Wolf Fever (21 page)

Carol let out her breath. “Yes.”

“I've been there, done that, Carol.”

She turned around and stared at him in disbelief.

“Yeah. Only it was my job to protect those who ended up dying. In this case, you were an innocent bystander.”

“Not an innocent bystander at all. I knew they'd come to harm. I didn't…” She shook her head. “I didn't save them. Even after they had been shot. I didn't remove the bullets fast enough.”

He pulled her into his arms and held her tight. The patient comforting the nurse. It was wrong. Everything about this was wrong. But she couldn't push him away. She needed this. She needed him. The warmth. The security. No pressure. Just concerned friendship. For the moment.

His hand swept down her back, massaging the tension from her stiff spine. “You didn't know what they were, what we were. You didn't know that the silver could kill or that if you'd removed the bullets quickly enough, they might have survived. You reacted the way your nurse's training had prepared you. You couldn't have known that Doc and the nurse were different from you, or how to take care of an injured
lupus garou
. You did the best you could under the circumstances.”

She looked up at him through tears and saw his face frowning with concern. “I wish my visions had told me that part of the equation. But they're irritatingly scant and…” She shook her head. “It's a curse I have to bear.” Just like having to shape-shift against her will was now. And damn,
if she could keep it at bay, she would. She turned, opened the drawer, and retrieved antibiotics and a bandage.

She motioned to the exam table. “Do you want to sit up there?”

“I normally hate anything to do with hospitals,” Ryan said, his tone lighthearted, as if he was trying to change the somber mood. He sat on the table and smiled. “I've changed my mind.”

She shook her head, trying for professionalism again. “Here I thought you were going to be a difficult patient.”

“With you tending to me?”

With as light a touch as she could manage, she dressed his wound with the antibiotic and then wrapped the bandage around his arm. He stiffened, but when she looked up to see if he was hurting, he cast her an elusive smile. “On the scale of one to ten, the pain is nonexistent. Your hands are cold.”

She frowned at him and secured the bandage. “I didn't touch you with my cold hands. You don't have to be macho for me. I know it has to hurt.” She handed him his shirt.

He pulled it on while she watched, ready to help him if he needed further assistance.

“Do you know why Darien and the others shift in the visions but can't shift back?” he asked, surprising her.

She thought he already believed her. She folded her arms, unable to avoid feeling defensive. “I don't know. That's why it's so frustrating. I thought you believed me now.”

“Let's just say I normally don't put much stock in psychic abilities. Not in supernatural entities, ghosts, or any of that stuff.”

Just as she suspected. “Then if I told you I've had a ghostly experience, you wouldn't believe me?”

His mouth curved up a hint, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “My Aunt Tilda sees them all the time.”

“Ahh, and you don't put much stock in your Aunt Tilda.”

“Quite the contrary. I find her about the most well-grounded of my family.”

“Except for the ghostly visits.”

He shrugged and winced, and then began buttoning his shirt. “She needs lots of attention. I imagine she conjures them up when she's lonely.”

Carol leaned in between his legs to fasten a couple of buttons on his shirt. “And me?”

He touched her hair in a loving way. “You've just had the one experience?”

“Three, but who's counting?”

“I do have faith in your abilities, by the way.”

She closed her gaping mouth. She had hoped, but… she hadn't realized he thought she'd told the truth. Tears filled her eyes again. “You really do?”

He pulled her close, rubbing her shoulders in a gentle manner. “Yeah, Carol. I really do.”

“Thanks.” She sighed deeply. “You don't know how much that means to me.”

“I imagine I do.” He leaned down to kiss her lips, but she pulled away before they got too involved again. “I've got another patient to see, last one of the day. Another case of the sniffles. Everyone thinks they have the deadly flu when most of the cases are colds or allergies. I'll see to him while you finish dressing.”

His expression hardening, Ryan went back to
buttoning his shirt and followed her into the hall. “How am I going to guard you if I'm not with you?”

She harrumphed. “And just how did you get that?” She pointed at his bloody sleeve.

“I was trying to protect you
away
from your workplace.”

