Chasing Trouble (12 page)

H
e didn't know
how many days passed before Owen returned, but from the beard on his jaw, it was at least a week since Eloise entered the hospital. The bear walked in alone and handed Benedict a bag laden with what smelled like cheeseburgers. "Eat something, man. If she wakes up now, she'll take one look at you and start running."

A clawing hunger ignited in his stomach at the smell of the grilled meat. He reluctantly gave up his place next to her bed so that Owen could begin checking her vitals. As he mowed into the third cheeseburger, juice running down his hand and arm, Owen glanced back at him. "I read up on gorgons a bit. Thought there might be something to help, some legend about waking up from the medusa's gaze."

Benedict sat forward, heart leaping into his throat. "And?"

"Nothing about unfreezing victims, from what I found." Owen picked up her arm, his fingers against the pulse spot of her bruised wrist, and looked at his watch to count. After a long moment, he shook his head and replaced her arm on the mattress. Then he looked at Benedict, arms folded over his chest. "But there's another myth. No idea if it will work, man. Apparently the blood from the medusa's left vein is poison, but the blood from the right vein is healing. I don't put stock in magical fixes, but it seems like the only way to resurrect a medusa might be hidden in her blood. Maybe."

Benedict felt hope -- real hope -- stir in his chest since he saw her freeze that night so long ago. A chance. A real chance to wake her up.

Owen raised his hands to hold off Benedict's blazing eagerness. "If that doesn't work, there's one other option. I'll just say it now so you have the chance to mull it over. But I've gotta say, I don't think there's a real chance with that one. You could bite her, Benedict, and turn her. The healing properties of the shifter virus might save her, might push her through whatever this is. If Harrison recovered from it, maybe she could too. But then again, the hyena didn't."

He shrugged, tossing the dark hair out of his eyes. "Of course, Eloise seems like a strong-minded girl and I don't know if I'd want to be the guy who turned her into a shapeshifter without her permission. But that's me."

Benedict swallowed hard, the empty bag falling in tatters on the floor as he stared at her blank face. Would he change her in order to keep her? She might hate him forever if she woke up a lion, even more of a monster, and not by her choice. He shook his head and pushed to his feet, wiping his hands on the tail of his already ruined shirt. "The blood. Try the blood."

"Roger dodger," Owen said under his breath. He fussed with the tubes already in her, then held a small tray under a valve until rich crimson filled it.

"How much do you need?"

"I have no idea," the bear said. He gave Benedict a sideways look before cutting off the flow and redoing whatever he'd undone. "Do I look like I've used gorgon blood before? I'm guessing as much as you are, Benedict."

Benedict nodded and tried to speak through a dry mouth. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me until she's up and about." Owen frowned at her, the small tray in his hand, then shrugged and used his fingers to smear some across her forehead. "I guess start with external application and hope that works?"

Benedict paced along the far side of the room to give Owen room to work while his lion snarled and fretted over another man touching her. The bear wiped the blood over her eyes, along her cheeks, then lips, and spread some along her throat. He focused on the pulse points and then in lines across her clavicle. He looked at Benedict, said, "I'll put some over her heart, but just want to make sure you know I'm not going for her tits, okay?"

He nodded, though he chewed the inside of his cheek ragged to keep from killing the kid as he moved the sheet back from Eloise and spread blood around her ribs and heart, under and over her perfect breasts. Then he covered her back up and wiped his hands off, frowning down at the red-smeared figure in the bed.

Benedict trusted himself to approach, breathing through his nose to get the scent of her in his brain, and held loosely to her ankle. Needing to touch her, to feel her skin for any hint that it warmed. Any hint that she woke.

Owen gestured at Eloise. "Try to wake her up."

His throat didn't work at first; he had to swallow several times before he managed to speak. "Eloise, wake up. Please. Come back."

Nothing. Benedict took a deep breath and rearranged her hair on the pillow. Bent close so only she would hear and the damn bear would not. "Please, baby. Please wake up. I need you."

He thought her skin felt less waxy, warmer to the touch, and some color grew in her cheeks. But when he looked up, Owen's expression remained doubtful. Benedict closed his eyes. This had to work. It had to work. He leaned and pressed his lips against her, tasting her blood but not caring. She didn't kiss him back.

