Blood Shift (The Charming Shifter Mysteries Book 3) Page 12

  “As loyal as they come. Woof.”

  She could hear the grin in his voice. She looked up to see a slender man in hospital scrubs approaching. “Oh. I’ve got to go. The doctor’s coming.”

  “Let me know what he says. Call me if you need anything. Anything at all.”

  “Thank you, Dawg-man.”

  The surgeon looked haggard as he entered the room. The armpits of his pale-green scrubs were stained with upside down mushroom clouds of sweat. Crimson splatters covered his torso.

  “Is he…? Her hands clenched. She couldn’t finish the sentence.

  “He’s alive. He’ll need a few days of some serious rest, but he’ll be okay.”

  “Oh, thank God.” She let out a long breath.

  “We’ve given him a transfusion. Stitched him back together. We had to work from the inside out. Whatever he wrestled with did some serious damage. What were you two doing? Fighting with a Grizzly?” The doctor gave her a wan smile.

  “Far worse, I’m afraid.” Chia never knew if people outside of Charming knew about shifters.

  The doctor’s eyebrows stitched together. “A mother bear Grizzly?” he said, confirming his lack of awareness.

  “Sort of,” Chia said.

  “We’re going to have to file a report with animal control…he might need rabies treatment.”

  “No, no.” Chia put her hand out in front of her. “It was nothing like that.”

  The doctor raised his eyebrows.

  “I don’t think you’d understand. Anyway…he’s okay. Can I see him?”

  “He’s going to be out of it for a while, I’m afraid. We doped him up pretty good.”

  She clutched her hands together in front of her heart, in a pleading gesture. “I don’t care. I need to see him. I’ll stand in the corner if you want. Just please let me be near him.”

  The surgeon gave her an earnest, searching look. Finally, he nodded. “Follow me. Let’s get you something to throw over your clothes along the way. He doesn’t need to see you looking like you took a blood bath.”

  She smiled, gratefully, following him.

  After retrieving a bathrobe type garment, she was led into the ICU, her heart in her throat.

  Surrounded by machines, all displaying signs of his life, Hung looked as ghostly pale as the spirits who were her constant companions. The dark turquoise wall behind him, illuminated by a row of led lights, highlighted his head and torso, leaving his feet in shadow.

  A male nurse, shaped like a wine barrel, looked up when she entered the room.

  “Are you two related?” His voice seemed too soft and high-pitched for his rotund body.

  “We’re together, yes,” she said simply. She scanned his name tag, which read, Hi! I’m Martin Brown, RN. It looked like the kind of name tag you’d find at an AA meeting, rather than a hospital. She stepped toward the bed and took Hung’s hand—the one not connected to tubes and dripping liquids.

  “He’s a fighter, that one,” the nurse said. “Strong as an ox. Don’t worry, honey.” He patted the hand that held Hung’s. “He’ll make it.”

  Chia let out a big sigh. “I want to stay with him until he gets out. Can I?” She looked around the cramped space, filled with medical equipment.

  “You can use that seat.” The nurse pointed to a padded stainless steel chair. “As soon as he’s stable, he’ll be moved to a regular room. You’re welcome to camp out there, too, but it won’t be much fun.”

  “I’m not looking for a good time, I assure you. I only want to be near him.” She stared at the nurse for a second, noting something odd about the man. She couldn’t put her finger on it though. I'm paranoid.

  The nurse flashed her a benign smile, like something a pope would bestow on his audience, before departing. “I’ll be right out there if you need me.”

  “Thanks,” Chia said, before training her attention on Hung.

  She’d never seen him like this. He strode into town like the Lone Ranger. He dealt with brutal situations like Captain America. When he shifted, he flew through the air like the bird version of Superman, conquering evil, capturing bad guys. A fierce, passionate man, he now looked frail and broken.

  “Oh, baby,” she said, giving him a gentle squeeze. “You’ll always be my superhero.”

  An almost imperceptible response of a barely-there squeeze met her hand.

  Excited, she squeezed again. “Are you with me, sweetheart?”

  “I’m here,” he said in a croaking whisper. “I’m a pretty poor excuse for a superhero, though, don’t you think?”

