Trinity: Military War Dog (58 page)

A
blurry white image loomed over her.

Darci jerked.

“Ah, you’re awake.”

She straightened, her head feeling like a thousand pounds. “I didn’t know I fell asleep.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. We had to put you under for your own sake.”

Though she should feel ashamed for taking matters into her own hands, Darci didn’t. Heath was dying—or dead. “Heath. How is he?”

“I’ll let the general know you’re back with us.”

“Wait.”

The nurse left, and in her place came the doctor.

Glowering, he moved to her charts. “You were very foolish to get out of that warming bed.”

Darci took the beating. “How is he?”

“Haven’t you heard of doctor-patient confidentiality?”

“Can I see him?”

“Not till you’re stable and your temperature’s much higher.” He yanked the curtain around her bed, and outside he ordered the hall cleared, stating it was for medical personnel only.

The nurse returned with a steaming mug and some warm food. “Keep drinking and eating. Get your insides warmed up so you’ll stop shivering.”

Shivering? Darci glanced at her hand, surprised to see tremors.

“You’re doing good. Once you’re warmer, we’ll take a walk. Exercise is good to get the body heated up.”

“A walk?” Darci’s yearning to see Heath latched on to those words.

The nurse arched an eyebrow. “Well, not to see anyone. Just to walk around.”

Surely she could find a way to convince the nurse. Then a thought struck her—hard. What if Heath hadn’t made it? What if he’d died after she fell unconscious?

“Heath—is he alive?”

“Just relax. I can’t give out information on other patients. Now, drink.”

“Wait.” Darci took an obedient sip, more thoughts assailing her exhausted mind. “Have there been attacks?”

The nurse laughed. “You’re in Afghanistan.”

“No.” Darci swallowed. “I mean, bombs—here. On the bases.”

Confusion rippled through the older woman’s face. “No, not here. Things have been pretty quiet.” She tapped Darci’s arm. “Ninety-four degrees. Keep that coming up and you’ll be out of here in no time.”

The nurse disappeared, leaving Darci alone with the chill that seemed to have clung to her bones and the mental fog that made it hard to think straight. No attacks, so … Heath had kept his word. He’d told them. But … how had they stopped the attacks so fast? Had the rescue team notified Command, and they in turn found the bombs? It seemed too fast.

“Well,’ bout time you came back. Don’t you think you’ve had enough playtime?” General Burnett’s voice boomed before he entered the sick bay. His stern features, his gruff voice, felt like the warming jacket she still sported. Then it faded as a smile seeped into his rough exterior. “You should take better care of yourself, or your dad will wring my neck.”

Darci couldn’t help the smile. “Yes, sir.”

He bent over the bed and peered down into her eyes, no personal space between them. “How you doing, kiddo?”

He’d been general first, friend second. But it was a really nice arrangement that provided Darci a base from which to operate in more ways than one. She recognized the concern in his eyes even amid the gruff voice and exterior. “Been better.”

“I could’ve told you that.” He straightened and folded his arms across his chest. “That’s what you get, trying to take down the entire Chinese army by yourself.”

“So, you stopped them—got him?”

Burnett smiled, eyes crinkling. “Thanks mostly to you.”

Darci let out a long breath. Exhaustion plucked at every sinew. “Good.”

“Get some rest.”

“Wait. Heath.”

Something indiscriminate flashed through his face. “Don’t worry about him. You need to get rested and better.”

“I’m fine.”

He scowled at her.

“Okay, a little pain—they broke my ribs, but I’m fine otherwise.” “You’re an ice cube.”

“Water freezes at thirty-two degrees.” She pointed to a small box readout. “I’m at ninety-four, so technically …” She swung her legs over the side of the bed.

“Whoa.” Burnett’s large hands steadied her. “Where are you going?”

“I already told you, I want to see him.” Even as she moved, the cold temperature made her ankles throb. “Besides, the nurse told me exercise would warm my body.”

Burnett squatted in front of her bed, peering up into her eyes. “Darci. Please. Your body isn’t ready for you to do this.”

“My body isn’t, or you aren’t?”

“Kiddo, I don’t think
you
are ready for this.”

Alarm spiked. “What do you mean?”

“It doesn’t matter. You can’t go in there anyway. Even I couldn’t get in there.” General Burnett sighed. “Just … rest. Okay, Darci? You’ve been to hell and back. We thought we’d lost you—”

“You did. To the Chinese who captured me.”

“Which is why I talked with your dad. He’s worried, wants you to go home for a while.”

Avoidance. “I want to know how he is, General.”

“Your father’s—”

“You know who I mean.” Though she fisted her hands, her stomach squirmed under his scrutiny. “Heath—how is he? Why can’t I see him?”

“Darci—”

Not the tone she wanted to hear. “No. Please don’t—”

“Darci, he’s not good.”

Fire sped through her veins. “What do you mean?”

“He went into full cardiac. Twice.”

Darci drew in a hard breath. “How … they got him … he left …” Those gray eyes … the strength … he’d saved her … gone down that shaft…
for me
. Tears stung her eyes. “What are you saying?”

“He’s in a coma. They don’t know why he hasn’t woken up. They’re arranging to take him to Landstuhl.”

“But he’ll make it.” She looked to the nurse who came back in and stopped cold. “Right? He’ll wake up, won’t he?”

The nurse shot a glance at General Burnett, then hurried back out.

With her went Darci’s frantic hope for Heath. “Why won’t she answer me?” A tear broke free.

“With the TBI, they just aren’t sure what to expect. It doesn’t look good.”

She threw off the blanket. “I want to see him.”

“Darci—”

“Don’t.” She froze, her heart stamping out his objection. “I know you don’t want me involved with him, but …” She looked him straight in the eye. “It’s too late. I’m invested.”

