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An Excerpt From: THE BOND THAT HEALS US
Copyright © CHRISTINE d’ABO, 2008
All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing,
Inc.
The
stench of burning wire mixed with the heavy sulfur from the planet’s
surface turned Sara’s stomach. Rachael began to cough and had to cover her
face with a bio mask. Sara inched her way closer to the open door, trying
to see what they were in for. She gasped at the sight in front of her. The
damaged ship, larger than a short-range shuttle but not as large as a
passenger ship, was resting half on its side with the nose jammed hard
against a bulkhead. The metal had peeled back, exposing conduits and cables
as gases vented into the bay. How it hadn’t exploded she wasn’t sure.
Taber
and the security force were quickly putting out the few flames that had
erupted with a suppression gas. It took a few seconds, but everything was
eventually extinguished.
“Looks
like a cruiser,” Sara said over her shoulder. “Maybe five to ten for a
crew. We should call for two more medics.”
Rachael
was looking a little pale. Sara knew she was timid of unknown alien
visitors since the Ecada attack. But she thought
Rachael had gotten over it through a few months of talking with a
psychologist from Earth. Rachael swallowed hard, her eyes glued to the ship,
panic clear on her face.
“I’ll
get them,” Rachael offered a bit too quickly and took off down the corridor
without a backward glance.
“Nice,”
Sara muttered, turning back to wait for Taber’s signal. She’d have to see
about getting Rachael a bit more help.
In the
shuttle bay, she watched Taber and the security guards edge cautiously
toward the shuttle door, their weapons drawn and pointed at the cockpit,
which was showing no sign of life.
“Occupants
of the shuttle. You’ve crash landed on Eurus colony.” Taber’s commanding
voice echoed loud and clear. “Open your door so we may offer assistance.”
Sara
rolled her eyes. “You’re supposed to say please, Taber. And don’t
point your weapons at them,” she muttered to herself.
When a
loud hiss of atmosphere vented from the shuttle door, every security guard
in the bay raised their weapons a fraction higher, fixing them on the spot.
Sara gasped when the most unusually handsome man she’d ever laid eyes
gripped the now open entrance and leaned out of the ship to stare directly
at Taber. His shoulder-length brown hair fell forward, partially covering
his face.
“I
have wounded in here. I need a doctor,” he snapped.
Before
she had time to blink, he retreated inside the shuttle. Kicking her body
into overdrive, Sara was through the door and halfway across the shuttle
bay before Taber could turn around.
“Sara!”
“Come
with me if you want, but I’m not stopping. You heard him—they need help.”
Somehow
she managed to skirt past Taber and throw her med kit up into the open
door. The entrance, which would normally be only a foot from the ground,
was a full five feet in the air. For not the first time in her life, Sara
cursed her five feet five inches and tried to pull herself in.
“Let
me help,” a voice said from above.
Sara
looked up and into the most amazing golden eyes she’d ever seen. His irises
were reptilian shaped and Sara found herself unable to look away.
“You’re
the doctor, I assume?” His voice was deep with an unusual accent. His
English was surprisingly good for a race she’d never seen before. And he
sounded more than a little amused, despite the circumstances he was
currently in.
She
had the distinct impression he was laughing at her. She hated it when
people laughed at her.
“Are
you going to help me up or not?”
“Sara,
let me,” Taber said from behind.
She
found herself being pushed and pulled up—directly into the waiting arms of
her unusual alien. The air in her lungs whooshed out, leaving her shaking and
very much aware of the large, firm, male chest she was currently pressed
against. He wasn’t as tall as Taber or any of the other Briel
on the planet, but he was more than big enough for Sara. A full head
taller, she was forced to tilt her head back to look into his golden eyes.
“Under
better circumstance, I’d take great pleasure in our current position.” He
practically purred as he spoke and then he winked. “But I have people in
need of help.”
“Dr.
Fergus, step back please.”
The
edge in Taber’s voice was enough to shake her out of her momentary haze.
Thankfully, the alien let her move to the side and turned his attention to
Taber.
“Name’s
Davin. I’m the captain of this bucket. Some of my
crew were wounded in the crash. I just managed to
get the cabin door unjammed to get out. My
copilot was knocked unconscious when we took damage entering the
atmosphere.”
“Your
ship isn’t registered for this sector.” Taber took a step closer. “My crew
will have to inspect it for contraband.”
“After
your doctor looks at my men. When she’s done, go ahead. You won’t find
anything.” Davin crossed his arms and leveled a
stare at Taber.
Taber
stiffened slightly. “Because there is nothing to find or because it’s well
hidden?”
Sara
had to clear her throat twice before either of them would look at her. “Hi.
I’m going to help the dying people. Once you are done with your pissing
match, I could use a hand.”
Shaking
her head, she moved toward the front of the ship to where she hoped the
wounded crew member was. Her exit wouldn’t be half as dramatic if she had
to turn around and come back. She’d just shoved the cabin door release when
she felt Davin come up behind her.
“My
copilot, Rafe, took a nasty crack to the head
when we entered the planet’s atmosphere. I tried to stop the bleeding, but
had my hands full trying to keep the ship together as she came down.”
When
the door opened, Sara could smell the blood in the air. Ignoring Davin behind her, she crossed the small space to where
a man sat slumped forward in his seat across a control console. Sara pulled
him back to reveal half the man’s face covered in burns and blood.
“Med
kit,” she said to Davin over her shoulder.
“Hang
on—”
“Now!”
CLOSE WINDOW
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