Beast Behaving Badly
Page 37
Instead of listening to her, he crouched beside her and reached for the icepack.
What are you doing? she asked, weakly slapping at his hand.
Taking a look. He lifted the icepack, cringed, and gingerly placed it back down on her wounded face. Were taking you to a hospital.
Ill be fine. Its just a little swelling.
It was more than a little swelling. How did this happen?
I was on a job, and when I removed this pipe a badger was lying in wait.
Lying in wait? Are you suggesting it targeted you?
Yessss, she hissed. The badgers hate me.
I didnt know plumbing was such a dangerous business.
It is for me.
How long have you been like this?
Not long. Gwen wanted me to go to the hospital, but I felt fine. Finished work, came home to change and get something to eat so I could meet you, and then suddenly I didnt feel so good.
Let me take you to the hospital, Blayne.
No. Ill have to deal with that goddamn ER nurse again, and Im not in the mood to be mocked.
The nurse made fun of you?
Shes a bigot.
Id like to think youre talking about race, but you arent, are you?
Shes a breedist. Now go away. Ill be fine in the morning.
Not wanting to take that risk, Bo reached into his back pocket and pulled out his phone. He had tons of numbers programmed in it, but he barely used any of them. But he still liked having the information because he never knew when hed need them. Like now.
After a quick search, a voice he knew so well but hadnt heard in years answered on the other end. This is Dr. Luntz.
I somehow knew youd still be in your office.
There was a long pause and then, Oh, my God. Bold?
Hi, Dr. Luntz.
Bold! Oh, Bold. Im so glad to hear from you. How are you? Are you okay? Im so proud of you. Do you know how proud of you I am?
Bo couldnt help but smile. There were just some people in the world who were naturally amazing. Marci Luntz, M.D. was one of those people.
Thanks, Dr. Luntz.
Marci. I dont know why you wont ever call me Marci. Because it felt weird? So whats up? Im sure youre not calling me this late in the evening for no reason.
I need your advice, if you dont mind.
Bold Novikov, you know I dont mind. If you ever need anything from me, all you have to do is ask. Whats going on?
I have afriend
A girlfriend?
Dr. Luntz.
Sorry. Sorry. Go on.
She had a run in with a badger, now her face is swollen.
Is she grizzly, polar, or black?
Actually, shes wolfdog.
Ohhh! And he could hear the excitement in Dr. Luntzs voice. Not surprising when she only handled bears and foxes on a daily basis that she would find the hybrids fascinating. A wolfdog? Really? Well, well. Now that is interesting. Okay. First, tell me what you see. Lacerations? Bites? What?
Bo moved the icepack again, trying not to cringe this time. Her face has definite bite marks. He lowered the icepack and checked the areas of her body he could see. And scratches on her hands. She seemed to have attempted to put up some kind of weak, sad little fight.
Blayne gave him the finger while Dr. Luntz giggled. Bold Novikov, stop that. Now, whats swelling on her?
Just her face.
Around the bites?
Yes.
Wolfdog, right? Has she had her rabies shots?
Bo tapped Blaynes shoulder. Did you have your rabies shots?
Yes. Ive had all my shots.
Yes. Shes had all her shots.
Excellent. Then she probably just has an infection. Badgers are nasty little bastards, you know.
Should I take her to a hospital?
No, I dont think thatll be necessary. What she needs is antibiotics and sleep. I can call in a script for you. She will need to take half the pills as soon as you get them, followed by at least three eight-ounce glasses of water. Shell sleep then. Itll probably look like a coma, but shell just be sleeping. If she wakes up in three hours, shes clear. Give her the rest of the pills and shell be right as rain by sunup. If she doesnt wake up within four to five hourstake her to one of our hospitals.
Okay.
Dont worry, Bo. Im sure shell be fine. Hybrids have amazing immune systems as you well know.
Ill e-mail you the info for a local pharmacy thats run by a leopard. So no worries about dosage.
Excellent. Ill need her weight, height, age, and wolf breed, also.
Her wolf breed?
Gray wolf, Blayne piped up. To be honest, hed thought shed already passed out. Daddys a gray wolf. And my metabolism is sixteen times that of other wolf shifters.
