“Not for a while yet. Tell them to try and keep her alive until we get there.”
“Will do.”
Hakan hung up. “Well, you all heard, the good news is she managed to lightly squeeze Garth’s hand. The bad news is her system continues to deteriorate. We’ve got to get the blood there as soon as possible.”
“Turn up the rate of my transfusion. I need to get this batch of blood in me so it can be attacked by my and Rex’s white blood cells. The fastest way is to let it occur in my body at least for a few minutes.”
“Are you trying to kill yourself?” Rex yelled at her.
Ellen put her hand on his arm. “Calm down, Rex. You’re scaring her mother and upsetting the others.”
Rex cussed under his breath and paced the room. Hakan took his arm. “We’ll go outside.”
Once they left, Cody and Payton decided to go back downstairs to be closer to Averil.
Kira gave a weak grin to her mother. “Thank goodness we got rid of all that testosterone. Now we three ladies can take care of this problem.”
As the blood she’d donated first was given back to her, Kira hurt inside. A cramp hit her stomach and her body was wet with perspiration.
“Let me slow it just a bit,” Ellen pleaded.
“No, don’t stop. Not even if I lose consciousness. I can feel it working. Take a chance and give her a pint of my blood after this blood has been in my body for thirty minutes. Promise me you’ll do as I say.” Kira held on to Ellen’s arm. Her head was spinning. “Promise. My mother will tell you about me. You’ll understand. I’m going to survive.” She closed her eyes and lay back, taking deep breaths. Kira forced her body to relax and let the blood do its job. In the background she heard her mother explaining who she was and how she could shape-shift. Ellen’s husband, Dr. Jack, entered the room as Mrs. Bevyns was talking.
“I’ve read up on our history. I know what you’re describing. But how?”
Her mother told them Mitch’s and the Priestess’s idea of how it all happened. Kira’s consciousness was going in and out now.
“Kira, can you hear me?” Dr. Jack asked.
She nodded her head. Anything else took too much energy.
“I’ve told Ellen to do as you asked. I agree with you. I don’t think you’ll die. And with Rex’s blood in your body, you can fight harder. But I’m going to stay here and be with Ellen, your mother, and you until this is over.” He took her hand, and she squeezed it, then let go.
When she did, she fell down a dark tunnel. Curtains of blackness stroked across her skin. She shivered, thinking she heard a harsh laugh.
Kira moved her head restlessly. A strong voice and a firm hand held on to her.
“I’m back, Kira. You will fight this thing. My blood and yours will win.”
Rex? Or was her mind playing tricks on her? He annoyed her, and yet his hand and voice pushed off the heaviness of the dark drapes, and the voice was gone. She clutched his hand tighter.
* * * *
“How long has she been unconscious?” Rex asked Jack.
“A few minutes. Her breathing and heart rate are up. She’s fighting, and she’s calmer since you took her hand.” Jack glanced at where Rex held on to Kira. “I think I’m not needed at the bedside. I’ll go see what Ellen’s finding in the first blood draw she did.”
He left the room. Rex looked at Kira’s mother. “Averil favors you more.”
“Yes, I think Kira gets her differences from some of my ancestors.”
“Tell me about her and why does she think she’s invincible?” It was both a question and a command.
“You must promise to keep her secret until we find out who our enemy is, and I am telling you not because you demand it but as thanks for your help.”
“I see they get their feisty spirit from you.” He couldn’t stop a slight smile from curving his lips. He liked their mother, and Hakan had been right. Kira was the only woman for them. She’d fight them, but they’d win in the end.
Her mother started to speak. When she told him who Kira really was and what she shape-shifted into, he was totally stunned for the first time he could remember. Maybe she wasn’t for them. Her bloodline was of royalty. Who were they to assume she’d choose them or anyone?
Mixed emotions swirled around in him. His attraction to her overwhelmed him at times. Her beauty, her scent, her spirit and courage. He wanted her to be the mother of his children and so did Hakan.
