The Healer's Hellion - Miranda Bridges Page 0,4

the situation called for it. Actually, I’m not sure how it happened in the first place. I wonder if these aliens have the technology to assist me with that little mystery. Most likely, since they did come from somewhere and I assume it required space travel, something we humans have yet to really excel in.

But first things first: I need to stay alive.

“Lead the way, Erix,” Braxton says, giving a little tug on our joined hands.

“We have to hurry,” the other male says. “The humans’ security forces along with their soldiers have been seen gathering nearby. They are engaging the Yalat, but soon they will be hunting us as well. I know the commander would not want us to harm the humans.”

It sounds as if the police and military have come. That doesn’t surprise me, since all it would take is one uploaded video of the Yalat, accompanied by a 911 call, for the US government to send in the troops. I may not know Braxton and Erix, but it’s nice to hear they don’t want to harm us. They could just be saying that for my benefit, but I’m no one important, so it seems unlikely.

We fall into step with Erix, and he leads us down five houses. My stomach drops as I take in the bodies lining the street. I don’t know those people personally, but that doesn’t stop me from being affected. One thing I do notice is that they are all men of various ages.

Our neighborhood consists of mostly elderly couples who retired here before the college was built. However, afterward it became a place where the students found roommates and lived off campus to save money. As I glance at our destination, nausea slams into me.

This house has four young women who live there. It can’t be a coincidence that only women seem to be targeted by the Yalat. Or maybe I’m just jumping to conclusions.

My heart beats loudly in my chest, and I mentally brace myself for whatever might be found inside as we walk through the front door. Braxton drops my hand and makes his way over to a young girl who’s lying on the floor, her arm bent at an unnatural angle. Even if I wasn’t a biology major, someone very well versed in human anatomy, I would know that it’s seriously jacked up.

She mumbles incoherent phrases while thrashing her head back and forth, and I can only imagine the pain she must be in. I kneel on the other side of Braxton and take her good hand in mine. She swings her wide gaze to me, her mutterings increasing in speed.

“Hey, there,” I say softly. “We are here to help you. You’re safe now.” I don’t know this girl, but I have seen her before during one of my many commutes to and from campus.

Braxton removes some tools from a small satchel, and they are all foreign to me. The first thing he does is take a vial of some medicine and fill a pistol-like metal syringe. He places the contraption against her neck and pulls the trigger, the gadget eliciting a small hissing noise. The effect is immediate. The girl stops moving, and her lids droop as she breathes deep.

I stroke her hand as Braxton takes her wounded arm and manipulates it back into its correct position. The girl doesn’t so much as flinch, and I’m relieved she’s not in any pain because the fracture looks really bad. Once her bones are set in the proper place, Braxton takes what looks like aluminum foil and wraps her arm. I know he’s not treating her like she’s a plate of leftovers, but that’s kind of what it looks like.

“What does that do?” I ask, jerking my chin toward the foil.

“It releases a heat that will fuse the bone together and expedite the healing process.”

I nod appreciatively. “Nice.”

He frowns but doesn’t respond. Once he’s done ministering to his patient, he stands. “Erix, take the wounded female to the ship, and once you have deposited her in the med bay, return and look for others. But you must be quick. I’m sure the commander will want to depart sooner rather than later.”

“Sir,” Erix says with a curt nod.

“What about the three other women that live here?” I ask, slowly getting to my feet.

Braxton and Erix share a look and then turn their neon gazes to me. Erix picks up the girl and exits, leaving Braxton and me alone.

“The Yalat must have taken them,”