 
Dr. Wolf

The Fae Rift Series Book 1

Shockwave

By Cheree L. Alsop
Copyright © 2016 by Cheree L. Alsop

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

ISBN

Cover Design by Dean Samed http://www.deansamed.com

Editing by Sue Player

www.ChereeAlsop.com

To my family,

I love you with all of my heart.

These books are here because

Of your support. Thank you

For believing.

To my readers,

The power to dream is

The greatest gift that we have.

May all of your best dreams come true.

And sometimes being lost is the only way to find ourselves.
Chapter 1

A scream tore Aleric from sleep. It took more effort than he thought it should to open his eyes. When he did, he shut them again immediately.

Nothing made sense. He was in a room with white walls, beds, and people rushing everywhere. His sensitive nose burned with the scent of antiseptics while his ears rang with beeping noises, the squeak of sneakers on tile, and the shrieks of whatever creature occupied the curtained room next to his.

The cries were those of true pain. Aleric opened his eyes again slowly. The light made his head pound. He put a hand to it and found bandages beneath his fingertips.

"Good to see you awake."

His eyes focused on a woman with a clipboard in one hand and a pencil tucked behind her ear. She checked the monitor next to Aleric's bed, wrote something down on her sheet, and gave him a smile touched with exhaustion.

"Hang in there, sweetie. It's a busy hospital tonight. They say the crazies come out the night of the full moon, but this time they're a few days early." She winked at him. "Just take it easy. That was a pretty bad knock you had there. I'll be back to check on you in a bit."

Before Aleric could reply, she ducked into the next room, if that was what the areas divided by curtains could be called. Aleric glanced at the monitor near his head. It showed numbers and symbols that made no sense to him. He pushed up to a sitting position and his head swam. He put a hand to it and waited for it to stop. Something tugged on his arm. He glanced down to see a tube running to a needle near his elbow.

The scream sounded again. Whoever occupied the room next to him sounded like she was suffering. The shrieks made Aleric's sensitive ears ring and his head pound. He heard the nurse leave the room, but whoever occupied the bed continued to sob.

Aleric's heart went out to whoever it was. He didn't know where he was or what he was doing there, but he never had been one to leave well enough alone. Perhaps that was what had gotten him here in the first place.

Aleric slipped the needle from his arm. Blood welled up from the hole. He moved the tape that had held down the tube and pressed it to the area. Satisfied that he wasn't going to bleed on anything, he stood up.

As soon as he pulled the clip off his finger, the monitor began to beep. Aleric dropped to his knees and pulled the plug from the wall. The beeping stopped. He removed the circular patches attached to his chest and straightened his hospital gown.

Aleric ducked behind the slit in the curtain that separated rooms. When he saw who occupied the bed, his heart slowed.

A mass of golden curls with the usual blue streaks fell over the tiny face. Her eyes were closed tight and a grimace of pain twisted her features. Her tiny hand held her arm where the tube attached to the needle. Liquid dripped from the clear bag on the pole and down the tube.

"This isn't right," Aleric said to himself.

"Help me."

The tiny voice wavered. Her eyes opened and held his gaze.

"I-I don't know what to do," he replied.

"It's killing me."

Aleric knew she wasn't being dramatic. She was literally being killed, whether it was intentional or not.

He looked around, straining his ears to hear whether anyone was nearby. Footsteps walked past the room and kept going.

"I don't know what's happening, but we've got to get you out of here," he told her. "Hold on."

He grabbed the tube and pulled the needle gently from her arm. As soon as the blood welled up, he was ready with the tape.

She gave a sigh of relief and her eyes closed.

"Stay with me," he said.

Aleric poked his head out of the back of the curtains. A small walkway made up the space between the sectioned rooms and the rear wall. For the moment, it was empty.

Aleric unplugged her machine, removed the monitoring devices, and pushed the bed into the walkway. Without any idea of where he was going, Aleric pushed the bed forward at nearly a run. He reached a set of double doors and had just shoved the bed through when he heard a shout.

Torn between the option to either get lost within the hospital's huge hallways or confront the nurse, Aleric pushed the bed behind him and faced the doorway.

The nurse with the clipboard burst through with the force of a raging bull.

"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

"What do you think you're doing?" Aleric shot back. "Giving a fairy liquid? Are you trying to kill her?"

The nurse's hands went to her hips. "Fairy? What are you talking about?"

Aleric gestured to the girl on the bed. "She's obviously a fairy. Look at her!"

The nurse gave him an assessing stare. "We may have to order more tests. I think you hit your head harder than we thought." She held out a hand and forced a gentler tone. Aleric could hear the tension behind her words. "Come with me and we'll see that you're taken care of."

Aleric stepped backwards out of her reach. "What are you going to do? Give me an injection of silver?"

"What on earth do you mean?" the nurse asked, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

The fairy let out a moan. Aleric glanced over his shoulder at her. Her skin was turning gray.

"We're running out of time," he told the nurse. "She needs sunlight."

"What she needs is a doctor," the nurse shot back. "I need you to come with me so we can see that she gets the proper care."

Aleric could tell the conversation was going nowhere. If he didn't act quickly, the fairy would die. He refused to let that happen without giving her every possible chance.

"I'm sorry about this," he said.

Before the nurse could react, Aleric picked her up and tossed her onto the bottom of the fairy's bed. She opened her mouth to scream, but he covered it with his hand.

"Listen to me," he said in as calm of a voice as he could manage given the situation, "This fairy is going to die if we don't get her to some sunlight. If you want her to stay in this hospital, fine. Point me to the closest window and I'll show you exactly what I'm talking about."

The confusion in the nurse's eyes was genuine and Aleric's heart went out to her. She obviously hadn't had many dealings with the fae.

Aleric took pity on the woman. "I'm going to remove my hand. Promise me you won't scream. Give me five minutes to try to save her life. If it doesn't work, we'll head straight back to the curtains and I.V. of death, alright?"

The woman nodded. Aleric removed his hand slowly. To her credit, she kept silent. He pushed the bed with both of them on top.

The fairy gave a weak moan. Her eyes were closed and the pallor of her skin worried Aleric.

"Where's the nearest source of sunlight?" he asked.

"The D Wing, I suppose," the nurse replied. "It's still under construction, but it's not far."

He followed her directions to the double doors marked with tape that read 'Do Not Cross'. Heedless of the warning, he pushed the doors open with his back and pulled the bed through. Sunlight streamed through huge windows at the far end of the room.

"Perfect," Aleric said.

He wheeled the bed to the sunshine. The nurse sat up with a wary glance at him. He kept his attention on the fairy. "Let's hope we're not too late."

He positioned the bed so that the sun blanketed the fairy. He listened to her heartbeat from where he stood. It was faint and fluttery. The gray tint to her skin darkened.

"Come on, little one," he whispered.

Her heart skipped a beat.

"Maybe we need to go outside," he said. "Usually the glass doesn't matter, but perhaps in this case—"

"I've had enough," the nurse said. She climbed off the bed. "This has gone way too far. I should have called the orderlies to drag you back to your bed. I could lose my job for this. I can't believe I listened to your nonsense." She grabbed the bedrail.

Faint moans came from the fairy at the movement of the bed.

Aleric put a hand on the rail. The nurse tried to pull the bed away, but it didn't move beneath his firm grip.

"Give it time," he urged, his voice pleading.

"She doesn't have time," the nurse replied.

Aleric could tell she cared about the fairy. He set a hand on hers. "Please. Just give me one more minute. I beg you. It could mean the difference between life or death."

She wanted to deny him; he read it in her expression. Relief filled him when she finally nodded.

"I don't know why I'm doing this," she said. "But one more minute." She looked at the fairy and her voice dropped. "I should just turn in my resignation now and get it over with. Maybe I can blame it on an eighteen-hour shift. It's their fault they're understaffed. I can't help it if some weird storm brought us two dozen patients in ten minutes. I just need...." Her voice faded away.

The color of the fairy's skin changed from gray to healthy, rosy tones. She took a deep breath and Aleric heard her heartbeat settle into a steady rhythm. She let out a content sigh and stretched in the sunlight. A smile crossed her face and her breaths eased into the soft cadence of sleep.

"It worked." The awe in the nurse's voice showed on her face. "How did you know?"

Aleric leaned his shoulder against the next window. The sunlight felt good on his back and lessened the throbbing of his head.

"Fae creatures love sunlight. At least the Light fae do. Fairies can't stand water or liquid of any kind. It's poison to them. When I saw that she was hooked up to a liquid I.V., I knew her only chance was to get into the sun."

His eyes had been on the fairy when he spoke. When he turned his gaze to the nurse, he was surprised to see her staring at him as though he had just spoken a different language.

"I feel like I'm asking this a lot, but what on earth on you talking about?"

"The fae," Aleric repeated. "You know, fairies, werewolves, dragons and demons and all that."

He expected her to nod. Instead, she shook her head and the same wide-eyed stare refused to leave her face.

"I have no idea what you mean."

Aleric looked around the room. Subtle changes to what he was used to stood out. The walls where the wood was still exposed by the construction weren't marked with the approval crest of the forest dwarves. The sheets on the fairy's bed didn't show the traditional pixie steps on the corners. The metal of the bars was smooth and seamless. The ironwork trolls never let anything out of their sight without making sure metal crafted by their hands contained the black hammer stamp in plenty of visible locations.

A tingle ran along Aleric's arms. He turned slowly and looked at the window. The glass was clear and smooth. He checked each corner, willing the tiny handprints of the sand wisps to appear. Every pane he could see from his position was handprint free.

All were marks that made up Aleric's daily existence, and each were conspicuously absent from the room.

"Where am I?" Aleric asked.

The nurse watched him closely. "Edge City Hospital."

At his blank expression, she said, "You know, Edge City, biggest city on the continent? The city of two faces? The city on the edge of the next technological revolution?"

Aleric shook his head, his thoughts racing. He couldn't, no matter how hard he thought, figure out how he had ended up in the hospital in a city he had never heard of before.

"You look pale," the nurse said with concern in her voice. "Maybe we should have Dr. Worthen check you again."

Aleric shook his head. "I don't know what's going on, but I'm not about to go back to that room."

"The E.R. is a bit crazy right now," the nurse admitted, "But I need to get this girl back there right now."

"Fairy," Aleric replied.

"Girl," the nurse said.

Aleric crossed his arms. "Fairy."

The nurse looked as though she wanted to argue, then closed her mouth and shook her head. She reached for the bed.

"Dr. Worthen's going to be furious that I let her out of the Emergency Room. This is no place for a patient."

When Aleric put a hand on the bed, she let out an exasperated sigh.

"If I take her back—"

"She'll get hooked up to the I.V. again," Aleric replied. "I won't let that happen." Before she could argue, he held up a hand. "She stopped screaming with pain when I took out the I.V.; can you deny that?"

She shook her head.

Aleric continued, "She got better when we reached the sunlight. Can you deny that?"

"No," the nurse replied, "But it could have been—"

He leaned closer to her while still keeping an iron grip on the bed.

"If you let that doctor hook her up to fluids again, she will die and her death will be on your head. Are you prepared to have the death of a fairy haunt you for the rest of your life? Haunts are very persistent creatures."

The silence that filled the air between them was broken when the double doors flew open.

"What's going on here?" a gray-haired man dressed in green scrubs demanded. "First, I'm told that two patients are missing. Next, my head nurse is gone and I'm told she was last seen heading in the direction of the D Wing on the foot of a bed. It makes absolutely no sense."

He paused with his hands on the doors, his sharp gaze jerking from the nurse to Aleric and then to the form on the bed.

"Nurse Eastwick, explain."

The nurse looked at Aleric. He could see it on her face. Her job rested on the words that came out of her mouth next. She lowered her gaze.

"This patient said we could save the girl if we took her to sunlight. She was dying, so I thought it couldn't hurt to try." She pushed back a strand of blonde hair that had escaped her bun. "I'm sorry, Dr. Worthen."

"Sorry?" Dr. Worthen replied. He stepped forward and the doors swung shut behind him. "I don't even know what to say, Loreen. You endangered the life of a patient by taking her away from the medical team. I don't know what you were thinking!"

Aleric stepped forward so that he blocked the doctor from reaching the nurse or fairy.

Dr. Worthen stopped short. "Who are you?"

Aleric crossed his arms. "Aleric Bayne, werewolf. I won't let you touch either of them if you mean to harm them."

The doctor looked from Aleric to the nurse behind him. "Did he just say werewolf?"

Aleric saw the nurse shrug out of the corner of his eye.

