Beast Behaving Badly
Page 61
Ill tell ya where she is as soon as you put your cousin down. Youre crushing his windpipe.
Bold released Fabi. Where is she? he demanded again.
Grigori motioned to a room between the two of them. Right in there. So you can stop acting like a putz.
The boy gave a short snarl and stormed into the room. Thats when Marci felt the need to glare at Grigori and he shrugged in response. What had he done?
She wasnt in the bed, but cold relief washed over him when he saw her standing naked by the large picture windows of her hospital room, staring out over the snow and ice outside. He hadnt known what to expect when the horror of the previous night came back to him. When he realized she was not at his side, safe and healthy.
He took a brief moment to look her over. She had lots of lacerations that the docs had sewn up, but it looked to be mostly from glass. And there were a bunch of bruises that were already fading. But still . . . he remembered how her body moved the night before when hed turned her over. He knew broken bones and spinal damage when he saw it. He knew because hed caused his fair share of it. And although shifters could heal from the kind of damage she had faster than humans, it would still take months, maybe years to recover.
Yet here she stood, tall and strong.
Swiping a blanket shed tossed aside from off the floor, Bo walked up behind her and wrapped it around her body. He didnt release her, though, simply held her. Bringing his head down to press against the side of her face, he said, Blayne?
How? she asked.
How what?
How did you get us to Siberia?
Siberia? What makes you think were in Siberia?
An unholy amount of snow and ice and friendly polar bears. She pressed her hand against the glass, and thats when Bo saw the three polar males outside the window. One had his black nose pressed against the glass and thats where Blayne had her hand.
Theyre shifters, Blayne.
They are? But theyre so nice.
Theyre sub-adults. And I think they were just staring at your breasts.
Oh. So no Siberia?
Nope.
Thats disappointing.
Sorry.
Dont be. I still have something to shoot for.
He pressed his lips against her cheek, and Blaynes hand came up and stroked his jaw. That was a hell of a kiss, Novikov.
He chuckled and hugged her tighter. Are you okay?
Im still breathing. In my world thats okay. She looked down and gasped. Oh, God, Bo. Your arm.
Its okay.
Itsnot okay. Its in a cast. She pulled away so she could face him. Her gaze went to his other shoulder and now Bo saw tears. Your shoulder.
Not knowing what she was talking about he looked down, saw the bandage on his shoulder. Now that he was aware of it, he felt the pain, too. Thats right. Hed been shot. He remembered.
Its okay.
She shook her head, tears streaming down her face. Ive ruined your career. Ive ruined you.
Wow. When she went there, she really went there.
Blayne, youve done nothing wrong.
Im so sorry. Im so sorry I did this to you. She pressed herself into him, sobbing against his bare chest. God, what did I do?
Not sure how to handle this, he did what he used to do ten years ago when he was confused. Dr. Luntz?
The sow appeared in the doorway, her face concerned. What is it, Bold? He motioned to the wolfdog in his arms.
What on earth . . . She rushed in, pressed her hand to Blaynes forehead. Whats going on?
Uh . . . she thinks shes ruined my career and my life. Apparently this is all her fault.
Oh, honestly. The Novikov men. She gripped Blaynes shoulders and pulled her away from Bo. Come on, dear. She took her back to the bed. You need to calm down. You need to stop crying. You know we cant give you anything to do it for you.
Grigori appeared in the doorway. The sight of him took Bo by surprise. Not because he looked substantially differenthe didnt. A little older, definitely a lot more gray in all that white hair, but that wasnt it. It was seeing him at all, after all this time. And to see him looking so . . . concerned.
Whats going on? he demanded, his eyes on Bo.
Now I need you to calm down, Dr. Luntz snapped at Grigori. Theres nothing here we cant handle. Right, dear? she asked Blayne, trying to get her attention.
Ive ruined his life, Blayne said between her sobs. Its my fault.
You havent ruined anything. Hell heal. You both will.
Hell never be the same. Hell always be flawed. Damaged. Useless.
Shocked, Bo looked at his uncle and Grigori began laughing, making Blayne snap, Its not funny!
Of course its not funny, Dr. Luntz said, rubbing Blaynes shoulders, and trying her hardest not to laugh as well. You ignore him, dear. Hes an idiot. Weve all come to accept that. Dr. Luntz winked at Bo before sitting down beside Blayne.