He sat heavily in his chair. It felt like someone just punched him in the heart. She didn't respond. There was no change to her temperature, no hint she was any different than when Owen suggested using the blood. He covered his face and prayed the bear would leave before Benedict lost his composure entirely.

Owen sighed. "I'll keep searching, Benedict. If there's more than one of her out there, someone must know something about how to fix this. Just -- keep trying to wake her up. Bring her back. Give her a reason to hold on and come back."

He patted Benedict on the shoulder and left, closing the door quietly behind him. Benedict waited a few moments so the shifter's superior hearing wouldn't be able to pick up on it, then let the despair wash over him. She wasn't coming back.

He begged her. Told her how much he needed her. Promised her the world and more. And in the end he knew Harrison was right -- hope was a dangerous thing.

E
verything felt
dark and cold and close. Paralyzing. I couldn't move, couldn't get a good breath, couldn't open my eyes or focus. It felt like swimming up through lake water, so deep I couldn't see the light at the surface and just had to hope it was the right way. I heard Benedict in snippets, and wanted to cry as I heard the defeat and despair in his voice.

It went on forever, until I gave up hope of ever seeing him again, of ever holding him again, of hearing his laugh. And then -- something changed. A familiar smell, husky and strong like the forest, reminded me of Kaiser's gym. Warmth spread across my forehead and then my cheeks and lips and eyes, seeping into me. More heat gathered down my throat and across my chest, until I felt my heart stir. Beat again. Thump with strength. And again, stronger. Faster. Better.

My mouth wouldn't work or I would have kissed Benedict back. I knew it was him even without the benefit of sight, I could taste him and knew he was still there. I tried to lift my arms, to pull him close as he begged me to come back, and I wanted to feel the searing heat of tears escape my eyes again when he held me close and told me how much he needed me.

But when he held my hand, I felt it. The warmth eased from where his fingers tangled with mine and up my arm, soaring into my chest until my lungs opened and I drew in the first deep breath of clean air. And promptly grimaced. He smelled
terrible
.

My eyes drifted open some time later after I drifted half-in the dark water, and I found darkness around me still. Night. A lamp cast soft shadows across the room, though, and when I focused, I could make out various shapes in the room. A few lived-in chairs, a table near the door, medical equipment, and the hospital bed where I lay. But the most important shape turned out to be right next to me -- Benedict, sound asleep in a chair with his head pillowed on the mattress next to my hip. Snoring softly, his expression twitching in his dreams, he made my throat close and tears well up in my eyes.

The dreadful fear of the confrontation with Val, the hopelessness as I saw my face in the mirror -- all of it drifted away to know that he stayed with me. And it must have been a while, because he had a full beard and smelled like a locker-room. But he was mine. I concentrated and managed to lift my hand, rest it on the back of his head, ease my fingers into his hair. Just wanting to feel him, to touch him.

I enjoyed the silence and the closeness, the sense that I was the only person in the world who saw him so vulnerable. He stirred, though, and my heart leapt to see his face. He blinked, then captured my hand in his.

"Hi," I managed to croak, my voice rusty from disuse and God only knows what. Screaming, maybe. The scary mojo paralyzing my vocal cords. I pushed away the thought.

"Hi," he said, sounding dazed. Benedict pressed my palm to his cheek, staring at me as if he'd never seen me before. "Is this is a dream?"

"I hope not," I whispered. The possibility that I would wake and be once more in that deep water shook me to my core, and I struggled to breathe.

"If it is," he said, grip tightening on my hand and knee. "We'll make the most of it. I thought I lost you, Eloise. I thought I would never find you again. I've never been so afraid of anything in my life."

"I missed you." I studied his face, intent on learning very line and scar and dimple in case I never got to see him again. "I could hear you but I missed you so much I couldn't breathe. Don't ever leave me again."

"Never." He caught my face, rising from the chair to kiss me. His lips burned against mine and ignited more warmth, spreading through the rest of me until I breathed easier still. It couldn't be a dream, it had to be real. He had to be real to make my blood race like that.

