My Healer (Bewitched and Bewildered Book 3) (24 page)

"Okay. Slide one, normal paranormal right? Slide two, Mystery Man before he went supernova. Adam and I assumed that the cellular decay that we saw was due to the body slowly decaying, because it was an
assumption
that he was a normal paranormal. Slide three, Mystery Man, the gooey state. All cells were in the process of breaking down simultaneously. Slide four, regular feral, all cells had some form of decay." She took a breath and continued.

"What if the decay we saw in slide two wasn't because he was decomposing slowly like a normal paranormal? What if the decay was there before he put on the necklace? What
if
he was already a feral and when he put the necklace on it stopped the cellular degradation? That necklace acts as more than just a Glade air freshener, it actually halts cellular decay, that's why there's no smell."

Beth gasped, bringing a hand to her throat. "So if a feral were to put the necklace on right after turning, there would be no way to detect what he was."

Gavriel looked between Aiden and Byron. "It would also explain why we suddenly have different types of ferals. In the past they acted like mindless beasts, relying on brute strength to create terror and cause pain. But we are now seeing them starting to band together, laying traps, and acting with caution."

Rheia nodded. "It makes sense. If the cellular decay is stopped, they would retain higher brain functions."

Meryn stared down at her hands. "So to recap; we have an unknown and growing force of intelligent ferals that cannot be detected by scent who have been operating in secret for at least the past twenty years collecting chameleons to further make them invisible and have only recently grown big enough balls to start attacking unit warrior mates." She looked up and around the room.
 

"We are so fucked."

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Mina turned to Meryn. "How did you arrive at the conclusion that they were collecting chameleons for invisibility?"

Meryn shrugged. "Kinda going out on a limb for that one, but it makes sense. We have invisible ferals attacking and they've killed hundreds of chameleons, I'm kinda just connecting the dots at this point."

Mina shook her head. "It doesn't work that way, to use our abilities you have to be born to it."

Keelan stepped away from the wall. "It is possible, if they were using a blood spell."

Mina gripped her mate's hand tight. "No where is safe."

Her words galvanized the men into action. Byron and Aiden stood. Aiden set Meryn down in their chair and kissed her softly. "We need to call a council meeting and contact the other three pillar cities. We have some major decisions to make."

Ryuu left the room heading to the foyer.

Colton leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Gavriel and I will be going with Aiden, Darian and Keelan will stay here. Gamma has also been assigned to patrol around the estate, you'll be safe."

As they went to leave Ryuu walked in holding the brass perimeter charm. He looked at Aiden. "Someone took the perimeter down."

Frowning Aiden looked around the room. "Who'd do that?"

Rheia felt ice slide down her spine. "Where's Penny?"

Colton was already moving, she could hear him yelling as he ran up the stairs. "Penny! Penny, where are you!"

Rheia ran from the room to Aiden's office.

"Rheia!" Colton called out.

"In Aiden's office!"

Colton, Meryn, and Aiden rushed in.
 

"She was supposed to be right here. She was supposed to be coloring!" Rheia turned to look at the colors and figures on the wall.

"Keelan, Ryuu check the house, top to bottom! Gavriel call Sascha, check to see if they saw anything outside!" Aiden began barking orders as he ran from the room.

Rheia turned to Colton. "Where is she?"

Colton shook his head. "I don't know, but I will find her. I'll start upstairs to see if I can pick up her scent."

Meryn pointed to the drawing. "Do you think she got scared drawing the attack scene from your house and hid?"

Rheia shook her head. "Why would she take the perimeter down?" She looked down at the drawing. "Besides, that's not our house, we don't have rounded windows." Rheia froze. Why hadn't she realized that earlier, this wasn't something Penny was drawing from her nightmares.

Rheia stared at Meryn and they both turned to look at the rounded window behind Aiden's desk, then down at the drawing. The terrifying figure that was stared back at them, Penny had seen looking into Aiden's office window.

"Colton!" Rheia screamed.

The sound of thundering feet heralded the men as they ran into the room. Colton burst through the doorway looking around for an unseen enemy.

"What?" he asked.

Rheia pointed down at the drawing. "Something has been stalking her outside Aiden's window."

