I wiped my bloody hands on my shirt and swung my gaze to Viktor. “They can’t just kill one of us as payback. This wasn’t her fault. You heard what they said—the girl hid in the trunk.”
“It is the way of the pack.” He finished tying the tourniquet. “This will keep you for a while. But you must shift before you pass out, and we cannot wake you.”
“Not until she’s okay.” Blue’s normal olive complexion was now a sickly grey, her cargo pants soaked in blood.
“You are indispensable,” he said, leaning in close. “We will do what we can to help the child, but you must not go too far over the edge.”
Christian returned with several bags of ice. He and Claude arranged them under the girl’s armpits, along her torso, and everywhere that Shepherd instructed.
“What the immortal hell happened to your pants?” Wyatt asked, looking at Christian’s missing pant leg. “If that’s the new fashion, don’t sign me up.”
“Get him out of here!” Shepherd boomed, startling me enough to look back at the door.
Hunter had wandered into the room and was staring at the blood on the floor.
Claude rushed over, scooped up the little boy, and carried him out.
The next thing I knew, Shepherd and Christian were bickering.
“I’ll not do it,” Christian snapped.
“She might die. One little drop in the bag won’t hurt.”
Christian shook his head. “It doesn’t work like that.”
Blue tipped forward. “Don’t youdaregive that baby your blood!”
Shepherd listened to the girl’s heart with a stethoscope. “I’m just saying it might help speed things along. What if she’s got brain damage?”
Wyatt snorted. “Then you two will have a lot in common.”
Shepherd lunged, but Christian held him back.
“Get your aloof fucking Gravewalker ass out of here,” he growled, pointing his finger at Wyatt. “She’s a kid. Out of my medical room. Out!”
Wyatt threw his hands up. “Maybe she wants to go to the other side. Ever thought of that? When it’s your time to go, it’s your time to go. Sometimes holding on to the living world is worse than death. But go ahead. Play God,” he said, leaving the room.
Shepherd scowled. “Next time he wants me to save his ass, I’m going to throw him onto the ferryman’s boat myself.”
“What’s in the IV?” I asked.
Shepherd rolled up a stool and attended to the girl. “Just some water and electrolytes. She’s dehydrated, but the first thing we need to do is get her temperature down. Then we can see the damage done.”
He wiped the sweaty hair away from the girl’s beet-red face and then rested his hand on her forehead. His touch seemed to slow down her panting, and I guessed he was using his Sensor gifts to make her comfortable. When she started shivering, Shepherd reached across the table, and I handed him the red vial.
After administering an injection, he switched off the overhead lights so only the dimmers beneath the cabinets were on. I wondered why at first, but new places and medical rooms could be scary for kids—especially with everyone watching. We waited for several long minutes in the darkened room.
Finally, the girl stirred. “I gotta pee.”
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
“She’s gonna be just fine,” Shepherd announced.
Gem rushed in. “I woke Kira. She doesn’t know what’s happening, but I put a blanket and pillow on the floor for the girl. I think you should put her in there tonight. Kira can watch her, and she’ll be close to the kitchen, bathroom, and medical room.”
Shepherd lifted her into his arms. “Get the pole and stay close behind me. I don’t want you yanking her line out.”
Once they left the room, Blue grimaced as she stood up and then lost her balance. Viktor put his arm around her middle so she could put her weight on him.
