CHAPTER 6
G aetan landed on the cold stone floor. Pain spiked through his leg, sending a wave of bright lights flitting across his vision. The urge to cry out bubbled in his throat, but he clamped his mouth shut. He had a patient to help who would soon become a Dren.
Cool and damp, the portal’s remaining mist swirled around him, coating his skin in a wet sheen. He welcomed the brief respite. Even now, he couldn’t believe he’d given Nicole his saliva, but she’d needed it to counteract the Gossum’s venom and seal the wound.
If he hadn’t made a noise, the Gossum would never have found her. The weight of his deed settled over his shoulders, heavy and firm. She was his responsibility now, just like Ginnia. He’d taken Nicole from her life, brought her into his, with its war and death. Bile rose in his throat, bitter and hot.
“Gaetan! I couldn’t believe it when I got yer message…” Rin stood next to the porte stanen, the red sunstones still glowing on the surface. His scrunched brow accentuated the lines around his eyes. “Say, who do ya have there?”
One arm wrapped around her for support, Gaetan drew Nicole from the platform. His cane tapped along the stone with each step, echoing against the chamber walls. She trembled in his arms, no doubt from her ordeal and the remnants of the Gossum venom. The need to get her to the infirmary urged him onward.
“This is Nicole. I don’t have time to explain, but she needs medical attention.” He glanced toward the corridor. “Is there a warrior nearby that can transport her?”
“I…I can walk.” Nicole struggled against him, but her efforts were weak, ineffective.
He refused to let her go, fearing she’d fall and injure herself further. In truth, he enjoyed how her warm, soft curves pressed against him. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, “You’re still suffering from the Gossum bite. Please, let me help you.”
She relented, sagging into him further. “I’m so…tired.”
A strange flutter beat in his chest. He didn’t have time to analyze the emotion.
Rin stepped closer, his large blue eyes widening. He studied Nicole. “She’s human. What did ya go and bring a human into the Keep for?”
Gaetan smacked his cane against the floor. “Rin, call a warrior. We need assistance.”
“The warriors left. Gone. Out searchin’ for Anlon and yerself.” Rin’s mouth quivered. “I heard about Noeh. He’s dead, along with Melissa.”
Gaetan’s vision pinpointed. In the rush of the battle and rescuing Nicole, he’d forgotten about Noeh and Melissa’s special bond. They shared a soul. When Noeh died, so did Melissa. A pain, greater than any he’d ever experienced, pierced his heart. Their deaths were his fault. If he’d watched Anlon like he was supposed to none of this would’ve happened.
“Gaetan?” Rin touched his arm. “Are ya all right?”
He forced himself to focus on the little Jixie. The concern reflected in Rin’s eyes just about broke him. He didn’t deserve anyone’s sympathy. With a soft tug, he tightened his grip around Nicole’s waist. She moaned, but otherwise didn’t stir.
“My friend, do we still have a wheelchair here?”
Rin straightened his shoulders, and his eyes brightened. “Yes, I’ll get it for ya.” The small male scurried behind an alcove. A moment later, he wheeled a chair toward them as fast as his little legs would go.
Gaetan helped Nicole into the seat. Her head lolled to the side, and her blonde hair covered her face, hiding her features from him. Before he could think better of his actions, he brushed the fine, golden strands away.
Long, luscious lashes graced her cheek. Beneath them, the heat of a fever tinged her face pink. Plump lips begged for a male’s kiss, and he had the sudden urge to bend down, find out if they were as soft and supple as they appeared.
A tic started in his jaw. A male like him, with his disfigured leg and addiction, was not something she needed. Although he’d given her some of his saliva to slow the venom, if she were to survive, she required the special herbs and medicines in the infirmary.
He placed his cane over the chair’s handle and pushed her toward the exit. At the room’s entrance, he peered at Rin. “Any luck on Anlon’s whereabouts?”
Rin shook his head. “Not yet.”
Gaetan’s throat thickened. “Keep me posted.” Without a glance, he headed for the infirmary, praying he didn’t lose Nicole as well.
