The Cambion's Hoard

A nurse wrapped her arms around my waist pulling me away from the gurney. I reached for Biggs as they wheeled him away from me.

"I have to go with him." I turned looking at the nurse holding me.

"Sweetie, you need to come with me." She began leading me in the opposite direction.

I pulled against her. "If he wakes up he'll panic and I need to be with him."

Warm hands clasped my left hand. "Rose, honey, you need to go with the nurse. They'll take care of him."

"Patti, he needs me." I started whimpering.

She started rubbing my arm. "Yes, he needs you in one piece. The nurse is going to make sure you're all cleaned up and waiting for him. Go on. I'll wait for the others to get here. OK?"

I nodded and let the nurse lead me to another part of the emergency room. Gasps and panicked whispers let me know how bad I must have looked. I wasn't even sure what I looked like.

The nurse set me in a room and more people flooded in. I tried to clear my vision but couldn't. As I tried to wipe it away a silky hand pulled mine down.

The harpy held my hand firmly. "My name is Trudy. Can you tell me your name?"

"Rose."

"What's you're full name, Rose?"She started wiping my arm down.

"Rose Aceso Cormarant." My words sounded as empty as I felt.

"That's a very pretty name."

"Yeah, Mom is human. Her favorite flower is a rose. Dad is an incubus."

"How old are you Rose?"

I bobbed my head and stared at her for the longest time. She snapped in front of my right eye.

"I'm 22." My eyes crossed painfully.

"We're going to lean you back now Rose. Can you tell me what happened?"

I furrowed my brow and grimaced. I didn't remember that pain before. I swallowed and the scent of dirty pennies washed over me.

"Rose, honey, I need you to tell me what happened." The harpy nurse came into my line of sight.

I licked my lips and instantly regretted it. "My fiance and I woke up to screaming. It was one of the most terrifying sounds I've ever heard."

"How'd you two get hurt? Your finance didn't look good." The way she said good didn't sit well with me.

"That was my mate. His brother is my finance. I have three mates. Why can't I feel my mate?"

She looked up and across at someone. She paled a little but it was enough for me to know. I grabbed her arm and sobbed. 'NO, no please he has to be ok. I told him I wanted a family, please, he has to be ok."

"I have to go to him. I can't stay here." I pushed away the arms trying to hold me down. Biggs needed me to heal him. He needs my energy.

"We need to sedate her, or she's going to hurt herself more."

There was a clamoring to my left. "I'm sorry Rose, but we have to sew your wounds up and we can't have you fighting."

I looked at the harpy. "Please, I need to go to him. I can't feel him. Please!"

She shook her head and I screamed. Biggs's name poured from my lips, louder and louder until I wasn't forming words anymore. A warmth flooded my arm and I knew someone had administered a sedative. It didn't stop me from screaming and fighting and I did until I blacked out.

------

"Ssh. Shh, love." There were gentle strokes down my cheek.

I grabbed for that hand desperately. "Where, what?"

"Easy, Rosie. It's ok, we're here." Henson's voice soothed over my panic.

A sob choked from my lips. "I can't see."

My body instantly relaxed to the warm arm snaking around my waist. "You have bandages around your eyes. They needed to bandage your face and thought this would be the best. Once a healer is available they'll heal your wounds."

Thatcher touched my chin gently. I gripped Henson tightly and leaned into Thatch. I sat for a moment, steadying my breathing. As I calmed down, questions started popping into my head.

"Are you two alright? Did healers see you? What about Kelley?" My words quieted before I said, Biggs. I knew how he was because I still couldn't feel him.

Henson kissed my fingers. "We've been stitched up for the time being. Thatcher will heal well enough without one. I don't need to see one, I will gladly take these scars."

He held my fingers to his lips and swayed softly.

"Dad did see a healer, broken back, ribs, and a punctured lung. Biggs is still in surgery. It's a tedious process, unfortunately. He perforated multiple organs and tore chunks of his muscles and flesh. As the doctors piece him back together a healer seals the tear." His breaths came in shallow deep inhales.

My lip quivered. "Do they know what caused this?"

"Mmmh. The Thermadex. He had a violent, unseen allergic reaction. They think that even if the first injection had been done right or wrong, it would have still happened." Henson sighed.

My guilt eased, but it would never go away. I'd triggered this, a female's appearance had trigged his heat. How could I not feel guilty?

Henson tilted my head and kissed me. I inhaled, it reminded me of chipped stone and coffee. That wasn't how he smelled to me. He'd smelled like a fresh beach, free of humans and waste.

"Rose, you cannot feel guilty for any of this. You cannot be the cause of this incident. For any of it." He could feel me, my emotions. I'd never been linked this deeply to him.

I leaned back and inhaled Thatcher's scent. It was deep, deep earth mixed with wet charcoal.

"Rose?" It was strange my bond with him. It was still there only layered with another. More of a sibling than a mate. If I could open my eyes, I'm sure they'd be wide as coins.

"How can I feel your bond to Biggs?" Both men stilled.

They both took inhales against my neck. Henson licked my skin quickly.

"She smells like Biggs. Fired pottery and burnt paper." His words held disbelief.

"Clay and hot stones. I don't understand how you smell like my brother."

"Oh, I can explain that." We all jumped at Patti's voice.

"Shit Patti. I can usually smell you even before I hear you." Thatcher chuckled and shook.

The foot of the bed sank. Patti rubbed my ankle. "It was my doing. Banshee and all."

"You're a banshee? I thought banshees were extinct." Henson wrapped his arm around me.

"We're very good at hiding. Now is not the time for my story, but yours. I tied Biggs soul to yours."