  A smile broke through her solemn mask. It almost hurt making her realize how tense she’d been. Her head whipped toward the nurse’s station. She searched for a nurse, wanting to let someone know he was awake. Then, spying no one, she brought her gaze back to him, not wanting to leave his side.

  Keeping his eyes closed, he cleared his throat. “Drugs. Ugh.”

  “Yeah. You were given enough to knock out an elephant. And yet you’re awake.” She leaned down and kissed his cheek, rough and scratchy with stubble. “More importantly, you’re alive. That’s all that matters.”

  “Catching that shifter is all that matters,” he said hoarsely. “And figuring out you and me.” His eyelids fluttered open. He tried to smile, then winced, grimaced, and closed them again. “Tired.”

  “You rest.” She patted his hand. “We’ll have you back home in no time.” Feeling more hopeful than she had for hours, she dragged the chair next to him and settled into it.

  “I knew Red wanted me—either as one of them or out of the way for good. It was awful,” he mumbled, eyes closed.

  “What was?”

  “Fighting shadows. I tried everything I know. They’d get in my nose, my eyes. They sought entrance into my soul. They slithered into every orifice they could find.” A violent shudder cascaded through his body. His eyelids fluttered open as if he needed to pull out of whatever nightmare he was sinking into.

  Chia’s belly clenched in horror. She placed her hand on his arm. “Shhh. You’re here now. You’re not with them.”

  He raised his hand and wiped his forehead. “I’d start to feel them worm their way inside me. I got cold…numb…depressed. I don’t get depressed. I may feel sad, even lonely at times, but this was utter…” He swallowed, hard. “Heartbreak. It was heartbreak. I couldn’t find you anywhere. Only fragments of memory and I couldn’t be sure my memories were real. I was plunged into despair. Like watching the world end.” His eyes filled with tears.

  Hers did as well. Her breath stuck in her throat as she studied him. “I’m here.” She squeezed his arm.

  “For now, you are.” He closed his eyes, forcing the tears to fall down his temples.

  Chia felt her own heart-shattering. She loved this man, through and through. So why is there such an impasse between us?

  A short time later, she blinked, realizing she’d fallen asleep. Her head rested on his arm. She still clutched his hand. Her cheek felt damp, and she sucked in the spit draining from her mouth. Lifting her head, her eyes met Hung’s lucid blue ones, watching her.

  “Hi,” she said.

  “Hey.” He caressed her hand with his forefinger, then let out a sigh. “You were out cold.”

  She opened her mouth to say something when a loud, explosive pop shook the air. “Holy crap!”

  All the lights went out.

  “Goddamn,” Hung muttered.

  Someone screamed.

  “Don’t worry,” the male nurse called. “Everyone stay calm. This is Alaska. Think we don’t have generators? Think again.”

  As predicted, a few seconds later, the lights came back on.

  “See? Back to normal,” he called from his station.

  “I don’t think so,” Chia said, getting to her feet. “Hung, look.” She pointed out the window where dawn cast its feeble light.

  Outside, stood bears—dozens of bears. Black bears stood alongside Grizzlies. Polar bears huddled near brown bears. Each st
ood swaying, their noses pointed at Hung’s room.

  “What do you think they’re here for?” she asked, her voice shaky, knowing the answer.

  “You’re kidding, right?” Hung said, weakly. “I’d bet my soul they’re in the employ of Red. And, they’re here for us.”

  Chapter 17

  Chaos reigned in the hallway outside Hung’s room. Bears growled, people screamed. More snarls and growls rang out. Clangs, crashes, and clatters of equipment being knocked around followed.

  Chia stood beside Hung, her body gripped in fear.

  A woman cried, “Get away. Someone help me! There are wild bears in the hospital!”

  All the hairs on Chia’s neck stood at attention. “Hung, what do we do?”

  “Not sure,” he said, wincing. “These stitches…” His words were cut short.

  “You need to go back to sleep, mister,” Nurse Martin said, hurrying into the room in an odd lumbering gait. The stench of shadow shifters wafted from him.