Burnett hung his head as he pushed back to his feet.

“Take me to see him, General—Lance. As my godfather, as my favorite ‘uncle.’”

He shook his head. “That’s not fair.”

“Please.”

Escorted by the general, Darci slowly—very slowly—made her way down the hall, each step heavy and awkward. They trudged around a corner, and when they passed through a door, three people came to their feet from the chairs huddled by another door. Heath’s dog-handling team.

Trinity. How was Trinity doing? Was she okay? A renewed ache wormed through her chest.

“General.” Green eyes bounced to Darci as the team leader greeted her. “Ma’am.”

“You’re … you brought him over here?”

He extended a hand. “Jibril Khouri.”

“Darci Kintz. Thank you.”

Confusion rippled through his handsome face. He checked with the two women with him. “Thank you? For what?”

“For bringing him. He saved my life.”

Sorrow crossed his brow, but he quickly tried to conceal it. “He is a good man, a hero.” Jibril put an arm around the blond, whose hair hung in short spirals around her face. “This is Aspen, and also Timbrel.” The brunette with a long ponytail.

“How is Trinity?” Darci asked, hands shoved in the pockets of her jacket.

The brown-haired girl jutted her jaw. “Going nuts.”

Sweet relief! Darci let out a labored breath. “But she’s okay?”

They nodded. Kindness and gentility marked Jibril’s face as he inclined his head. “As best as can be expected without Heath.”

“Any news?” General Burnett cocked his head in the direction of the door.

“They are … tending him now,” Jibril said.

It all sounded morbid—and hopeless. She couldn’t take it anymore.
Wouldn’t
believe that Heath was taking his final plunge. Not when she’d finally set her heart on him. Darci shifted and pushed through the door.

“Hey!”

The loud calls came from behind and in front.

“You can’t be in here.”

Darci lumbered toward the bed. Lights gaped at him as the doctors and nurses moved around the bed draped with several puffy warming blankets that looked like clear rafts. The same warm moisture that had coated her room filled this one. Heath, tubes running into his mouth and nose, looked peaceful.

Too peaceful.

The thought ricocheted from her chest to her stomach and back. She shuffled closer, surprised when they did not stop her.

“General …” “

Let her have a minute.”

Relief warred with her panic.

Panic? At what? Heath … never opening those warm, caring eyes again.

At his bedside, she leaned against it, using it for support against the tidal pull of emotion. Darci smoothed a hand through his short, sandy blond hair. At least he had some color now. When she’d seen him before … death. Not even warmed over. Just icy, cruel death.

“Ghost …” she whispered as she drew herself up and sat on the edge of his bed, taking in his large frame beneath the humming warming blanket, which looked more like giant bubble-tube packing, and the warming fan. “You said you’d come back … for me.” Stubble coated his angular jaw and chiseled features and tickled her fingers as she dragged her finger along it, avoiding the tubing. “Remember?”

Behind her, murmuring. But Darci felt all twisted up and turned inside out over what Heath had done to save her. Again, she touched his face, noting it still was cool. Even with the chill in her own hands, his skin felt icy.

“Remember,” she breathed through a clutter of tears and angst, “I owe you something.” The general would go through the roof if she mentioned it.

“Let’s give her some time,” the general’s soft words filtered through her awareness.

Soon, the soft thump of the door came.

Darci released the hold she had on her emotions. “Heath,” she said, her voice hoarse. “Please … come back. Let’s figure things out, just like you said. Okay?” She pressed her lips to his temple. “I’ll give you a real one if you’ll just wake up.” A tear slipped over her cheek and landed on his.

“Thought so.”
She could just hear him saying it. Challenging her. And the weird thing was, he just seemed … lonely … without Trinity.

Darci looked over her shoulder, not surprised to find the dog team watching her through the window. Darci nodded the brunette in.

Timbrel eased into the room. “You need something?”

Waving her over, Darci eased onto her feet. “He looks lonely.”

Brown eyes widened. “Don’t expect me to help with that.”

Smiling, Darci leaned closer to the midtwenties girl. “Can you get Trinity?”

Timbrel’s face brightened. “I like the way you think.” She spun on her heels and jogged out of the room.

Alone again with the man who had infiltrated her heart, mind, and life, Darci slipped her hand under the warming blanket and coiled it around Heath’s. “C’mon, Soldier. Snap out of it.” She had no vehemence behind it, but everything in her ached for him to come to attention. “I won’t let you die for me, Heath.”

Minutes later, Timbrel hurried into the room, accompanied by the soft click of nails. “She went ape when she saw me.”

Trinity wagged her tail as she scampered to Darci, then went up on her hind legs, sniffing the bed. Darci drew Heath’s hand to the side.

Trinity whimpered, licking his hand as if it were a Nylabone. Digging her claws into the bed, she tried to haul herself up onto the mattress. Darci bent down and gave her a boost.

“Trinity, down,” Timbrel said in a firm command that wasn’t loud but authoritative, ordering the dog onto her belly.

The dog complied instantly, stretching out next to her handler. She swiped her tongue over his face, then rested her snout on his shoulder and let out a sigh.

Darci ran a hand over Trinity’s fur. “Thank you, girl. For everything.”

“Hey.” Timbrel pointed to the other side of the bed. “There’s room for one more.”

One more dog? Darci frowned at the girl. Wha—? “Oh, no. I couldn’t.”

“Oh, for Pete’s sake. We’re in a hospital. Nobody’s going to get the wrong idea.” She nudged Darci’s shoulder with a fist bump. “Besides, everyone knows body-heat transfer is the best at rewarming others. And we all know you and Heath are into each other.”

Heat flushed through her face.

“He needs a reason to come back.” Timbrel’s expression went soft. “Be that reason.”