“No, you are not.” The physician gestured to one of those other doctors, who touched the screen on the wall. Bright purple medicine slid through one of the tubes going into her body and instantly, Ash’s stomach soothed.
Part of her resented the control these doctors had over the functions of her body. Part of her wanted to vomit, to suffer a little bit, to purge some of the grief. Once again, she’d escaped when others hadn’t. One of the things this retreat was to address was survivor’s guilt. Ironic that now she had that times four. “I’d just met them,” she said. “We hadn’t had the chance to become friends. It was…a retreat. I don’t remember much about them, or what happened. What’s wrong with my memory?” She rubbed her temples. “My head feels like mush.”
“That is okay,” he said, smiling again, but with tension this time. “You will be here for a while. There will be time for all your questions. Your government has asked that you remain here until the creature you came in contact with is identified and captured. They have concerns about alien pathogens.”
She put a hand to her chest as her stomach turned to ice. “Wait. I’m beingquarantinedup here? Can I talk to my family, at least? My parents must be freaking out.”
His shoulders visibly relaxed. “There is no reason why you should not speak to your family. I will arrange that for you.”
“Thank you.” She glanced at her leg, then up at him. “How long will I be here?”
He paused. The quiet stretched as a mix of complex emotions flitted over his perfect features. “I do not know, Ashley.” His voice was low, gentle, and tinged with a strain that Ash did not understand. “I suppose it will depend on you.”
CHAPTER SIX
Zade
“Why are you wearing aneniband?” Yoli’s question came swift and urgent the instant they were behind the glass divider of the two rooms. “Did you receive new information about the toxin 33-H was exposed to? Should Pruk and I be wearing one as well?”
His thoughts were in disarray, but he whipped together an explanation. “No. This is a precaution. There are a number of pathogens undergoing studies on the Poli-4. I am thinking of the health of our delicate patient.” These statements were technically true, which was the only reason why Zade was able to utter them. Lying served no purpose in his field, and could injure someone, but he could not inform his assistants of Ashley’s status before the female, herself, knew of it.
Pruk stepped up, worry in his young face. “33-H’s readings were abnormal, sir. Her respiration and heart rates were at the upper range and her body produced more of the hormone—”
Zade held up a hand. The “abnormalities” were exactly what a female in the very early stages of mate bonding would experience. “I am aware of the female’s vital statistics,” he said, cutting him off. “All is within normal ranges. We must allow herbody to heal and assimilate her new limb without adding more stress to her body and mind.” All he wanted was for these two to leave and give him space to rest and think. “Is she still on thereju-table?”
“Yes, sir,” said Pruk.
“Induce sleep,” he ordered. “Six Earth hours, uninterrupted.” The female needed sleep and he had an appointment with the Saar-king, which could not be missed.
He sent off Yoli and Pruk to run a check on the several hundred other patients on the medical deck and to assist any physicians who had put in requests for help. With them finally gone, both his private lab and the patient room were quiet.
Ashley had fallen asleep almost as soon as the medicine had entered her. She lay there, still and quiet. And terribly pale. He approached as one would a poisonousgaripithat was poised to strike, stopping beside her softly glowing reju-table. With a slow hand, he moved the hair from her forehead. Her light brown hair was soft. He allowed his fingers to trail down her cheek. The feel of it sent a tremor down his body. Even with the hormone suppressant, he could feel the need rising within him, pushing for dominance. The urge to mate with her was natural and innate and difficult to suppress, but it could not win. Not with his female unable to consent or participate.
With a curse, he turned and ran yet another body scan. He was relieved to see that she had not sustained a serious brain injury with her skull fracture. Only some short-term memory loss remained. She may retrieve the memories. Part of him hoped she didn’t. Recalling the night of her attack would be traumatic for her, but he did need the information on the creature. Currently, it was locked in her mind.
He changed into a loose training suit of dark gray and paused at his console. Leaving theenibandon would result in questions he would rather not answer. But taking it off couldcause him to release his pent-up energy on his Saar-king and result in injury. He did not trust his body to not fight with the rage of the warrior that lived in the soul of every Baylan. Every need, desire, and instinct sat at the surface. With a snarl at the cursed band around his neck, he headed for the exit.
Shortly afterwards, he found himself standing over his winded Saar-king, who gazed up at him with surprise in his ice blue eyes.
Both Baylans were drenched in sweat, but it was Zade who was dominating the sparring match. “You are slow, Drace,” he said. “Does something ail you?”
The other male swept his legs under himself and jumped lithely to his feet, immediately back in form. “I am not slow. You are exceptionally strong today.”
“I think not.” He took another swing, barely missing Drace’s head. That one would have left a mark. The other Baylan male’s eyes widened. This was not what the Saar-king looked for during these matches. Zadehadto rein it in. Over time, the two males had developed this frequent training schedule. It was an effective way for Zade to observe and evaluate the Saar-king’s health and wellness, and it also kept Zade’s own reflexes sharp and honed.
Drace leapt away and out of reach. “What do you have in thateniband?” he asked. “Something to improve your performance, to give me a harder workout?”
Zade snarled. “You know I would never do such a thing without first informing you.”
“Then what is it?” Drace held up a hand, signaling a pause in the match. “Something is different about you. Do you need to engage in a true fight? I can call in Raze, my head of military. I am sure he would accommodate you.”
“No.”Stars, no. Raze was a relentless and vicious fighter when riled. Zade preferred his teeth—and every other body part—intact. The easier thing would be to tell Drace about Ashley and get it over with. He paused as a message pinged his v-link with the high urgency chime. He opened the message but instead of words, the message closed and deleted itself. “What was that?” asked Drace.
“I am not sure.” He frowned with little interest in pondering it. If it was that urgent, they would message again. “A glitch, perhaps.”
“We do not have glitches,” said Drace.
Not a moment later, the doors to the training space opened and a Baylan male strode in. The Saar-king turned to the newcomer, eyes hot. “These are my private chambers, protected by passcodes and guards,” he snapped. “How did you—”