  His eyes looked completely blank, in a “no one’s home” kind of way. Chia shivered and squinted, noting the faintest haze of darkness mantling his shoulders.

  “We’re on full alert,” he said as if repeating lines to an audition.

  “What? No,” Hung croaked. He tried to throw back his covers.

  The strong, sausage-like fingers of the nurse held him in place.

  “Get your hands off me,” Hung growled.

  Nurse Martin blinked, like someone coming out of a trance. “How did I…?” As if seeing it for the first time ever, he peered around the room. Then, the light drained from his eyes, leaving him looking vacant and empty of a soul. “Doctor’s orders. One of the higher ups called it in.” He adjusted some dials on one of the devices connected to Hung’s drip feed. Then, he placed his hands on Hung’s shoulders, shoving him back to the bed.

  “Get your fucking hands off me,” Hung said. “Chia, he’s…” His face contorted with pain and he fell back against his pillow. “The shadows,” he croaked, in a voice that made beads of sweat pop out on Chia’s lips and forehead.

  “He’s what?” Every hair on her head stood rigid.

  The color drained from his face, and his eyes slammed shut.

  Chia, who stood across the bed from the lunatic nurse, vacillated between making sure Hung was safe and running for help. She stayed put.

  “Hung? Are you still awake?” She gently shook his shoulder. Nothing. She spun to face the nurse, who was standing far too close behind her. “What did you do?” she snarled in a voice that sounded like she might be capable of murder at this moment. “Step away from him…and from me.” She shoved his beefy body, trying, in vain, to get him to move.

  “Too late.” The pope-like smile spread across his face again.

  A stark white Polar bear appeared in the doorway, standing on its hind legs, stretching to its ten-foot height. It huffed and chuffed, as if in warning. A long length of clear tubing hung from its barrel-like neck. White gauze dangled from its arms. It threw back its head and roared, sounding like an amplified, out of control cement mixer from hell. Stringy ropes of putrid spit sprayed from its mouth.

  Martin whirled, his eyes and mouth stuck open in a round O.

  “Do something!” Chia yelled, her arms flailing.

  The nurse seemed frozen in place. Then, his eyes cleared for a brief second.

  The murky shadow mantling his shoulders lifted and coiled toward Hung.

  “Oh, my lord,” Nurse Martin screeched. “What’s happening?”

  Chia’s gaze whipped between the Bear, Martin, and Hung.

  Dark shadows, like wisps of smoke, drifted down the tube connected to Hung’s hand. They flowed into his skin.

  He thrashed against the bed, his entire body clenched spasm.

  “Hung!” Chia yelled.

  She lunged for the plastic tube feeding Satan-knew-what into his blood stream. With a fierce yank, she wrenched the tubing in two. Revolting smelling liquid spurted from the tube. Seizing the metal stand, she held it like a weapon, standing between Hung and the bear, still in the doorway.

  Once more, Hung grew limp and lifeless, slipping into unconsciousness.

  The Polar bear let out another growl.

  The skin on Chia’s entire body rippled.

  Martin shrieked, then slammed the sturdy metal door in the bear’s face. He leaned against it, staring wild-eyed at Chia.

  “What’s happening?” he said again as if she could provide answers.

  “What’s his name?” she asked the nurse. “The doctor who phoned with the orders?”

  “He said his name was Dr. Mountainbear, a specialist in Anchorage.”

  Chia threw back her head. “Oh, God! You’ve been duped!”

  The bear clawed the door. Its nails screeched like a band-saw, sounding like they sheared the metal.

  “What kind of bear can claw through metal?” Martin whispered, in a voice sounding more like a child’s.

  “The kind tearing through metal. The one right behind you.” She swung the stand pole back and forth. Chia wished she could punch the stupid nurse—either that or use him for batting practice. She wanted to scream at him, telling him he’d given a madman access to their whereabouts. “Don’t you check the credentials of people who call? He’s no doctor.” Her face grew hot.

  “How could he possibly know we had a patient by this name? There aren’t too many people with a name like Hung Durand.” His cheeks turned the color of beet juice. “He called the minute your boyfriend arrived. It was a little strange, but we’ve had tribal shamans and people claiming magic abilities walk through our doors. When a man calls within seconds of his arrival, claiming to be his doctor…I thought…we all thought…” Without warning, his eyes rolled back in his head and slid to the floor, from faint or magic, Chia couldn’t tell.