Bold released Fabi. Where is she? he demanded again.
Grigori motioned to a room between the two of them. Right in there. So you can stop acting like a putz.
The boy gave a short snarl and stormed into the room. Thats when Marci felt the need to glare at Grigori and he shrugged in response. What had he done?
She wasnt in the bed, but cold relief washed over him when he saw her standing naked by the large picture windows of her hospital room, staring out over the snow and ice outside. He hadnt known what to expect when the horror of the previous night came back to him. When he realized she was not at his side, safe and healthy.
He took a brief moment to look her over. She had lots of lacerations that the docs had sewn up, but it looked to be mostly from glass. And there were a bunch of bruises that were already fading. But still . . . he remembered how her body moved the night before when hed turned her over. He knew broken bones and spinal damage when he saw it. He knew because hed caused his fair share of it. And although shifters could heal from the kind of damage she had faster than humans, it would still take months, maybe years to recover.
Yet here she stood, tall and strong.
Swiping a blanket shed tossed aside from off the floor, Bo walked up behind her and wrapped it around her body. He didnt release her, though, simply held her. Bringing his head down to press against the side of her face, he said, Blayne?
How? she asked.
How what?
How did you get us to Siberia?
Siberia? What makes you think were in Siberia?
An unholy amount of snow and ice and friendly polar bears. She pressed her hand against the glass, and thats when Bo saw the three polar males outside the window. One had his black nose pressed against the glass and thats where Blayne had her hand.
Theyre shifters, Blayne.
They are? But theyre so nice.
Theyre sub-adults. And I think they were just staring at your breasts.
Oh. So no Siberia?
Nope.
Thats disappointing.
Sorry.
Dont be. I still have something to shoot for.
He pressed his lips against her cheek, and Blaynes hand came up and stroked his jaw. That was a hell of a kiss, Novikov.
He chuckled and hugged her tighter. Are you okay?
Im still breathing. In my world thats okay. She looked down and gasped. Oh, God, Bo. Your arm.
Its okay.
Itsnot okay. Its in a cast. She pulled away so she could face him. Her gaze went to his other shoulder and now Bo saw tears. Your shoulder.
Not knowing what she was talking about he looked down, saw the bandage on his shoulder. Now that he was aware of it, he felt the pain, too. Thats right. Hed been shot. He remembered.
Its okay.
She shook her head, tears streaming down her face. Ive ruined your career. Ive ruined you.
Wow. When she went there, she really went there.
Blayne, youve done nothing wrong.
Im so sorry. Im so sorry I did this to you. She pressed herself into him, sobbing against his bare chest. God, what did I do?
Not sure how to handle this, he did what he used to do ten years ago when he was confused. Dr. Luntz?
The sow appeared in the doorway, her face concerned. What is it, Bold? He motioned to the wolfdog in his arms.
What on earth . . . She rushed in, pressed her hand to Blaynes forehead. Whats going on?
Uh . . . she thinks shes ruined my career and my life. Apparently this is all her fault.
Oh, honestly. The Novikov men. She gripped Blaynes shoulders and pulled her away from Bo. Come on, dear. She took her back to the bed. You need to calm down. You need to stop crying. You know we cant give you anything to do it for you.
Grigori appeared in the doorway. The sight of him took Bo by surprise. Not because he looked substantially differenthe didnt. A little older, definitely a lot more gray in all that white hair, but that wasnt it. It was seeing him at all, after all this time. And to see him looking so . . . concerned.
Whats going on? he demanded, his eyes on Bo.
Now I need you to calm down, Dr. Luntz snapped at Grigori. Theres nothing here we cant handle. Right, dear? she asked Blayne, trying to get her attention.
Ive ruined his life, Blayne said between her sobs. Its my fault.
You havent ruined anything. Hell heal. You both will.
Hell never be the same. Hell always be flawed. Damaged. Useless.
Shocked, Bo looked at his uncle and Grigori began laughing, making Blayne snap, Its not funny!
Of course its not funny, Dr. Luntz said, rubbing Blaynes shoulders, and trying her hardest not to laugh as well. You ignore him, dear. Hes an idiot. Weve all come to accept that. Dr. Luntz winked at Bo before sitting down beside Blayne.
