Page 20 of Latham
A few minutes later the entire group rose smoothly into the air, two men guiding the litter where Helaine lay securely strapped in and another carrying the two backpacks. Latham flew beside the litter where Helaine could see him if she chose to open her eyes, which she did fleetingly. He was alarmed at how pale she’d become even with the treatments from the first responders.
Once aboard the flyer, Latham proceeded to use every bit of influence he possessed to get Helaine taken directly to the Ardannan battleship in orbit above the planet. He knew the main resort only had a small clinic and his mate needed more comprehensive care.
He mentioned his status as a former miliary officer.
He stressed his new status as a famptror—shifters were extremely rare and highly regarded on Ardanna.
Helain’s status as a fated mate, also rare and revered…
His job working for the royal family…
And his final card, which was his relationship to Prince Treylon. They were cousins after all. The information got him a direct line to talk to the prince, who congratulated him on surviving the tsunami and agreed with no argument Helaine should go to the battleship to be cared for and receive a session in the rejuve resonator.
Satisfied he’d done the best he could for his mate, Latham sat beside her on the shuttle as it left the planet’s atmosphere and set off at a high rate of speed to rendezvous with the spaceship. Helaine was in and out but they talked a little in low voices and the medic kept a close eye on her vitals. After landing inside the battleship, Helaine was rushed to the medbay and Latham went with her, where he was taken to another area for treatment of his few cuts and bruises and she received comprehensive care and a session in the all-healing miracle machine. Ardanna had negotiated hard to obtain a few of the rejuve resonators from the Sectors military and it was Helaine’s good luck the ship stationed to watch over Resort Planet while Ardannans were in residence had a resonator in its sickbay.
Chapter Seven
Since earlier in the day Helaine had been in and out as far as her awareness of her surroundings. She vaguely remembered Latham getting her safely set up in the tree and she was happy not to have detailed recall of his battle with the wolves. Her joy at the arrival of the rescue team was a good memory snippet and she shuddered when she thought even slightly of the ascent in an antigrav litter. The experience had been terrifying but she’d been so ill with fever it was a blur. She did remember being placed in the big scary medical machine but nothing about the actual treatment stayed with her.
She’d had dreams but couldn’t remember them.
Coming awake with a start, the first thing Helaine realized with relief was her leg was completely healed and pain free. She moved it out from under the covers to be sure and was relieved beyond words to see a normal leg, not the broken appendage it had been. Latham was asleep in a chair next to her bed and had a frown on his face even in sleep. With increasing confidence as she experienced no pain, Helaine got out of bed and leaned over her mate, kissing his cheek.
“This chair can’t be comfortable for a big guy like you,” she said as his eyes opened. “You can join me in the bed, even if there isn’t much room.”
He rocketed to his feet and embraced her in a bear hug. “How do you feel?”
“Like a new woman actually. Amazing what a peaceful vacation will do for a girl.” She laughed at her own joke. “Thank you for everything you did.”
“You’re my mate, the woman I love, of course I did everything possible to save you.”
Knowing what he was going to say next, she laid her finger across his lips. “And don’t start in again about how it was all your fault we got caught in the tsunami and then more catastrophes happened. How were you to know I’d bring you so much excitement and disaster?”
The skin around his eyes did the cute crinkly thing she loved as he appreciated the humor of her last comment. “True enough. Do you think we’re done with your status as an attractor of unique events? Or does the universe have more surprises in store for us?”
“No idea. I say we enjoy life while we can. Where are we by the way?”
“On the Ardannan battleship Famptror.”
“They named a ship after you already?” She tilted her head and gave him her sauciest smile.
“No, it’s named for my species of shifter. But it is a nice coincidence. The prince agreed you should come here and receive the best treatment Ardanna offers.”
“I owe the prince a debt then. I hope I get a chance to thank him.”
“He’s dealing with a lot at the moment but he did say he’d be on the ship at some point soon and would try to stop by.”
They arranged themselves on the narrow medbay bed, wrapped up in each other, reconnecting and reassuring themselves everything was okay. Helaine found it hard to restrain herself from taking off all his clothes and shedding her hospital gown but in the first place she was afraid they’d fall out of the damn bed and in the second place she’d never been in any kind of medical facility where the staff didn’t pop in and out of the rooms without warning.
Sure enough, the doctor came in a few minutes later with an abrupt knock. She paused on the threshold, clearly suppressing her amusement at the position they were in on the bed. “Well, I see my patient is pretty much recovered. If I can interrupt you, I’d like to do my exam and discharge you from the medbay. I understand the prince has ordered suitable quarters for you in officers’ country, which comes with complete privacy.”
Latham adjusted his clothing and slid off the bed, moving to the chair. “We’re ready to get out of your hair, doc.”
“I can tell.” Unperturbed she stepped to the bedside and did a thorough scan and exam of a blushing Helaine before pronouncing her fit to leave medbay. There were no follow-up prescriptions or instructions, since the rejuve resonator produced complete cures for simple events like a broken leg and infection. “I would advise against any vigorous physical activity for twenty-four hours, however. The resonator ions will still be active within your tissues and it’s best to let them process out peacefully.”
Helaine knew Latham wouldn’t do anything more than hold her, and maybe a few kisses, now he’d heard the doctor’s ‘suggestion’.
Within half an hour Helaine and Latham were on their way to their new cabin, where their packs and her luggage from the resort had been left by the crew. As the door closed behind them, he pulled her close.
