Dealers' Choice - Susan Hayes Page 0,13

Xori into his arms, cradling her slender body against his. “I don’t know. I was furious. Then, I wasn’t. I can’t explain it.” But he’d sell what was left of his soul to experience that moment of perfect peace again.

“I’m alright. I can walk,” Xori said, but there was no real note of protest in her voice, and she didn’t try to push herself out of his arms.

“You’re not walking on that leg until you get it checked out by a doctor.”

She surprised him by laughing, though the sound had a brittle quality to it, like ice rattling in an empty glass. “I am a doctor.”

Vic shot her a frustrated look. “Then Ward will carry you until we find someplace quiet so you can assess yourself properly.”

“Then I’m going to close my eyes and try not to think about everyone staring at me right now.” She did just that, her head tipping to rest on his shoulder.

“You do what you need to. We’ll get you out of here.” He dipped his head to nuzzle her cheek ever so briefly, the only comfort he could offer without crossing any lines.

“Thank you.”

She was pulling away from them, he could feel it. All the warmth and wonder of the evening was gone now, and he was standing on the edge of the abyss again. He still didn’t understand what had happened back there, but he’d figure it out eventually. He had to. Because if there was a way to drive out the darkness in him, then it should work on Vic. His brother could be happy again. That’s all Ward wanted.

On the way back, they both tried to get her to agree to go to the med-center, but she refused. Every time they pushed, she withdrew a little farther into herself, so they stopped, hoping to salvage at least some of the progress they’d made. Ward wanted to track down the fraxxing blue bastard and kick his ass for not only hurting Xori, but screwing up what had been a good night, one of the best he could remember.

In the end, they stopped at her office and set her down in the waiting room while she’d checked herself over. It wasn’t a large space. There were only two chairs and a small, battered reception desk facing the door. There wasn’t even a chair behind it, because Xori relied on a basic AI system to manage her patients.

Xori sat in one of the chairs, her leg stretched out in front of her, the hem of her dress hitched up to bare her legs to the knee. Normally, he’d be enjoying the view of her shapely calves and the striped markings that crisscrossed her limbs and vanished beneath the fabric, but not tonight. All he could see right now were the bruises blooming on her skin. She’d been hurt on their watch, and that didn’t sit well with him. Not at all.

“See? Just a little bruising. No swelling or anything to worry about. I told you. There are some mild pain-blockers in my office. I’ll take some now.” Xori got to her feet and both he and Vic moved to help her, but she shook her head and gestured for them to stay away. “I’m fine. See? Walking on my own and everything.”

“If it still hurts tomorrow, will you please go see Dr. Jefferies at the center?” Vic asked.

The door to her office opened and she walked out of sight before answering. “I’ll go if I think I need to.”

“Stubborn,” he sent the thought to Vic.

“And pulling away from us. How do we fix this?”

“By being more stubborn than she is.”

Vic nodded in agreement. Lately they hadn’t always been in the same orbit, but this was different. This was Xori.

She reappeared a few minutes later and gave them an airy smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “See? All better.”

“Better or not, we’re still walking you to the checkpoint,” Ward informed her.

“Or your quarters, if you’d let us.”

“It’s not necessary. And a little exercise will help get rid of any lingering stiffness.”

He had no idea if that was true or not. Between his cybernetic enhancements and the nanotech coursing through his blood, his body could rapidly heal anything short of a direct hit from a blaster at close range. He could also block pain at will, an ability he wished he could share with Xori right now. He hated seeing her hurting, and despite her efforts, he knew she was. He could see it in