"Do you have a problem with werewolves?" Aleric asked, his voice flat. "Let me guess, there's been a rabies outbreak you're trying to pin on the local wolf pack? Or better yet, fleas are abounding and the werepanthers don't want to take responsibility as usual? I'd respond with a flea collar joke, but I can tell by your expression that you've either heard them all or you're about to tell me that you don't believe in the fae folk either."

Dr. Worthen shook his head, his gaze wary as though he suspected he was dealing with a crazy person. "I don't believe in werewolves or any other 'fae folk', as you called them. This is a hospital, and a very busy one at that. I don't have time for games or delusional patients. Come with me and we'll see that you get the care you obviously need."

Aleric blew out a breath through his nose. The day was getting stranger than he could account for.

Humans in Blays had a tendency to be obstinate toward those fae considered Ashstock, the term given to the races of the fae that could sway either to the Light or Dark. Because of his race, Aleric was used to being treated as more animal than man; that, he could take. The straight-up disbelief on the faces of the two humans in the room was different. They didn't believe in fae at all. He could hear the truth in their tones and see the way they reacted to his words.

"You don't believe in the fae?" he repeated.

Dr. Worthen shook his head.

"Maybe we should go back," Nurse Eastwick said from behind Aleric.

Aleric glanced at her. "And you? Even after this?" He gestured toward the fairy sleeping on the bed.

The nurse hesitated for the briefest moment before she shook her head. "I don't. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to him," Dr. Worthen said. "He's obviously suffering from severe delusions as a consequence of the blow to his head. From the imaging results, the severity of his injury could give way to...what are you doing?"

Aleric pulled the hospital gown over his head. He glanced down and realized that he wasn't wearing any pants. He held the gown over his lower half. He wondered where his other clothes had gone; the thought that somebody had put the gown on him filled him with horror. But some things were more important than his nakedness; he shoved the dismay aside.

"I'm proving to you that the fae exist," Aleric replied.

"Loreen, come over here," Dr. Worthen said.

She took a step toward the doctor, but Aleric held out a hand. "Wait."

She paused at the tone of his voice.

"You need help," Dr. Worthen said, forcing soothing tones. "We'll get you the help you need. Wouldn't you like to rest?"

Aleric glanced out the window. The sun was still high overhead. Phasing would cost a lot of energy. Glancing from Nurse Eastwick to Dr. Worthen, he decided it was a price he needed to pay. If their belief in the fae could save another fairy from the agony the one beside him had suffered, it was worth it.

"I'm counting on your sense of self-preservation to keep you from running away screaming wolf," Aleric told them, his voice laced with steel. "Wolves are fast, and werewolves are faster. If you decide to run, I will beat you to the door; that, I guarantee."
Chapter 2

Aleric willed the phase to come. He thought of how his paws would sound on the tile floor. He imagined the brush of the cooled air through his fur. He pictured the room from the black, white, and gray vision of the wolf. With the last thought, he felt the phase come upon him.

Aleric's mouth and nose elongated. His ears sharpened and moved to higher points on his head. His muscles pulled and twisted, elongating or shortening as needed to meet the demands of his changing shape. The joints of his arms and legs changed, forcing him to the ground. Black and gray fur ran up his arms and down his torso. His tail grew and his teeth lengthened. In less than a minute, he was in wolf form.

Aleric looked from the nurse to the doctor. Dr. Worthen's mouth was open and the sour scent of fear tangled with his physician's smell of antiseptic, body odor from the long day, and the bitter plastic of the hospital gloves he changed with each room he visited. Nurse Eastwick had similar scents, but hers were overlaid with the flower aroma of the lotion she applied constantly and the tomato sauce odor of the spaghetti she had reheated for lunch.

"Loreen, do you see a wolf?" Dr. Worthen asked in an almost-level voice.

"I-I do," Nurse Eastwick replied.

Dr. Worthen took a step toward the double doors. "I need to go get someone. There has to be someone who can take care of this, whatever this is."

Aleric shadowed the doctor's step with one of his own and the doctor froze. Aleric couldn't speak in his wolf form. He hoped that the fear would keep the doctor in place long enough for them to have a civil conversation. Phasing back to human form would take more strength. He wished it was night outside and moonlight spilled through the windows onto his thick fur; it would have made things easier. Somehow, he doubted the goal of the day was for anything to be even remotely easy.

Aleric remembered fingers, the feeling of the metal bar beneath his hand, the press of the glass against his shoulder. He thought of the cold tile beneath his bare feet. He felt the phase come upon him and didn't fight as his body changed form once more. He took a breath to settle his racing heart and reached for the hospital gown that lay on the floor.

"I apologize," he said. "Nakedness when phasing is hard to avoid. Wolves don't look very good in boxers." He glanced at Nurse Eastwick when he had his gown on, hoping for the hint of a smile.

The nurse stared at him as if he had grown four heads and each were in the middle of quoting different Shakespearean plays.

"He's mad that trusts in the tameness of a wolf," he recited quietly.

"King Lear Act Two."

Aleric's head turned at Dr. Worthen's words. "I'm pretty sure it's Act Three," he replied.

"Are you sure?" Dr. Worthen asked. "I'm almost positive it's Act Two."

Aleric's head tipped slightly as he studied the doctor. The man watched him with the wild look of one attempting to find a semblance of normalcy in a world that had just been flipped upside down. Aleric gave him that chance.

"Perhaps we should discuss it at a later time. I know you have patients to tend to," he suggested.

"Huh?" the doctor replied. His face lit up with realization. "Oh, right. The patients. I need to get back!"

He took a step toward the door, then paused and glanced at Aleric. When the werewolf made no effort to come after him, Dr. Worthen walked the rest of the way and put his hand to the closest door. He halted as if just remembering something.

"Uh um, Nurse Eastwick, I am in need of your assistance in the E.R.," he began. He threw a look at the bed next to her, then met her gaze. "I suppose our, uh, patient will be fine during her rest. We'll come back to check on her momentarily."

"Yes, Doctor," Nurse Eastwick replied quickly. She gave Aleric a questioning look.

"It's alright," he told her. "Go ahead. I'll wait with the fairy."

"Take it easy," she replied. After what she had seen, it appeared she was more comfortable wearing the shoes of a nurse than the boots of someone who had just stepped into the possibility of an entirely different division of people than she thought existed.

"I will," Aleric replied.

"The fairy," he heard Dr. Worthen mumble as their footsteps faded up the hallway.

"Yes, Doctor," Nurse Eastwick replied. "And she can't be given fluids of any kind."

Aleric let out a sigh and leaned against the window again. It required all of his strength to keep standing after phasing twice in less than five minutes. As if his legs decided to take away even that small victory, they collapsed beneath him. Aleric sank to the floor and rested his head on his knees.

Nothing made sense. He hoped he would wake up and find that it was all a dream, but the ache that centered behind the bandages whispered otherwise. Something had happened, something big. He cleared his thoughts of the chaotic whirlwind of possibilities and tried to remember.

The nurse had mentioned a storm, a weird storm that had brought them two dozen patients in ten minutes. Had he come in with those two dozen? Had the fairy? He didn't remember a storm.

The last thing Aleric remembered was running. He had been running through the streets of Drake City when suddenly he was falling. Buildings rushed by and he hit his head on...what? He couldn't remember the last part.

The sound of the door opening brought him back to his feet. He wondered why he hadn't heard footsteps first. Perhaps the nurse was right and he had hit his head harder than he thought.

Relief filled him when both Nurse Eastwick and Dr. Worthen entered. That relief changed to surprise when he realized they were pulling a bed.

"I thought you didn't use the D Wing," he said, crossing the room toward them.

"I was hoping that I could ask for your professional opinion on a matter," Dr. Worthen replied.

The nervousness of his expression when he glanced at the patient in the bed set Aleric on edge.

"It's an unusual case," Nurse Eastwick explained.

She glanced at Dr. Worthen, then handed Aleric a file.

Caught off-guard by their sudden change in attitude, Aleric took the file and scanned through it. The numbers and the doctor's scratchy handwriting didn't make any sense.

"Um, could you paraphrase this?" he asked.

Dr. Worthen nodded. "This patient came in with severe burns, extreme anemia, and an unusual reaction to the transfusion."

"It didn't take?" Aleric asked.

Dr. Worthen's face paled slightly. "Uh, no. Quite the opposite. The patient took the blood bag and attempted to drink it when we weren't looking. We had to use a heavy sedative to get it back."

Aleric looked at the patient for the first time. The coppery scent of blood that had been tickling his nose came from the patient's stained mouth and clothes. Repulsion made Aleric's stomach turn.

"You are dealing with a revenant." At their uncomprehending stares, Aleric said, "Haven't you heard of bloodsuckers?" They shook their heads. "Soulless?" Again, the headshakes. "The walking pulseless?" At their continued blank looks, Aleric sighed and said, "How about vampires?"

Both of them nodded before taking a big step back from the bed.

Aleric gave the vampire a closer look.

"Don't worry. It appears the burns across his skin are healing as a result of the blood. That's pretty common. They have a condition where their body destroys the blood in their systems, so they have to continually replenish it to avoid going into a mummified state." He pushed the vampire's lips back to reveal the elongated canine teeth. "As you can see, vampires have hollow teeth that makes drinking blood a lot easier than through a needle in their skin." He shook his head in distaste. "I don't suppose any good comes from shoving a needle in someone."

"On the contrary," Dr. Worthen replied. "Most of our patients need the rehydration and it also replenishes the saline and electrolytes lost during dehydration."

Aleric stared at him. "I have no idea what you just said. It's a good thing you're the doctor here."

Dr. Worthen gave the shadow of a smile. "I suppose if this patient is on the road to recovery, we'll take him back to the E.R. to continue his progress."

"I would wait."

"Why?" Nurse Eastwick asked.

Aleric studied the form on the bed. "Vampires are known to be quite ornery when they wake up after a major injury. This one must have been in the sunlight to have been burned so badly. They're generally night folk, the Dark fae. No matter how much sunscreen they use, vampires practically melt in direct sunlight. And after something like that, they wake up famished." He hesitated, then offered, "If you want to leave him here, we can put his bed against the wall furthest from the windows and sunlight and I'll keep an eye on him." He paused for dramatic effect and concluded, "It wouldn't do to have him run out of blood and attempt to get it from other patients."

Both the doctor and nurse looked horrified.

"What is happening to my hospital?" the doctor asked.

"Blame it on the storm," Aleric suggested. "In Blays, it once rained minkies for four days."

"What are minkies?" Dr. Worthen asked.

"Small cats with wings that—"

Dr. Worthen held up a hand. "You know what? Forget I asked. We'll leave the patient here for the safety of the others under the condition that you come get us when he awakens."

Aleric put his fingers to his forehead in a mock salute. "Yes, Dr. Worthen; your orders will be carried out with strict efficiency."

The doctor shook his head again and pushed back through the doors with the nurse trailing behind. Aleric heard him ask Nurse Eastwick, "Are you sure I'm not sleeping? This could be a nightmare. Although I have my clothes on. Most of my nightmares start with me realizing I'm not wearing any clothes."

"You're definitely wearing clothes," the nurse replied.

Aleric didn't waste any time. He hurried around the room gathering rope, a cord, and several zip ties before he returned to the vampire's bed. He quickly bound the vampire's arms and legs to the bars of the bed.

Stepping back for a brief survey of his work, Aleric found himself shaking his head like Dr. Worthen appeared to be fond of doing. "What am I doing here? I'm not a doctor. This is ridiculous."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the door opened again.

Two orderlies rushed in with a bed between them and Nurse Eastwick close behind. The orderlies paused as soon as they made it through the doors and stared at the unfinished state of the D Wing.

"Are you sure we're in the right place?" the red-haired one on the left asked.

"We don't have time to be picky," Nurse Eastwick replied. She spotted Aleric near the far wall. "Dr. Wolf, we are in need of your expertise. Again."

Aleric's eyebrows rose. The title took him completely by surprise.

Nurse Eastwick gave him a pleading look when the orderlies weren't paying attention.

Aleric cleared his throat. "Oh, yes. What seems to be the problem?" he asked.

He had made it halfway across the room when the fish scent struck him. He paused.

"Flippers?" he asked.

Nurse Eastwick nodded with a surprised expression. "How did you know?"

Aleric glanced at the orderlies. "I can take it from here. Thank you, gentlemen."

Both young men looked more than relieved to be excused from the bedside of their strange patient and the presence of a doctor in a hospital gown.

As soon as they were gone, Aleric closed the space between him and the bed. It took all of his self-control to not pinch his sensitive nose.

"Selkies can shed their skin to look human, but they never quite lose the odor." He looked at the beautiful face of the woman sleeping on the bed. "How did you know she was fae?"

Nurse Eastwick held out another file.