Colton looked at the drawing and blanched. As one, the men left the room at a run, heading outside. Rheia and Meryn followed. As they turned the corner of the house Rheia was just in time to see Colton throw his head back and howl, his body expanding before he burst from his clothing as a giant wolf. He rushed into the woods behind the house, Aiden and the rest of the Alpha Unit right behind him.

Rheia choked back a sob. "Does that mean ... Is she?" She couldn't form the words.

Ryuu wrapped an arm around both Meryn and Rheia's shoulders. "He caught her scent, all we can do now is wait."

Rheia buried her face in her hands and prayed.

*****

Colton ran as fast as he could tracking Penny's scent. When they came to a clearing he heard the sound of a gravelly male voice.

"Come back here you little bitch! You escaped me once, you won't do it again. You better listen to me, I'm your fucking father!" the angry voice snarled. The feral was wearing a necklace; they could neither scent nor see him.

Off to his right he heard Aiden's voice as he approached. "Why do you need a child?" Aiden asked.

Laughter filled the air. "Look at you, fumbling around blind. You can't even see me, I'm invincible! Wearing this necklace hides me from the great nit warriors. If you could only see how much the rules of your society hold you back, you would embrace freedom like I have."

Gavriel stepped into the clearing, his face a hardened mask as he scanned the surrounding area. "You want us to become like you? A monster who preys on children, Why are you after your own child?" Gavriel asked, in an effort to keep him talking.

"Because she is my blood. If I kill her and add her to my collection she will tie me to what I took from her mother and her sniveling mate. It would make me even stronger. Not many have been able to collect chameleon, they're so hard to find. How lucky it is for me that my bitch ex-girlfriend and brat are both chameleon, and I knew exactly where to find them. The fact that she was mated and pregnant was a gift from the Gods!" He shouted.

Colton heard the slightest sound to the right, the sound of feet running.

Penny!

Seconds later they heard a man shout right before he became visible.

"You little bitch! Get back here!" The man turned to the left and right as the unit warriors closed in on his location.

Colton didn't hesitate, he launched himself at the man who had stalked his daughter. He clamped onto the man's arm and shook. Pain exploded over his right haunch and he let go. He immediately jumped again; this time he was able to wrap his mouth around the murder's neck. He bit down until he heard a crunching sound. He shook his head back and forth hard for good measure before he let it drop to the ground. He stepped back and let Aiden examine the body.

"Good work, Colton, next time, just let us shoot the bastard." Aiden grinned.

Colton growled. Aiden nodded. "I understand, if it had been my daughter, I probably would have mauled his ass, too. Now, we have to find Penny."

Colton opened his mouth, raised his head and howled. Seconds later a tiny, squeakier howl lifted to the treetops. Colton looked around and watched as Penny stepped forward and literally melted into sight from the trunk of a tree. She
was
half wolf and half chameleon.

"No wonder she kicked our ass during drills," Sascha muttered.

Penny ran forward and threw her arms around his neck. Colton whimpered and licked her face. Sascha scooped her up and took the necklace from her hand. "Guess those bell drills paid off, huh, little lady?"

She nodded.

Aiden stepped close to Penny and ran a hand over her hair. "Sweetie, why did you go with him? You did, didn't you? You took down the perimeter and went with him, why?"

Penny looked down at the ground, then looked over to Colton. She pointed to him, then back towards the house.

Aiden cursed under his breath. "He told you if you left with him, he wouldn't hurt your new mommy and daddy, didn't he?"

Penny's eyes teared up and she nodded.

"Oh baby, it's our job to protect you, not the other way around. You let Papa and Uncle Aiden deal with horrible men like that." Aiden rubbed her back.

Penny shook her head violently and pointed a thumb to her chest.

Gavriel stepped closer. "Did he tell you that it was your fault that your other mommy and daddy were killed?"

Penny covered her face with her hands and nodded.

Colton snapped and growled. He wanted to shift back, but didn't feel like flashing his daughter either.

Aiden pointed to him. "Your Papa is right. What happened to your mommy and daddy was not your fault. Do you hear your
Athair
? It was never your fault; it was because that creature was a sick fuck and was crazier than hell."

