My Captivator

Chapter Seven

Merrick:

I felt a small touch on my left arm. I turned and whatever fear I had turned to dread. Kairyn's shoulder was covered with dark blood. Blotches spread throughout her clothes.

"Kairyn," I moved fast as she sank in the seat. I unbuckled her and laid her down, her head on my lap. "She's been shot!" I yelled. Law was already taking out the first aid kit and had a tourniquet ready. I ripped her shirt to the seam, tore the sleeves and examined the bullet hole. It was three inches from the heart. "It's a sucking chest wound, hand me the turmeric paste, alcohol, rag and towel!"

As Kayne continued to drive, I doctored Kairyn's bullet wound which bled profusely. Her heart rate was abnormally slow meaning she was losing to much blood. I poured alcohol on the open wound and she let out a small whimper. "I need some chloroform, she's waking up!" Law searched frantically for the drug often used for kidnapping.

"Here!" He handed me the drug.

I poured some on the rag and held it to her nose. Her eyes opened and she struggled in a panic. "Shh, it's okay. Take a deep breath, you're going to be fine." I coaxed. My heart ached as her eyes widened in fear. "Kairyn, it's me . . . take a breath and relax. I've got you." She made eye contact with me and a small tear slid down her newly paled cheek. I heard her take in some air and soon her eyes began to close again. I let out a breath I had been holding myself and continued caring for her wound. After stitching and bandaging her shoulder, I took off my shirt and did my best to place it on her. She was smaller than me by at least seventy pounds. The shirt was clearly too big for her but that would do better with the wound. A tight shirt on her would only irritate the punctured skin more.

She lay on my lap. Even with the gauze and medical wrap tightly around her shoulder, blood was finding small canals through. Her heart rate was returning to normal. I ran my hand through her hair and glanced down at her. The peaceful look on her face was much easier to look at than the fearful shock in her eyes before.

She took in a deep breath, her chest rising slowly then falling again. That had been too close. She almost died because I had failed to protect her. I glanced down at her chest, where the shirt was ruffled due to the bandages underneath. She was little, petite, and she needed me. If she was going to live to see the day she had a normal life again, I would need to step it up. This wasn't a simple low life mission. This wasn't the minors anymore. I was in the big leagues now, and it was time I started acting like it. If that meant hovering over her more, leaving her alone less often, taking away some of her privacy, whatever it was going to take to keep her safe, I was going to do it.

~~~~~~~

"Hey, Stone. . . wake up." I felt a nudge on my right shoulder and jumped as I saw Law standing next to my opened door of the car. "We're in Montana." He stated then headed towards the new house we would be staying in. I started to stretch but I felt weight down on my lap. I glanced down and remembered the girl sleeping with her head in my lap. I started to lift her up and she stirred.

"It's okay." I whispered as I lifted her head and then lifted her onto my lap. She would be too weak to walk. I scooted towards the edge of the seat and set my legs out of car. I propped her in my arms, one arm under her neck, and the other under her knees. I rocked back, leaned forward, and then stood up out of the car with her in my arms, careful not to budge her left shoulder much. She was light; I remembered that from the night I carried her out of the woods after the wreck. That night had been traumatic for her but she handled it better than any woman I know. I was thankful that the guys took care of the car and the man in the alley. It wasn't there mess to clean.

Her hair danced as a small breeze blew by. She reached up with her right hand and laid it gently across my chest, as if to keep herself still. The act sent a chill up my spine. I shook it off and headed for the house. The door was left open and I walked right on in. I didn't feel like walking up the stairs with her so I walked to my bedroom and laid her on my bed. She would feel the gunshot tomorrow and all the medicines I had to put on the wound. The bullet had not gone straight through so I had to take it out, it was a miracle that no vital veins or bones were damaged.