DarkWind: 2nd Book, WindDemon Trilogy Read Online Free PDF

Caitlin commanded.
    The rest of the morning, both Marjorie and Lisa walked on eggshells around Caitlin while surreptitiously darting uneasy glances toward the Healer. Neither woman could understand the dark scowl on Caitlin’s normally open and inviting face nor the nervousness that seemed to have taken hold of her. By the time their shift was over, both women were anxious to leave sickbay and the brooding woman who had not spoken to them in over three hours.
    “What’s got her tail feathers all ruffled?” Lisa asked as she and Marjorie made their way down to the galley.
    “Did you see the way she kept looking over at him?” Marjorie asked. “You’d think she half expected him to jump up and attack her!”
     
    Caitlin glanced up as June de Angelo and Jenna Kyel came into the sick bay. They would be the med techs on duty through the night shift. She nodded to the women, then went back to the research she was doing on the computer.
    “How’s our boy doing?” June asked. She turned at the low growl of annoyance that came from Caitlin.
    Caitlin swiveled away from her computer. She seemed to be trying to hold on to her temper. “How would you two like a night off?” she asked through her teeth.
    “We’re scheduled to work through Friday,” Jenna answered.
    “I’ll be here all evening working on this,” Caitlin said, flinging a hand toward the computer. “There’s no need for all of us to be in here. Take the evening off. If I need you, I’ll call.” She cast a quick look toward her patient. “I don’t think he’s going to be giving me any trouble tonight.”
    June faced the unconscious man and her eyes became dreamy. “I’d rather stay and look after him.”
    “Me, too,” Jenna agreed. “I don’t-”
    “You are dismissed, ladies!” Caitlin snapped.
    June backed away from the anger she saw on Caitlin’s face and held up her hands to ward off another shout. “We’re going!” The women made a hasty retreat.
    For a long moment, Caitlin sat where she was and stared blindly across the sick bay at the unmoving man, wondering what had came over her.
    What the hell set me off? She ran a shaky hand over her face. She could not remember ever having shouted at one of her med techs before and that concerned her. Trying to shake off the anger and the uneasiness that had gripped her, she got up and walked to the workstation where the blood and fluid samples taken from her patient had been placed. Staring down at the thick black substance that was Khiershon Cree’s blood made her shiver.
    It was not the first time she had seen blood this color. As a matter of fact, blue and green blood was not uncommon among the United Space Alliance allies. But Cree’s blood was alive with strange parasites that defied analysis. Who knew what those parasites were and what harm they could do?
    “I would never allow anything to harm you.”
    Caitlin jumped, hearing the voice as clearly as though the lips were at her ear. Her attention flew from the blood specimens to the man lying on the table and she gasped, her eyes flaring with shock.
    He was watching her, his sad amber eyes steady. There was such unspeakable loneliness, such heart-wrenching need, in that intense gaze, she moaned with pity.
    “I have waited a lifetime for you,” he whispered, his cracked lips barely moving. Painfully, he lifted his hand and his trembling fingers reached out to her.
    For a reason she could not explain, Caitlin backed away from the contact. She found herself breathing heavily as though having run a long way. She stared at him, watching his hand fall limply to his side when he realized she would not allow him to touch her.
    “You cannot deny me, Caitlin,” he told her, his eyes closing wearily. “I have already marked you as mine.”
    His head fell gently to one side and she knew he was unconscious again.
    Caitlin stood where she was, her breath heaving against her ribcage. When at last she could move, she put as much distance between