Healing Their Mate (The Love of a Shifter) (24 page)

Reece and Jonas watched as the pack’s doctor hooked the IV into Star’s arm, allowing the blood to flow into River’s body.  They wanted to let some of Star’s blood go into River’s to see if it will help heal her body.  The doctor checked and they had the same blood type.  The nurse wiped her face down cleaning it from the dried blood. 

Reece got up from the chair and started pacing again.  He wanted to go now and kill Paddock.  They had left the cameras just in case Paddock came back to the old farmhouse.  When he did, Reece planned to rip him from head to toe.  What he did to River was savage and he deserved to die
—with a lot of pain.  Reece considered all the ways he could kill him.  

Sky sat in the corner watching River.  She had not woken up since the time in the van.  The tension in the room was stifling.  Ash got some food brought in for when River woke up and for the others. 

Star leaned back and closed her eyes.  The doctor would know how much blood to take then Sky would give her some of his.  They would repeat the process again the next day.    

After a few minutes they could tell that Star
’s blood was healing River.  Her color had begun to change back to her natural state.  Her lips had been blue but now they appeared red again.  After a few more minutes the doctor unhooked Star from the IV so she could eat and rest to regain her strength.  She had already lost a lot of blood by giving it to Reece. 

Jansen walked in the room with a cartoon of orange juice.  He scanned the room until his eyes fell on Star who was lying down on the bed.  He walked over and filled up a glass then handed it to Star.  Her eyes had been closed until Jansen walked into the room.  She watched the mountain of a man pour orange juice in a glass then hand it to her.  As she took the glass, her face turned crimson red as she looked around the room and saw that everyone was watching them. 

Star whispered, “Thank you,” then laid back down on the bed.  She drank half the glass then sat it down on the table beside her bed.  Jansen walked over to Ash and Larken who were quietly talking at the table. 

“
Any news yet on Paddock?”  Ash looked up at Jonas and Reece then shook her head no. 

“
Nothing.  Nobody has come back to the farmhouse yet,” Ash said.  She was amazed that Paddock hadn’t returned.

“
I was thinking about that.  Eyewitnesses said they saw a man sitting in the car when Paddock got out and took River.  What if they went to meet more members of his clan?  Why else would he leave River there for that long?  He knew she wasn’t going anywhere or couldn’t, but there was food in the house and some of his clothes.  So I’m thinking he was coming back.  What if we set up a trap for him and the guys before he came back?  It would even the odds out since they have been drinking River’s blood and he must be huge now and stronger.”  Reece and Jonas stopped and listened to what Jansen was saying. 

“
It makes sense to me that he was coming back.”  Jonas walked closer to the table. 

“
What kind of trap do you have in mind?” Larken asked Jansen.

“
Some of the magic kind,” Jansen smiled as he said it.  He looked like he had something up his sleeve.  Reece and Jonas walked over and sat down at the table.  They wanted to end this and doing it away from the lodge would be the best idea.  So taking the fight to them was the best answer all around. 

Jonas looked over at River to check on her and found that she was staring at them.  Running over to her bed, Jonas bent down beside her bed. 
“How are you feeling?” 

“
You can’t…” River tried to choke something out but her voice gave out on her.  Her throat was raw and she was having trouble swallowing too.

Reece came over and brought a glass with a straw in it. 
“Drink it slow, baby.” 

Jonas helped her hold her head up as she drank some of the water.  Coughing, River tried to speak again. 
“You can’t beat him.  He drank my blood.  He…”  Tears streamed down her cheeks as she tried to finish what she were saying.  She was so emotional the doctor told them it was enough and to finish this later.

“
Her body is trying to heal and getting upset isn’t helping her,” the doctor advised as he checked her blood pressure.  “It’s too high right now.  No more talking.”  Reece and Jonas continued to touch their mate as the doctor checked her vital signs.  She knew there was something she was supposed to tell them, but she couldn’t think of what it was.  River’s eyes closed again as she drifted off to sleep. 

*****

Ash walked over to Reece and Jonas and put her hands on their shoulders.  “Let’s go to the conference room and talk while she sleeps.”  Ash could tell they didn’t want to leave River alone.  They haven’t left her side since they got her back. 

“
I will watch her.”  Sky stood and walked over to the chair sitting between his sisters.  He sat in the corner the whole time watching his sisters.  Reece and Jonas nodded allowing her brother to stay with them while they both slept and healed.  They could see the resemblance as the brother sat between his sisters.  Mary walked in and told them she would be here too.  They felt better knowing that Mary was also in the room. 

Everyone walked out of the room and into the conference room. 
“Okay, Jansen, you’re up.  Tell us what you are thinking,” Larken asked.

“
We have done it before using magic to bind some of the people in the house and allow others to leave.  If we bind his clan in the house and allow Paddock to leave then we have him.  No matter how strong he is the two of you should be able to take him.  He would need to continue taking her blood and it has been a while now so the longer he doesn’t have it then he loses it.  This gives us an edge.  The rest of us will surround the house making sure nobody else gets out.  We will kill whoever does come out.  Then when he is dead we kill the others.”  Jansen didn’t pull any punches.  He was viscous when it came to his job.  He showed no emotions except when he was around Star.

Larken looked over at Jonas who was in charge of the unit, waiting for the decision to be made. 
“Sounds good to me, but I want another plan in place if that doesn’t work for some reason.  We always have a backup plan.”  Everyone agreed with Jonas as they were going to wait until in the morning.  The house was being monitored and nobody had come back to the house yet.  Jonas planned the backup to be just to kill them all.  The guards and protectors would have swords to kill the vampires when they came out of the house.  A flamethrower was put into the mix just in case they needed it.  vampires could be killed two ways, one was to cut off their head and the second, to burn them to ash.  Reece knew he was going to rip Paddock to pieces, starting with parts of his body, he would save his head for last so he could say what he wanted before he cut his head off.