“Admit it. You'd rather chase down the bad guys than play the wait-and-see game.”

He smiled darkly.

When she called out the name from the chart and Ryan saw who her next patient was, his dark expression lightened up a lot.

The gray-haired old man shuffled toward Carol and gave her a small smile. “You brighten an old man's day, young'en.”

“Hmm, Luciso, you always make my day.”

Luciso glanced at Ryan, took in his bloody shirtsleeve, and shook his head. “Is
he
the one everyone's saying is hitting on you?”

“My bodyguard,” she corrected.

Luciso snorted. “Looks like this business with the reds is going to get real nasty. You tell Darien if he needs an old guy to help out, I'm ready and willing.”

“Thanks, Luciso. I'm sure he'll appreciate the offer.” She heard the doc coughing and glanced down the hall. “Are you all right, Dr. Weber?”

“Going home to get some rest, Carol. Pulled an all-nighter.”

“Sleep well,” she said, but then a sickening feeling washed over her as she envisioned the doctor shape-shifting into the wolf to knock out his illness. She hurried after him, leaving her patient behind in her haste, figuring Ryan would catch up to her. But she had to
warn Doc not to shift. He'd think she was crazy, but she just had to warn him.

“Wait, Dr. Weber! I need a word with you!” she said as the door slammed shut.

“H
ELL
, N
ORTH, ALL YOU DID WAS GET US INTO DEEPER
guano by stirring them up at the hospital,” Galahad said, pacing across the meadow, at least thirty miles from Silver Town.

“At least I got a shot off at that outsider gray. Once that happened, the majority of them turned around and hightailed it out of there,” Hank said grinning. “We might not be as good in a fight with them wolf to wolf, but they can't argue with bullets.”

North shook his head. “If it hadn't been for Darien's brother watching over Carol, I would have had her. The others guarding her were clueless.”

“Well,” Hank said, “I didn't want to injure the gray that badly. I just want to get Carol. Hell, they've got the damned hospital watched, every entryway inside and outside. No grabbing her there from now on, it looks like.”

“Yeah, unless some of them start having the same trouble we're having,” Galahad said. “Both Marilee and Becky went in today since they're feeling so poorly. At least they shared the flu at the gathering last night, although they should have arrived earlier to expose more folks. If nothing else, when Darien's people get sick, they'll have to try and find a cure. Damn that Miller anyway. He promised the vaccine he gave us beforehand would keep us from getting sick and be a cure for those who already have the virus.”

“I blame Connor for paying the guy to create the virus in the first place. I wonder if Miller lied to us about staying isolated from the rest of us while he tries to find a vaccine that works this time. Hell, what if he already has one and inoculated only himself against the virus?” North asked. He'd kill the guy.

“What good would it do him if all of us came down with it but him?” Galahad asked.

“Yeah,” North reluctantly admitted, shoving his hands in his pockets. “You're right. Unless he figures he'll rescue those of us he wants to when the time is right and leave the rest of us to deal with the condition. As wolves, except for trying to kill him, we wouldn't have any way to resolve this issue. What if Carol ends up having the same problem?” He scowled in the direction of Silver Town.

Galahad threw his hands up in an aggravated posture. “What about Doc? Surely he'll know we weren't troublemakers and he'll help us out.”

“Yeah,” Hank agreed with his brother. “He'll probably help us.”

“After I took a swing at Tom, I doubt Doc will be very agreeable. He's there because the other doctor died and because Lelandi's mother wants Doc Weber here for Lelandi when her babies are due. The town needs a doctor right now. He's not going to leave his responsibilities behind.”

Hank cleared his throat. “Not for long, North. But maybe he'd have some ideas. What can it hurt? We can just call him.”

“All right. But as soon as we do, he'll know who we all are and who's been trying to grab Carol. Just
remember that. His loyalty is to Lelandi and her family, not to us.” North snapped open his phone and punched in Doc's number.

Mervin jumped up from his chair at the back door of the hospital. He prevented Carol from leaving by blocking the door with his body as she tried to reach Doc Weber before he took off in his car. Luckily, Mervin didn't grab her this time.

She scowled at him. “Let me through, Mervin. I have to speak to Doc.”