"You do remember that I'm not really a doctor," Aleric reminded her when he accepted it. "I have no idea what this says."

The nurse pulled off the white sheet that covered the patient.

"She has flippers."

Aleric stared at the woman's flippered hands and feet. "Selkies aren't often caught in-between their forms. I've never seen one." He fought back the urge to blush and look away. "It's quite a personal thing for them."

"She was found unconscious in an alleyway." The nurse paused and then said, "Fairly close to where you were found, actually. The EMTs who brought her in said she didn't have clothes or identification. It seems to be a familiar story with your fae folk."

Aleric nodded. "Why identify ourselves when what we are is the identifier? I know the humans of Blays feel differently within their own communities, but the fae are who we are. We can't really hide from it."

"So that's it, then," Nurse Eastwick said as she tucked the sheet back over the woman's hospital gown. "You're not from here?"

Aleric looked around the room. "I don't even know where here is."

The nurse's pager buzzed. She glanced at it. "More patients are coming in. I have to run." She reached the door and looked back at him. "Let me know what you need with the, uh, selkie, Dr. Wolf. I have a feeling I'll be back."

He pushed the selkie's bed to one of the unfinished rooms off the main area. Though she was asleep, there didn't seem to be anything else wrong with her. The woman's heartbeat and breathing were steady and her color was good, at least as far as he could tell. He didn't have much experience with selkies. They mostly kept to themselves.

The doors opened again before Aleric had a chance to sit down.

"Dr. Wolf, Nurse Eastwick asked you to come quick!" the red-headed orderly gasped breathlessly.

Aleric and the orderly sprinted back to the Emergency Room. Shouts and yells met them when they opened the door.

"Demon," Aleric said.

The creature towered above the orderlies and nurses in the room. Its skin pulsed with shades of red like lava flowing across its body. It opened its mouth and let out a roar that made the humans around it cower in fear. The huge creature had Dr. Worthen by the throat. Nurse Eastwick tried to inject a needle into the demon's arm. The creature backhanded her so hard she slammed into the wall and fell to the ground.

There wasn't time to second-guess his actions. Aleric phased to wolf form and leaped at the demon. He grabbed it by the same arm it used to hold the doctor. The demon let out a roar and dropped Dr. Worthen. Before Aleric could let go, the creature grabbed him in its huge claws and threw him across the room. Aleric landed on his paws and darted back across the tile floor. He dodged beneath the demon's attempt to catch him and launched himself at its throat.

Aleric bit down. The demon staggered backwards. The creature clawed at his back, but Aleric didn't let go. He used extreme care to keep his fangs from piercing the demon's skin, but he bit hard enough to shut off the Dark fae's windpipe. It scrabbled, trying to pull him free, but Aleric's jaw was locked. He closed his eyes against the battering his ribs were taking, but he refused to let go.

The creature's footsteps faltered. It took several steps backwards, fell to its knees, then collapsed onto its back. Aleric held on until he felt the demon change form. Its massive neck shrunk, its skin faded from pulsing red to pale, and the rest of its body contracted down to the form of a normal human. Aleric let go of the neck and took several wary steps backwards. The creature's now-human head lolled back and the glowing irises of its partially closed eyes were blank.

Aleric listened carefully as he watched the rise and fall of the demon's chest. Its heart beat regularly, though with a deeper intonation than that of the humans cowering around the room.

When Aleric met their gazes, the orderlies and nurses of the Emergency Room shrunk away from him. His heart slowed. They were terrified of the demon, that much was sure, but what he saw in their eyes was fear of him, the werewolf who had just saved their lives.

Certain that the demon wasn't going to rise anytime soon, Aleric paced back to the double doors. He grabbed the hospital gown he had torn when he phased and pulled it through the doors in his fangs. In the empty hallway behind the doors, it took several minutes for Aleric will the adrenaline to leave his body. Demons were dangerous. He had never, ever attacked one. Growing up in Blays, there was one rule. Don't attack a demon. Those who do, die.

He had survived. The pain of his ribs ensured that he knew very well that he was alive. His head pounded. He had forgotten about his injury. Being thrown around by the demon probably wasn't the best thing for him. If he was a real doctor, he would tell himself to go lay down and stop fighting demons.

Aleric's body began to shake as the adrenaline left. He allowed himself to lean against the wall in wolf form. He had nearly died. Since awakening in the hospital in the first place meant a probable prior near-death experience even though he couldn't remember what it was, fighting the demon proved to be the second time that day he had confronted death and survived. No wonder his body was telling him it was time to take a break.

Wolves didn't have nervous breakdowns. He toyed with the thought that perhaps he should just stay a wolf. The world was easier that way; plenty of other werewolves ran off to live in wolf packs and pretend to fit in with the wild animals. The thought was tempting, especially considering the world he was confronted with wasn't even his own. However, he didn't know if there were even wolves in whatever world Edge City occupied.

Also, there was that small thought of demons and vampires threatening the safety of the nurses and doctor who had been, if not completely accepting, at least civil. He wasn't in a cage; that was a plus, all things considered. Although he would probably be safer in a cage, if all things were really considered.

He sighed. No matter what happened, he couldn't leave creatures like the fairy to die out of ignorance, and Dark fae like the demon to attack innocent humans and wreak havoc on their lives. If he could still do something to help the exhausted hospital staff, he would.

Aleric willed himself to remember what it felt like to be human. He thought of the way it felt to smile back when Sherian had been his life. His heart gave a human pang of regret. He pushed past it and thought of sunlight on his face and the feel of grass beneath his fingers.

His body phased much more slowly than before. Werewolves generally phased at night. Moonlight made it easier to maintain the form, and the full moon demanded the phase. Phasing back and forth four times in the space of a few hours during the middle of the day was something Aleric had never done.

He bent gingerly and picked up the hospital gown. He missed pants. Unfortunately, the white gown with the little blue dots was all he had. He shrugged into it with the reminder that at least he wasn't naked. He was in the middle of fastening the ties along the back when the doors opened.

The worried expression on Nurse Eastwick's face relaxed when she saw Aleric.

"Thank goodness!" she exclaimed. "I thought you might be dying in some corner somewhere. I know that creature tore you up."

"Demon," Aleric corrected. "And one benefit of being in wolf form is the thick hide."

"Demon, huh?" she repeated. "Let's hope we don't have any more of those to deal with. We have it heavily sedated under Dr. Worthen's orders. It's going to take the orderlies forever to clean up the E.R. and we have two new patients."

"Fae?" Aleric asked.

She shook her head. "They appear normal, or as normal as two guys brawling in a bar can be. Luckily, we can take them in the back rooms to treat black eyes, bruises, and a few stitches." She winked at him. "We'd go with glue, but Dr. Worthen likes them to remember that fighting isn't worth the scars."

That brought a smile to Aleric's face. "I think I like Dr. Worthen. How's he doing?"

"He's shaken," the nurse said. Aleric heard her unsteady breath when she said, "Actually, we all are. I've never seen anything like that in my life."

"Me, either," Aleric replied.

She stared at him. "You've never fought a demon before?"

He shook his head.

Her eyes widened. "So you jumped on that huge beast and held onto its throat without knowing that cutting off its windpipe would work? Or that you wouldn't be squashed like a bug?"

Aleric shrugged. "I figured it was worth a shot."

She put her hands on her hips and studied him.

"Aleric, where on earth did you come from?"

"I'll let you know when I figure it out," he replied.

She looked at him closely. "You're exhausted. You'd better sit down before you pass out." Her mouth twisted in a wry smile. "You know, changing into a wolf and fighting demons is against doctor's orders after hitting your head."

"Oh," Aleric replied. "I'll have to keep that in mind."

"I'll get you an icepack," she told him. "Go rest in the D Wing. I'll be there in a sec."

There was something about the familiar way she talked to him that made Aleric like the blonde nurse with the no-nonsense attitude. He could generally trust his instincts when it came to an assessment of the people around him. Nurse Eastwick, or Loreen, as Dr. Worthen had called her, felt like the pack aunt whose job it was to keep an eye on the youngsters and tag after the yearlings to make sure they didn't get into trouble.

Intent on following her orders to get some rest, Aleric pushed the door open to the D Wing. All thoughts of taking it easy fled at the sight of the vampire standing at the far end of the room, the bars of the bed torn free and in his hands, and a bloodthirsty expression in his red eyes as he glared at the fairy who cowered in the sunlight.
Chapter 3

"What's going on here?" Aleric asked, keeping his voice calm.

"I'm hungry," the vampire said in gruff, low tones.

"I'll get you some blood," Aleric replied. "Take it easy."

The vampire pointed with the bar. "There's fresh blood right there, taunting me. All she needs to do is come out of the sunlight." He turned his attention to the fairy. "Come on, sweetheart. Come over here. I promise I won't hurt you."

"It's only those who mean to hurt you who promise they're not going to," Aleric pointed out.

"Shut up," the vampire growled.

Aleric crossed the room in a slow, steady pace. As far as he knew, the vampire hadn't noticed the selkie sleeping in one of the unfinished rooms in the middle. If he realized there was an easy meal at hand not hiding in the burning sunlight, Aleric wasn't sure he would have the strength to fight off the bloodthirsty creature. Vampires had a reputation for hunger-induced super strength when they got desperate.

Aleric reached the partially enclosed room. As soon as he put a hand on the selkie's bed, he felt the vampire's attention shift. He yanked the bed backwards. The vampire darted with a speed that would have done a charging minotaur proud. His hand latched onto the side of the bed just as Aleric pulled it into the sunlight.

The vampire had a grip of steel. When the bed was halfway into the light, it heaved backwards, nearly pulling Aleric off his feet. He scrambled for footing amid the pieces of wood and work dust that coated the floor. His bare feet slipped as the vampire steadily dragged the bed toward the shadows.

Aleric searched behind him for anything he could use. A small hand grabbed onto his. He looked down to see the fairy pulling with him. He gritted his teeth and, with their combined strength, managed to pull the bed far enough out that the sunlight fell on the vampire's arm. Steam rose from his skin. The vampire gave a hiss of pain and let go. Aleric and the fairy quickly pushed the bed to one of the windows.

"Using sunlight isn't fighting fair," the vampire said; he glared at them, his red eyes bright with hunger.

"Sucking the blood of injured Light fae isn't fair," Aleric shot back. "Remember the Armistice of Fae Equality? You can't suck her blood."

"I'm starving to death," the vampire said. "Desperate times and all that."

Aleric heard the faint commotion of the doctors and nurses in the Emergency Room. The vampire looked from him to the door. It lay in the shadows, only reachable if he crossed the space without sunlight to reach it. A smile pulled at the corners of the vampire's mouth.

"You're just delaying the inevitable, werewolf," he said. "If you need to leave the room, you'll be my next meal. Once the sun goes down, I'll have all three of you for dinner."

Aleric looked at the fairy. "That sounds a lot less inviting than a dinner invitation should."

"He scares me," she replied in a whisper.

Aleric's heart went out to her. In Blays, the Dark fae and Light fae kept fairly separate. Most of their dealings, if they needed to deal with each other, were done through Ashstock like werewolves who were neither Light nor Dark, but somewhere in-between. The fear he saw on the fairy's face was genuine.

"I'll keep you safe," he promised.

"Trust a werewolf to give you false promises," the vampire said. His lips pulled back to show his fangs. "Uncivilized creatures. Their blood smells like dog. I can tell a werewolf's stench for miles." He speared Aleric with a look. "Where were you during the Fallow Conflict?"

His words made the hair on the back of Aleric's neck stand up. It was all he could do not to attack the creature right then. Only the thought of leaving the fairy and selkie unprotected kept him in the sunlight.

"I could ask you the same thing," he replied.

Footsteps sounded in the hallway. If he shouted, it would alert the vampire. He only had one choice.

Aleric darted forward. He scooped up a wood splinter as long as his arm and spun to face the vampire just before the door behind him opened. The vampire, almost to him, paused at the sight of the wooden stake.

Aleric heard the gasp from Nurse Eastwick.

"Put it down, Wolfie," the vampire said in soothing tones.

Aleric glared at him. "Your mind tricks don't work on me."

"Because werewolves are insolent Ashstock curs," the vampire shot back. His eyes flickered to the nurse. "But they'll work on her. Come on, darling. Let me introduce myself as a true gentleman should."

Aleric heard Nurse Eastwick take a step toward the vampire.

"Speak to her again and I'll shove this stake through your heart," he growled with enough vehemence that even the vampire paused.

The Dark fae must have seen by Aleric's expression just how serious he was, because he crossed his arms in front of his chest and took several casual steps backwards.

"You do take the fun out of things," the vampire said.