Keelan coughed into his hand. "Language."

Aiden flushed and turned to Penny. "Don't tell your mom I said that, okay?"

Penny smiled shyly then nodded.

Colton was about to step forward to nudge his daughter when his vision began to blur. He staggered to the left, then collapsed on the ground.

"Colton? Buddy?" Aiden knelt down beside him. "Shit, looks like that fucker bit you." He turned to Sascha. "Take Penny back to the house, tell them to prep a vehicle to take Colton to the clinic. Tell Rheia Colton needs her." Sascha nodded and took off towards the house, Penny held securely in his arms.

Colton closed his eyes and rested his head on the ground.

"Oh no you don't, you bastard. You are not leaving me alone to deal with Meryn for the rest of my life, not to mention your distraught mate and daughter. Fuck that! You better fight, brother," Aiden ordered, then gently lifted him up.

Asshole

Colton closed his eyes and darkness closed in.

*****

In the darkness he struggled to open his eyes. He looked up and saw his mate staring down at him. All he could see were her eyes, anxious and worried, a surgical mask covered the rest of her face. He blinked, he was so tired. He was just going to rest his eyes for just a moment.

The next time he opened his eyes he once again saw his mate standing over him; this time he could see her entire face. She looked sad, tears trailed down her cheeks. He wanted to lift his hand but couldn't move it. All around him, he was surrounded by the smell of sickness and death. He couldn't fight the darkness and it swept him away again.

*****

Rheia paced back and forth in the large conference room Aiden set up to discuss Colton's condition. After the first two days Beth and Meryn returned to the Alpha estate to watch over Penny. Adelaide called Colton's parents and Rheia met them on the first day. Both his mother and father hadn't moved since they arrived. Robert looked so much like Colton that Rheia had a hard time looking at him. She could see where Colton got his wavy blonde hair, green eyes and easy smile. But it was from his mother, Alice Albright, that he'd gotten his devilish sense of humor. She stopped her back and forth and turned to Adam.

"Why isn't he healing?" Rheia demanded. She'd been up for nearly seventy-two hours, ever since Aiden had carried her mate out of the woods and her own private hell began.

Adam shook his head. "I don't know. As a shifter he should have healed this by now. But the wound, if anything, looks like it has gangrene."

Rheia took a deep breath. "It's rotting. Aiden said the feral bit Colton on the shoulder when they were fighting. The skin and muscle have begun to rot."

"Is he turning feral?" Aiden asked.

"My boy isn't a feral," Alice said, her voice crisp and even.

Aiden's tired eyes were sad. "I have to ask Aunt Alice, he would do no less for me."

Robert laid a comforting hand on Aiden's shoulder. "We know son."

"Can you cut it out? Then allow the opening to heal like normal?" Darian asked.

Adam shook his head. "That was one of the first things we tried. We can never cut enough out. I'm afraid that whatever this is, it has spread to his blood. He's rotting slightly faster than his shifter healing abilities can cope with."

"Will he begin to rot on the inside, like one of those monsters?" Alice whispered.

"I'll put a bullet in his head first," Aiden growled.

The only reason Rheia wasn't furious was because she was grateful. Unlike a true feral, Colton was still a paranormal, he would feel the loss of every inch of skin that dissolved. A bullet would be more merciful. As it was, they were keeping him in a medically induced coma so that he wouldn't feel any pain.

"If he were able to heal faster, could he beat this thing?" Gavriel asked.

Adam and Rheia both nodded. "He damn near has it beat now, it just seems to be one step ahead," Rheia explained.

"I'd like to donate tissue or blood, whatever is needed to help him." Gavriel offered. Alice gasped and Aiden stared.

Rheia looked around. "Okay people, newbie human in the room. What does that mean?"

Gavriel looked up, his eyes smiling. "Vampires heal faster than shifters. As an older vampire I have ingested so many different types of blood that I am a universal donor. Being as old as I am, my blood will carry quite a bit of power with it. It's not offered lightly. As his mate, if you agree to this, both of you will be tied to me forever."

Rheia couldn't wrap her mind around all of the power implications. "Will he live?" she asked.