She let that sink in. “Do they age faster?”
Darkness growled. “No. We don’t age in dog years.”
“I didn’t mean it that way.”
“I keep telling you we’re different from you.”
She took a calming breath. “I’m not going to argue with you. Where is Missy? Is she okay?”
“She’s fine.”
Kat closed her eyes, her fear alleviated. “Thank you.”
Darkness snarled. “You nearly died saving her. Don’t thank me. I just arrived in time to see the results of your efforts. You were dying.”
She glanced down her body. “I feel okay. A little sore but—”
Another snarl tore from Darkness and he lunged, getting in her face when he stalked to the side of her bed and bent. “We gave you Species drugs to heal you. You were bleeding out when I found you. Motionless. Near death.”
Darkness’ eyes were almost black and his lips parted, revealing his fangs. Kat held still, assessing what he’d told her.
“You saved me. Thank you.”
“You risked your life for another. I don’t want your thanks. Missy said you turned on the gas and ignited it to blow up your house. She also said you used your body to shield hers from glass and falling debris. Don’t ever do something like that again.”
“She’s my best friend.” She tried to figure out the source of his anger. “You would have done the same. Mason ordered me to kill her and it was the only thing I could think of to do. He had the gun.”
He backed off a few inches. “Just don’t do it again.”
He was worried. She found it touching. “The house?”
“Destroyed.”
It didn’t come as a surprise. “Mason?”
“Dead.”
“Good.”
“I would have killed him if he’d still been alive when I arrived.”
“The explosion took him out?”
“Yes. He was found in the rubble after the firefighters were able to put out the fire.”
More details came to mind. “How upset is Missy—at me?”
“She stated you did everything to save her.”
“I meant about Butch and Gus. That’s her dog and kitten. I couldn’t save them. Mason would have shot her if I’d refused to prove I was all in as his partner. He wouldn’t let me get close enough to disarm him or even attack so she could make a run for it.”
“They survived. Missy told one of our males they were still inside the house and that crazy bastard went in after them. Book is lucky he didn’t get killed. The back of the house was gone and the front was about to collapse and was in flames. He found them under a mattress that had pinned them against a wall next to the window he jumped through to reach them. It probably protected them from most of the blast.”
“Please thank him for me. I don’t think she’d have ever forgiven me if they’d died.”
Darkness growled again. “She owes you her life. How are you feeling?” He seemed to search her eyes, looking for something.
“A little groggy and sore.” She glanced at her arm. “How bad is it under that gauze?”
“You will be fine. They were worried about damage to your head.”
She reached up, examining her hair and the shape of her head with her fingers. “It feels intact. Do I look bad?”
“You’re pale. You also have all of your hair. They didn’t have to operate but you suffered a blow to the head. There was swelling.”
“Was?”
“The Species healing drugs were effective. The open wounds have closed and most of your bruises have faded.”
“Open wounds?” She glanced at her arm again. “There’s more?”
“Your hip and upper thigh were sliced open.”
Kat shoved back the blankets and lifted her gown. She found more gauze on her right side. Darkness gripped her gown and jerked it down. “Anyone could walk in. You have nothing on under that.”
“I don’t care. I want to see what happened to me.”
Darkness straightened, crossed the room and closed the door. He twisted the lock and returned to the side of the bed. He lowered the rail and offered her an arm. “I’ll help you up. The doctors said you can stand and use the bathroom with assistance. You could suffer dizzy spells and weakness for a day or two. There’s a mirror in the bathroom.”
Kat swung her legs over. “I’m a little shaky.”
“You almost died.”
She allowed him to help her out of bed and into the bathroom. Darkness helped her remove her gown and she stared in the mirror. Gauze covered her arm and two places on her hip and thigh. Her ribs appeared discolored under one breast. She turned, staring over her shoulder.
“It was much worse,” Darkness rumbled. His tone revealed his anger. “The drugs have worked very well on you.”
Darkness gently removed the gauze on her arm. She watched him, not surprised at how tender those big hands could be. He tossed the bandage in the trash and Kat stared at the reddened skin. Faint marks revealed stitches had been there. She swayed on her feet.
Darkness bent, scooping her into his arms. “You should have stayed in bed.”
“How long was I down?”
“Just since last night.”
“That’s amazing. I didn’t know there were drugs like that in existence.”