Rex had fought for everything he’d wanted, and he’d succeeded. Looking down at her white face, her hair damp on her forehead from perspiration, her lean but curvy body made him more determined he wouldn’t give up. It would take time. He’d never accepted failure. He had no intention of starting now.
“Here’s the results, and it’s been thirty minutes.” Jack handed the reports to Rex and went to sit beside Kira’s mother.
“The antibodies are growing much faster than they did before. Ellen’s going to take a pint of Kira’s blood and rush it down to Averil. We’re going to save them both.”
“Thank you.” Mrs. Bevyns wiped her eyes and unclenched her hands. “Thank you all.”
Ellen returned and hooked up a bag to collect a pint of Kira’s blood. “This won’t take too long. Once I’ve got the blood we’ll start a transfusion on Kira of the pint of blood you donated earlier, Mrs. Bevyns. That will help Kira regain her strength.”
“Hopefully, she’ll begin waking soon. We’ll take another pint of her blood in a few days, and I’m certain it will be even stronger. She’s done it again, saved her sister and given us an antidote for other victims.” Ellen excused herself and went back toward her lab.
Mrs. Bevyns studied Rex. “You care for my daughter?”
“Even if I did, she’s of royalty. I’m not.”
“That has never mattered in this world we live in. Our men need only be strong, wise, and love us. But I see a deep sadness in your eyes. You must resolve whatever makes you sad, because it also makes you angry. You keep others away with your sharp tongue. I have heard of you. She”—Mrs. Bevyns nodded at Kira—“deserves better than what you are now.”
Rex flushed with anger. No one had dared to insult him. She was right, and that only made him angrier. He started to comment when Kira’s hand moved in his. He looked down at her.
Her eyes had opened. “Are you two arguing?”
“No, dear.” Her mother came to the other side of her bed. “We were having a most interesting discussion.”
* * * *
“Is the blood ready?” Cody asked as Ellen and Jack hurried into Averil’s room. Garth and his mother, Cody, and Payton stepped away from the bed.
“It’s better than the last time.” Jack took her arm with the IV and cleaned off the end of the rubber tubing with an alcohol wipe, where he would insert the needle. Ellen hung the blood beside the IV, and a nurse came in to help. Once it was all ready, the nurse started the blood at a slow rate.
“Everyone say a prayer she doesn’t have a reaction to the transfusion,” Jack said.
No one sat. Cody pushed away the nauseous feelings that had rushed over him as they started the blood going into Averil. He loved her, and she was going to know he and Payton were here for her. He glanced at Payton. They moved back to her side. Each took a hold of one of her hands, and Cody put his other hand on her forehead. Payton rested his other hand over her heart.
“We’re here, Averil. We’ll help you fight your way back to us,” Payton said.
The others stood around or near the bed watching Averil’s pale face. At first it was barely noticeable, but slowly color came back into her cheeks. Her labored breathing slowed, and when Jack checked her heart rate, it was normal.
“It’s working,” Jack said, and a cheer went up in the room.
Mother Aileen wiped her eyes and sat down. Her strength had almost gone from the number of times they used the magic to keep Averil holding on.
Garth went to her side. “Are you going to be all right?”
“In my youth this wouldn’t have fazed me, but it did weaken me today. Will you take me home? I need to rest.”
“I’ll take you home with me until you’re stronger. Rae will cook you a good hot meal while you nap in our guest room.”
Jack came to their side. “You both helped save her. I don’t know how you kept her from slipping away, but you did.”
Mother Aileen motioned toward Cody and Payton. “When they came in and held on to her, too, the job got easier. Whether she knows it or not, they have a strong influence on her.”
Jack chuckled. “Knowing Cody and Payton and the fact she’s been staying with them, I’m sure she knows how they feel. We’ll have a wedding soon and happier times again.”
