Page 73 of Crimson Moon Falling

Freda’s eyebrows drew together. “The fMRI machine? Why?”

“The threads,” I managed, my voice thick. Another trickle of blood slid over my lip. “I need them processed before they degrade.”

“Threads.” Freda’s gaze dropped to my blood-smeared palms, then back to my face. Slow, terrible understanding dawned. “You’re a Spooler,” she whispered.

The word hung in the air between us. Spooler. Not just a Resonant, or even a Polymorph. Her confused, terrified energy hit me, and I winced.

Parker clenched his teeth. “She came back for Wilson’s signature, not Viggo’s. She wanted to get proof he was here. Fuck me, I should’ve guessed.”

Freda’s dark eyes held mine as calculations and implications ran through her head. Polymorphs were hunted and contained if the Feds could get away with it. Spoolers were exterminated.

“The Alpha knows,” she whispered.

I nodded weakly. “Why do you think he wanted me?” I didn’t know if it was me or the implant talking. Probably both.

“Call Conall and Drew,” Parker repeated, his voice deadly quiet. “We’re leaving. Now.”

He hooked an arm around my waist and half-carried me into the corridor since my legs weren’t cooperating very well. Each step sent pain lancing through my skull. Freda strode ahead of us, her head swiveling and her sat phone to her ear.

Outside, the morning light hit like a physical blow. The deputy at the entrance straightened, his hand moving to his weapon, then falling away when he saw the blood.

“Medical emergency,” Parker told him flatly. “We’re leaving.”

Beau strode toward us, his face tight with alarm. “What happened?”

“Her implant is malfunctioning,” Parker muttered. “We need to go.”

Beau assessed me and kept walking next to Parker. “There’s likely pressure on your brain. It might be caused by the elevation. I’ll call down to the base and have an EMT on standby.”

I caught fragments of Freda’s call as Parker bundled me toward the helicopter.

“She’s suffering severe blowback and her nose and right eye won’t stop bleeding… No, don’t bullshit me, Alpha. I know what she is… It could be exacerbated by her implant. Beau also mentioned the elevation.”

The words carried on the wind, and I closed my eyes against the light and the terrible pressure in my head. Parker scooped me up as the world went black.

My vision blurred and my head ached as I drifted in and out of consciousness during the helicopter ride. Then I looked up and saw him sitting across from me. The world went quiet, the chopper empty except for us.

Chapter 22

Riley

“Hi Dad.”

“Hey Bug, I’m worried about you. There’s too much intracranial pressure. Can you ask your implant to help you regulate it?”

I tilted my head. “How did you know I have an implant?”

He leaned over and tugged one of my braids. I hadn’t worn braids since I was ten. “Because I love you and want to keep an eye on you. Can you do that for me? Close your eyes and concentrate. I know your head hurts, but this is important.” It was quiet as I looked around and saw we were the only ones in the cockpit. He still wore his ranger uniform.

The helicopter bounced, and he looked around. “Hurry, Riles. You can do this. Close your eyes and concentrate.” Reluctantly, I closed my eyes and asked the implant for help as everything faded.

The next time I opened my eyes, I stared up at the knotty pine ceiling above my bed in the bungalow. My mouth tasted like copper, and my head still ached, but it was manageable now.

Parker’s face swam into focus above me, his eyes black and sharp with worry. “You scared ten years off my life. Next time, tell me when you plan to do something that idiotic.”

I was in no condition to argue, so I kept my mouth shut and tried to sit up. My head protested with a vicious throb that made the room tilt. Parker’s hand settled on my shoulder, holding me down with gentle pressure.

“Easy. You’ve been out for almost two hours. Conall and the fMRI machine are almost here.”