a wave of heat flooded his arms and legs: Starting at his fingertips and toes, the blaze rode his limbs as if they were the wicks for dynamite sticks … like somebody had put a match to his extremities and the TNT they were charged to ignite was stored in his torso.
His body jerked up from the table. Fell back.
So much thrashing came next.
The human man raced over and threw his heavy weight across Murhder’s seizing muscular load, and straps, black and wide and linked around the table, were added before the doctor could remove himself.
A ring of fire.
Murhder was consumed in a ring of fire.
His last conscious thought was that he should focus on his Sarah. But it was too late for any kind of coordinated anything. He was riding a bucking bronco … and holding on for dear life.
Sarah wanted to get in there. Do something to ease Murhder’s pain. Give him chest compressions—even though he wasn’t in the kind of cardiac distress that would benefit from that kind of thing.
And that last impulse was why she needed to hang back. Scientists who studied the immune system were not medical doctors, even if they had an MD after their names courtesy of their joint degree program back at uni.
And as for the cardiac arrest, she feared it was a case of “not yet.” That heart monitor was practically tap dancing.
Sinking back against the wall, she covered her mouth in her hand and gripped his necklace with the other. Murhder was pulling against the arm restraints, great veins snaking down into his clenched hands and standing out in stark relief under his skin. His neck was the same as his head craned up off the pillow, the cords on either side like ropes pulled taut in the effort of securing a vessel against violent seas. Under the sheet she had pulled up over his legs, he was kicking and not getting far with it, the restraints down there keeping him on the table.
Jane shouted something. Ehlena rushed over with a syringe. Dr. Manello looked at Sarah.
“We need to stop. Right now. We can’t take him any further without risking damage.”
“I agree—”
“No!”
They all turned to the word that exploded out of their patient. Murhder’s eyes were wide open and locked on Sarah. Through gritted teeth, he let out a growl of pain.
And then he said, “You keep going. You keep going … you keep … going.”
The force of his will had a physical impact on her, sure as if he had stood up off the bed and rushed at her.
“You don’t stop this, Sarah …”
His face was beet red, sweat beading on his brow, his jaw so tight, it seemed like it was going to snap free the tethers of its joints.
“Last … thing … I do.”
Sarah looked deeply into his peach eyes, searching for the right thing to do. But then she knew that any calculation of hers was wrong. The choice had been, and was, his to make.
“Ehlena,” she said roughly. “What are the blood results showing?”
“His white count is rising.”
Are you sure, she asked Murhder in her head.
As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she could have sworn she heard his voice in her mind, clear as day.
Yes, I’m sure.
“Do the final dose,” she said. “Now.”
Sarah stayed right by Murhder’s side. After the last push of the somatropin, he disappeared into the suffering, no longer able to meet her, or anybody else’s, stare or respond to anything. His heart rate was all over the place. His blood pressure was sky-high. The seizures were so bad, he snapped two of the restraints.
Eventually, the big blond warrior with the bright blue eyes had to bring chains.
It was shortly after those metal links got put on that Sarah felt herself crumble on the inside. A trembling overtook her, as if she were following his lead in that regard, and then she couldn’t breathe.
“Excuse me,” she mumbled as she lurched for the door.
Out in the corridor, she wobbled and started to fall.
Hands caught her. Strong hands.
She looked up into the face of the female commando.
“I’ve got you,” Xhex said.
Sarah wasn’t thinking right. Wasn’t thinking at all. She grabbed onto those shoulders, and felt herself get hugged in return.
John was standing behind his mate, his arms crossed over his chest as if he were hugging Sarah as well, just virtually. His eyes were dark with emotion, and she could understand why. With the chains rattling as they were, it was clear