Aleric shrugged without lowering the stake. "Werewolves don't make the best dinner guests. Return to your bed."

He caught the nurse's wrist in one hand and followed the vampire, pulling her carefully forward. As soon as they were close enough to the sunlight, Aleric held her hand out to the fairy who stood ready for her. From the corner of his eye, Aleric saw the human shake her head to clear it of the fog from the vampire's mind control.

Aleric kept his attention on the vampire. He followed the Dark fae back to his bed. When the vampire paused, he motioned for it to climb up.

"What are you going to do?" the vampire asked with annoyance thick in his voice as he obeyed. "Sing me a lullaby?"

"I'm not into torturing my captives," Aleric replied.

He scooped up an electrical cord from the floor and tossed it over the vampire. Holding the stake in his teeth, Aleric proceeded to wrap the cord a dozen times around the bed, effectively binding the creature.

"I'm going to get out of this," the vampire promised.

"I think you'll try," Aleric replied. "But I have a deterrent for you."

He pushed the bed toward the line of windows.

"Whoa!" the vampire said with panic in his voice. "I was just kidding! I wasn't going to eat her, just suck some blood, honest. I have a severe light allergy; it's a genetic thing. Burns all over, remember? That's how I woke up!"

Aleric paused a foot from the first reaches of the sunlight that filtered through the glass.

"You woke up in the sunlight?" he repeated. "I've never heard of a vampire so careless as to fall asleep where the sun could find him when he awoke."

The vampire grasped at the chance to stall. "I didn't fall asleep where the sun could find me," he said. "I fell asleep in a garden. I'm pretty sure I was drugged with bad blood. I should have awoken with my comrades, but I awoke here, burned half to death and starving." He ran a tongue over his teeth. "I'm still starving."

"I told you I would get you some blood, but just to ensure that you don't try anything while I'm gone...." Aleric tossed the end of the electric cord to the fairy. "If you so much as lift a finger trying to get free, our little fairy will pull you into the light so fast you'll think you're vacationing on the sun itself."

The vampire's pale skin paled even further.

The fairy had a very pleased expression her face. She tugged on the cord experimentally. Aleric put a hand on the bed to keep it from rolling forward.

"She's a psychopath!" the vampire protested. "Don't leave me to her mercy. Fairies are mischievous little imps at the best of times." He twisted his head to look at her. "I wasn't really planning to suck your blood. Honest!"

"Don't speak to her," Aleric said. "We don't need your tricks here."

He grabbed a half-used roll of silver tape from the floor and tore off a generous piece.

"Wait! No, I was just—"

Aleric pressed the tape over the vampire's mouth.

"This is so you don't get yourself burned to a crisp," he said. "Just lay there like a nice vampire and I'll see that you get out of here as soon as possible. Until then, you can appreciate the construction design of the ceiling."

A glance up showed several unpainted beams.

"Think of it as impressionistic art," Aleric suggested.

The vampire glared at him with hatred in his eyes.

Aleric dared to turn his back on the vampire. His instincts vibrated against the action.

"If looks could kill, I'd drop dead right here," he told the others. "Good thing vampires have to speak to use their mind control."

"Mind control?" Nurse Eastwick asked. "Is that what he did?"

Aleric nodded. "He couldn't get past me to suck your blood, so he was going to have you go to him. Like delivery instead of carry out."

She shook her head. "Disgusting."

"Take it as a compliment. Vampires don't go for human blood very often. They prefer the artificial brew made by the individual clans after the Armistice of Fae Equality." He shot the vampire a look of steel. "Though they argue that accidents happen. Lives were lost during the Fallow Conflict because of once such accident."

It took all of Aleric's very stretched-to-the-limit self-control to put the stake in the fairy's other hand instead of plunging it into the vampire's heart. Memories he didn't want to think about threatened to swarm his tired mind. Aleric shoved them down with practiced indifference and took a calming breath. He glanced at the nurse.

"Did you need me?"

The nurse looked from the vampire to Aleric. "You saved my life again."

Aleric gave her a weary half-smile. "Seems to be a day for that. How's our demon friend doing?"

She appeared to gather herself together and nodded. "That's what I came here for. He's sleeping, for now, and on heavy sedatives. Dr. Worthen asked if you have room back here for him, or what you suggest we should do. He's afraid the demon will wake up again and patients' lives will be at risk."

Aleric thought for a moment. "We need to separate this wing into Light and Dark fae."

"Light and Dark?" she repeated.

Aleric nodded. "In Blays, Light and Dark fae don't intermingle often, mostly because Dark fae prefer the night and Light fae are afraid to be out after the sun goes down. Because of this, they don't get along." He indicated the vampire. "As you can see. If we want to keep the peace, we're going to have to keep them strictly divided."

"The, uh," she waved in his direction, "Vampire said that you were Ashstock. What does that mean?" she asked.

Aleric's lips pulled back in distaste for the term. "It a word used to specify werewolves and some other fae who aren't Light or Dark. We're in-between. Because of that, some of us choose to work as a intermediary for both sides. Others avoid them entirely." Aleric left out the fact that he preferred to be one of the latter.

"So how do we keep them divided?" the nurse asked.

"I think I have an idea." Aleric glanced at the fairy. "What's your name?"

"My flower name is Alyssum saxatile, but you can call me Tranquility."

"Flower name?" the nurse asked.

The fairy nodded. "Fairies are born beneath the flower of their mother's choosing. When—"

Aleric raised a hand, cutting her off. "Don't get fairies started on their origins. We'll be here all night." He nodded at her. "Tranquility, you're in charge of the D Wing until we get back. Can you handle it?"

The petite girl stood on her bed and nodded; the cord for the vampire was clutched tight in one little hand. "Yes, Dr. Wolf. I've got this."

"I'm not a doctor," Aleric pointed out.

She gave him a big smile. "You saved my life, and I heard her call you Dr. Wolf. Given what you've been doing here, it fits. I don't know many werewolves who would have saved the life of a fairy."

"Me, neither," Aleric admitted quietly.

Tranquility looked him up and down. "You definitely need to dress more like a doctor if you're going to keep this up. Nobody's going to take you seriously in that dress."

"I'm not sure I want to keep this up," Aleric shot back. "And it's a hospital gown, not a dress."

A chuckle turned his head.

Nurse Eastwick had her mouth covered and her brown eyes twinkled. "The ties on the back definitely aren't hiding one of your assets." She pursed her lips together in approval. "Are all werewolves so dashingly handsome?"

Aleric felt his cheeks burn.

Nurse Eastwick laughed. "I've made him blush," she said to the fairy. "There's nothing like a young hot doctor blushing. That just made my day." She chuckled again as she met Aleric's gaze. "I'll go find you something more suitable to wear. Meet me in the hallway, will you? And I would suggest tying those strings a little bit tighter."

She and the fairy exchanged another round of giggles before she left the room.

"Seriously?" Aleric said when the door shut. "I should have just let the vampire get you."

"You wouldn't," Tranquility shot back. She sat in the middle of her bed with a satisfied look on her face. "He's a meanie."

The vampire grumbled.

Aleric nodded. "He is that. But I did promise him some blood. Are you going to be alright in here?"

Tranquility looked around. "Yep. Not much going on at the moment. I'll think about better ways we can design this space so we can separate the fae."

Aleric gave her a wry smile. "You do that."

His gaze fell on the selkie. She hadn't moved even with all the commotion.

"What's going to happen to her?" Tranquility asked, following his gaze.

"I'm not sure," Aleric replied. "I don't know what's wrong with her."

"I've never seen a selkie in mid-phase."

"That's what concerns me," Aleric told the fairy.

Tranquility studied him for a moment. "You really are nice, for a werewolf."

Aleric's mouth turned up in a half-smile at the compliment. "And you're not so bad for a tree-hugging, flower-loving fairy."

Tranquility grinned. "Go get the blood, Dr. Wolf. I'll hold down the fort."

"Will do," he replied.

The door shut behind him and Aleric paused. He had just held a full, mostly civil conversation with a fairy. Whatever had happened to turn his whole life upside-down had done so quite thoroughly. Fairies and many of the other Light folk didn't give werewolves the time of day in Blays. He was just as used to ignoring them. It was strange to have such a simple interaction with one, even if he had just saved her life twice in the same day.

"Aleric?"

He glanced over his shoulder.

"The ties...," Nurse Eastwick suggested.

Aleric spun around and gripped the open hem of the gown shut behind him.

"Whoever invented these should be forced to wear them while fighting vampires and demons," Aleric told her. "See how he fairs then."

The nurse chuckled and held out the bundle in her arm when she reached him.

"I found some clothes in the discard bin. They were left behind by random patients in the E.R.; hopefully you won't get fleas." She paused, then laughed at her own joke. "I'll bet you've had to deal with them more than once. Do you wear a flea collar?"

"Very funny," Aleric replied with a roll of his eyes. He accepted the clothes. "I prefer a flea necktie. It's more distinguished."

She folded her arms and waited.

"Um, some privacy, if you please," Aleric said.

"I've already seen everything."

"Not everything," Aleric replied. He backed up, careful to keep the wall behind him. "There are some things I prefer to keep private. Are there no restrooms in this blasted hospital?"

"Down that hallway," she said, pointing.

Aleric walked sideways with his back to the wall and one hand carefully keeping the hem closed.

"You take away all the fun," Nurse Eastwick called after him.

"You need to re-examine your idea of fun," Aleric shouted over his shoulder.

He reached the bathroom and, after ensuring that it was empty, shoved the trashcan beneath the door handle and sank onto his knees on the floor.

"What have I gotten myself into?" he asked aloud. Talking to himself was a habit of his Sherian used to say was endearing. He shook his head. "Sher, if you saw me now, you'd think I jumped off the deep end. I fought a demon and saved a fairy. The world is truly going to end." He paused, then said, "If it hasn't already."

Aleric looked down at the clothes in his hands and sighed. "Enough with my pity party. There's work to do."

He rose and changed into the clothes the nurse had brought. Grateful that they didn't smell too badly, he pulled the gray tee-shirt over his head and drew on the dark pants. She had been kind enough to find a pair of ratty shoes. He was tempted to throw them away with the thought that whoever left shoes at a hospital must have either died or been too messed-up to realize it, but he pulled them on with the knowledge that walking barefoot in a hospital could lead to some serious injuries.

He would definitely need to find clothes of his own soon. He didn't relish spending time in another person's belongings, and he missed wearing underwear. It was something he had taken for granted that he wouldn't any longer. From now on, he would think of underwear as a luxury item.

At least given the smell, the person who had worn the shirt had probably come in after some accident fixing a vehicle with an oil problem, and the pants smelled faintly of fresh-cut grass. It could be worse, definitely worse. At least neither had worked for a heidrun farm. Those oily goats caused a stench no amount of washing would chase away.

Aleric tossed the hospital gown in the garbage can before he pulled the can away from the door. He wouldn't resign anyone else to the undignified state of wearing it.

"Much better," Nurse Eastwick said when he walked through the door.

"Don't you have better things to do than wait for me to change my clothes?" Aleric asked.

The nurse lifted one shoulder. "Dr. Worthen asked me to bring you to the E.R. as soon as you were presentable. He has a patient to discuss with you."

"He realizes I'm not a doctor, right?" Aleric replied.

"Given the state of things, you're the closest to an expert that we have at the moment. He was pretty impressed with the way you handled the demon, and he thought you might be able to help him with a case that showed up yesterday."

"Yesterday?" Aleric repeated. "Didn't the fae start coming in today?"

She nodded. "Mostly. You and the others we've taken to the D Wing came in today. The boy, though, he came before it started."

She pushed the door open to the Emergency Room. The room had been mostly put back together after the demon attack. The orderlies and nurses who rushed past slowed when they saw Aleric. Several moved to the other side of the room to avoid him.

"Do they know I'm not the bad guy here?" he asked so that only Nurse Eastwick could hear.

"You've got to give them some credit," she replied. "After all they've seen today, it's a wonder they're still here."

"Are other hospitals getting bombarded by fae folk like this one?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Actually, no. Edge City Hospital is the biggest in the area, so most unusual cases come here. When I called Memorial and asked if they had noticed anything different about their patients, they wanted me to clarify. I took that as a 'no'. Until we figure out what's going on, Dr. Worthen has the place on lockdown. He doesn't want a swarm of reporters and police in here while he's dealing with patients. He says when it slows down and we know what we're dealing with, they'll know."

"Can he do that?" Aleric asked.

"He's in charge and he's old school," Nurse Eastwick replied. "He'll do whatever he wants." She glanced at him. "Like asking werewolves for medical advice."

The nurse led the way down one of the branching hallways and pushed open the door at the end. Aleric looked inside.