Oh, my, Dr. Luntz said, overhearing the conversation. That is fascinating.
What are you doing? she asked, weakly slapping at his hand.
Taking a look. He lifted the icepack, cringed, and gingerly placed it back down on her wounded face. Were taking you to a hospital.
Ill be fine. Its just a little swelling.
It was more than a little swelling. How did this happen?
I was on a job, and when I removed this pipe a badger was lying in wait.
Lying in wait? Are you suggesting it targeted you?
Yessss, she hissed. The badgers hate me.
I didnt know plumbing was such a dangerous business.
It is for me.
How long have you been like this?
Not long. Gwen wanted me to go to the hospital, but I felt fine. Finished work, came home to change and get something to eat so I could meet you, and then suddenly I didnt feel so good.
Let me take you to the hospital, Blayne.
No. Ill have to deal with that goddamn ER nurse again, and Im not in the mood to be mocked.
The nurse made fun of you?
Shes a bigot.
Id like to think youre talking about race, but you arent, are you?
Shes a breedist. Now go away. Ill be fine in the morning.
Not wanting to take that risk, Bo reached into his back pocket and pulled out his phone. He had tons of numbers programmed in it, but he barely used any of them. But he still liked having the information because he never knew when hed need them. Like now.
After a quick search, a voice he knew so well but hadnt heard in years answered on the other end. This is Dr. Luntz.
I somehow knew youd still be in your office.
There was a long pause and then, Oh, my God. Bold?
Hi, Dr. Luntz.
Bold! Oh, Bold. Im so glad to hear from you. How are you? Are you okay? Im so proud of you. Do you know how proud of you I am?
Bo couldnt help but smile. There were just some people in the world who were naturally amazing. Marci Luntz, M.D. was one of those people.
Thanks, Dr. Luntz.
Marci. I dont know why you wont ever call me Marci. Because it felt weird? So whats up? Im sure youre not calling me this late in the evening for no reason.
I need your advice, if you dont mind.
Bold Novikov, you know I dont mind. If you ever need anything from me, all you have to do is ask. Whats going on?
I have afriend
A girlfriend?
Dr. Luntz.
Sorry. Sorry. Go on.
She had a run in with a badger, now her face is swollen.
Is she grizzly, polar, or black?
Actually, shes wolfdog.
Ohhh! And he could hear the excitement in Dr. Luntzs voice. Not surprising when she only handled bears and foxes on a daily basis that she would find the hybrids fascinating. A wolfdog? Really? Well, well. Now that is interesting. Okay. First, tell me what you see. Lacerations? Bites? What?
Bo moved the icepack again, trying not to cringe this time. Her face has definite bite marks. He lowered the icepack and checked the areas of her body he could see. And scratches on her hands. She seemed to have attempted to put up some kind of weak, sad little fight.
Blayne gave him the finger while Dr. Luntz giggled. Bold Novikov, stop that. Now, whats swelling on her?
Just her face.
Around the bites?
Yes.
Wolfdog, right? Has she had her rabies shots?
Bo tapped Blaynes shoulder. Did you have your rabies shots?
Yes. Ive had all my shots.
Yes. Shes had all her shots.
Excellent. Then she probably just has an infection. Badgers are nasty little bastards, you know.
Should I take her to a hospital?
No, I dont think thatll be necessary. What she needs is antibiotics and sleep. I can call in a script for you. She will need to take half the pills as soon as you get them, followed by at least three eight-ounce glasses of water. Shell sleep then. Itll probably look like a coma, but shell just be sleeping. If she wakes up in three hours, shes clear. Give her the rest of the pills and shell be right as rain by sunup. If she doesnt wake up within four to five hourstake her to one of our hospitals.
Okay.
Dont worry, Bo. Im sure shell be fine. Hybrids have amazing immune systems as you well know.
Ill e-mail you the info for a local pharmacy thats run by a leopard. So no worries about dosage.
Excellent. Ill need her weight, height, age, and wolf breed, also.
Her wolf breed?
Gray wolf, Blayne piped up. To be honest, hed thought shed already passed out. Daddys a gray wolf. And my metabolism is sixteen times that of other wolf shifters.
Oh, my, Dr. Luntz said, overhearing the conversation. That is fascinating.
