“Since yesterday,” Dace blurted.
Since yesterday? No, that was impossible, I- Sitting up, I realized one thing very fast— I needed to go to the bathroom, like,now.
Forcing my aching joints to get going, I slithered from my bed with a groan.
“Pru?” Dace called out. The door creaked open and her head popped in.
“Was I really out for two days?” I mumbled groggily as I made my way over to the privacy screen to take care of business.
“She’s awake!” Dace squeaked out, before adding, “Oh, but she needs a moment!”
When I was presentable, I seated myself at the table.
Dace opened the door and Joanie’s Celuk and one of Dorothy’s mates stepped in, the healer one.
Pushing past them all, Joanie marched right in.
Taking a seat across from me, motioning for Dace to join her, the woman eyed me for the longest moment as I frowned at her mightily.
“So I’m not sure how this all works but you’re part Lo denaii, right, like a quarter or something.” The woman with the wild scars and wilder mates wasn’t asking. “Dace is worried about you. She has my Buu berry muffin worried about you.” Her nails were short but painted a vibrant blue with purple polka dots that matched Buu. “Daisy’s mates, in their concern, have gotten folks involved, and No-yell, apparently you’ve met his crusty buns, is wondering if the grumpy growls creeping up on you is mate sickness to some degree.”
“I don’t have mate sickness.” My denial, as always, was instant. But… there was a possibility there could be something to that.
“Right. Okay.” Those neon bright nails rat-a-tat-tapped along the heavy wood table top. The woman stared at me as if I should somehow find that, I don’t know, intimidating? When Igave her a look and stared right back, she was the first to blink. “You’re kinda unnerving, wildwoman, has anyone ever told you that?”
“Not to my face.” My mouth tugged up at the corner in a smirk that would have made Cy proud.
Joanie dipped her head in a nod and stood. Lifting her hands up, she shook her head as she turned. “Sorry, fellas, nothin’ doin’. She said she’s fine. She’s fine.” Turning at the very last moment, Joanie tossed out, “Where are we standing with the nab you another male exploration thingy I heard those lunk heads wondering about?”
The snarl I let loose, hopping up from my seat to glare at any and all males present, was answer enough.
“Say no more.” Spinning on her heel, she gave the males gathered a dirty look. “I don’t know what all you thought to accomplish by bringing me here. If she doesn’t want another mate, don’t think I’m about to talk her into it. She knows her mind.” Lips pursing, she huffed, “And if anyone tries to push her into one, I’ll be first in line right after her to tear a piece from each and every being involved, you feel me, fluffy wuffies?”
“Me, too,” Dace added, though she looked like the last thing she’d be doing is trying to tear anything out of anyone, she was fidgeting in place so nervously.
Shooing everyone out along with her, Joanie turned at the door. “I’m sorry about getting separated from your mates. Vurhg is a peanuts for brains asshole. You want him taken care of, Celuk has already offered to bury him alive again for me.”
When I frowned at her offer, she waved me off. “I know. I just can’t bring myself to put a hit out on a beast. Maim him, sure, bury him alive, sounds like a plan, but outright murder him?” With a grimace, she sighed. “The punishment has to fit the crime.” Tapping her lip in thought, she muttered, “I wonderif there’s an unexplored portal lying around we could chuck him into…”
The muttering continued as she left in a flounce of fluffy coat and wild colored fur trim boots.
“She likes you.” Dace smiled, pleased with the idea. “I can tell.”
Good to know, I guess.
Rushing to the door, she hurried and locked it. Pressing her back against it, she gave me a pleading look. “I’m sorry. I was just scared. That’s a long time to sleep. I didn’t know what to do. You wouldn’t wake up.”
“It’s fine.” I didn’t feel fine. I felt like I could go back to bed and sleep for two more days. I should feel hungry, shouldn’t I? Lifting my hand to scrub it down my face, I realized my hands were shaking horribly.
The look on Dace’s face told me there was more.
“What? What is it?”
“Don’t be mad at me, okay?” She bit at her lip so hard as she waited for me to answer she was practically gnawing on it when I finally nodded and motioned for her to continue.
Thinking perhaps she wanted an actual response, I muttered, “Okay.”
“Uhm, I maybe, went to find Kehlor when you wouldn’t wake up and, uh, got really mad and started yelling at him when I told him you needed him, that he was hurting you and you’re my friend and he’s an awful boyfriend-husband-mate for hurting you like that, and, uhm, sorta, maybe, mighta… thrown a muddy snowball at his face when he just stood there blinking at me like I was an alien, and, uh, maybe called him a jerk, then ran.”