Darkness growled. “No. We don’t age in dog years.”
“I didn’t mean it that way.”
“I keep telling you we’re different from you.”
She took a calming breath. “I’m not going to argue with you. Where is Missy? Is she okay?”
“She’s fine.”
Kat closed her eyes, her fear alleviated. “Thank you.”
Darkness snarled. “You nearly died saving her. Don’t thank me. I just arrived in time to see the results of your efforts. You were dying.”
She glanced down her body. “I feel okay. A little sore but—”
Another snarl tore from Darkness and he lunged, getting in her face when he stalked to the side of her bed and bent. “We gave you Species drugs to heal you. You were bleeding out when I found you. Motionless. Near death.”
Darkness’ eyes were almost black and his lips parted, revealing his fangs. Kat held still, assessing what he’d told her.
“You saved me. Thank you.”
“You risked your life for another. I don’t want your thanks. Missy said you turned on the gas and ignited it to blow up your house. She also said you used your body to shield hers from glass and falling debris. Don’t ever do something like that again.”
“She’s my best friend.” She tried to figure out the source of his anger. “You would have done the same. Mason ordered me to kill her and it was the only thing I could think of to do. He had the gun.”
He backed off a few inches. “Just don’t do it again.”
He was worried. She found it touching. “The house?”
“Destroyed.”
It didn’t come as a surprise. “Mason?”
“Dead.”
“Good.”
“I would have killed him if he’d still been alive when I arrived.”
“The explosion took him out?”
“Yes. He was found in the rubble after the firefighters were able to put out the fire.”
More details came to mind. “How upset is Missy—at me?”
“She stated you did everything to save her.”
“I meant about Butch and Gus. That’s her dog and kitten. I couldn’t save them. Mason would have shot her if I’d refused to prove I was all in as his partner. He wouldn’t let me get close enough to disarm him or even attack so she could make a run for it.”
“They survived. Missy told one of our males they were still inside the house and that crazy bastard went in after them. Book is lucky he didn’t get killed. The back of the house was gone and the front was about to collapse and was in flames. He found them under a mattress that had pinned them against a wall next to the window he jumped through to reach them. It probably protected them from most of the blast.”
“Please thank him for me. I don’t think she’d have ever forgiven me if they’d died.”
Darkness growled again. “She owes you her life. How are you feeling?” He seemed to search her eyes, looking for something.
“A little groggy and sore.” She glanced at her arm. “How bad is it under that gauze?”
“You will be fine. They were worried about damage to your head.”
She reached up, examining her hair and the shape of her head with her fingers. “It feels intact. Do I look bad?”
“You’re pale. You also have all of your hair. They didn’t have to operate but you suffered a blow to the head. There was swelling.”
“Was?”
“The Species healing drugs were effective. The open wounds have closed and most of your bruises have faded.”
“Open wounds?” She glanced at her arm again. “There’s more?”
“Your hip and upper thigh were sliced open.”
Kat shoved back the blankets and lifted her gown. She found more gauze on her right side. Darkness gripped her gown and jerked it down. “Anyone could walk in. You have nothing on under that.”
“I don’t care. I want to see what happened to me.”
Darkness straightened, crossed the room and closed the door. He twisted the lock and returned to the side of the bed. He lowered the rail and offered her an arm. “I’ll help you up. The doctors said you can stand and use the bathroom with assistance. You could suffer dizzy spells and weakness for a day or two. There’s a mirror in the bathroom.”
Kat swung her legs over. “I’m a little shaky.”
“You almost died.”
She allowed him to help her out of bed and into the bathroom. Darkness helped her remove her gown and she stared in the mirror. Gauze covered her arm and two places on her hip and thigh. Her ribs appeared discolored under one breast. She turned, staring over her shoulder.
“It was much worse,” Darkness rumbled. His tone revealed his anger. “The drugs have worked very well on you.”
Darkness gently removed the gauze on her arm. She watched him, not surprised at how tender those big hands could be. He tossed the bandage in the trash and Kat stared at the reddened skin. Faint marks revealed stitches had been there. She swayed on her feet.
Darkness bent, scooping her into his arms. “You should have stayed in bed.”
“How long was I down?”
“Just since last night.”
“That’s amazing. I didn’t know there were drugs like that in existence.”