As soon as the young boy on the bed met his eyes, the boy started to scream.

Pain like nothing Aleric had ever felt before exploded in his head. He dropped to his knees on the floor and couldn't move as the sound reverberated through every cell in his body. He bent over with his forehead touching the cold tile and felt his body shut down completely. He fell to his side and the world went dark.
Chapter 4

Aleric opened his eyes. He was on a bed in a curtained room.

"He's awake," he heard Nurse Eastwick say.

Aleric put a hand to his head. The pain slowly lessened, but he couldn't escape the fog of his mind. The scream echoed around and around, blocking out his thoughts.

"What just happened?" Dr. Worthen demanded.

Aleric glanced up at him, squinting against the neon light above his head. An acrid taste lingered on his tongue.

"That was a banshee."

"Sounded like a normal kid crying to me," Nurse Eastwick said from the doctor's side. She watched him with concern in her eyes.

Aleric let out a breath. "I've never felt anything like that. I felt like I was going to explode from the inside out."

"Maybe you have a concussion," the nurse suggested.

Aleric shook his head, then pressed both hands to his skull in an attempt to lessen the throbbing. "It's not that kind of pain," he said, his voice tight. "It's more like agony that went through my entire body. I've heard of banshees before, but I've never seen one in person."

Dr. Worthen crossed his arms in front of his chest and studied the curtain behind Aleric's bed. "He did seem upset when you entered the room."

Aleric nodded. "Banshees are Dark fae. They don't like werewolves much, or most other fae for that matter."

"But he's just a child," Nurse Eastwick pointed out. "Maybe we can reason with him."

"You can reason with him," Aleric replied. "I can't go back in there. It'll kill me."

Dr. Worthen studied him closely. "You might be right. You've had quite the day. I don't suppose you've had a chance to rest, have you?"

"Have you?" Aleric asked. He sat up gingerly and was grateful that they hadn't tried to put him in one of those horrible hospital gowns again. At least the borrowed shirt and pants stayed closed in the back.

Dr. Worthen gave him a small smile. "If you call trying not to pass out when that demon thing had me by the throat a rest, then yes."

Aleric stood slowly and felt his legs waver. When Dr. Worthen held out a hand, he took it and allowed the doctor to help him the rest of the way up.

"Easy, there," the older doctor said. "We don't normally have patients treating patients."

"I'm not normally a patient," Aleric told him. "I take care of myself."

Dr. Worthen nodded. "I get that from you. I like it. Reminds me of me."

"I make you coffee, Gregory picks up your dry cleaning, and Nurse Tarli, who brings you dinner every night from Minnow's, nags you on your orders until you take the time to sit and eat," Nurse Eastwick said. "What part of that is taking care of yourself?"

"The part where I'm busy savings lives; it pays my bills so that I can eat," Dr. Worthen replied in a level voice as he pushed aside the curtain. "Therefore, I'm taking care of myself by taking care of others." He met Aleric's gaze. "It's a very selfless thing to do."

Aleric nodded. "So I'm finding out. It's going to kill me if I keep doing it."

"Probably," the doctor replied. "Your patients are a bit more volatile than mine. Given your current reaction to the boy, I think I'll handle that one. Do you want a place to rest for a while?"

Aleric shook his head. "No. I need to get the demon set up and take blood to appease our hemoglobin-challenged friend before he eats everyone else in the D Wing. The fairy is attempting to take over the place, and the selkie feels like she can just sleep her life away. There's no time for rest."

"Now you sound like Dr. Worthen," Nurse Eastwick pointed out.

The orderly with the red hair met them at the next section. "Uh, Dr. Worthen, Dr. Wolf, we have another patient."

Aleric exchanged a glance with Dr. Worthen. The orderly looked close to panic.

"Who is it?" the doctor asked.

"What if the patient is less of who and more of what?" the orderly replied.

Aleric tipped his head to one side. "Do you take animals here?"

"I let you stay, didn't I?" Dr. Worthen replied.

Aleric rolled his eyes. "You let me stay so that I'd take all the patients you don't know how to handle."

"True," Dr. Worthen said. "Sounds like there's another for you. I'm hoping it's the last because I don't know how much more my staff can handle."

They followed the orderly to another set of curtains. Moans of pain came from behind it.

"Don't tell me you're giving a fairy liquid again," Aleric said.

The orderly shook his head and wordlessly pulled aside the curtain.

Aleric heard surprised gasps from the others at the sight on the bed. His heart went out to the fae.

"What is it?" Nurse Eastwick asked.

"It?" the young man repeated, taking a moment to stop moaning and stare at her. "I'm an 'It'?"

The pain in the young man's face showed that he was on the edge of losing control. Finding out the chaotic whirlwind the fae had found himself in might be enough to push him over the edge.

Aleric took charge of the situation.

"He's a faun, half goat, half man." He crossed to the bed. "Hello, sir. I'm Dr. Wolf. What is your name?"

"Braum." He eyed Aleric with uncertainty. "You look young to be a doctor."

"I got bonus points with experience rather than schooling," Aleric replied. Braum was clutching one of his hooved legs in both hands. Aleric motioned to the leg. "May I?"

At Braum's nod, he carefully slid up the pants on that side. He gritted his teeth at the sight of bones poking through the skin halfway down.

"What happened?" he asked, keeping his voice level. Fauns were known for their high pain thresholds, but this was a serious injury.

Blood dripped from the wound that should have at least been wrapped before the faun was brought in. The EMTs might have been taken for a loop with the amount of fae creatures they were dealing with, but he would have a word with them about taking standard emergency precautions when bringing a patient in so he or she didn't bleed to death.

A wry voice in the back of Aleric's mind mentioned that he was starting to think like a doctor. He shook his head and turned his attention back to the patient.

"I was running from the Brighton wolf pack."

"The werewolves?" Aleric said in surprise. "Why were they chasing you?"

"Well, I...." Braum paused and met his gaze. "Does it really matter? I was running, then all the sudden I was falling. Before I hit the ground, it felt like a force threw me down through it. I slammed into something hard. When I awoke, there were buildings I didn't recognize in a city I had never been in. Some woman saw me when she was going into her apartment and screamed. I heard her call the police from inside." He waved a bloody hand. "That takes us to the present." He touched the small horns curling from his head. "I guess she doesn't like the caprid type."

"Some people are particular," Aleric replied.

Braum nodded and sat back. "What can you do? I know it's a bad break because it's bleeding all over." His gaze held Aleric's. "Can you fix it?"

This was far out of Aleric's comfort zone. He looked at Dr. Worthen.

The older man cleared his throat and stepped forward.

"Young man, we need to take you into surgery immediately. The nurse will help you change into a hospital gown and get you prepped with a drip to lessen the pain. I'll be the one performing your surgery."

To Aleric's surprise, Braum pointed at him. "What about Dr. Wolf? Can't he do it?"

Aleric stared from the patient to the actual doctor. "Um, no, I, uh, I'm still in training."

That seemed to appease the faun. He nodded. "That makes sense. Will you at least be there?"

Aleric found the request odd. He wondered if the faun felt some connection to him because they were both fae. Did he know he was in an apparently all-human world? If so, the thought of going into an operating room under the knife of a human doctor was probably an intimidating one.

Aleric looked at Dr. Worthen. The doctor gave a shallow nod of approval.

"I'll be there," Aleric promised.

That seemed to calm the faun. He settled back onto the bed with his jaw locked, breathing through his teeth against the pain.

Dr. Worthen gave Nurse Eastwick several instructions, then motioned for Aleric to follow him from the room.

"This is highly unusual," the doctor told him.

"I'm sorry," Aleric apologized. "I don't suppose you usually let werewolves into an operating room. Is that some kind of a sanitation violation?"

Dr. Worthen stared at him for a moment as if trying to comprehend what he had said. The doctor finally shook his head. "No, not that. I mean the faun. He had the legs of a goat. I am doctor, not a veterinarian. I've never operated on a goat before."

Aleric nodded. "If veterinarians operate on animals, can we get one here?"

Dr. Worthen thought about it for a moment. "You know, there is one vet on the south side who may be available. Let me make a phone call."

Aleric watched the doctor rush swiftly toward his office. Given all the man had seen, the thought of operating on a goat leg appeared to make him the most nervous. Considering the circumstances of the day, Aleric had a lot of respect for the man. Knowing that he had never even been around fae creatures before, he deserved a lot of credit for not just turning them away at the door.

The red-headed orderly walked past.

"Hey, what's your name?" Aleric asked.

"Gregory," he replied.

"Gregory, can you get me a bag of blood?"

If the orderly thought the request was a strange one, he didn't show it.

"Certainly," he replied. "Which type?"

The question caught Aleric by surprise. He didn't know blood came in different types. To keep from sounding completely ignorant and undermining his façade as a doctor, he went with, "Which type do you have the most of?"

"O positive," the orderly replied.

Aleric nodded. "That'll do."

When Gregory returned with the bag of blood, Aleric accepted it with a nod.

"Well done," he said, hoping he sound doctorly.

"Which patient is it for?" Gregory asked.

Aleric hesitated. "Uh, why do you need to know?"

"I need to note it in their chart," he replied.

Aleric pushed down a moment of panic. "I'll note it. Don't worry," he replied as nonchalantly as possible.

"Alright," Gregory said. He hurried away.

Aleric let out a sigh and pushed through the doors that led away from the Emergency Room. He walked back to the D Wing. He supposed he should take a moment to make sure his patients were under control. The thought made him shake his head. They weren't his patients. He wasn't a doctor. He was wearing someone else's borrowed clothes and still had a raging headache.

His stomach growled. He wondered how long it had been since he had eaten. Nurse Eastwick had mentioned something about a diner named Minnow's. As long as it had anything edible at all, he would be satisfied. He just had to figure out how to pay for it. Maybe someone left a wallet among the other discarded clothing.

With his stomach protesting, Aleric pushed open the doors to the D Wing. He paused at the threshold and stared.

"No!" the vampire shrieked.

"Say it, Dartan!" the fairy commanded.

"Never!" the vampire said. He shook his head back and forth.

The fairy pulled the electric cord Aleric had wrapped around the vampire. The vampire's bed inched closer to the light. His head was millimeters from the burning rays.

Against the window, the selkie still slept oblivious to the commotion.

"What is going on here?" Aleric demanded.

He crossed the room and snatched the cord from the fairy.

"I was just practicing a little payback," she said. She stuck her tongue out at the vampire. "He was going to eat me for a snack, remember?"

"She's evil," Dartan said, his red eyes wide and pleading. "She's twisted in the head! Doc, you can't leave me in her hands! My life is on the line here."

Aleric looked at the fairy. "What were you trying to make him say?"

"That I'm cute," she replied. She put her hands on her hips. "I told him if he said it I would forgive him for wanting to suck my blood."

Aleric rolled his eyes and looked back at the vampire. "You couldn't have just said she was cute?"

Dartan shook his head. He looked ridiculous with the silver tape flapping on the side of his mouth. "My mother taught me to never lie. I always listen to my mother."

"Your mother's dead!" Tranquility told him.

"She's a vampire," the vampire replied. "Of course she's dead."

"My mother's cute," the fairy said. "Even you would think so."

"She'd make a cute snack," the vampire said.

The fairy raised the wooden stake she held. "I'll plunge this into your heart," she threatened. "It'll kill you."

"Plunging a wooden stake into anyone's heart would kill them," Dartan pointed out.

Aleric wanted to shout at them both and laugh at the same time. They were in the middle of a complete world displacement and the same Light and Dark fae wars continued. Perhaps that sense of normalcy was what kept both of the fae creatures from focusing on the fact that they were no longer in their world.

"Can we hold a truce for a moment?" Aleric asked. "We have a few things to discuss."

"Is that blood?" the vampire asked.

Aleric lifted the bag in his hand. The vampire's red eyes followed it. He lowered the bag and the vampire turned his head to keep it in sight.

Aleric watched him closely. "If I give you the blood, will you work with me?"

"If you give me the blood, I'll do anything you want," the vampire replied.

"Make him say I'm cute!" the fairy said.

Aleric shook his head. "No, Tranquility. I'm not going to do that." He crossed his arms. "We're going to divide this room in half, and I need help doing it. We have another patient coming in after surgery and I don't need to worry about Dark fae and Light fae fighting. Also, there's a demon."

"A demon!" both Tranquility and the vampire repeated.

"You get him," Tranquility said.

"No, you get him," Dartan shot back.

Aleric fought down the urge to squeeze the bag of blood until it exploded.

"He's Dark fae. Dartan, you get him," Aleric told the vampire.

"Ha!" the fairy said, sticking out her tongue again.

