Page 206 of Hunters and Prey

I remembered her laughing about me eating dried apricots mixed with gummy bears and guacamole dip. I remember those amazing massages, and having trouble keeping my eyes open…

Then, poof.

I remembered opening my eyes, and I was on the floor, and Black was hanging over me.

According to him, I’d only been gone about twenty minutes.

It felt a lot longer than that.

“How do we keep her here?” Black growled, when Luric continued to probe the back of my head. “How do we keep this from happening?”

Luric glanced up, then went right back to gently probing my skull.

He glanced down at me, studying my eyes.

After scanning me with his light a second time, he said, “You have a mild concussion. You’re seer, so it shouldn’t last more than twenty-four hours, but I want you to take it easy. No physical activity. Nothing that requires intense concentration––”

“Doc,” Black began, his voice harder.

“You said it happens when her recent traumas are triggered? When her Acute Stress Disorder is activated?” Luric glanced up, his full lips set in a frown.

Black nodded, glancing at me. Folding his arms across his muscular chest, he nodded again. “Yes. It seems to.”

“Then don’t stress her out,” Luric said, his voice a touch harder.

Black scowled at him, but for some reason, I had to fight not to laugh.

Glancing at me, Black seemed to see some of that in my eyes, because he clicked at me, rolling his eyes in that exaggerated seer way.

“She’s just been through a serious trauma,” he said, aiming his words at the doctor. “Several, in fact. All of this evaporating then reappearing can’t be helping. How do I not stress her out, when she’s dealing with that? Drug her?”

Luric exhaled, conceding Black’s words with a graceful gesture.

I couldn’t help finding him a bit funny, too.

He definitely had the curmudgeonly doctor character down pat.

Those purple eyes flickered towards me, but I saw a faint smile pull at his lips.

For the first time, it hit me he was really worried about me.

He sent me a pulse of warmth, one that held an open affection, right before he looked back at Black.

“I don’t know,” he said, exhaling and clicking in some consternation. “Handcuffing yourself to her is unlikely to work… if she leaves her clothes and weapons behind, she is likely to leave handcuffs behind when she vanishes, too, brother.”

“What about my light?” Black said, refolding his arms as he shifted his weight on his legs. “Is there some way I could tie her here with my light? Or even my body?” he added, clearly thinking out loud. “There must be some way we can build a construct for her. Something that will keep her light stable, and attached to her damned body.”

Luric frowned, clearly considering his words.

“I will bring it to the team,” he said after a beat. “I will contact Yarli and discuss it with the infiltration unit, as well.”

The crease in Black’s brow smoothed perceptibly, but not very much.

“Good,” is all he said.

He looked at me, his mouth curving into a worried frown.

“Come on Miri. You heard him. You need to rest.”

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