Benedict sat back but continued touching me anywhere he could find, running his thumb over my cheek again and again in a soothing gesture I leaned into. Loved. Would have purred if I could have. And for a first time, a hint of a smile touched his face.

I took a deep breath, unable to take my eyes off him. "What happened?"

"Lorraine wanted to take over after Val, so she tried to get rid of Lacey. We found Lacey -- she's banged up and still healing, but she'll live. BloodMoon claims the kill with Lorraine, and SilverLine claims another hyena kill, someone who attacked them from the shadows. You got Heba, and Carter got Val." He eased closer, bumping into the mattress as if he wanted to move right through it to be closer to me. "Lacey took over the hyena family. The jackals served the hyenas with a blood debt for Cal's death, but waived it because the perpetrators were already killed. Harrison wanted to thank you for what you did to find out who was behind all of it. They're grateful."

My lips trembled as I struggled for control through the awful memories of the fight, being attacked by Lorraine, watching Benedict shout at me to come back... He made a pained sound and stood, drawing me into an embrace and rubbing my back as he made hush noises. "It's okay, Eloise. It's okay. I'm here."

The tears came harder and I shook with the effort of keeping back the ugly cry. It was bad enough my hair was gross and I smelled and he smelled, but the snot and blotchy face of an ugly cry was just too much. He made that grumbly lion noise and then was in bed with me, holding me tightly to his chest as he kissed all over my face.

He talked faster as I tried to breathe, and he paused only to kiss me more. "You're free of them, Eloise. They won't bother you anymore. It's all over. And it's a good thing, what happened. Val had a lot of dirt on everyone and was scamming pretty much every shifter group in the city. When we all came together to help you and find Lacey, the depth of her deceit was revealed."

I sniffled and blinked up at him. "Really?"

"Yes, really." He almost blinded me with his smile. "The pride and the packs and the bears and jackals and maybe even the hyenas are getting together, along with the loners, to form a council. An informal alliance. They want a way to deconflict when things like this come up. So instead of the jackals having to confront Val alone, the council will discuss matters and come to a consensus. An attack against one is an attack against all."

I pressed my face against his chest, despite a cheeseburger-scented crusty patch on his shirt, and draped my arm over his side so I could feel his heart beating. "That's a good thing."

"A very good thing," he murmured, kissing the top of my head. "It's an amazing thing. And I'm so glad you're here for me to tell you about it. Baby, you did so well. You were so brave and strong and powerful. You stood up to her and you didn't flinch."

Fatigue rolled over me but from his body heat and the steady thump-thump-thump of his heart, the deep rise and fall of his breathing, and not from deep water. I nuzzled closer to him, sighing. "Tell me more."

"About the council?"

"About anything." My arms tightened around him and I wiggled closer. "I need to hear your voice. In case I wake up and this is a dream, I want to remember the way you sound."

His voice held a roughness to it as he went on, stroking my hair as he held me closer and moved his leg over mine. "Well, Kaiser and the bears are a big part of it, but they're starting a gym for mixed martial arts and shifters. That could be a complete disaster, if only ..."

He went on and I drifted, warm and content and safe.
Safe
.

W
hen I woke
, the room filled with light and sound and sensations so strong I nearly cringed. Everything rushed in at once, but I was alone in the bed. A woman stood next to it, running a comb through my hair, and a giant of a man sat near the window with a frown on his face. The woman spoke first, smiling at me as she continued combing. "There you are. We sent Benedict home to take a shower and get new clothes -- he was pretty ripe."

"Thank you," I said, and she smiled more. Her name came back slowly -- Natalia, the charity lady. And the brute was Logan, her fiancé. Benedict's brother. "When is he coming back?"

"Soon." She started braiding my hair, fingers deft with multiple plaits starting at my hairline and working back in what felt like a complex pattern. "I wanted to wash your hair, babe, but didn't want to get you soaking wet. So that can wait a little bit. We'll be able to take you home tomorrow, from what the doctors said."

"Oh." I sighed. Wonderful. Home with Benedict. That sounded like perfection.

