Page 6 of Magic and Medicine

Fuck, I was going to lose this boy! I thought frantically, trying to find the best solution to this situation. Get a grip, Sara! I mentally smacked myself, thinking that, in all irony, it seemed I was the only one who had some shred of sanity to tackle this situation. So I took a deep breath, and this time, my voice commanded obedience as I donned my professional persona.

‘We need to take him to the hospital. Bring some covers, and I will call in a favour from the speciality ambulance team. The guys from S3 won’t say a word if I tell them not to; now hurry!’ I said in the way I could always command a crowd of medics during the trauma code, and his people twitched to follow my instructions before Leszek’s headshake stopped them from complying.

‘That’s not how things are done here, seer. Our healer will look after him, and his shifter magic will do the rest, but until those bullets are removed, no one can help. Whoever wanted him dead mixed magic, wood, and iron with silver, stopping anyone from getting close.’

‘Are you out of your mind?! I’m trying my best here, but you mistake me for a surgeon. I work in the E.D. I can keep him alive till he gets to the theatre, but that’s it, so don’t be difficult and let me take him. He will die here because I don’t have the tools or skills to save him. Fuck it, I’m done with this, and if you can’t help, don’t disturb me.’

I moved to the table, releasing the leather belts that kept the man’s frame tied in place, but Leszek stepped in my way and firmly took my hand. His expression was stony, but I could see sorrow in his eyes when he spoke.

‘No, Sara, you help him now, or I put him out of his misery. Choose, Doctor; his fate isinyourhands.’

Chapter four

As if to confirm his words, the metal doors to the room slammed shut with a thud, and a small operating trolley full of tools that reminded me of the Soviet occupation appeared beside the patient.

‘I don’t care how you do things here. That is not the end of our conversation. I have no anaesthetic or anyone to monitor this boy’s vitals. This is cruel, inhuman, and pointless!’ At my wit’s end, I shouted at Leszek, trying to rip my hand from his grasp. He was visibly tense but waited until I calmed down, then ignored me to position himself by the man’s head.

‘You are right, but he is not human and will endure it. I will make sure of it.’

As soon as he uttered those words, the patient opened his eyes and protested, his voice hoarse from screaming.

‘My Lord, I can do it. I don’t want your magic. I’m one of the pack. I’m no weakling.’ He complained, but Leszek’s hand lowered to his forehead, and again I heard the command in his voice.

‘Sleep,’

There was magic in his voice. The order was so powerful I swore we were suddenly in the depths of the Kaszubian forest. The scent of verdant greenery, enticing resin and rain filled the air, and I inhaled deeply, relaxing almost instantly despite still standing in that dark, damp warehouse, but the sensation disappeared as quickly as it appeared. As its calm, supportive presence disappeared, I exhaled slowly, closing my eyes briefly to hold on to this serenity for longer. My moment of indulgence went unnoticed. When I returned to reality, the injured man was unconscious, and Leszek looked at me strangely, clearly impatient for me to begin.

With no other recourse, I mentally prepared myself. I’d wanted to help, but not like this. I was willing to transport this boy to the hospital and lie my way through the documentation and procedures. Instead, I was out of my depth and about to perform surgery only done in theatre.

Improvise, Adapt, Overcome. You are an emergency doctor who won’t wimp out in the face of adversity. My simple mantra enabled me to calm down, steadying my hand, and when I was ready, my anger was replaced by crystal clear focus. Following my instincts, I took a scalpel from the pile of random tools before me and trailed it along the skin, making the first cut. My patient didn’t flinch, but Leszek, whose hands were still on the patient’s temples, hissed quietly, distracting me.

‘What the fuck?’ My question was to no one in particular, but the woman who brought the tray emerged from the shadows and answered.

‘The Master is experiencing the child’s pain and shielding him from it, so hurry, we don’t have all day. Take out the bullets so I can start the real healing.’

