Page 39 of Bad Medicine

She nodded. “How’s yourappetite?”

I shrugged, frowning slightly.“I’m not starving, but I could eat.”

She smiled, finally. “I’ve beentold that you can out-eat a whole pack of wolves. Your appetite will return.How’s your pain?”

I thought about it. “Nearlygone.”

She shook her head. “Simplyamazing.” She finished her examination and stood up, returning items to her bagand snapping it shut. Then she pulled a card from her pocket and placed it onthe nightstand. “If you need someone to talk to about…anything, Kait, call thisnumber. This woman can help.”

“Thanks, Belinda.”

As soon as she left the room, Iclimbed from the bed, wrapped a sheet around me, and went to open the window. Ibreathed in the fresh, cold air, hoping it would blow away any remainingfogginess. It did help.

“Your bath is ready, Kait,”Nell said. “Would you like some help?”

“No,” I told her. “I’ll be downas soon as I’m done. Could you tell Lucy?”

“And your mother and yourfriend Joe,” she said, smiling. “They’re downstairs waiting as well.”

I closed the window. “Max?”

Her stare skittered away. “Ihaven’t seen him, honey.”

I went to take my bath, wishingeveryone would stop being so damn careful around me, like I was a delicatechild they were afraid of upsetting. I was halfway through my bath when Iremembered my demon blade, and I hurried to finish so I could find out where itwas and put it back in a sheath at my side, where it belonged.

I needed my phone, as well,though I wasn’t exactly sure who it was I wanted to call. Finally, I climbedfrom the alpha’s huge bathtub, ignoring the way my muscles ached, my headpounded, and my vision blurred. Pain throbbed through my body but only alittle. Nothing I couldn’t handle. I wasn’t worried. Healing such massivetrauma was going to take a minute.

I forced myself to look in themirror. I hadn’t seen myself since the attack, and I hadn’t wanted to. But now,I looked. My cheeks were hollow, my eyes slightly sunken with dark purplesemi-circles beneath them like smeared paint. My skin was pale and my nose wasslightly different, a little off center with a small hump on the bridge thathadn’t been there before. Maybe it’d go back to normal eventually. Maybe not.

I turned away from the mirrorquickly, unwilling to see any other signs of my assault. I ran my tongue acrossmy teeth, aware that some of them had been broken and knocked out, but theywere regrowing. Some of them felt shorter than the others, but my next shiftwould finish healing up my bones and teeth.

Finally, I went downstairs tomy mother, Joe, Lucy, and the mountains of food I knew would be waiting. Myemotions changed like the wind, and now I was eager to see them, eager toattempt to make Lucy happy by eating all the delicious food, and maybe most ofall, eager to talk to Max. I’d ask Joe to take me to him.

When I walked into the diningroom, determined to be cheerful and normal, I found a somewhat somber group ofpeople. Lucy flittered around the table like a nervous butterfly, Joe leanedagainst the wall, glowering at the world outside the windows, and my mother satstaring down at an empty plate.

Lucy shrieked when she saw me,causing my mother to jump, and I understood how deeply immersed she’d been inher thoughts not to have heard me coming. For a second, everyone stood frozenin place, until I opened my arms.

They rushed to me, then,wrapping me up in their warmth, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Oh, that laugh,” my mothersaid, through her tears. “That’s the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard.”

“You scared the fuck out of us,Kait,” Joe growled, his brows low. And he hugged me harder.

“I cooked all your favorites,”Lucy said. “I hope you’re hungry. You’re hungry, aren’t you?”

“I could eat a little,” I said,giving her a wink. “Especially if you cooked it.”

They laughed like I’d made agreat joke, then hugged me again, both my mother and Lucy crying, Joe scowlingand mumbling. I sighed. “Okay,” I told them, pulling away and striding to thetable. “I’m giving you guys five more seconds to get that shit out of yoursystems, and that’s it. It’s over, I’m good, and there’ll be no more…” Igestured, trying to find the right word. I gave up. “Whatever this is. Now sitdown and eat with me, okay?”

They traded looks, then pulledout their chairs and sat.

Nell stuck her head into theroom. “Do you need anything? A fresh pitcher of water, more coffee?”

“We’re good, Nell,” my mothersaid, mopping her face with her napkin. “Won’t you join us?”

“Thank you, Susan, but I mustget to work,” she said, cheerful as always. “Just yell if you need me.”

“Joe,” I said, picking up myfork, “where’s my blade?”