“I hope so. But the evil is stronger than ever here on the ranch. Nanna and I conferred, and she left to talk with Mitch. We think we have at least two enemies on the ranch.”
Averil saw the blackness lightening. Gradually, her body felt lighter, and she had the sensation she was floating upward faster and faster until her body jerked and her eyes popped open. The brilliant light hurt, and she shut them again.
“Darlin’, wake up. We’ve been waiting to see those pretty brown eyes.” Cody rubbed her arm as he held her hand.
Finally she was warm. All the deep cold had gone. Averil tried opening her eyes again. This time was better. When she was able to focus, she saw Cody and Payton standing by her bed.
She licked her dry lips, and Payton held a cup of water for her. Cody put his arm around her and lifted her up enough to drink.
“So good, so thirsty.” She sipped through a straw. With each moment her body got stronger. When she’d finished, Cody laid her back on her pillow.
“Where’s Kira and my parents?”
“The nurse is getting your father. Your mother and Kira are upstairs in the lab,” Payton told her.
She looked at Ellen and Jack. “What did Kira do in the lab?”
“Kira saved your life. She’s weak, and a nurse is with her monitoring her care.”
“She will get well?”
“Yes. Your sister is an exceptionally strong woman both in body and mind.” Dr. Jack smiled at her. “You need rest. We’re going to send you to a room and let you sleep.”
“I don’t want to sleep. The horrible darkness might come back.” She gripped Cody’s and Payton’s hands tight.
“It won’t. I promise, and I’ll let one of these guys stay with you all the time.”
Averil nodded, but she wasn’t going to sleep anytime soon. She didn’t care what Dr. Jack said. Her father came through the door and hurried to her side.
Cody moved away as her dad reached across and hugged her. “Thank goodness you’re all right.” He brushed her hair back from her face. “We’ve been so worried.”
“What was it that made me sick? I remember vaguely drinking my tea. Was it in the tea?” She looked from her dad to Cody and Payton.
“Yes, if I’d have drank tea with you, we’d both be in here. I’m sorry we didn’t keep you safe.” Payton squeezed her hand.
“It wasn’t anyone’s fault. Whoever this person is, they blend into the fabric of the ranch. No one notices them. They know us well.”
“That’s true,” Cody said, agreeing with Averil. “I never saw anyone around the day your tea was poisoned, and my trips to the barn were short, except that morning. You were gone with Payton, so I thought it safe to work on my horse. I was wrong.”
Ellen got her attention by checking the blood. “Didn’t the antidote for the poison work?” Averil asked her.
“It was a different poison and much more potent. We had to make new antibodies for it.”
“My sister risked her life again, didn’t she?”
“She did. But she had some help making the dose of treatment stronger for you. Dr. Rexford’s blood is different from most of ours, and his white cells are unusually potent. We mixed them with your sister’s blood and got a rapid response just in time to save you.”
“I feel much better, stronger, on my way to recovery. But my body aches like I’ve been in a physical fight.”
“You have and you won.” Ellen patted her on the shoulder. “I’m going to check on your sister, your mother, and Dr. Rexford.” Ellen smiled at Jack, kissed his cheek, and then left the room.
“I have to love that woman.” The others chuckled, lightening the mood in the room.
* * * *
Kira closed her eyes. They felt weighted down, and the evil in the darkness was still close. She’d sensed a mood of antipathy between Dr. Rexford and her mother. Which was strange. Her mother liked everyone.
It hurt Kira’s head to think. She let herself drift. At some point she was aware Ellen removed the blood for Averil and started another pint of blood going into Kira. Her spirit got lighter as the blood flowed into her veins. In the distance she saw her bird becoming clearer and the darkness receding. She’d live.
“I have to go check on my parents and my brother.”
Kira heard Rex’s deep voice. She made a small sound when he pulled his hand free.
“My brother is in the hospital and going home today.” He continued explaining to her mother and her.
Kira opened her eyes, and this time it was easier. “Thank you for helping my sister and me.”