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“It’s an idea some smart humans got from the immersion tanks on the mothership,” Pip said.
I glanced around to see where his voice was coming from and saw the laptop on the table. He must’ve connected himself to it. It was how the shuttles were able to speak with their hunters through the communicators when they were away from the shuttle.
“The liquid in the tank feeds the hunters so they have a continuous supply of energy to heal. Since we can’t get him into a med bed or a healing tank, this was the next best option.”
It must be why, despite already having grown back so much of his skin, he didn’t look like he’d lost too much weight. Usually, the weight loss on a healing hunter was visible as they converted all the extra energy stored in their muscles into essential building blocks to heal the injury.
“Other groups have used it effectively before, so it’s perfectly safe. I’d never let them do it otherwise.” For once, Pip had no jokes or witty remarks.
“Thank you for watching out for him, Pip.”
I pulled up a chair and sat down next to my hunter. They had set up several healing devices around his body, including one that was aimed at the side of his face with the new skin. It, too, was still red and not the mauve I was used to seeing on him. I was about to take his hand in mine but noticed that it was also covered in new skin. I moved my chair over to the other side of the bed and picked up that hand instead.
I don’t know how long I stayed there, but I must have fallen asleep again because I woke with a crick in my neck. Kan’n was thrashing about on the bed, knocking the medical devices off his body.
“Hey! It’s okay. You’re safe.” I reached toward him, hoping my touch would calm him, but he slapped my hand away.
“Don’t touch me!” The words came out angry and loud.
“You’re at the camp. Pip came and told us where you were.”
He looked wildly around the room before his eyes landed on me again.
“I know who you are.” Instead of love, there was vitriol in his eyes and words. “You’re the enemy,” he spat.
The door opened, and Harb’k walked in. “He’s awake.”
“Hunter,” Kan’n said. “Get this human away from me. They are not to be trusted. Especially her.”
Harb’k just picked up the medical devices now scattered on the ground as if this was a perfectly common occurrence. “You’re recovering from an extensive injury, Kan’n. You’re not remembering things right. The memories will return soon, and then you will remember her.”
“I already know who she is. I remember everything.” He unsheathed his claws and pointed one at me. “She is the enemy, and she has brainwashed me. The healing has cleared my head, and I am no longer under her spell. Get her out of here. I never want to see her again.”
There was an audible gasp from Pip, who’d remained quiet until now.
Even the warning that hunters often acted strange right after waking from an injury wasn’t enough to prepare me for thehateful words coming out of his mouth. They hurt; they hurt a lot.
“Kan’n, you’ll regret those words in about an hour.” Harb’k turned to me. “I’m sorry he is being like this, it—”
“No. It’s—” I took a few steps back. “I get it. I’ll leave now.”
“Wait!” Pip yelled.
But I didn’t let Pip convince me to stay. I ran out the door and down the hallway as hot tears filled my eyes.
These hunters often didn’t remember their mates when they woke but felt the connection anyway. It resulted in them trying to re-win their love, and often it was really adorable. That wasn’t what had happened here. Loose Cannon remembered me, all right. He remembered what we’d been through. He’d just had a change of heart.
Then again, I wasn’t technically his mate. He’d never bonded to me, even after weeks of sleeping in his bed and living in his shuttle. Maybe it was for the best that this happened. It was a sign that we weren’t meant to be. Wasting a few weeks of my life was better than wasting months.
I felt so stupid. Needing some privacy, which was a difficult thing to find at the camp especially with the extra rooms turned into a hospital, I ducked into the half-finished Hummer I was turning into a war machine.
It was another of those little projects I’d started but never got around to finishing. They’d found the Hummer shortly after we’d arrived here, before winter set in. I hadn’t had the time or the resources to do much to it except add a bunch of armor and remove the engine so I could start converting it to Xarc’n power. I’d spent weeks on Pip instead.
At least I’d saved him in the process, I thought bitterly.
There, hidden behind all the armor and out of sight of prying eyes, I let myself have a big ole ugly cry.
I hid there until my phone buzzed in my pocket. It was Aanya. I picked up the call, trying not to sound like I’d been bawling my eyes out.
