted to do. He leaned over and cupped her knees under his arm and lifted her gently. She hissed in pain and his gut twisted. “Easy, babe, I’ve got you. This won’t be easy and I’ll try to be careful on the landing.”

“Um, landing? Shit, just go.”

“That’s my girl. Ready?” She nodded and he eased across the railing with her in his arms. The jump was short, and he landed on both feet, trying to keep the impact from jarring her, but she cried out in pain anyway. “Sorry, sweets, not much further.” Ryden carried her gently to his car and helped her inside all while she still clutched her pillow from the hotel room. He moved back around the car and got inside, then drove off quickly, hoping her assailants weren’t aware he’d gotten her out.

Carlee appeared shocked at seeing Ryden. All he could think of was she had no reason to trust him but hoped she realized he was one of the good guys. She slumped against him as she tried to get comfortable in the car.

“You really do have a habit of showing up when needed, then leaving when you’re not, don’t ya?” she said. “You sure had no problem becoming scarce three years ago. How did you find me?”

Ryden didn’t bother to answer her questions. Hell, he wasn’t exactly sure what he’d tell her anyway. After they were back on the road, he reached over and pulled her pillow away trying to see how bad her injuries were.

“Hey, easy, Ry. This isn’t show and tell and that hurts.” She gasped out in pain as he took away her security and checked her over as best he could while driving.

“What happened, Carlee?”

“Bad choice of boyfriends. Turns out he’s got an aversion to geeky brunettes. Almost getting killed by my present lover, only to have you show up again is giving me serious doubts about my ability to pick men.”

She pulled the pillow back up against her stomach and huddled down in her seat. He saw her eyes as she tried to focus on him, watched them as they filled with pain while he drove them to safety. The look of mistrust in the green eyes that had haunted his dreams for years was like a kick in the balls. His knuckles were white as they gripped the steering wheel, teeth clenched with steely determination as he struggled to maintain control.

The car was nice and warm, and he hoped it kept her comfortable even while he sweated in the driver seat. He didn’t care, only that she was comfortable. It wasn’t until they got on the interstate headed south that he pried his fingers off the wheel and reached over, his hand resting softly on her leg.

“Did you have a place in mind or are you just running aimlessly?” he asked. For some odd reason, he sensed that his touch seemed to calm Carlee. He could feel the tension leave her muscles even as he caressed her thigh.
Her tongue slid across her dry and cracked lips.

“I was thinking Jamaica, mon. You know, Bob Marley? But he’s dead now, so finding him may be difficult. Of course, the way I feel I may….” Her words were cut off as his hand squeezed her thigh.

“Don’t say the words, Buttercup. You’re not going anywhere.”

He gently cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing away a silent tear. Carlee was a lot of things, but a wimpy crybaby was not one of them. She closed her eyes at his touch and groaned as she spoke, obviously trying to hide her pain and the fear he could smell permeating the interior of the car.

“So many men, so little time. What’s a good girl to do?”

Ryden chuckled softly, brushed back her hair and tucked it behind her ear. “You’re gonna sleep, Carlee. You’re safe, and I won’t let anything else happen. You have my word. I will wake you when we get to Savannah.”

“Wait, how did you know I was going to Savannah?”

“Don’t worry about that. Just close your eyes and sleep.”

Her eyes fluttered closed as they flew down the highway. It wasn’t like her not to push and argue for her answer. That, alone, told him she was in bad shape. There was no radio, no music, just the hum of the road and the sound of Carlee’s breathing as she passed out.

He couldn’t stop touching her even as he drove them south. A touch of her hair, caress across her thigh, and he watched as she slept, her breathing calm. She needed to see a doctor. Her incision wasn’t bleeding anymore but he had seen enough active duty injuries to know that it needed medical attention. At the very least, she needed antibiotics, clean bandages and something for the pain. As the street lights lit her face, Ryden could see the bruises from the beating she’d taken. Her eyes got to him the most. Still swollen, the bruises were fading to hues of purple and yellow. Her lips were still puffy, and she had a few cuts along her face that didn’t look too bad. Still the marks made his wolf growl. Taking her to a hospital wasn’t an option until he knew just what they were running from. Instead, Ryden called a doctor friend.

The phone rang on the other end, and Ryden fervently hoped he’d answer. “Hello, Dr. Hammond speaking.”

Ryden gave a sigh of relief at hearing his friend’s voice. “Cal, it’s Ryden. I need a favor.”

“Anything you need, Ryden, you know that. What’s wrong?”

Ryden had known Cal for many years. He was one of the medics who’d been responsible for keeping the pack patched up when they were injured. Werewolves healed fast, but sometimes not fast enough to keep from bleeding out or losing limbs, and no way in hell would they just leave a brother behind because he was hurt. Cal had played a pivotal role in maintaining the pack’s health.

“I have a friend in need of medical attention. She was hurt and has been treated, but she’s not in the best shape. Someone is after her and until I know for sure who we can trust, I can’t risk taking her just anywhere.”

“No problem, bring her to my private clinic. How long will it take you to get here?”

“I’m not sure but give me at least a couple of hours.”

“Call me when you get in town, and I’ll meet you there.”

“Thanks, Cal. I appreciate this. I owe you one, friend.”

Ryden heard him chuckle as he hung up the phone. It was a favor he knew the good doctor would cash in eventually.

His clinic was in North Carolina. Cal had gone into private practice after leaving the military and had made quite a name for himself. Ryden drove through the night, not stopping, and called Cal just as he was minutes from the office. Carlee had slept during the drive and only stirred when Ryden picked her up and carried her in the back way.

