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“Yeah, well, let me tell you, it’s a kick to the gut,” Welsh declared, then chuckled.“Let me correct that.It’s more like a kick to the nuts.”
“We gotta find out what affected you to give you back your color sight,” Nash stated.“Whaddaya say, Rhyne?We have to find out what gave him his color sight back so you and me both can share in his good fortune, don’t you agree?”
Rhyne nodded but didn’t verbally reply.Fortunately, he had tomorrow to test his theory and prove it as being true or false.But if it turned out to be true…
I have to save her however I can.Because once Welsh’s color sight fades, he’s going to hunt her down for more.
And if he’d learned anything from past experience, Rhyne knew the end result wouldn’t be pretty.
CHAPTER12
Coffee
Rhyne waited until after ten o’clock before going over to the hospital.Although he knew Norris wouldn’t be at work until after one, it wasn’t the lab tech he needed to see.
A strange sense of awkwardness filled him as he pedaled his way down the streets.Many questions challenged him, asking him why he felt the need to protect a human woman he hadn’t exchanged more than a couple dozen words with.The only reason he could agree on was the fact that he felt possessive.He wanted to be the only person regifted with color sight, and he didn’t want to share that with anyone else of his kind.
“Does that make me wrong to feel that way?”he softly challenged himself.“Am I being selfish and self-centered?”
On the other hand, he argued, “Maybe.But in all your years have you ever encountered anyone with that magical ability?Whose blood is almost like a fountain of youth?Except in this case, instead of giving me extra years of life, it’s given me back memories of the life I’d lost years ago.”
Another very important point made him even more determined to protect her.“She could be the only one of her kind whose blood has that ability.If I tasted another AB negative, it may not have that effect on me.Which means, if she’s a one-off, that makes her even more precious than any jewel or element on this planet.”
If itisher,an inner voice declared.And if itisher blood.It may not be her blood itself that is the cause, but somethinginher blood, or in her body that creates some kind of protein or chemical, or something that leeches into the blood.
Arriving at the hospital, he chained his bike to the handicapped parking sign in front, then paused to stare at the brick façade.
“Okay, how am I going to frame this if she’s here?I can’t just come out and ask her what blood type she is.”Rhyne bit his lower lip.“Should I ask her about Welsh coming to see her?”
Common sense quickly squelched that idea.If he mentioned Welsh, it might cause a problem he couldn’t afford to tackle.
A flash of hope hit him.“Maybe it wasn’t her.Maybe it was someone else he went to see, and he just happened to encounter her when he went to inquire.Or maybe… Fuck this.Go in and let the dice roll.”Shoving his hands into his jeans pockets, he walked into the hospital and went directly to the admissions office.
Fate was with him when he saw her at the counter speaking to someone.She glanced over as he stood in the door, and her expression changed.Her eyes widened, as well as her smile.
“I’ll be right with you!”she promised.It could have been his imagination, but he thought he caught an underlying expression in her tone.It sounded like hope.Hope he’d stay around?Hope they’d share more than a few brief words?
“When you go out this door, take a left and go to the first door on your left.Someone will be there to sign you in and get you registered,” she told the young man.The guy thanked her and left.At the same time, she went to the inner part of the office.Although she dropped her voice, Rhyne clearly heard her ask someone named Marcia to take care of the person.That done, the woman returned to the front.
“Hi!Again!”She giggled softly, accompanied by a slight flush rising to her cheeks.
Unable to help himself, he took a slow, silent sniff of her unique scent and grinned back as he exhaled.“Hi.”
“Did you need to see Norris again?If you do, he doesn’t clock in until this afternoon,” she started to apologize.
“No.Actually, I came to see you,” he admitted in a soft voice.
His admission seemed to catch her off-guard.“You…do?Did?”
“I…” Rhyne stopped, somehow finding himself at a loss for words.After struggling to figure out what to say next, he was about to throw caution to the wind when the woman interceded.
“Do you like coffee?”
He stared at her.“Yeah.Why?”
She pointed over his shoulder.“This hospital has a Stokin’ Joe, and I’m due to take my morning break.How about I treat you to a cup?”
“I have a better idea.Why don’t I treatyouto a cup?By the way, my name’s Rhyne.”He held out a hand.She took it and they shook as she gave him a perplexed look.