Ryan joined her and shook his head. “What part of
I'm to protect you at all times
don't you remember, Carol?”

“Tell him to let me out of the building so I can talk to Doc!”

Ryan opened the door and stepped outside. “His car's gone. He's already headed for home. What did you want to speak with him about?”

“It's personal.” She headed back down the hall. “I'll see my last patient and then call Doc.”

“What is it about?” Ryan appeared concerned.

“What I envisioned would happen to him. All right? He might not believe me either, but I have to warn him.” “Why now? Why not before?”

She appreciated that he really wanted to know how this early warning system worked. “Because I feel like it's going to come to pass soon. Sometimes I have this impending feeling of doom, and all of a sudden, the scene I've envisioned becomes a reality. That's why.”

Trying to hide her frustration, she finished working with her last patient and grabbed the work phone as
soon as he left the exam room. When she auto-dialed Doc's number, all she got was his answering machine. Discouraged, she put the receiver back on the base.

“He looked exhausted,” Ryan offered, running his hand over Carol's arm in a consoling way, but she couldn't relax. He rested his hands on her shoulders and considered her glum expression. “He needed to sleep. And that's probably just what he's doing. You do also, after you get a good meal.”

She was wired, and no amount of consolation was going to change that. She had to warn Doc. “I want to run by his place before we go home.”

Jake and Tom joined them in the waiting room, while Mervin reluctantly went with Christian, who was dropping him off at his place.

“Ready to go?” Jake asked, noting the tension between Ryan and Carol, she thought.

“Carol's worried about Doc,” Ryan said, his hand lightly rubbing her back.

“He appeared not to be feeling well. I want to check on him.” Carol gave Ryan a look like he'd better not say one word about her warning Doc about shape-shifting. Even though she didn't think Doc would believe her, she had to tell him anyway. Just in case.

“He worked all night. He'll be sleeping. You know how he is,” Jake said.

Carol frowned at Jake. “He was coughing.”

“He's a doctor. He'll know to take care of himself,” Jake countered. “Besides, with our faster werewolf healing ability, he'll be fine in no time. And if he has the flu, he can shift and that will take care of it.”

Which was precisely what she was afraid would happen!

Carol stalked off for the hospital entrance. She continued to be plagued by the overwhelming fear that Doc could be in trouble. “In your P.I. business, you get hunches, don't you, Ryan?”

“Sure.”

Jake and Tom followed behind, and she knew they were listening to her conversation, even though she kept her voice low for Ryan's hearing and not for anyone else's. But their hearing was too darned good. And when she was upset, they took notice. Probably figured she might all of a sudden shift into a wolf.

She slowed her walk. Hell, what if being highly distressed, more than the physical manhandling she'd had to endure when Mervin roughly grabbed her,
could
trigger the change? She took an unsteady breath and said to Ryan, “Think of my premonitions as a hunch.”

“Carol.”

“I'm serious.”

They exited the building, and Tom and Jake paused to see Carol safely to Ryan's truck. She climbed inside and folded her arms, not about to be stopped from completing her mission.

“Drive me to Doc's place. It'll only take a moment. I've got a key to his house because I care for his houseplants when he visits Lelandi's old pack on occasion.”

“Carol.”

“I'll only use it to make sure he's okay.”

In a humorous way, Ryan arched a brow. “What if he's got a girlfriend over?”

Carol rolled her eyes.

He smiled. “Never know. Can never judge a person's sex life by their age.”

“Well, he won't.” Although she wished he had, but as haggard as Doc had looked, she was sure he'd be alone.

Ryan started the engine. “All right, give me directions.”

She breathed a sigh of relief, although she wasn't sure she was going to make any headway with Doc. He'd never said one way or another if he believed in her abilities. She figured he'd be like Ryan… a man of science, having to see it to believe it, which made her wonder why Ryan finally believed her without proof positive.

As soon as Ryan parked the truck at Doc's rental house, a neat little clapboard house with a white picket fence surrounding it, she noted the sign hanging above the door. The sign welcomed visitors, which was just like Doc. If patients needed him when he wasn't on duty, they were welcome to come to see him at anytime.

