Best Friends (New Species #15)(6)

Chimes hurried toward him from the left. “Bring her this way.”

He followed the Species female into one of the exam rooms and lay the human on the medical bed. He looked at Chimes. “Where is Doc Harris or Ted?”

“With Wind. He’s more critical.”

It made sense, but he hated how pale Melinda looked. Snow took her hand on the side that wasn’t injured and gripped it. Chimes moved to the other side of the bed and gently tugged at Melinda’s T-shirt to inspect the wound. “Go. I have this.”

A panicked look crossed Melinda’s features, and she clung to his hand. Her eyes widened, and he scented her fear.

He made a simple decision. “I’ll stay with her.”

“Fine.” Chimes began to clean the skin around the injury.

Melinda cried out when Chimes probed at the wound. Her entire body jerked, and Snow bit back a snarl. He leaned forward to partially press his chest over hers to keep her in place, resting his free hand on the top of her head. Melinda had been tagged on the exterior meaty part of her arm, just under the shoulder. The wound bled a lot but it didn’t look as if it were something life threatening.

He stared at her face. She glanced around wildly, seeming panicked.

“Look at me,” he ordered.

She gazed at him as if he were a lifeline. He liked her eyes. They were a soft shade of brown with a lot of gold flecks inside the irises. He hadn’t seen too many humans who had that trait. They seemed suspiciously wet but she didn’t cry. He wouldn’t have blamed her if she had.

“Are you allergic to any medications?” Chimes poured water over the wound to clear the blood.

Melinda’s tongue darted out as she licked her lips. She didn’t say anything but shook her head.

“No, she’s not,” he answered for her.

“I’m not blind.” Chimes smiled. “You’re being brave, female. I heard you shot bad humans intent on killing our males. We’ll take good care of you. You are also lucky. It looks as if you’re only missing some flesh, but Doc Alli will probably order an X-ray to make sure more damage wasn’t done. You will need stitches.”

“Where is Doc Alli?” It pissed Snow off that she wasn’t already there. Melinda had put her life at risk to save Species and she deserved excellent medical care, as if she were one of them.

“She was at home when we got the call but she’s on her way. She should be here at any second. It takes time even with her speeding.”

The answer from Chimes settled Snow a bit, until Melinda flinched. “Give her something for the pain.” It bothered him, knowing she suffered.

“I can’t. I’m not trained for that yet. Destiny could, but he was sent to Homeland when Doc Alli came. Obsidian still won’t allow her to work with that male. I only have Species dosages down. I wouldn’t want to accidently give her too much. I like being a nurse.”

Melinda gasped. He wasn’t sure if it was from something Chimes had said or done. He pressed tighter against her body. “It’s going to be okay. Just breathe in and out.”

“I am.”

He could feel every time she inhaled and exhaled, since he was almost on top of her in case she tried to wiggle away from Chimes tending to her bleeding arm. “You’re being very brave,” he rushed to assure her.

Tears flooded her eyes. “I was scared. I didn’t know you had guns or I would have shouted to you about those men. I saw them before they came in. I thought they were going to rob us. I didn’t know they wanted you.”

He nodded. “You shot those males, and that was good. Why did you have a weapon?”

“Joel keeps his shotgun locked up near the register. I have a key for it, since I know how to shoot. He made me shoot cans to prove I wasn’t bullshitting. I hit every one without missing after the first two shots. And that thing is old; I’d never fired one like it before.”

“Were you in the human military?” She didn’t look like it to him. Melinda had a soft, rounded body. Not one that was overly fit, like the bodies of most of the female military he’d seen.

“No.” She stiffened, gasping out. “Ouch.”

“Sorry, I have to dig around a bit to make sure the bullet didn’t splinter. It seems it just nicked you,” Chimes muttered. “I’m trying to see if it hit bone.”

“I nick my legs while shaving. I’ve never bled this much.” Melinda arched her back, pressing her breasts against his chest.

Snow hated noticing how good those soft mounds felt against him. The female was in pain. Her breathing rapidly increased, and he needed to attempt to calm her. “She means the bullet didn’t pierce a lot of flesh.” Snow hoped, anyway. “For Species, that’s just a small wound.”

“You all seem to have a really messed-up understanding of not much and not too bad.”

He grinned. “I like the way you talk.”

“I haven’t rid myself of my accent completely yet. It comes out when I’m stressed.” She eased her grip on his hand but then clenched her fingers tight. “Dang it. That hurts!”

“You’re doing really well. I’m impressed.” He meant it. Some humans would scream and cry.

“I’ve got a good tolerance for pain. Farm girl here. I got hurt a lot growing up.”