Her eyes opened as they walked inside and she looked confused. “Ry? Where are we?”

“Easy, Buttercup, I’ve got you. We’re just going to get something for the pain. Relax, Cal is going to fix you right up.”

“Something for the pain sounds great. You can shoot me with anything right now, and I won’t care…medication, that is.”

Cal met them as he walked in, and ushered him to a private room where Ryden laid her on the bed. “Thanks, Cal. I’m worried. She was beaten a few days ago.”

“Anytime, Ryden.” He shook Ryden’s hand and looked down at Carlee. “Tell me what happened and then I’ll give you something for the pain.”

Carlee clutched Ryden’s hand and looked between the two. Ryden trusted Cal and knew whatever she had to say would be safe.

“Carlee, I wouldn’t have brought you here if I didn’t trust him. We can’t help you if you don’t tell us what happened.”

Her voice wavered a bit as she spoke, the fear evident. “You know how I always have shitty taste in men? Present company included?” Ryden’s guilt swelled tenfold at that jab and knew it was deserved. “It’s complicated. Let’s just leave it that eight days ago I was jumped and two guys beat the shit out of me. My spleen was ruptured and had to be removed. A couple of cracked ribs, lots of bruises.” Ryden’s hand locked down on Carlee’s shoulder and she moved, trying to get away. “Hey, I have skin and bones under there!”

He loosened his grip, but his jaw was tense. There were a hundred thoughts that had run through his mind as he tracked her down. Her having been jumped wasn’t one of them. She was too smart for that. He knew she was leaving something out, something that she damn sure was going to tell him. “Why did you leave the hospital?”

Closing her eyes, her tears and trembling lip gave away any attempt at a strong resolve. “I hate hospitals, you must have forgotten that. I left to make sure they didn’t come back. I really didn’t want to stick around to see if they came to visit.”

Ryden didn’t say a word, only thought that getting jumped was random violence. Perps like that didn’t normally follow up on their victims in the hospital. Cracking his neck, he resolved to hunt the bastards down, something he would undoubtedly do later, but Carlee was his first priority. He would let her get away with telling only half of the story for now.

She weakly fought the doctor when he took away her pillow as if it was a prized possession. While Cal gently examined her, he asked her some questions about her medical history and if she had any allergies. She didn’t look as he lifted her shirt, and Ryden cursed under his breath when he saw the long row of staples down her abdomen.

“This is the new ‘in’ thing right,
Bride of Frankenstein
? I don’t need a costume for Halloween next year. I’ll just get some black tassels and I’ll be good to go.”

Cal gently pulled down her shirt and moved away, then came back a few minutes later with needles in hand. "Carlee this is some Dilaudid. It will help with your pain. This one is some penicillin to the cover infection that seems to be brewing. Are you okay with that?" She nodded and looked away as he injected her with pain medication and antibiotic, hissing at the burn. He and Ryden spoke a bit as Carlee’s eyes became heavy. The doc cleaned the wound and redressed it before leaving the room. He came back shortly with two bottles of pills and a couple of loaded syringes.

“Give her the pills for infection; the directions are on the bottle. The shots are for the pain. Once she can take it or if you need her more alert you can switch to the capsules. Here are some clean bandages. Just keep the wound clean. Watch for signs of bleeding, if that happens you need to bring her back. The last thing you need is an infection getting in there. I’ve also included a staple remover. Those can come out in about two more days.”

Ryden took the supplies and stuffed them in his coat pocket. Carlee looked all relaxed and pain-free at the moment, so he figured they’d be safe enough to catch a few hours’ sleep. Why Savannah, he’d yet to figure out. Right now, she needed some sleep and food. Ryden pulled a hundred dollar bill from his wallet and attempted to give it to Cal.

“Nope, not taking it, Ry. You just take care of your lady, here. Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Thanks, Cal. I’ll do that.” He picked up a still-sleeping Carlee, eased her out the back door and into the car. In minutes, they were back on the road to find somewhere to settle down for a while.

It didn’t take long to find a hotel. Ryden was hesitant to leave her in the car alone while he checked them in but her appearance would arouse suspicion. The hotel wasn’t the Ritz, but it would do in a pinch. The fellow at the front desk wasn’t too keen on taking cash for the room without ID until Ryden slipped him a large tip. Then he was falling all over himself to accommodate.

“I want a room on the first floor, please.”

His face lit up, smiling from ear to ear as he slipped the large bill into his pocket. “Yes, sir. Let me get that key card ready.” He swiped the card, coding the room number “Here’s your key card, sir. Room 109, straight down on this side of the building.” He gestured out the front. “Have a nice night.”

Ryden thanked him and made his way back out to the car to pull around the building to the room they’d been assigned. He backed into the parking space, making sure to note all the exits in and out of the parking lot. Once he had Carlee in the room, Ryden tucked her in the bed, and she fell right back to sleep.

Her hair had become a tangled mess and he sat there on the bed, watching her sleep while attempting to untangle it with his fingers. The purple streaks she was sporting in place of the yellow ones he remembered lay limp and lifeless across the pillow. He caressed her cheek, brushing the rest of her stray hair back so he could see her features better. For the first time since he’d spotted her standing on the balcony, Ryden got a good look at her face. Her eyes were swollen and her cheeks gaunt, almost hollow. Her skin was pale with a sallow cast along with the bruising and cuts he’d already seen.

Shaking his head, he pulled up the covers and went back out to grab his bags from the car, then secured the doors and windows. Ryden could go on little to no sleep for days and had no intention of letting his guard down tonight. Instead, he sat in a nearby chair, watching over Carlee while she slept.