“J-just one.”

His harsh chuckle seemed to fill the truck. “Just one? Khristu!” He shook his head at the blood splattered cab. “We need to get you out of this thing. Do you think you can stand?”

I nodded, wanting nothing more than to get away from the place where I’d almost died. I started to slide out of the seat, but cried out when searing pain shot through my back and arm.

“What is it? Did it hurt you?” There was concern and something else in his voice, something dark and violent.

I nodded and closed my eyes against the pain. “G-guess I’m not much of a fighter after all.”

His hand left mine. “Stay here,” he ordered tersely and disappeared into the rain. I heard movement and voices raised in argument, but I couldn’t make out the words. A few minutes later, Chris appeared in the opening where the driver’s door had been. In his hand was a small metal cylinder and he unscrewed the top and scooped out something that looked like green putty. Holding the stuff to my lips, he said, “Eat this. It will help with the pain.”

“Nikolas?” I murmured.

“He’s still here. Now take this like a good little girl.”

I obeyed, letting him place the putty in my mouth. Immediately I tried to spit it out as a dry, bitter taste flooded every corner of my mouth.

“No you don’t,” he said, forcing my mouth closed with his hand. “I know it tastes awful but trust me, you’ll thank me in a little while.”

Glaring at him, I had no choice but to chew and swallow the stuff, certain that I would never get the horrid taste out of my mouth. Within minutes, blessed numbness began to spread across the throbbing muscles of my back and arm. I let out a soft sigh as the pain retreated and I was able to think clearly again.

“Better?” Chris asked and I nodded. “Good. Now let’s get you out of this death trap so we can check out your injuries.” He reached around me with both arms and effortlessly lifted me out of the cab of the truck. My legs wobbled when he set me on my feet and I clung to his arm until I could stand on my own. The light rain was a cooling balm against my heated skin and I lifted my face to let the water wash away tears and the creature’s blood.

Chris examined the scratches on my upper arm through the tear in my sleeve. “These don’t look too bad. Their claws and teeth have venom in them and it makes the cuts feel worse than they actually are. The gunna paste I gave you will prevent infection and will speed up the healing process.” He moved around me and reached for the opening of my coat. “I’m going to look at your back.”

I was too happy to be alive and not hurting anymore to be embarrassed by a strange man looking under my clothes. I let him slide the thin coat off my shoulders then felt him gently prodding the scratches on my back. The foul stuff he’d made me eat must have been pretty powerful because I didn’t feel any pain when he touched my wounds.

“These are a little deeper but nothing life-threatening,” he announced a little louder as if he was saying it to someone else. I looked up and saw Nikolas standing rigidly by his crumpled bike with his arms crossed, watching us. He didn’t seem like the type to stay on the sidelines.

Chris saw where I was looking and must have read the question on my face. “I have a better bedside manner than my friend,” he explained with a wry smile.

“He looks angry. Is he mad at me?”

“No. He is upset that we were too late to stop you from getting hurt. He’s worked himself into a bit of a rage and he just needs a minute to calm down.”

“A rage?”

“Yes it happens when…” He stopped and glanced back at Nikolas. “It’s a Mori thing. You’ll learn about that stuff soon.”

“Oh.” It struck me then how quiet it was. Shouldn’t Roland and Peter be back by now? “Where are my friends?”

“They are making sure there are no more crocotta hiding nearby.” He looked around and let out a whistle. “Six of them. That is an unusually large pack. Someone is very serious about finding you.”

I shivered. “Finding me?”

“The crocotta are trackers. Someone sent them after you, probably with orders to retrieve you.”

“They… almost killed me.”

Chris helped me back into my coat. “The thrill of the hunt got the better of them. Good thing they are not as good at killing as they are at tracking.”

My teeth started to chatter as his words sank in. Nikolas’s earlier words came back to me. “We believe the vampire is searching for you….There is more than one way to track someone.”

“I think I’m going to be sick,” I moaned and ran to the other side of the road where I began to retch miserably. After a minute I straightened shakily and wiped my mouth with my wet sleeve. I wrapped my arms around myself, shivering violently as I looked away from the two Mohiri, not wanting to see them witness my humiliation.

Cloth rustled and a leather jacket slid over my shoulders.

“I’ll get blood all over it,” I protested weakly.

Strong hands turned me as Nikolas wrapped the jacket around me. It was way too big for me but it was soft and warm and smelled comfortingly of aged leather, soap, and a warm spicy scent.

“I think it can stand a little blood,” he said gruffly, letting go of me.

“I… thank you.”

“Are you still in pain?”

“I’m much better, thanks.” Between the warm coat and that foul stuff Chris had made me take, I felt a hundred times better than I had ten minutes ago.