Salvation Read Online Free PDF Page B

forward.
    I landed hard on my hands. I was almost blacking out from the pain, but I tried to get up anyway. I needed to get to that door.
    "Stay down, dammit!" I heard him shout from somewhere above me. There were blasters firing over my head, which stopped abruptly, and then the world spun as I was picked up and heaved over one of his shoulders.
    I bounced on his shoulder and cried out in pain as he ran through the entrance to the dock and climbed into our shuttle, throwing me down on the seat beside him with my legs sprawled across his. I heard myself groaning and realized I was rocking back and forth. The pain in my leg was agonizing.
    I tried to focus on something else, so I watched as his fingers quickly worked the controls and I felt us lift off.
    "Captain ." I heard the fuzzy voice over the communicator. "Are you there?"
    "Yes, we got away." He looked over at me and I tried to keep my eyes focused on him, but I was almost passing out. "But Simmons is hurt. Have the medic bay on standby."
    "Yes, sir."
    The captain set the autonavigator and looked at my face. I could feel sweat on my forehead and my hands felt clammy. I closed my eyes against his gaze.
    "No, Simmons, dammit. You stay with me." He studied my leg, which w as still in his lap. There was a burnt hole in my pants surrounded by blood, and I could imagine the gaping wound beneath, which I was sure went all the way through my thigh.
    He grabbed his knife and swiftly cut away the sleeve of his shirt, sliding it under my leg. Then he looked up into my eyes and I saw compassion. "This is going to hurt, Simmons, but I have to get this on tight or you're going to bleed out before I get you back."
    I just stared back blankly, which he must have taken as a yes. He positioned the fabric around my leg, took a deep breath, and pulled it tight. I hadn't thought I'd have the strength to scream, but was proven wrong as I threw my head back and screamed until I broke off hoarsely, trying to get my leg away from him.
    He held the leg down easily and quickly finished tying the knot. Then I felt him clamp one strong hand on my shoulder and the other on my good leg. "It's over, Simmons, try to relax."
    My brain must have registered his order because my body calmed. But suddenly, although I had just been sweating with fear and pain, my body felt cold and I started to shake.
    "You're going into shock. Dammit!" He hit his huge fist on the console as my entire body started to spasm.
    He half stood and unzipped his jacket, then grasped me under the armpits and pulled me into his lap like a child. He held me tight against his body and wrapped as much of his jacket around me as he could. His voice rumbled into my hair. "I don't have any blankets or a first-aid console in here yet, a fact which I'm going to remedy when we get back."
    Slowly, the spasms subsided, and even though the pain in my leg throbbed against the tourniquet with every heartbeat, I was in heaven. I was finally in the captain's arms, and no matter how I got here, I found I couldn't regret it.
    "Stay awake, Simmons." He looked down at me to make sure my eyes were open and pushed my sweaty hair back from my face. I was too far gone to hide it, and I knew my desire for him must have shown on my face. His breath caught and his eyes widened slightly. Then he shook his head in embarrassment and cleared his throat.
    "Umm, we'll have you back to the ship in no time." Then he chuckled. "You're lucky you're a good translator, or you'd be more of a pain in the ass than you're worth, dammit."
    "You say dammit a lot," I murmured, then I turned my face into his chest. I breathed in his scent and let the heat of his body warm me. His arms felt strong and secure, and I felt safe for the first time in four years.
    I wanted to hold on to the moment, to burn it into my brain because I knew it would never happen again. But my beaten body had had enough and , try as I might to stay awake, blackness overtook me.

Chapter 7
     
    When I next