“How is Moon? Is he still lucid? It’s been four hours since Dr. Treadmont and his team went downstairs.”
Paul, the nurse, frowned at her from across the desk. “We’re still waiting for word.”
“Can’t you check? May I go see him?”
“Ted said to keep you here.”
“Of course he did.” The jerk was territorial and didn’t like her. Sex therapist! Anger burned at that insult.
“I could call for an escort to take you back to your housing.”
“No. I’m not leaving Medical.”
“Then we wait.” The nurse opened a drawer and offered a pack of gum. “Want a piece?”
“No thanks.”
He returned it and glanced at his computer. “You could sit at that other desk. We have a few games loaded on these things.”
“I don’t want to play draw poker.” She leaned forward to glance at the screen, having noticed that it kept most of his attention. “Is this what you do all day?”
“It is when we’re shut down for the most part. Trisha is treating people at her house if they need something minor. Only emergencies are cleared to enter Medical.” He smiled. “I patched you up since you were already here or you would have been sent to her house too. It’s been a slow day, luckily.”
“Moon is locked in a cell. There’s no way he could get up here to hurt anyone.”
“It’s not why Medical is still shut down. He howls when he’s in a mood. It upsets anyone within hearing distance. Species can’t stand to hear their own suffer. We had a few incidents.”
“What kind?”
He sighed and leaned back, staring at her. “They tried to go to him, thinking they could help. It only made it worse. He broke free a few times. It wasn’t pretty. We were keeping him up here at first. Even in the basement, if he raises a ruckus, well, Species have good hearing. It’s best if we keep the building cleared.”
She glanced at the clock. “What is taking so long?”
“I don’t know since I’m not there. They are using Species nurses with Moon now. He tried to kill me a few times so I’m not complaining. He’d want me to avoid him.”
Joy stood and paced. “I want to know what is going on.”
“We’ll find out when they come upstairs.”
The nurse’s nonchalant attitude drove Joy a little nuts but part of her envied him. Moon’s well-being was all she could think about. Had he lost touch with reality again? Was he talking and sane? She should be with him.
Footsteps sounded and she spun, watching as Justice, Ted Treadmont, and a few tall Species nurses entered the reception area. It took control not to lunge forward to demand answers. She didn’t bother glancing at the white-haired doctor, sure he wouldn’t tell her anything. Justice North held her full attention.
He met her gaze. “Moon needed to be sedated. His state of mind deteriorated.”
Pain sliced through her. “Did he attack anyone?” She glanced at all the men, not seeing any visible signs of an altercation.
“His headache grew worse until he stopped talking altogether.” Justice paused, running a hand through his hair. A grim frown marred his mouth. “It became clear that he didn’t recognize us anymore when he snarled and tried to take a bite out of Ted. I called it quits at that point. He needed rest.”
The older man scowled. “Moon’s condition is improving. His moments of lucidity are growing more frequent and lasting longer.”
“I’ll send these samples to the lab.” One of the nurses left the room carrying a case. The other two followed him.
“Blood samples?” Joy knew they took a lot of those.
“And hair.” Ted threw himself into a chair and sighed loudly. “I wish we could find the chemist who brewed whatever Moon was given. I’d love to know how he did it.”
“I only want to know how to cure him,” Joy added, trying not to take offense at Treadmont’s line of thought. He was not emotionally invested, as she was. The method of how something was done would be important to him, as well as how to reverse the effects. “May I go downstairs?”
“He’s sleeping.” Ted shook his head. “She’s not necessary, Justice. We should send her home.”
Outraged, Joy opened her mouth to protest but Justice spoke first.
“No, Ted. Moon responds to her.”
“Of course he does. Sex is a basic need to any man. Like food. Sleeping. Urinating. Any woman would do. We should use Species females instead of having her underfoot.”
Joy felt as if he’d slapped her. “It’s not only about sex. He’s talking to me. He—”
“Enough.” Justice’s voice deepened. “Ted, you’re being rude. I don’t believe he’d struggle to find his memories if just any female was sent to him. He had no coherent moments before her arrival. We were able to speak to him and carry on a lengthy conversation.”
“They had sex.” Disgust lined the doctor’s face. “Spare me the pretense that they didn’t. I don’t have your hyper sense of smell but even I could tell by the state of his bed and what remained of his sweats what went down.”
“I don’t care what they did. The results matter.” Justice’s hands fisted. “It’s not your call. It’s mine. She stays.” His gaze slid to Joy. “You may return to him but the door remains locked. Moon had me promise to keep bars between the two of you from now on. He was deeply upset that you were hurt. Keep out of his reach.”