*****

Sky scooted his chair closer to River as she slept.  He could feel the protective instinct already kicking in as he sat next to her.  Her color was better, but Sky knew he could heal her if he tried hard enough.  He knew if he didn’t then it would take days for her to completely heal.  This way she could be with her mates, Star, and him.  He laid his hands on her arm where Star’s blood flowed from the blood pack.  Closing his eyes, he concentrated and then opened his eyes.  He could see the bruising to her body that was internal.  Her veins looked bad because of the blood loss. 

Mary watched as the young man stared at River.  She could tell he felt something for her.  Maybe he was her brother.  She prayed it was true.  River needed them and by the looks of it, they needed her too.

Concentrating deeper, Sky imagined blood flowing through her perfect veins. 

Star had woken up and looked over at her brother who was healing River.  She didn
’t stop him because this was his way of taking care of his older sister.  He needed to prove to himself, and Star understood that.  She could tell that it was taking a lot out of him as River started to wake up.  Her color turned back to its natural state.  She awoke looking at the young man beside her.  Star could tell that River was going to start yelling so she spoke first.

“
He is healing you.”  River looked over at Star then looked back at Sky.  “My name is Star and he is our brother, Sky.” 

River jerked her eyes back to Star confused. 
“Did…what did you say?” River asked.

“
I said my name is Star and…” River shook her head.

“
No, what did you say after that.” 

Star smiled at River.  She knew it had to be a shock to her to find out that she had a brother and a sister. 
“Oh…I said he was your brother.” 

River couldn
’t believe what this woman was saying.  Was she insane, crazy, or what?  “And he is my brother too and I’m your sister too.”  River tried to get up but Sky still held her arm down.  His concentration was so intense that he didn’t know River was awake and trying to get her arm out of his grip.  Looking up at Sky, she could see how much he was putting into it.  She could see the strain in his face.  She rubbed his face with her hand trying to bring him back.

“
I believe she is telling the truth.”  River didn’t notice that Mary was sitting on the other side of her.  She looked back at the young man holding her arm.  Immediately, River felt something for this young boy.  Leaning over so not to scare him, she spoke softly.

“
Thank you,” she muttered sweetly.

River watched as Sky
’s eyes opened then widened when River spoke to him.  He took the biggest breath of air, and then fell to the floor.  River, forgetting she was still injured, jumped out of bed putting Sky’s face in her lap.

“Are you okay?  Please wake up.”  All the noise from Sky falling brought her mates and the others rushing into the room.  Jonas looked over at her bed that was empty.  Then saw that she was lying on the floor.  They rushed to her side as she caressed the side of Sky’s face. 

“
He healed me,” River automatically responded as she gently rubbed his face and hair.

Jonas and Reece looked down at the ashy body of Sky who was unconscious.  Ash looked down at Sky then barked out orders for more food and orange juice to be brought down immediately for Sky.

“Pick him up and put him in my bed,” said River. 

Reece could tell that River wouldn
’t settle for anything less.  Mary was putting the pillow back and pulling the blanket back on the bed that fell off.  Reece did what his mate asked and picked him up and placed him in River’s bed.  Seeking more contact, Jonas picked her up cuddling her as he sat down in a chair beside the bed.  

Jonas rubbed his face against hers, trying to erase the memory of her laying in the bed tied up with bite marks all over her.  Inhaling her scent calmed him down as he held her close.
  “You scared me, love.  I saw you lying on the floor and I just—”  River cupped his face in her hands then lightly kissed his lips. 

“
I’m fine.  He healed me.”  River looked over at Sky lying in the bed.  He was starting to wake when he blinked his eyes, trying to focus.  River tried to get up but Jonas wouldn’t allow her to so he stood with her in his arms so River could see her brother.  River reached over and touched his arm. 

Sky turned his head as River stroked his arm. 

“Thank you for healing me.  You didn’t need to do that.  You wasted so much of your energy on me.” 

Sky felt the love from his older sister.  Sky craved his sister
’s touch as he reached out and held her hand.  “I had to do something for you.” 

River smiled as she stared down at him.  He looked like her.  He had the same blue eyes and his mouth looked like hers too. 
“Why?” River whispered.

“
You are my sister and we have to stick together,” said Sky.  

River
’s eyes clouded over with tears as she put her head on his arm and cried.  Reece and Jonas put their hands on her back, rubbing as she cried on her brother’s arm.

“
Don’t cry,” Sky said quietly as River leaned up looking at her younger brother.  Sky brushed the loose strands of her hair away from her face.  “Don’t cry anymore.  We need to be strong now for the battle that is coming.” 

River squelched her face at hearing about a battle. 
“What battle?” River demanded.  She looked back at Jonas wanting an answer.

“
We made a plan to take the fight to Paddock.  The farm house is under surveillance and we want to go there and finish this once and for all.”  Jonas and Reece could see the fear in her eyes.  “It’s okay, baby.  We can take him,” Jonas suggested.

“
No!” River looked at Jonas sternly.

“
No to what?  We want take the fight to him or no we can’t beat him?” asked Jonas.

“
You don’t understand.  It’s not just Paddock, it’s Rick too and they have both been drinking my blood.  All of it.  They are strong.  He killed Jacky Boy.  He just killed him so I would know how strong he was.”  Placing her hands on her mates, River begged them not to go.