The rich, deep baritone of a man’s voice filtered into Nikki’s mind. Soft and comforting, his words settled into her psyche, sending a gentle warmth through her entire being. She’d never felt so relaxed, so content, so at peace. All she wanted was to stay in this blissful state, enjoy more of his comforting tone.
Light, faint at first, but growing brighter by the second, warmed the skin on her face. An orange glow penetrated through her eyelids. Jerking awake with a start, she inhaled, and the scent of tarragon swept across her senses. As she opened her eyes wider, her vision focused on a tall, handsome male.
He had short brown hair with a spot of gray at his temple. A broad nose and a strong jawline defined his features despite the few age lines etched in his cheeks, but his pale blue eyes, the soothing color of aquamarine, drew her in. He smiled, and laugh lines formed around his mouth, accentuating his full lips.
Deep inside, on a level she didn’t quite understand, she recognized him. Still lost in her blissful state, she glanced over his shoulder. Tension formed at the back of her neck, and she looked around.
Walls, made of stone, enclosed them in a room filled with long tables. A tall cabinet rested against the wall. Bottles, beakers, and an assortment of herbs lined the shelves. A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair leaned over a cabinet strewn with bandages, surgical knives, and medical supplies.
Stones embedded in the walls flared to life, brightening and warming the room. This wasn’t like any place she’d ever been before. Maybe I’m still in my dream. Yet, she didn’t believe that. She returned her attention to the man.
“Wh… Where am I?” Her words squeezed out her parched throat and came out hoarse.
“You’re in the infirmary. How do you feel?” The man’s consoling voice sounded familiar. He was the one who’d calmed her.
She peered at him. “Thirsty. How did I get here? Who are you…”
Memories flooded her mind. The mudslide…hiding by a downed tree…the strange creatures…the attack…her rescuer… A shot of adrenaline flooded through her, and she kicked out, fear overriding all common sense. Unbalanced and unaware of her surroundings, she slipped from the table. A sheet twisted between her legs, sending her careening toward the ground.
The man wrapped her in his strong arms, preventing her from crashing to the stone floor. He held her in his embrace, and his minty breath caressed her cheek.
“I’ve got you. Don’t be afraid.” His soothing voice filtered over her like a cool breeze, calming her racing heart.
Gaetan… His name flashed through her mind. “You’re Gaetan. You’re the one who saved me from…” She choked on the words.
“Come. This must be unsettling. You’ll have all your answers and more.” He pulled her to a standing position, and her hands landed on his broad chest. Even through his woven shirt, his warmth lit up her fingertips. Before she could process her reaction to him, he released her. All she wanted was to crawl back into his arms.
Nikki ran her fingers over her throat where the creature had bitten her. The skin was smooth and unblemished. She glanced at her arms then at her legs. All the cuts and scratches were gone. “How did my injuries heal?”
The woman she’d seen before stepped forward and handed her a glass of water. “The water should help with your thirst. My name is Sheri. I’ll do everything I can to make you feel comfortable here.”
That small gesture eased some of Nikki’s anxiety. She took a sip of the water, her fingers still shaking from her ordeal. When she was done, Sheri took the glass and gave her arm a gentle squeeze. “You don’t look too worse for wear. As for your injuries, Gaetan is our master haelen, or healer, the best in the Keep.”
“The Keep?” She glanced from Sheri to Gaetan.
His beautiful eyes bore into her, as if he could see into her soul. “You’ve slept for several hours. What do you remember from last night?”
“Everything,” she whispered. The sudden urge to feel his touch again whipped through her. Before she could stop herself, she placed her hand on his arm. “You saved me.”
A flinch crossed his features. He stepped away and headed over to the counter, his cane knocking against the stone floor in counterpoint with each step.
“Do you regret saving me?” A lump formed in her throat.
He whirled around faster than she thought possible. His eyes sparked with flecks of amber. “I’m a healer. Saving others is what I do.”
The lines along his cheeks deepened, speaking of an anguish so profound his pain was palpable in the air.
