Beast pressed down on my pain receptors and sent something like endorphins into my bloodstream, muting the pain. I’d never get all my clothes off. I’d have to shift clothed and I’d ruin the boots. What had I been thinking when I pulled them on? Boots at the beach?
I heard footsteps clattering back up the stairs, Eli being deliberately noisy, but stopping before his head rose above floor level. “You still human?”
“Sadly yes.”
“You need help getting your clothes loose?” he asked.
“Boots?” I asked.
Eli came all the way up and knelt at my side, studying my injuries. He had washed his hands, but he still had blood smears on his wrists. He shifted position and eased my boots off one by one, without shaking me and my broken bones. “I’m not a good second,” he said, as he removed the stakes and the knives in my boot sheaths and set them to the side.
I tried to smile. “You’re a great second. I could have just shifted, but I’d have ruined the boots. I like this pair.”
“You’re rough on the girly stuff. You’re rough on fighting leathers. I can’t think of a single piece of clothing you’re not rough on.”
“Lucchese boots,” I said promptly, waggling my toes at him.
Eli huffed in amusement. “Can you move your arm? Let me get to your waistband?” I supported and lifted the broken arm and hand. Methodically, he loosened my clothes. He said, “You can shift and your legs will slip out of the pants, but the shirt and jacket are pretty thick.”
“Cut ’em off me. I’ll try not to weep at the loss of my wardrobe.”
Gruffly, sarcasm in the tone, he said, “Good. I hate itwhen you whine.” Eli slid his arms around my back and shoulders and sat me upright. I gagged with the pain. He pulled a blade that looked sharp enough to shave with. “Good arm first.” He cut up the sleeves of the uninjured arm and across to the neck opening, though he left the lapel in place. He eased the jacket and shirt off the shoulder and peeled it toward my back. He started at the lapel on the injured side and cut through to the shoulder, before he pulled all the slashed cloth forward and created a modified sling with the cut clothes, placing them under my broken arm as support. He secured the messy sling with knots and zip ties.
“Ingenious,” I said. I was glad I’d worn ugly, heavy sports underwear for the weather.
“Of course.”
“You unhappy that you and Mike won’t be hooking up?”
“Oh, we’ll be hooking up, just not the way I planned. Though I may wait a bit. Hospital dates are awkward.”
I tried to grin at his small joke and winced.
“I heard you on the helo’s comms system. Brief me.”
“Leo’s pissed. He’s on the way to the mainland LZ. He has two helos shuttling now. Someone will read Marco tonight. Leo will heal Bambi. Del is sending an armed team to check on the CEO of Madderson Construction—armed in case they were colluding or are in trouble. HQ is taking no chances.” Eli stood and walked back to the stairs, his feet silent on the old floors. Partway down, he stopped and his voice floated back into the vaulted room. “Edmund’s on the way too.” I hurt too much to respond. “Babe. Alex says you threw him down the stairs, out of harm’s way. He’s pissed at not getting in on the fight.” I said nothing. Softer, Eli added, “Thanks for protecting him.”
“My pleasure. Scoot.”
He went on down the stairs. And once again I sought the Gray Between. It was cool there, the lights silvery gray with darker gray motes shooting through. My own magics, the ones now moving in a star pattern inside me, expanded.
The shift started. Pain slammed through my arm.Claws ripping my skin. Nails being driven into my broken bones.Painpainpain...
• • •
Woke up tangled in Jane clothes. Pants and inside pants and cut shirt and stupid tight inside shirt. Stupid human clothes. Scratched off cloth tied around front leg. Claws tangled in cloth. Snarled. Ripped off pants and inside pants. But could not get off inside shirt. Shirt Jane called jog and bra. Was stuck. Growled. Calling Eli. Eli did not come. Growled louder. Eli did not come.
Whistled kit call.Eli! Eli! Eli!
Eli did not come. Eli did not know kit call. Screamed kit call.Eli! Eli! Eli!
Eli called, “Jane? Beast?” Sounded afraid.
Eli should be afraid. Beast is best hunter. But Eli would laugh human laugh at sight of Beast in Jane bra. Growled softer. Thought about jumping out of window. Was hungry. Wanted to hunt fish in curling water, what Jane called gulf water. Water did not run one way like river water, but rolled everywhere, and to land. Was strange. But. Wanted bra off. Was too tight on Beast chest. Did not know why Jane wanted to wear bra. Growled again, uncertain.
“You planning on eating me if I come up? I have a raw steak.”
Beast’s ear tabs perked up. Eli has dead cow?