  Chia scanned the room. Her mind fuzzed over with fright, unable cough up ideas. She glanced at Hung. He’s out like a light. “Good work. Now I’m trapped.” She stared out the window. “We can make a run for it. Right. Only one of us is conscious.”

  The bear slammed against the door, shoving Nurse Martin a few inches. Its huge paw forced its way inside the door, swiping the air.

  Chia eyed the room, desperate for ideas. She caught movement outside the window.

  Outside, a familiar figure raced toward the building, armed to the teeth.

  Chia tugged at the window sash, only managing to open it an inch. She bent forward, putting her lips next to the crack.

  “Sugar?” Chia yelled, relieved. “Over here!”

  Still clutching the metal stand, she stood upright and swung it hard. It crashed against the window. The safety glass shattered into pellets.

  Sugar sprinted toward the broken window.

  Chia blinked. “What are you doing here?”

  “No time to explain. Help me up. Take my hand,” she commanded, peering up at Chia’s face from her position five feet below.

  Chia took it and held tight.

  Sugar used it as an assist, to leap up and catch the windowsill which was lined with jagged glass. She let out a yelp, blood oozing along the white painted sill. “That one’s going to leave a mark.”

  As Chia jumped out of the way, Sugar flung herself inside. Armed with weapons, they clattered against the floor as she fell.

  The beast hurled itself against the door, shoving the unconscious nurse Martin a few more inches.

  “Hurry! He’ll be inside any second now! What can we do with Hung?” Chia cried.

  Sugar stared at him.

  “He’s stitched inside and out. Any movement and his wounds will pop open.” Chia talked so fast, she wondered who slipped her the speed.

  The white bear lunged, shoving nurse Martin out of the way. It powered into the room.

  Sugar grabbed one of the rifles from her back, took aim, and fired.

  Blood flew from the bear’s skull, spraying the room with crimson spatters.

  “We’ll carry him, keeping hi
m covered with the blanket, using the sheet as our sling. There’s an emergency exit to the outside down the corridor. Think you can manage?” Sugar asked.

  “Of course I can manage,” Chia shot back.

  “I hear you’re a good shot. Here.” Sugar retrieved another rifle from her back and tossed it to Chia.

  “A Nosler. My favorite,” Chia said, slinging the gun over her back. As they hustled to position Hung, she asked, “How did you know where we were?”

  “Lots of history here. I know this hospital ward.” Sugar laughed. “I’ve got scars everywhere. Let’s go.”

  They hefted Hung off the bed, in his makeshift hammock.

  Chia and Sugar maneuvered him through the room, like medics in a war zone. They artfully avoided the giant dead animal and the huge unconscious man on the floor.

  Chaos reigned out in the hall, as bears and humans fought. Carnage lined the walls and the floors.

  One of the bears, noticing Chia, stopped gnawing on the human body at its feet and charged her.

  Another bear caught up in bloodlust, got in his way.

  “Lower Hung!” Chia cried. “Now!”

  They lowered him to the floor. Chia snatched the gun from her back, crouched, took aim and fired.

  Sugar did the same.

  Bear brains and blood splattered the center nurse station, as the animal fell to the floor with a thud.

  “Hurry!” Sugar yelled.

  “On it,” Chia said.

  They hefted Hung and scurried through the ICU, swinging doors, only to see more of the same carnage.

  “Sweet baby Jesus,” Chia said, her lip curling at the sight of shifters, half-shifted, lifeless. Syringes dangled from their limbs like the nursing staff had stabbed them with deadly drugs.

  Others, fully in animal form, attacked, shaking people in their jaws like toy dolls.

  Humans, their faces masks of horror, raced through the halls, screaming.

  Stumbling, she picked her way over the fallen.

  Chia’s arms began to shake. She feared to drop her precious cargo. “I don’t think I can make it,” she said, panting.

  “Stop.”

  Chia stopped and spun her head over her shoulder.