Jared moved to stand between my cot and Kyle’s, his back to me, his eyes on the big man. Kyle rolled his head back and forth, groaning.

“You’re safe,” Jared said in a low voice. He didn’t look at me. “Don’t be afraid.”

I took a deep breath.

Melanie wanted to touch him. His hand was close to mine, resting on the edge of my cot.

Please, no, I told her. My face hurts quite enough as it is!

He won’t hit you.

You think. I’m not willing to risk it.

Melanie sighed; she yearned to move toward him. It wouldn’t have been so hard to bear if I weren’t yearning also.

Give him time, I pleaded. Let him get used to us. Wait till he really believes.

She sighed again.

“Aw, hell!” Kyle grumbled. My gaze flickered toward him at the sound of his voice. I could just see his bright eyes around Jared’s elbow, focused on me. “It didn’t fall!” he complained.

CHAPTER 34: Buried

CHAPTER 34

Buried

Jared lunged forward, away from me. With a loud smacking sound, his fist hit Kyle’s face.

Kyle’s eyes rolled back in his head, and his mouth fell slack.

The room was very quiet for a few seconds.

“Um,” Doc said in a mild voice, “medically speaking, I’m not sure that was the most helpful thing for his condition.”

“But I feel better,” Jared answered, sullen.

Doc smiled the tiniest smile. “Well, maybe a few more minutes of unconsciousness won’t kill him.”

Doc began looking under Kyle’s lids again, taking his pulse…

“What happened?” Wes was by my head, speaking in a murmur.

“Kyle tried to kill it,” Jared answered before I could. “Are we really surprised?”

“Did not,” I muttered.

Wes looked at Jared.

“Altruism seems to come more naturally to it than lies,” Jared noted.

“Are you trying to be annoying?” I demanded. My patience was not waning, but entirely gone. How long had it been since I’d slept? The only thing that ached worse than my leg was my head. Every breath hurt my side. I realized, with some surprise, that I was in a truly bad mood. “Because if you are, then be assured, you have succeeded.”

Jared and Wes looked at me with shocked eyes. I was sure that if I could see the others, their expressions would match. Maybe not Jeb’s. He was the master of the poker face.

“I am female,” I complained. “That ‘it’ business is really getting on my nerves.”

Jared blinked in surprise. Then his face settled back into harder lines. “Because of the body you wear?”

Wes glared at him.

“Because of me,” I hissed.

“By whose definition?”

“How about by yours? In my species, I am the one that bears young. Is that not female enough for you?”

That stopped him short. I felt almost smug.