"Before Natalia starts painting a bedroom for you," Logan started, shooting the woman a dark look. She stuck her tongue out at him. He pretended not to notice, intense gaze on me. "We have some ground rules to establish."

I tensed, already bristling. "You won't keep me from Benedict."

A hint of white teeth shone in his mouth as his upper lip curled. "Don't try to give orders just yet, girl. Hear me out. I've never seen my brother like this before. He did not shower or shave or eat for over a week because he sat here, staring at you and begging you to wake up. I do not want to see him like that ever again, and I do not want to see what happens if you change your mind and decide to run away."

"I won't." I stared at my feet, hidden under the sheets, and wished Benedict were beside me instead of his douchy older brother.

"Good." Logan's scowl deepened, though, and there wasn't a welcoming smile or any hint he actually thought it was good. "But I have to protect my family, and that means managing risk when we invite newcomers to join us. We will welcome you as a Chase on one condition -- no more illegal shit. Edgar showed me some of your arrest records, and we will not tolerate --"

"Logan," Natalia said, and gave him a thin-lipped look that stopped him in mid-sentence. "Do not raise your voice."

I started to think I loved her. She was definitely my new hero.

And she made me brave enough to say, "I don't like doing illegal things. I don't. But I'm not going to sit around and let Benedict pay for everything. I've always had a job, even if those weren't the kinds of jobs you approve of. I'm not taking charity anymore. I have to work."

He scowled, leaning forward. "It isn't --"

"It's fine, babe." Natalia smiled at me as she tugged on the braids. "We have a couple of options. We weren't sure how you would be feeling, or what kind of stress you want to deal with, so there are several different choices. The bears are opening an MMA gym for shifters, to train and spar and do all sorts of manly things. Kaiser asked if you might be willing to work there part-time as a receptionist and as -- insurance? Rumors got around about you being scary as hell when you're pissed off,
and
that you scared Axel into backing down, so Kaiser wants to take advantage of that to keep everyone in line as they're getting the gym off the ground."

I frowned, trying to remember what happened with the bears. Most of it was a blur. "I didn't scare Axel, he just --"

"You scared him," Logan said, gruff and pouting against the wall.

"Oh." A flush climbed my cheeks and I reveled in the feeling, wanted to proclaim the miracle to them. I felt warm. Flushed. A miracle. "I didn't mean to."

"It's a good thing." Natalia finished with my hair and took a step back, examining the results with a critical eye. Then she sat on the foot of my bed, patting my calf. "So that's one option, but if you don't want to deal with a sweaty gym and a bunch of asshole shifters all day long, you can come work at my restaurant. We can start you washing dishes -- it's low threat but it's a lot of work. You can move up from there if you're interested in working in the kitchen, or we can move you to hostess or bread girl or something like that. Lots of options, honey."

Gratitude clogged my throat, but I managed to force "Thank you" past the knot.

She smiled, then gave Logan a sharp sideways look. "And if neither of those appeal to you, Eloise, we'll find something else. Right, Logan?"

He made a face, on the verge of a snarl, but eventually nodded. His eyes swirled gold and brown, and there might have been kindness mixed in with the worry and irritation. "Yes. We will find something
legal
for you to do."

I rested my head on the pillow, exhausted from holding it up so Natalia could braid, and desperately wanted to go back to sleep. It felt like my heart was out of shape and tired too soon. "If you're so concerned about legality, you might want to talk to Atticus. He makes a lot of money fighting, but I'm guessing he doesn't pay his taxes."

Logan face went red and he lurched to his feet. "What?"

I made a mental apology to Atticus and sank deeper in the sheets. Before I could speak, though, someone knocked on the door, and my heart stopped once more. Lacey, looking battered and bruised, stood uncertainly in the doorway. Natalia took one look at me and held out her hand to Logan. "Buy me dinner, babe."

The lion looked like he wanted to object, but he loved her so damn much he just took her hand and nodded a good-bye to me. They paused near the door and Logan nodded to Lacey as well. "Lacey. Congratulations on taking over the hyena clan. Let me know if you want to sit with the council."

"We're still recovering." Pain filtered across her face. "But thank you. We appreciate the opportunity to join."