Carol jumped out of the truck before Ryan could exit the vehicle. She hurried to Doc's door, afraid Jake would try to stop her. Ryan stalked after her, his footfalls getting closer. After knocking and not getting a response, she unlocked the door. She saw Jake park behind Ryan's vehicle as she hurried inside, hoping she could speak with Doc before he might decide to shift and it would be too late.

To forestall any disagreement, Ryan waited on the porch to talk to Jake and Tom, who were hurrying up the walk. “She's just checking on him.”

“She has his key? Hell, what if the old guy has a girlfriend?” Jake shook his head and folded his arms, while both of them stared into the dark house.

Tom watched in the other direction, making sure no one visited the house who shouldn't be there, just like they shouldn't.

Jake suddenly turned to Ryan, his eyes widening. “She had a premonition?”

“No. Well, just a feeling, from what I understand.” At least he didn't think she'd had a new vision. And he wasn't giving away the vision she'd had of several of them shape-shifting and not turning back. Not unless she wanted him to.

When she didn't appear right away, they walked into the living room. Carol hurried down the hallway, waving for them to leave.

“He's sleeping soundly,” she whispered, looking vastly relieved.

Ryan took her comment to mean that Doc was still in his human form.

In the kitchen, the phone rang. Carol instinctively ran to get it, but Ryan grabbed her hand. “You're not supposed to be here,” he said, his voice hushed.

“I don't want the phone to wake Doc.” She paused as the answering machine came on.

“Hey, Doc. I called earlier but didn't leave a message. This is North Redding, and we've got a bit of trouble here.”

Carol trembled, and Ryan put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close as if he was protecting her from the menace.

“We really could use your help. We're no longer with Lelandi's pack but started our own. If you could see your way to helping us out, we'd sure appreciate it. I'll call back later to see if you're agreeable.”

The connection disconnected.

Ryan rubbed Carol's arm. “Was that one of the men who took you hostage?”

She nodded. “The one who carried me. He'd spoken to the others when he took me hostage the first time. I'd recognize his voice anywhere. He's the same one who hit Tom when we were in the exam room. Doc identified him by name.”

Jake said to Tom, “I want you to stay here and watch over Doc. I'll send others to help look after him in case North tries to take him hostage. Can you manage it?”

Tom nodded. “Hell, yeah.”

“North was sick, and maybe others in his pack are also. If they need our help…” Carol said, letting her words trail off.

“Why go after Carol and the doc? Why not contact either of the other nurses?” Tom asked.

“North and his men are reds,” Ryan reasoned. “Even though Doc is, too, I imagine they went after Carol first because they wanted to keep her in their pack. Then when they figured it was going to be too difficult to try for her again, they decided to solicit Doc's help.”

“I'll keep him safe,” Tom said. “Just let any of them try to break in.”

Jake slapped him on the back. “I'll send Deputy Trevor and a couple of other men over to watch the outside. Let us know at once if anything happens.”

Ryan headed out to the truck with Carol and Jake, leaving Doc under Tom's protection. “You might have someone posted to watch out for the other two nurses, just in case North and his men go after them, figuring they can't wait for Doc's help,” Ryan said to Jake.

“Hell.” Jake flipped open his phone and punched in a number. “Darien, we've got a new situation.”

“See you at the house,” Ryan said to Jake. Jake gave
him the thumbs-up, and Ryan led Carol to his own truck.

When they were on their way to Darien's home, Ryan asked. “Doc was all right, correct?”

“Yes.” Carol rubbed her arms and still appeared unsettled.

“Good thing you wanted to check on him. If we hadn't learned of North's interest in him, we might not have discovered what they were up to until it was too late. Whoever's sick can be brought here. And none of the medical staff is going to them. Certainly not after what they pulled with you. Are you sure you didn't have a premonition of the phone call? It seems odd that you were so desperate to go there, and we find he's just sleeping, but then we learn of North's interest in the doc.”

“I didn't have a vision of anything. Just a strong feeling. And since the last vision I had was of Doc not being able to shift back, that's what I feared this was all about.”