Page 82 of The Enforcers: KANE

Rachelle found a place to land and changed back, trying to make her way through the wreckage. “Oh my God,” she was moaning. “Kane, the blood. Hang on. I’ll get you out of there…”

But she didn’t have the strength to move the heavy metal furniture. Kane was bleeding out. He could feel the darkness descending.

Selina opened her eyes and smiled her crazy smile. It still chilled him. She said weakly, “At least…if I die…I’ll take you with me. You’re still mine.”

“No,” Kane ground out. His vision was tunneling.

She closed her eyes. “My boys will be in here soon. You didn’t really think you could beat me, did you?”

“No,” Kane said, as the darkness descended. “Not really.” He let his hands fall away from her. “That’s why I brought my friends.”

As the darkness rushed over him, he heard the far-off rattle of gunfire, and the howls of his pack.

* * *

Rachelle ripped Selina’s monstrous hands away from Kane. He was still breathing—barely—and there was a truly scary pool of blood on the floor underneath him.

She put her hands on his chest and tried to call on their bond. She was supposed to be able to give him strength, to heal him. What they’d done had to be as strong as consummating the bond. She had to be able to help him.

But she was so exhausted. The energy she’d poured into Selina had tapped her out. And she couldn’t heal the broken bones now. His leg was all twisted—it would have to be put straight first or it would heal all wrong.

But maybe…just…the bleeding…

Come on, Hunter, she said in her mind. Don’t give up on me now. We’re almost there.

Outside, she could hear the Silverlake pack battling with Selina’s guards. She knew they’d make it through; she knew they’d come to the rescue. She just had to keep Kane going for a few more minutes.

She closed her eyes and pictured them back in the cave, in the spirit world. All around them were dark shadowy creatures with huge dark wings.

Creatures like her. Ki-rin.

She wasn’t a mistake or a chimera, she realized. She wasn’t the only one. They’d been looking out for her the whole time.

Help me, she begged silently.

She felt surrounded by wings. Energy flowed into her. Come on, Kane. Rachelle focused all her remaining energy on connecting with him, sending healing energy into him. She was used to healing minds, not bodies, but gradually she sensed the torn blood vessels and coaxed them to knit together. Then the muscles, the skin…

The bleeding slowed, then stopped. But he’d lost so much. She used the last of her energy to jump-start his shifter metabolism into increasing the production of new blood. Come on…

She returned what was left of her consciousness to the ruined lab. She was vaguely aware of people talking, and staticky voices over radios. Hands touching her, strong and warm and gentle. Soft blankets being wrapped around her. The whine and scrape of heavy metal objects moving.

“Watch that leg…”

“Get Amerind in here…”

“Keep her close to him. I think she’s healing him…”

And then it all floated away.

Chapter 22

Rachelle came slowly to consciousness. Again. She was really tired of passing out.

At least this time she was in a warm, soft bed, and she could feel Kane’s presence beside her.

Instinctively, she reached out for his hand. It was warm, and his breathing was even. Then she tried reaching out to his mind, and encountered nothing but the brain waves of a deep, dreamless sleep.

She tried to link her fingers with his, but his hand was closed in a fist. She opened his fingers to find the gold coin she’d given him. She took it and held it up, looking at the wings on it. Kane had called them angel wings.