“He’s not hemorrhaging. Goliaths go to the hospital all the time for treatment.”
“No,” Jessica said, her voice gone tight and sharp, ready to snap.
She set aside the needle and thread. Taking up the towel, she dipped it in the water and held it against her own skin briefly to make sure it wouldn’t burn, then proceeded to wipe the dried blood from around the wound to clean away anything that might impede her view as she sewed him up.
“Thad has scars from when he fed Sebastian on their way across the country. He’s not contracted.”
Thad flinched when the needle entered his skin, drawing up one of his legs in an involuntary motion. She waited a moment for him to settle back before the next prick, jaw set and expression hardened.
“What do we tell the doctors or police when they question him on what happened and what he’s doing in a vampire den? We can’t risk it. I can’t write prescriptions yet, so I can’t give him anything to dull the pain. If you aren’t going to help, then shut up and let me concentrate.”
Christoph looked to Ashi. “Can you hold down his legs?”
Ashi nodded and knelt on the couch, locking Thad’s legs in his. At Christoph’s raised eyebrow, Ashi shrugged.
“I don’t have a lot of weight to hold him down.”
The larger Were left the room and headed to Mouse’s apartment. He was going to call Blackthorn and see what he could arrange.
Blackthorn’s reclusive nature was considered by most Weres to be their best trait. They were an odd bunch—many said they were all collectively nutty as a fruitcake. They were incredibly vicious, covert, and thorough in their fighting methods.
Christoph walked across Mouse’s living room and knocked loudly on Analie’s door. She didn’t answer.
“Analie?” Christoph said, opening the door.
“Hey! Hey-hey-hey, outta the room!” Analie shrieked from her den-bed.
Christoph noted the pitch of her voice. Higher than usual.
He marched over to her bed, lifted the bedsheet covering, and couldn’t help but grin. Analie was squished in the corner, still in her pajamas. Her eyes looked a little dull and she appeared to be smaller.
“You have new moon sickness. You’ve lost your Were-ness.”
Analie covered her face in her hands.
“Can I use your phone?”
Analie threw it at him. “Just get out of my room!”
Christoph left Analie’s room and dialed what amounted to his friend in Blackthorn. On the fourth ring he picked up.
“Hello, and welcome to the Blackthorn hotline.”
“Tony, hey. It’s Christoph.”
“For customer service, press one.”
“Tony, I can hear the TV in the background.”
“For hours of operation, press two.”
“Tony, man, come on.”
“For razing, press three and have all your information to hand.”
“God, are you seriously going to go through all the options?”
“To speak with a pack member, press four.”
Christoph pressed a random number.
“You’ve pressed four. This call may be monitored for quality assurance or identity theft. For Matthew, press one. For Tony, press two—”
Christoph pressed a random number.
“You’ve pressed seven.”
“I did not!”
“But I’m connecting you to Tony anyway. Hey, what’s up?”
Christoph was starting to feel a little frayed. “I need a favor.”
Tony was eating something and the smacking, chewing sounds were loud in Christoph’s ear. “Depends on the favor, but go ahead and ask.”
“These guys called the White Hats—”
Tony’s laughter was excessively loud. It cut off abruptly and Analie’s phone informed Christoph that the call had been ended.
“Jerk,” Christoph muttered.
* * *
It didn’t take Jessica long to finish once Ashi helped hold Thad down. It was mostly Thad’s flinching and thrashing that had slowed her.
She finished putting ointment, gauze, and bandages on the rest of the injuries. His hands were the hardest since the cuts were all over the place and made wrapping them awkward. He looked like a cheap, unfinished version of a mummy by the time she was done.
“That’ll do for now,” she said, regarding him dubiously as she sat on her heels. He was pale and drawn, eyes closed. She’d harangue him over the stupidity of not using the tunnel system to travel around the city later. “Why don’t you guys head on out and let him rest.”
Mouse nodded, combing some of the sweat-plastered hair from Thad’s forehead to kiss his brow, one cool hand brushing his cheek. He returned her concerned look with a thin smile, trying to be brave. She headed out, leaving Thad to rest and Jessica to tend to him.
Those White Hats were getting far too bold.
* * *
“You broke my phone!” Analie shrieked.
“It was reflexive!” Christoph protested, holding her wrists as she flailed at him.
“You broke