Aleric started unwrapping the extension cord.

"Uh, Wolfie, are you sure that's a good idea?" Tranquility asked.

"If you stay in the sunlight, you'll be fine," Aleric replied.

He wasn't sure that was true, especially since the sun looked as though it was nearing the end of its descent, but the fairy went back to the window next to the selkie's bed. She crossed her arms and glared at the vampire.

One of the vampire's arms slipped free and he clutched Aleric's wrist just below the bag. Aleric grabbed the vampire's hand.

"You promise you'll help me and stop causing trouble here?" he asked.

"I promise I'll help you," Dartan replied.

Aleric waited, his grip on the vampire's hand one of steel.

"And I'll stop causing trouble," Dartan finally said, his voice quieter.

Aleric let go and the vampire took the bag. He put it to his mouth and sucked on it eagerly as Aleric finished untying the cord.

"I can't tell you how good this tastes," Dartan said.

Aleric glanced at him. "What about the Armistice of Fae Equality? I thought you weren't supposed to drink real blood."

The vampire shook his head. "We aren't supposed to drink fae blood. This blood is from a human, so it's fine." He grinned past the bag. "Specifics and all that."

"You have some blood on your cheek," Aleric told the vampire.

Dartan lifted his face from the bag to wipe the blood away.

"Did I get it?" he asked. More blood dripped from his teeth down his chin.

Aleric just shook his head. "Sure."

He scoped out the room, studying the bare walls covered only in unpainted sheetrock and the wooden outlines of rooms that didn't have walls. Extra sheetrock, tools, and wood sat against the far wall. He wondered how good vampires were at construction. The fairy wouldn't be much help, that much was sure.

"What's up, Dr. Wolf," the vampire asked. He looked much calmer after the blood.

Aleric decided to go with honesty. "There's a faun being prepped for surgery as we speak. I need to bring him back here for recovery, but I don't want the smell of blood to tempt you after the sun goes down. I think dividing this room is our best bet."

"Best bet for what?" Dartan pressed.

Aleric met his gaze. "Best bet for being able to keep you here and not turn you out into this city at night."

He thought the vampire would be interested in the notion considering the city was filled with humans who hadn't been taught to fear the Dark fae.

Instead, Dartan shook his head quickly. "Don't turn me out there. This place is crazy."

"How do you know?" Aleric asked. "You woke up in the E.R.; we could still be in Blays for all you know."

"This isn't Blays," Dartan replied. "I know that for sure. This place is strange."

"Yeah," the fairy said. "What's wrong with the walls and the wood? There aren't even troll stamps on the tiles. Are they stolen? Who made the glass?"

"It all feels empty," the vampire echoed. "Like nobody cares who made it. What kind of place doesn't care who created the pieces that made it possible?"

Aleric was surprised it bothered them as much as it had him, yet such things were standard in their lives. The absence of them was stark in contrast.

"What's the rest of the world like out there?" Tranquility asked with a hint of fear in her voice.

"Actually, I don't know," Aleric replied. "I woke up in the E.R. like you guys."

"You mean, you're not a doctor?" Dartan asked.

Aleric snorted. "Not at all. I'm winging it."

Dartan gave a nod of respect. "You fooled me. That's pretty impressive. You'd make a good doctor."

Aleric gave a wry smile. "Like they'd let a werewolf be a doctor in Drake City. Our options are a bit limited."

Tranquility nodded. "I don't think Light and Hope Sanctuary even allows werewolves."

"Maybe the Revenant Recovery would let you practice there. They'll accept werewolves who donate blood first," Dartan suggested.

Aleric smiled. "I'm sure that's a condition I want when I go to work every day."

"Perk of the job," Dartan said.

Aleric heard footsteps coming down the hallway.

"Someone's on their way here. Do I need to tie you up again?" he asked the vampire.

Dartan shook his head quickly. "I'll control myself. I promise. I feel much more normal with a little blood in my stomach."

"Do you hear him?" Tranquility asked. "With blood in his stomach. And that's normal? Tie him up. I'll be in charge."

"That's the last time I leave you in charge," Aleric told her. "You just stay in the sunlight. I'll be back before nightfall with a solution."

The door opened.

"Dr. Wolf, the patient is ready for surgery."

Aleric speared both Tranquility and Dartan with a look. "I'm trusting you. Try to give a good name to fae while I'm gone."

"We'll try," Dartan promised.

"If he says I'm cute," Tranquility said.

Aleric shook his head and followed Gregory out the door.
Chapter 5

"How are you holding up?" Aleric asked Gregory as the orderly led him down a hallway toward the operating room.

"It's been a strange day," Gregory replied, glancing at him. "Dr. Worthen keeps telling us to just get through it and tomorrow will be better. Do you think that's true?"

"I hope so," Aleric said. A hint of longing crept into his tone when he repeated it. "I hope so."

Gregory put a hand to the door they had reached and paused. "Dr. Wolf, where do you suppose all these strange creatures came from? I heard one of the EMTs saying they thought it was a sign that we had reached the end of the world. Do you think that's true?"

Aleric gave the orderly a closer look. They were similar in age, yet the young man seemed to be holding on for Aleric's answer.

"Gregory, you know I'm one of those strange creatures, right?"

The orderly nodded. "I saw you turn into a wolf. Is that why they call you Doctor Wolf?"

Aleric wasn't sure how to reply. He simply nodded and said, "I think if it was the end of the world, there'd be no reason for new creatures to appear."

"Huh," Gregory said. A smile crossed his face. "You know, I guess you're right!" He pushed the door open. "Thanks, Dr. Wolf."

Nurse Eastwick met him inside the door. "Thanks for what?" she asked, watching the orderly head back up the hall.

"I guess I just resolved his fears that the world was coming to an end," Aleric said.

"That was big of you," the nurse replied.

Aleric nodded. "I thought so."

She held up a pair of green clothes. "Time to scrub up."

"I washed my hands after using the restroom," Aleric told her.

She shook her head. "No, Doctor," she said, stressing the word. "You're prepping for surgery with Dr. Worthen. You have to change into these scrubs and go through the sanitization procedures before you can head into the Operating Room."

"Oh. Right."

A few minutes later, Aleric stood just inside the door of O.R. Seven wearing green scrubs, white gloves that tickled his nose with their scent, and a green matching tie cap over his black hair. Braum was on the table hooked up to tubes and monitors. Aleric's heart went out to him at the sight of the hospital gown. He made a mental note to warn the faun about the draft when he awoke.

Dr. Worthen and a woman stood near the table.

"Dr. Wolf, this is Dr. Indley," Dr. Worthen introduced. "She's the veterinarian I told you about. Marae has been so kind as to make herself available for this, uh, unusual procedure."

Dr. Indley nodded. "When Kent told me what he was dealing with, I told him I would be glad to be a part of it." She smiled at Aleric. "I'm a bit of a sucker for strange cases. Curiosity may get the best of me. Is that what brought you here?"

Caught off-guard, Aleric nodded. "Oh, definitely. Curiosity killed the werepanther and all that. I'm always interested in the unusual. Today's been one for the books."

"Have you had other cases like this?" Dr. Indley asked.

Behind her, Dr. Worthen waved his hands and shook his head.

"Uh, oh, no. Not really," Aleric said quickly. "You know. Each case is unusual in its own way."

"Very true," Dr. Indley replied. "It's good to see the uniqueness of every situation. With the animals, it helps me remember to treat them as individuals without voices instead of just as someone else's pets."

"That's a good way of looking at it," Aleric replied as if he knew exactly what she meant. He hoped she bought it.

Apparently satisfied in his answer, the veterinarian turned back to Dr. Worthen. "Consider me ready when you are, Doctor."

Dr. Worthen gave Aleric a searching look. "Would you like to assist, Dr. Wolf?"

Aleric crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "I'm just supervising," he said. "Carry on."

Dr. Worthen gave a snort that might have been laughter before turning to the patient. He pulled the sheet back to reveal the broken leg.

"Oh my word," Dr. Indley exclaimed. "When you said a goat leg, I thought you meant figuratively. This is an actual goat leg."

Dr. Worthen nodded. "It's something that requires an explanation, to be sure, but it'll have to wait until our patient's needs are met and he awakens."

"Yes, Doctor," Dr. Indley said. She took a breath and gave him a composed nod. "I'm ready to begin."

Aleric watched the surgery with a growing pit in his stomach. He was definitely out of his element. After the initial shock, Dr. Worthen and Dr. Indley handled the operation as though they had performed many such procedures. By the time they were finished, Aleric realized just how much out of water he was in pretending to be a doctor.

"Fifteen screws and two plates seems like a lot," Aleric said to Nurse Eastwick as they pushed the bed toward the D Wing.

"Pretty standard, given that he broke both bones. The hardware holds the bone pieces together while they heal. According to Dr. Indley, he should be just fine," she replied.

Aleric pushed the double doors open. He pulled the bed halfway through and halted.

"What happened?" he asked, staring at the two doorways in front of him where a wide-open room had been before.

"We remodeled," Dartan replied. He stood in the right-hand doorway with his arms folded. A pleased expression showed on his face at Aleric's reaction. White dust from the sheetrock made a streak in the vampire's dark hair.

"Wow," Nurse Eastwick said. "This wing has been under construction for six months because we lost funding. You did all this in a few hours?"

Tranquility grinned from the other doorway. "Vampires are strong and fairies are fast. We may have raided a few rooms for supplies, but I'm happy with it."

The doorway Aleric stood in entered the middle of the D Wing. The fae creatures had formed a wall a few feet past the door so that they took either the left side which was penned in glowing paint that read 'Light' or the right side which bore the sketched word 'Dark'.

"Is that glitter?" Aleric asked, surveying the fairy's handiwork.

She nodded proudly. "Yes, Dr. Wolf. I wanted to do Dartan's sign in glitter as well, but he said he would drink my blood for dinner if I so much as glittered a speck of it."

At Aleric's questioning look, Dartan shrugged. "She listened, so she's still alive. We're getting better at communication."

"Are those our old phototherapy lights from the prenatal unit?" Nurse Eastwick asked.

Aleric followed her gaze to the blue lights suspended above the Light fae doorway.

Tranquility nodded. "I found them in a storage room. Dartan was so kind as to test them for me."

"She chased me around the room with one," Dartan replied in an annoyed tone. "She wasn't satisfied until it actually burned my skin."

He held out his arm to show the angry red burns along it.

"I had to be sure," the fairy replied. "At least now we have a vampire deterrent for nightfall."

"That's actually quite brilliant," Aleric said. He pushed the bed through to the Light room.

"I heard that," Dartan called from the other side.

Nurse Eastwick helped Aleric hook up the monitoring equipment in one of the smaller individual rooms along the side.

"Keep an eye on his blood pressure and heart rate," she explained, pointing to several numbers. "An alarm will chime if his respiratory rate falls or temperature rises."

"What happens if his temperature rises too high?" he asked.

"It can affect his brain and organ function," she replied. At Aleric's wide-eyed look, she said, "I'll come to check on him. Don't worry." She paused, then said, "We should probably go get the demon. The sooner we get him out of the E.R., the better."

Aleric followed her up the hallway.

"What about Braum's bandages?" he asked.

"I'll take care of changing those, also," she told him. She glanced at Aleric and a smile touched her lips. She stopped and when he paused beside her, she put a hand on his cheek in a motherly gesture. "I know you're feeling inadequate to handle this situation, but you're doing a good job."

"I'm not really doing anything," he replied.

She motioned back the way they had come. "Without you, there'd be a dead fairy in our Emergency Room, our patients would've had their blood sucked out by the vampire, and both Dr. Worthen and I would have been crushed to death by the demon. I think you're doing alright."

Aleric allowed himself a half-smile. "It has been a busy day."

She glanced at him. "When was the last time you ate? I'm sure Nurse Tarli is about to run to Minnow's for Dr. Worthen's standard dinner; I can have her pick up something for you as well."

"You don't have to do that," Aleric said.

The nurse gave him a kind smile. "If we don't take care of our doctors, they can't take care of our patients, then the whole place falls apart."

That brought an answering smile to Aleric's face. "Food would be great. I think my stomach is about to eat itself."

"I'd say that was a fae thing," Nurse Eastwick said, "But my son just moved out of the house; it's amazing how much he could eat in one day. You appear close to his age. You're what, in your early twenties?"

"Something like that," Aleric replied noncommittally.

"Something like that?" she repeated. "You mean you don't know for sure?"

Aleric raised a shoulder and kept his tone light. "I mean for a family of werewolves, mine wasn't very attached to me. I was booted out when I was four."

He could feel the nurse's stare. "They kicked you out? What did you do to survive?"