Sheri touched her arm. “Gaetan tells me your name is Nicole.”
Nikki dragged her attention away from Gaetan and focused on Sheri. “Please, call me Nikki. You said I’m in a ‘Keep.’ When can I go home?”
A knowing look flashed between Sheri and Gaetan. Dread trickled down her spine. She gnawed on the inside of her cheek. “Tell me.”
Sheri patted her hand on one of the medical tables. “Come, sit down. There’s a lot you need to hear.”
Nikki assessed both Sheri and Gaetan. Both had rigid postures, their mouths set in stern lines. She’d get faster results if she complied with the request. With a quick huff, she slid onto the bed. Carved from the stone, the cool, smooth surface was a welcome relief to her overheated skin. Her legs dangled over the edge. Nervous energy had her kicking her feet to and fro. “I’m ready anytime you are.”
Gaetan sat on the edge of a stool, the seat worn on one side. “The creature that attacked you was a Gossum. Once human, he was changed by another of their kind through a bite.” A tic formed in his jaw, and he rubbed at his knee. Four dark lines, like tattoos, ran from each knuckle, merging at the wrist then disappearing up his arm beneath his shirt sleeve.
She traced the rhinestones in her bracelet. They seemed eerily similar to the dark lines on the back of his hand.
He cleared his throat. “One bit you. Human females don’t survive the change. I took a chance, giving you some of my saliva in hopes you’d live long enough to arrive at the Keep where I could treat you with my special medicines and herbs. I was successful. As for you returning to your human world…”
Her thoughts froze and it took a moment for his words to sink in. “I remember now. I can’t go home. What I saw wasn’t my imagination. Monsters really do exist, don’t they?”
He nodded, and the compassion in his eyes tugged at her heart. “They aren’t the only…non-human creatures on this planet.”
An image of the large, hairy beast she’d seen in the forest crossed her mind. She sucked in a sharp gasp and gaped at him.
“What do you mean? Are you one?” A part of her didn’t want to hear his answer, and she held her breath.
His mouth thinned. With great effort, he pushed away from the stool and strode toward her with his cane. He stilled, mere inches away from her. Warmth radiated from him, cascading over her, drawing her in. “Sheri was human once, but I wasn’t and, now, neither are you.”
Blood pounded in Nikki’s ears, drowning out all sounds. Her vision pinpointed and she focused on his eyes, using them like a lifeline to reality, holding on for dear life. “What am I?”
“You are like Sheri, a Dren—” His attention drew to the wall. One of the yellow stones blinked, flaring to life with a rhythmic pulse. “Craya!” He held up one finger. “One moment.”
She glanced at Sheri. With her blonde hair, pale skin, and hazel eyes, Sheri appeared human. What made her a Dren? She opened her mouth to ask, but Gaetan cleared his throat.
“I’m sorry. I have to leave.” Over his piercing eyes etched with worry, his brow furrowed.
“Is everything okay?” Sheri raised an eyebrow.
“The warriors have returned. Saar called a council meeting. I must attend.” He shuffled to the door, the muscles in his shoulders bunching with each step.
Although Nikki couldn’t see his injured leg covered in long pants, there was no outward appearance to indicate there was anything wrong with him. Yet, there must be a reason he used a cane. What had this proud man gone through in his life? Whatever he was to others, to her, he was her savior. She longed to understand him better.
He halted and turned to Sheri. “I’d appreciate it if you filled Nicole in on the details and find her a room.”
“Of course. I’d love to. It’s nice to have another Dren among us.” Sheri studied Nikki’s clothes. “Besides, it looks like we’re about the same size. I have just the outfit in mind.”
Gaetan met Nikki’s gaze once again. For a brief moment, heat flared in the deep recesses of his eyes. Warmth filtered through Nikki, as if he’d caressed every nerve in her body. Unbidden desire, strong and powerful, pooled low in her core.
He broke the contact and walked through the doorway. His hobbled gait echoed down the corridor. Despite that she knew little about him, Nikki longed for his touch with a desperation that rattled her to her soul.