Logan glanced back at me, irritation in every line of his expression. "I'm sure Benedict will be back soon. Try to stay awake so he doesn't berate me for wearing you out."

Natalia poked him in the ribs and waved to me, dragging the grouchy lion into the hall. Lacey watched them go, then eased into the room. "Hey."

I sat up and held out my hands, felt my face crumpling as tears burned my sinuses. "I was so worried about you. I couldn't find you."

"Oh my God, El, I thought they killed you too," and she lurched forward and threw herself into my arms. She crushed me to her, almost hyperventilating. "Lorraine kept saying these awful things she would do to you, I thought she would --"

"I'm so sorry about Cal," I whispered, unable to take it. "I tried to help him, I thought --"

We ran over each other, crying and asking forgiveness and being miserable together until I managed to sit back, wiping desperately at my cheeks as she did the same. She started to tell me about being the new queen hyena and whipping the family into shape, cleaning up the family business to get out of some of the illegal activities, but got only part of the way into it when someone cleared their throat at the door.

I looked up and saw Benedict, freshly shaven and wearing clean clothes and carrying a beautiful bouquet of roses. And a bag with what smelled like fried chicken. My stomach growled. "Hey."

"Sorry to interrupt." But he didn't look sorry, unable to take his eyes off me. "I like your hair."

"Thanks." I squeezed Lacey's hand. "This is Lacey. Lacey, this is Benedict."

"Benedict Chase," she said, getting slowly to her feet. "I've heard a lot about you. Thank you for helping Eloise."

"Not needed," he said, but shook her hand gently when she offered it. "We're glad you're well. Or at least getting there."

She laughed a little self-consciously and waved at her face. "Yeah. Taking longer than normal. They gave me something to keep me from shifting or healing, so it's been a slow road. I should be going. Just wanted to see for myself that you're awake." She crushed me in another hug and murmured, "He's cute. Good job."

I laughed a little as she untangled herself, and wiped my cheeks again. "Right. Can we get together soon? Lunch or something?"

"Always. Just text me when you're ready." She hugged me again, quick, and retreated, disappearing out the door without another word or a backward glance. My chest tightened. It wasn't fair. She didn't want to be queen of the hyenas; that was why she and Cal planned to elope. And with her sister's treachery and her mother's death, there it was. The rest of her life, decided for her.

I stared at where she'd gone as Benedict set the roses and the chicken on the slidey tray that fit over my hospital bed. "Do you think -- could she abdicate? Let someone else be queen?"

He made a thoughtful noise, searching for the water pitcher and cups, and dragged the most comfortable chair closer to the bed. "Maybe. But the hyenas don't make it a habit of training more than one leader. I don't think there's anyone capable of leading the hyena family except her. It would take a while, but I'm guessing she could probably do it. Although..." He shook his head and cut off.

"Say it."

He sighed, collapsing into the chair and propping his shiny, expensive shoes up on the mattress near my knees. "Since she lost Cal, the extra work might be helpful to keep her mind off things. Keep her busy until she processes what happened."

"She lost a lot," I said and felt my throat close once more. I wanted to throw something across the room. Apparently being paralyzed by a medusa and then thawed meant your emotions wouldn't stay level at all. I put a hand to my forehead and struggled for control -- if I started crying, Benedict would be in bed with me in a heartbeat. And I wanted to eat that chicken. "She'll be okay."

"She will," he agreed. He slid a plate and the tray over my lap. "Eat, woman. You're too thin. Natalia made this for you. If we don't eat every bite, she'll beat me. She's mean, that one."

I smiled and reached for a drumstick. Ridiculous men. I needed to have a heart-to-heart with Natalia sooner rather than later. I ate until my jaw ached, then lay back to watch Benedict finish off the remaining chicken with gusto. As I studied his profile, I said, "I want to go home."

"Tomorrow morning," he said, leaning to kiss me with chicken-flavored lips. "I am taking you home."

"Good." I sighed and relaxed against the bed, my eyes settling closed as fatigue washed over me once more. "Logan kept me up and really tired me out with all his questions. He was relentless."

A low growl rumbled from Benedict and I hid a smile. I owed Logan a little bit of trouble.