Page 19 of Ellie 1

It limited the magic a witch or warlock could do. It tracked vampires that they only drank from bagged blood. It adjusted with a shifter in case they changed forms.

Basically, it was a miracle of security, especially with the location devices in them. There had only been a handful of reported times that people had managed to get around them and the amount of magic to break them… It was astounding.

And really no reason to unless you were a serious threat and criminal.

“The president said they’re going to group up cases and warlocks on site will open the portal to get them through once critical cases reach them,” the lead military guy informed me. “Can you handle that?”

I nodded. It would make our lives harder than having a steady stream, but keeping portals open like the warlocks were doing took insane power. It was better to do it that way. “They need to keep them smaller. We only have so many trauma teams and bays. No more than seven patients at a time or we could start losing more than we save.”

“Translators are here, Ms. Reed!” someone called over.

“Good, get them to spread out and ask for more,” I hollered back. The earthquake hit in a part of Asia that was a melting pot of cultures… And languages. So we had at least four major languages we were going to be juggling that we knew of.

Hopefully, someone in their party or family knew some English to help.

Families of hospital staff started arriving. Some had cross-training to at least help in these situations and volunteered on these rare occasions. Others would coordinate the food and take care of workers to make sure they didn’t all collapse while saving lives.

I was on my feet for hours and hours. It was nonstop, and I only paused to have some water and part of a sandwich because one of my team demanded it.

“You won’t have to jump in,” Alan told me quietly when he found me just after dark. “We’ve got it all in hand and it will be a trickle of really bad cases after tonight.”

“Good, good,” I sighed, scrubbing my hand over the back of my neck. He was one of the few who knew I was actually a doctor and a talented trauma surgeon as well.

Well, maybe not so much anymore given I never actually performed surgery and hid my credentials. Now and again, he snuck me into a closed surgery to certify me and keep my credentials fresh, but I was far from at my peak.

“The new hire is impressive,” he told me. He nodded when I glanced at him. “Clark was all over the shifters and checking them. Kept a cool head and—impressive. He needs to give a lecture about his specialty and forcing shifts.”

“He did what?” I whispered, not able to hide my horror.

“He’s got a way—it’snotlike what we fought to have people stop doing,” Alan assured me. “It was—he’s got a talent for it. It was way less intrusive for the kid than the surgery and rehab he would have had to go through. It was astounding, Ellie.”

“I trust you, but I’m having a hard time picturing it,” I admitted. Mostly because normally forcing a shifter to change forms was more traumatic and painful than their first shift. It was a power most Alphas had that was supposed to be punishment.

“Exactly, so if he’s on staff now and going to be doing this, all the attendings need to be read in,” Alan muttered. “I’m fucking pissed that his hospital was hiding this as somethingnewthat only he invented instead of the truth. They didn’t want the flak of him doing something we all think outdated and cruel instead of showing it can be done right.”

“We’re shocked a board of directors made a wrong call and just focuses on money?” I asked him, not hiding my hate for greedy people in the slightest.

“No.” He shot me a smirk. “I look forward to the day you kick the board to the curb. You’ll have our full support.” He sighed when I snorted. “Those who really matter. Let us kick the rest into line, Ellie. You don’t always have to do it all.” He reached out and pet my hair. “You really don’t, child.”

“Thanks, Alan.”

Two hours later, I witnessed Dr. Clark on a gurney performing lifesaving measures as the team raced by.

Which meant he wasn’t out by the portal to control the flow. Shit.

The head military had been switched out and saw me coming. “Your doctor gave orders to hold all shifters here until he checks them unless they’re unconscious and critical. That patient—the portal was too much pressure on the wounds and they started to crash.”

“Good, good, thank you,” I accepted before moving on to my next fire to put out… Which was the President of North America asking for too big of a favor. “I’m sorry, Mr. President, but what you’re asking is too much and—”

“I know, Ms. Reed, but—I’m working on the legalities of writing an executive order to wave the same amount of the hospital’s taxes. It might be over a few years—I don’t know.” He sighed when I didn’t say anything. “Ellie, please. This isn’t for politics. The earthquake’s center was right in the heart of that massive vampire coven there.

“Their blood supply is gone and they don’t have enough to cover. The vamps actually did everything to jump in and help first responders. For once, we did something right and saved a lot of people. They need help to recover. A vamp is president ofNorth America this time. I can’t ignore that. We shouldn’t ignore that.”

I tried to work on the calculations in my head. “It’s not only about the money, sir. That would exhaust too much of our supply and others need it. I want the word of the President of Asia that she willpersonallyshow up to some blood drives to help us replenish. Get it in writing that they will have people donate unpaid. We’ve done enough to deserve that.”

“You have. Done. Yes, I will work that in the deal.”

“Okay, then I’ll agree tohalfthat amount for now and we can reassess.”

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