I found her tone amusing, even as I was scolded. ‘Fine, I will hurry. It’s not like this is someone’s life here.’ I sneered, high on adrenaline, before removing the first bullet lodged in the man’s shoulder muscles. The next one was tricky as I moved to the abdomen, carefully cutting through the layers and trying to recall all my anatomy classes. I was so focused on my work that I barely noticed the sweat pouring from Leszek’s forehead. Cutting and tying bleeding vessels, then suturing the wounds, I worked like a robot until I reached the last hole where the bullet had entered right under the clavicle.

My steady hands began trembling as I thought about cutting near the subclavian artery. ‘I can’t do it. I … there are too many structures here. It will kill him if I slice through the wrong one.’ I said, trying to calm my nerves.

‘Feel it, Sara, use your magic. It will guide you to the bullet. You are doing great; I trust your skills.’ The husky voice averted my attention from the fearful wound, and I looked at Leszek.

His face was ashen, and I gasped, seeing the dark circles under his eyes, yet he encouraged me to continue. I bit my lip, sliding my hand over the wound. Again, it was nothing but a hunch, but I knew what to do, and with a determination I hadn’t felt since my student days, I slowly peeled back the layers of flesh till I retrieved the last bullet. Suddenly, it felt like time sped up, and the wound bled profusely, expelling dark plasma before the flesh regained a healthy colour and knitted itself before my eyes. Whatever was in the projectiles stopped shifter healing, and once I’d removed the cause, his natural abilities returned with a vengeance, speeding the regeneration.

The healer woman pushed me aside, her hands working swiftly, pressing some green paste over and into the wounds while cooing over the youngster like a mother hen. I staggered away, dizzy, exhausted, and relieved I didn’t kill the boy. All I wanted was to sit on the floor, but that wasn’t an option as my chest was encircled by a pair of muscular arms that held me up, pressed to a body with zero softness. I refused to look up at Leszek, afraid of what I would see, instead choosing to watch the healer chant as she scattered more herbal concoctions over my patient’s body, my eyes widening at the changes happening before my eyes. The man who should be dead from his injuries, gaining a healthy colour, wounds that would take weeks to heal already scabbing over.

‘You were amazing, my Firefly. I never thought I would see a human fighting so hard for one of the Nether. Yet here you are. My miracle doctor.’ The quiet voice whispering in my ear sent shivers down my spine. He was still holding me, his nose trailing slowly over the curve of my neck, praising my skills. His voice was so sensual that my thoughts drifted to the vision of the forest. To make matters worse, my fingers softly stroked his forearms as my body melted against him.

It appeared my reaction to his embrace was more than welcome, his softening expression in perfect counterpoint to the hardening elsewhere on his body, and, as a blush spread over my cheeks, his fingers stroked under my chin, tipping it up for a kiss.

‘Sara?’ Desire burned in Leszek’s voice. He wanted this, and as his gaze drifted to my lips, I swallowed hard as my earlier fantasies suddenly came true.

He is not for you. Think Sara, you can’t do this again. I’d only met him a few days ago, but it was clear the pull drawing me to him also affected this powerful man. I loved the thrill of danger and was no stranger to one-night stands, but my relationship history was a string of failures, and I always fell for the same type. Powerful and dominant with a streak of violence in their blood. Still, all the others had let me go when I ended it. With Leszek, I couldn’t even say no to illegal surgery. He was my fantasy, but it didn’t mean I should act on it. We weren’t friends; in fact, we were adversaries. This gangster had dragged me here to do his bidding. So, fighting my body’s desire, I pulled away, staring into his eyes with all the outrage I could muster.

‘That was not part of our agreement and must never happen again. What were you thinking, forcing me to operate in the warehouse with tools from a museum?’

I was practically shouting, and my voice drew Adam’s goons inside. They stood in the open doorway, looking at the scene. Their eyes narrowed, observing me until a gesture from Leszek sent them away. Only Adam remained, looking at me with a knowing smirk.

‘If you’re finished, I will drive this shrew back. That’s if you really are done and don’t intend to use her services in your bedroom. You have been very tense lately.’ The vampire said before he turned his attention to the table. ‘What do you think about the wolf? Will he live?’ I saw anger flash over Leszek’s expression, although I couldn’t understand what caused it until he answered.

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