Aleric pushed open the doors to the E.R. before he glanced at her. "Ran away to live on the streets of Blays. Fortunately for me, I had the advantage of being able to scrounge in wolf form. Scrawny wolf pups get better scraps than the Dark fae orphans."

He forced a smile and turned away to prevent more questions he didn't want to answer.

"Is this the room?" he asked.

He pushed aside a curtain and found himself looking at an older woman holding her arm to her chest.

"Are you my doctor?" she asked. She moved the bandages she clutched to show him deep scratches along her forearm that bled.

"Your patient is this way, Dr. Wolf," Nurse Eastwick said from behind him.

"My apologies," Aleric told the woman. "Your doctor will be along shortly."

He let the curtain fall shut. Something about the scratches nagged at his mind.

"What happened to her?"

"That's Mrs. Miller. She said one of her dogs attacked her this morning. She's always taking in strays. We've treated her before for bites."

"You know those look more like demon claws than a dog attack, right?" Aleric said.

Nurse Eastwick glanced behind her at the closed curtain. "I didn't think of that. Until today, it hasn't been something we usually consider."

"You might want to start considering it," Aleric suggested. "There's a possibility we'll need to start tracking down Fae that are attacking humans here. Do you know anyone we can trust?"

Nurse Eastwick was quiet for a moment with her hand on the curtain to the demon's room. "Let me think about it for a moment. Things are starting to get complicated."

She pulled the curtain aside. The demon stared at them both with its angry glowing eyes. The straps holding its arms to the bars looked paltry considering the bulk it had shown before.

"It's awake," the nurse whispered.

"Of course I'm awake," the demon replied.

A chill ran down Aleric's spine at its pointed teeth and the rolling bass of its words.

He shoved aside the fear and stepped into the room. "You attacked the head physician, nurses, and orderlies of this hospital. Are you aware of how many lives you put at risk?"

"Are you aware that I don't care in the least about the lives of humans?" the demon replied. He tensed his arms.

"Break those bands and I'll choke you out in two seconds," Aleric threatened.

The surety in his voice made the demon pause. He studied Aleric, his glowing gaze intense.

"What do you intend to do with me here, werewolf?" he asked.

Aleric didn't question how the demon had guessed his werewolf lineage. Instead, he said, "You're a danger to the humans of Edge City. Until we figure out how to get you and the other fae back to Blays, I can't let you leave this hospital."

"You've seen what I can do in this hospital," the demon replied.

Aleric's instincts screamed for him to turn tail and run away instead of challenge the demon. Instead, he crossed his arms and glared down at the Dark fae.

"This is my hospital. If you injure anyone here, I will make you wish you'd never set foot in Edge City, understand?"

The tension in the room increased with the minutes the demon waited to reply. He studied Aleric from his feet to the top of his head. Aleric was suddenly aware that he still wore the scrubs from the operating room. At the very least, he appeared more like a doctor.

"Very well," the demon finally said, his pale lips twisted in an eerie smile. "Do what you will, werewolf. I would like to return to Blays, and something tells me you're just the one to make that happen." His smile deepened and Aleric's heart gave a double-beat. "So tell me, Doctor, how are you going to do that?"

Aleric glanced at Nurse Eastwick. Her face was pale and eyes wide. She looked completely terrified of the Dark fae in the bed. Aleric wanted to get the demon away from her as soon as possible.

"I'm in the process of figuring that out. We're going to move your bed to the fae section of the hospital, and I'm going to ask that you stay there until it's time to go back to Blays."

"Certainly, Doctor," the demon replied, emphasizing the title again as if mocking it.

Aleric pushed the bed through the back of the curtains and down the convenient aisle to the door. He paused on the E.R. side before Nurse Eastwick followed him out. He pushed the bed through the doors and let them shut, keeping an eye on the creature through the glass so he could speak to the nurse in private.

"We're going to need another dose of sedatives. Ask Dr. Worthen the very highest dose he recommends to safely administer to this demon."

"Is it safe to keep him here?" the nurse asked.

"I don't think so," Aleric replied honestly. "But it's safer than letting him roam around the city. We don't need another incident like earlier."

He glanced to the right and found the demon watching him with narrowed eyes from the bed on other side of the glass.

Aleric stared back until the demon turned his head away.

"Please let me know when the sedatives are ready. I'll wait for you outside the D Wing so they can be administered before I take him inside. The fewer people around him while he's alert, the better."

"Thank you," she said with relief in her voice.

Aleric nodded and watched her walk away through the white curtains. He took a calming breath and put on a façade of being in control once more. He pushed the doors open and moved the bed in front of him toward the D Wing.

"This is quite the setup you've got going here, werewolf," the demon said.

"I was thrown into this situation as much as you were," Aleric replied without looking down at the demon. "I'm making the best of it."

"That's what I was doing before you so rudely interrupted me," the demon said.

Aleric paused just before the D Wing doors.

"Look, demon—"

"Forsythe."

"Forsythe," Aleric repeated. He opened his mouth to continue, but whatever he wanted to say fled at the name. "Your name is Forsythe?"

The demon nodded. "Ironic, isn't it? A name that means 'man of peace' is also the name of the demon terrorizing your hospital?"

Memories stormed Aleric's mind. It was all he could do to reply with, "What's ironic is the way you speak about yourself in the third person."

"That's not ironic, it's factual," Forsythe replied. "It's a fact that I spoke about myself in third person. It may be unusual, even annoying, perhaps, but there is nothing ironic about it. Irony is all around us, my dear doctor. What makes it so is the way it appears. Take you, for example."

He had no choice but to put up with the demon until Nurse Eastwick appeared with the sedative. Aleric gritted his teeth and asked, "What about me?"

"You're a werewolf posing as a doctor pretending to care about these fae you call your patients. If I remember, you had quite the disdain for any other fae in Blays. That's true irony."

His words sent a rush of cold through Aleric. "What do you mean, if you remember?"

The demon gave a self-suffering sigh. "Am I to assume that you are dimwitted so that I can have the patience required to repeat myself at least once? I remember you in Blays, Aleric Bayne. You made my life difficult, which is an understatement. Do I need to explain what an understatement is?"

"I know what an understatement is," Aleric replied, his tone level. "And I can attest that the opposite is also true, Forsythe."

The demon nodded. "Need I remind you that you suffered from the consequences of your own actions? Your kind was warned and you chose not to listen."

Aleric's hands clenched into fists. He took several steps away from the bed to avoid throttling the demon until the creature truly couldn't breathe again.

He spun on his heel. "Your actions ended a life!" he shouted.

The sound reverberated up the hallway just as Nurse Eastwick rounded the corner. She looked from Aleric to the demon tied to the bed.

"Should I come back later?" she asked.

Aleric shook his head. "Give him the sedative before I do something I regret."

"Or you don't regret," the demon replied.

Aleric fought back the urge to growl at him.

Nurse Eastwick's hands shook as she brought the syringe toward the demon's arm. Aleric thought he would struggle and was prepared to pin the creature down, but the demon merely observed them with partially-lidded eyes.

Aleric watched him until the demon's eyelids closed completely.

"I thought you had never met a demon," Nurse Eastwick said, breaking the silence.

Aleric shook his head. "I'd prefer not to talk about it."

She nodded. "Fair enough. Do you want help getting him situated?" It was clear by her tone that she would rather not go into the fae wing if at all possible.

"I'll take care of it," Aleric replied.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

Aleric realized his hands were still clenched into fists so tight his fingers were white. He willed his muscles to relax.

"I'm sure," he said, his voice quiet. "It's fine."

He pushed the bed through the double set of doors. If it hit the doors harder than usual, he told himself he had done it to see if the demon was awake. The Dark fae didn't so much as twitch a muscle.

Aleric was tempted to put the demon in the Light fae side and let the fairy torture him, but he knew better than to trust the Dark creature. He angled the bed toward the door on the right and pushed it through.

It took him a moment to locate the vampire. Dartan sat in the corner near the windows that had been covered from top to bottom by long pieces of wood.

"Is that my new roomie?" Dartan asked.

Aleric kept a careful eye on the vampire as he maneuvered the bed to one of the open side rooms.

"Don't talk to him," Aleric said shortly. "He's sedated and should sleep, but if he wakes up, he'll only spread lies and deceptions."

The vampire gave a noncommittal grunt. "As I recall, you felt much the same way about me when we first met."

"I still feel the same way about you," Aleric replied.

The vampire crossed his arms. He had yet to move from his place against the wall.

"Would you believe that my time here has changed my perspective?"

"Not one bit," Aleric replied. "You tell me if an anansi spider can ever tell the truth."

"People change," the vampire said.

"You'll pardon me if I don't feel that there has been adequate time to make up for wanting to eat a fairy in this same room less than four hours ago." Aleric made his way to the door. He paused and said, "Don't touch the demon. He's stronger than he looks."

"Should I tell them that they're dealing with a wolf in sheep's clothing?" Dartan shot back.

Aleric glanced over his shoulder. "I'm the one trying to help."

"And I'm the one stuck in here," the vampire replied.

"We're both stuck, remember?" Aleric told him.

Aleric pushed through the doors and made his way to the hall. He was about to go back to the E.R., but realized there was no reason to do so. Given the way the other orderlies and nurses looked at him after the demon incident, he felt like the less time he spent there, the better.

There wasn't anywhere else to go. Aleric looked up and down the hallway, wondering what he should do. He was exhausted. He wanted to sleep somewhere while there was a lull, but his greatest fear was that a patient in some other part of the hospital would make his or her way to the D Wing. At least the wing was fairly secluded from the other parts of the hospital. In fact, besides those humans he had seen in the E.R., he had yet to see anyone else. It seemed with the D Wing under construction for so long, everyone else was in the habit of not heading down the more isolated hallways.

But there was always the chance. With the demon and vampire in the Dark fae room, Aleric didn't want to risk anyone happening upon them by accident. It could be a very fatal accident indeed.

He slid to a sitting position against the wall near the double doors and let his head settle back. It wasn't the most comfortable position, but given the day he had just had, he could sleep anywhere. Aleric closed his eyes and gave in to the sleep that pressed heavily against his eyelids.
Chapter 6

Aleric couldn't decide if he was caught in a dream or reliving a memory as he watched the little wolf pup wander the streets of Blays. The first night had been hard. Thoughts of his mother made his heart ache more than his empty stomach. The little wolf sat on a street corner and pointed his muzzle to the sky.

It felt fitting that his first howl would be that of loneliness. There was something about the glow of the moon peeking between the tall buildings that made Aleric feel as though someone listened to him. The face of the man on the moon looked as though he howled in reply.

Something hard hit him in the back and Aleric yelped.

"Shut up down there!" an angry voice shouted from the apartments above.

Aleric took off up the street, his paws drumming a scattered cadence on the sidewalk.

A lump he had mistaken as part of the bags of garbage that piled at the corner separated and rose up. Aleric skittered around the lumbering giant's arms when the man attempted to catch him.

"Come back, pup," the giant called. "I haven't eaten for days. You would make a juicy morsel."

Aleric turned the next corner and slid to a halt. At the end of the alley, three vampires stood around a body. They didn't look like the healthy, haughty vampires he had met once when his mother took their taxes to the Sanguis Building as part of the Armistice agreement. These vampires were skinny, frail, red-eyed creatures whose bones could be seen through their thin skin. All three of them turned at Aleric's appearance.

"We have no power over Ashstock," one said.

Another shook his head. "This one is weak. We should try."

"Come here," the third one coaxed.

"Come join our game," another invited. "We're having fun."

"You'll really like it," the first said.

Aleric made the mistake of looking into their eyes.

"Here little wolf, come hang out with us."

He took several steps forward, his mind in a fog. Instincts, even at his young age, told him listening was a terrible idea, but he couldn't fight against the pull of their voices.

"You'll really like it," the second vampire said.

"Not as much as we will," the third commented.

"Concentrate," the first snapped. "We can't let him get away."

Aleric felt as though he was wrapped in a warm blanket. The sensation paused with the vampire's rough words. Aleric was almost to them. The promise of being with anyone after the absence of his family was almost more than he could deny, yet instincts tickled at the back of his mind. He wondered if he should phase to human form so he could talk to them.

His gaze shifted to the body at their feet. For a moment, he couldn't make sense of what he was seeing. It looked like a faun, its throat torn open and blood staining its skin and fur. But the blood was old and the faun's skin was gray. The creature had been someone's feast days ago and now the vampires were left with the refuse.

Fear prickled through the hold the vampires had on Aleric's mind. He took a step backwards.

"We're losing him," one of them said.

"Stay calm," another echoed.

"Come to us," the third told him.