Paul, the nurse, frowned at her from across the desk. “We’re still waiting for word.”
“Can’t you check? May I go see him?”
“Ted said to keep you here.”
“Of course he did.” The jerk was territorial and didn’t like her. Sex therapist! Anger burned at that insult.
“I could call for an escort to take you back to your housing.”
“No. I’m not leaving Medical.”
“Then we wait.” The nurse opened a drawer and offered a pack of gum. “Want a piece?”
“No thanks.”
He returned it and glanced at his computer. “You could sit at that other desk. We have a few games loaded on these things.”
“I don’t want to play draw poker.” She leaned forward to glance at the screen, having noticed that it kept most of his attention. “Is this what you do all day?”
“It is when we’re shut down for the most part. Trisha is treating people at her house if they need something minor. Only emergencies are cleared to enter Medical.” He smiled. “I patched you up since you were already here or you would have been sent to her house too. It’s been a slow day, luckily.”
“Moon is locked in a cell. There’s no way he could get up here to hurt anyone.”
“It’s not why Medical is still shut down. He howls when he’s in a mood. It upsets anyone within hearing distance. Species can’t stand to hear their own suffer. We had a few incidents.”
“What kind?”
He sighed and leaned back, staring at her. “They tried to go to him, thinking they could help. It only made it worse. He broke free a few times. It wasn’t pretty. We were keeping him up here at first. Even in the basement, if he raises a ruckus, well, Species have good hearing. It’s best if we keep the building cleared.”
She glanced at the clock. “What is taking so long?”
“I don’t know since I’m not there. They are using Species nurses with Moon now. He tried to kill me a few times so I’m not complaining. He’d want me to avoid him.”
Joy stood and paced. “I want to know what is going on.”
“We’ll find out when they come upstairs.”
The nurse’s nonchalant attitude drove Joy a little nuts but part of her envied him. Moon’s well-being was all she could think about. Had he lost touch with reality again? Was he talking and sane? She should be with him.
Footsteps sounded and she spun, watching as Justice, Ted Treadmont, and a few tall Species nurses entered the reception area. It took control not to lunge forward to demand answers. She didn’t bother glancing at the white-haired doctor, sure he wouldn’t tell her anything. Justice North held her full attention.
He met her gaze. “Moon needed to be sedated. His state of mind deteriorated.”
Pain sliced through her. “Did he attack anyone?” She glanced at all the men, not seeing any visible signs of an altercation.
“His headache grew worse until he stopped talking altogether.” Justice paused, running a hand through his hair. A grim frown marred his mouth. “It became clear that he didn’t recognize us anymore when he snarled and tried to take a bite out of Ted. I called it quits at that point. He needed rest.”
The older man scowled. “Moon’s condition is improving. His moments of lucidity are growing more frequent and lasting longer.”
“I’ll send these samples to the lab.” One of the nurses left the room carrying a case. The other two followed him.
“Blood samples?” Joy knew they took a lot of those.
“And hair.” Ted threw himself into a chair and sighed loudly. “I wish we could find the chemist who brewed whatever Moon was given. I’d love to know how he did it.”
“I only want to know how to cure him,” Joy added, trying not to take offense at Treadmont’s line of thought. He was not emotionally invested, as she was. The method of how something was done would be important to him, as well as how to reverse the effects. “May I go downstairs?”
“He’s sleeping.” Ted shook his head. “She’s not necessary, Justice. We should send her home.”
Outraged, Joy opened her mouth to protest but Justice spoke first.
“No, Ted. Moon responds to her.”
“Of course he does. Sex is a basic need to any man. Like food. Sleeping. Urinating. Any woman would do. We should use Species females instead of having her underfoot.”
Joy felt as if he’d slapped her. “It’s not only about sex. He’s talking to me. He—”
“Enough.” Justice’s voice deepened. “Ted, you’re being rude. I don’t believe he’d struggle to find his memories if just any female was sent to him. He had no coherent moments before her arrival. We were able to speak to him and carry on a lengthy conversation.”
“They had sex.” Disgust lined the doctor’s face. “Spare me the pretense that they didn’t. I don’t have your hyper sense of smell but even I could tell by the state of his bed and what remained of his sweats what went down.”
“I don’t care what they did. The results matter.” Justice’s hands fisted. “It’s not your call. It’s mine. She stays.” His gaze slid to Joy. “You may return to him but the door remains locked. Moon had me promise to keep bars between the two of you from now on. He was deeply upset that you were hurt. Keep out of his reach.”