Aleric shook his head against the compulsion. The third vampire darted toward him. Aleric yelped and turned, galloping back up the alley and around the corner.

He ran until he could no longer hear the sounds of pursuit, winding in and out of Drake City's confusing network of alleys and streets. Everywhere Aleric looked, terrors loomed. There were creatures trying to eat him, an old women coaxed him with yummy food until he caught sight of the cleaver behind her back, tentacles snaked out of a street drain and grabbed his paws; they nearly succeeded in pulling him under until a chance car rounded the corner and the tire clipped him, knocking him free.

Exhausted, terrified, and hungry, Aleric limped to an abandoned apartment building that looked ready to fall down at any moment. He found a board leaning against the building and crept beneath it.

Aleric's body shook. His head hung. Memories of his mother pushed against him and it took every bit of his willpower to keep from howling again. She had fought the sickness for as long as she could. He knew she did it for him. She had told him so when he lay on the bed with her, willing for her to come out in the sunshine and play with him like she used to. She wanted to, but her body wasn't able.

His dad told him the blight was his fault, that she had never fully recovered after his birth. The kicks and beatings he gave Aleric when they were outside of his mother's hearing only added to the heartache Aleric felt.

The day his mother died, Aleric had been watching from the door. The doctors were there beside his father, doing whatever they could to try to save her. Yet her hand had slipped from the bed to hang lifelessly over the side. He would never be able to clear the image of her pale fingers so still and motionless; they were the same fingers that had taught him to braid grass into crowns and turn leaves into whistles, and now the life was gone from them.

Later that night, Aleric had overheard his father talking to Grimmel. Money passed between his dad and the troll who owned the blocks of factories that made up the Sludge.

"I'll take him now," Grimmel had said. "I can always use another whelp in the tannery."

Aleric's only regret in running away was that he wouldn't be able to see his mother's funeral, but with his father selling him, he wouldn't have been there anyway.

***

"I've never known a doctor to have such concern for one of his patients."

Aleric's eyes flew open. It took him a moment to remember where he was. The hard tile floor and the sign stating 'D Wing Under Construction' sent everything rushing back.

He looked up to see Dr. Indley, the veterinarian, standing a few feet away with a quizzical expression on her face.

Aleric pushed up from the wall and stood.

"You're moving a bit stiff," she noted.

Aleric gave a self-deprecating smile. "The tile's a bit hard."

"You could have brought a chair," she said.

"That's thinking ahead," Aleric told her. "I figured I'd sit and take a break, and next thing I know, you're here talking to me. Napping wasn't part of the plan."

Dr. Indley nodded with an empathetic expression. "I know the long hours you guys pull here. I suppose you'll take any break you can get."

Aleric glanced at the watch he didn't have. He wondered where his belongings had gone when he appeared in Edge City. Being found unconscious and naked was an embarrassing thought.

"I seem to have misplaced my watch," he said. "I should probably go check on Braum."

"I like that you refer to your patients by their names," Dr. Indley said. "It's refreshing, considering how many patients you must take in a day."

Aleric wondered if he had been caught. Perhaps he needed to be a bit more disenchanted by the whole hospital thing. He figured doctors must become apathetic about healing over time. Though from what he had seen, helping people recover was an incredible process.

"Uh, yeah," he said in an attempt to cover. "It was Dr. Worthen's idea to refer to patients on an individual basis so that they are...well...seen as people instead of objects."

"I applaud that way of thinking," she said.

Silence filled the hallway. Aleric wasn't sure what to say or do. He didn't know how long he had slept. Given the tightness of his neck and shoulders, it was longer than he had planned. He needed to check on Braum. Nurse Eastwick's warning about high temperatures and keeping an eye on the numbers lingered in his mind. But he didn't want Dr. Indley to follow him into the D Wing for many, many good reasons.

"Can I come with you to check on Braum? I'm anxious to see how he's recovering. I'll have to admit, his case wasn't what I was expecting when Dr. Worthen asked me for assistance."

"You took it well," Aleric said. "Given the unusual circumstances, you performed the surgery without a hitch."

He hoped that was true. From what he had seen, he honestly had no idea. There could have been a thousand hitches and he wouldn't know. He actually wasn't sure what a hitch would look like in a surgery, or what a hitch was, if the word itself was considered.

"I'm sorry," he said with the realization that he had stood there for an uncomfortably long amount of time. "I must be more exhausted than I thought. Maybe I should grab something to eat."

"I'll join you after we check on Braum, if you don't mind me coming with you," she replied.

With the many, many reasons she shouldn't go into the D Wing, Aleric couldn't think of a way to voice even one of them without sounding completely insane.

He ended up with, "Sure."

"Great!" she replied.

"Sure?" he muttered to himself as he pushed through the first set of doors. "Smooth thinking."

"Light and Dark?"

Aleric glanced over his shoulder at Dr. Indley's inquisitive tone. She was looking up at the signs above the two doors.

"Oh, uh, yeah. My nurses have a sense of humor."

"Is it ethical to label patients that way?" Dr. Indley asked.

"It'll wash off," Aleric said. "Don't worry."

He pushed the Light door open before she got too curious and wandered into the Dark area. The last thing he needed was for her to run into a raging demon or hungry vampire.

Aleric spotted Tranquility sitting on her bed which had been pushed right up against the window.

"I'm catching the last of the rays," she said with a big smile on her face. "The better to keep the vampires away."

"That's what I heard," Aleric replied, holding his voice steady. He motioned to Dr. Indley. "This is Dr. Indley. She's coming to check on Braum."

"Do they know each other?" the veterinarian asked in surprise.

"Fairies and faun are cousins," Tranquility replied.

"Fairies?" Dr. Indley repeated. She looked at Aleric.

He made a swirling motion by his head. "Crazy," he whispered.

She nodded and turned back to Tranquility. "That's nice, sweetie," she replied.

Aleric hurried her toward the other end of the room.

"She's a bit delusional, but happy," he explained in an undertone. "We just humor her until her psychotherapy sessions."

"I heard that," Tranquility called out.

"This wing looks a bit, well, in-progress," Dr. Indley said. She touched one of the walls and then looked at the white paint on her fingertips. "Don't you have other wings?"

"They're full," Aleric replied. "We're at our limit. This wing was our last option."

She nodded. He was relieved she bought his story. He was going to have to start writing everything down if she questioned him further just so he could keep his story straight. As it was, he felt like his front was unraveling as quickly as he could weave it.

Aleric paused inside the door frame, but Dr. Indley went straight to the bed.

"His numbers look good," she said over her shoulder.

"Yes," he replied, forcing a confident tone. "That's what I thought, too."

"Will your nurse be by to check on the dressings?"

"Yes. She should've been here already. I need to go see what's keeping her," Aleric hedged.

The veterinarian seemed perfectly content to let him go. Aleric stayed put, unwilling to leave her alone in the fae wing. There was a contemplative expression on her face as she studied the patient.

"What happened to you?" she asked.

Aleric thought for a moment that she was talking to him. He was debating whether to go with the truth or another lie that would bury him further when he realized it was a rhetorical question addressed to the patient.

"That's what I wondered," he said. "Braum, what happened to you?"

Dr. Indley looked at him. "How on earth does a man have the legs of a goat like this?"

"Evolution?" Aleric suggested.

She cracked a smile. "Seriously, Dr. Wolf. What do you think?"

He shook his head. It wasn't hard to look overwhelmed. "All I know is it's been a crazy day."

The door to the Light fae side opened and Nurse Eastwick came in. She paused when she saw them. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of Dr. Indley. Aleric cleared his throat.

"Nurse Eastwick, Dr. Indley came to see how Braum is doing after his surgery."

To her credit, Nurse Eastwick nodded and spoke as though finding another physician in the fae room wasn't a cause for concern.

"It's good to see you here, Doctor. You did a wonderful job."

"Thank you," Dr. Indley replied. "I'm glad to see that he's resting well."

The nurse checked the numbers. Aleric glanced at them as well and nodded to himself. Nurse Eastwick threw him a wry smile.

"He is. I'm just here to change his I.V.," she said.

"We'll get out of your way," Dr. Indley replied. "Let us know if his condition changes."

"I will for sure," Nurse Eastwick replied.

Dr. Indley followed Aleric out of the room. She paused and glanced at the door marked Dark.

"It makes me curious to see what's in there," she said.

"A patient better left asleep," Aleric replied.

She nodded. "It's not my place to pry."

He was relieved when she followed him out of the D Wing.

Nurse Eastwick met them near the Emergency Room a few minutes later. "I had Nurse Tarli pick up some extra food. It's been one of those days. Do you have a moment to eat?"

"Definitely," Aleric told her.

His immediate response brought a smile to the nurse's lips. "Saving lives builds an appetite, doesn't it, Dr. Wolf?"

"It does," he replied. "Who would've thought?"

"How long have you been here?" Dr. Indley asked.

"Three years," Nurse Eastwick replied without missing a beat. "Dr. Wolf did his residency here and decided to stay."

If the veterinarian thought it strange that the nurse answered for Aleric, she didn't say.

The smell of food, any kind of food, would have been enough to make Aleric's stomach growl; however, the scent of the food wafting from the white containers on the table in the breakroom exceeded his expectations.

"I can never turn down a chicken cordon bleu sandwich," he said. His mouth watered at the thought.

Nurse Eastwick handed each of them a container; she kept her face carefully guarded when they opened them.

"Chicken cordon bleu. How did you know?" Dr. Indley asked.

Aleric realized his mistake. A human wouldn't have been able to smell the food through the containers from the doorway, let alone identify it.

"It's, uh—"

"I'd say lucky guess, but he always requests chicken cordon bleu from Minnow's," Nurse Eastwick cut in. She winked at Aleric. "I can't let you woo Dr. Indley with your tricks, Doctor."

"Call me Marae," Dr. Indley told them. "As a veterinarian in a hospital, I'm a bit out of place with your type of patients."

"You were invaluable for Braum," Aleric told her. "I'm sure he's grateful there's a doctor with your expertise here. I'm Aleric."

"Pleased to meet you," Marae said.

Nurse Eastwick sat down with a sigh that said it had been a very long day.

"You can call me Loreen, though at this point the only thing I want to answer to is someone telling me it's time to go home."

She picked up the remote on the table and pointed it at the television.

"...from the strange appearances happening all over the city," a reporter wearing a black suit and with perfectly styled hair stated. "Monsters ranging from storybook types to nightmares have been seen in the shadows and broad daylight. As the sun sets, Edge City is left wondering where it will stand come morning. Many of these creatures have vanished seemingly into thin air, but are they just waiting for nightfall to come out again, or have they indeed left us with memories to haunt our waking hours? Investigations are being made as to where they came from. If anyone has information about any of these creatures, call the police immediately. Lines have been set aside for this purpose."

Several phone numbers trailed across the bottom of the screen.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Marae asked.

Nurse Eastwick exchanged a glance with Aleric.

"Not exactly sure," the nurse replied. "I hope they figure it out. Sounds scary."

"Somebody's spooked," Marae said. She looked at Aleric. "What do you think?"

"I think creatures that vanish into thin air don't exist. Maybe somebody's playing a prank," he suggested.

"That'd be pretty elaborate," Nurse Eastwick said. "Things have definitely gone too far if the news is involved."

Marae bit into her sandwich, then her cell phone beeped. She checked the screen.

"Shoot. I've got to go. A dog was brought in mangled by something the owner didn't see." She looked at Aleric. "Is that okay?"

He nodded. "Go ahead. I'll keep an eye on Braum."

She smiled at him. "I know you will." She grabbed her purse from the table. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Call me if you need anything."

"Will do," Nurse Eastwick said. As soon as the door closed, the nurse slumped in her chair. "If we have many more days like this one, I'm going to check myself into a mental institution."

"Do those places exist here?" Aleric asked.

The nurse nodded. "You guys don't have them? Where do you put the crazy people?"

"First of all, crazy is a harsh term. I'm sure there's something more professional to call them, like 'mentally deranged' or 'completely psychotic'." Aleric grinned. "And secondly, in Blays everyone is pretty much crazy. I mean, it's full of demons and vampires and such. Who's to say who is insane?"

Nurse Eastwick smiled. "You have a point."

Aleric shrugged. "It just all depends on your standards. If you set a line and say anyone beyond that is crazy, the person drawing the line had better have a very solid foundation as to why he or she deserved to do so in the first place. Aren't we all a little bit insane?"

"I feel insane right now," she replied. "Has today even been real? Maybe you're right. A sane person would have left this hospital with the first patient."

"Who was the first patient?" Aleric asked.

She pointed her fork at him. "Yesterday night when the chaos hit? You."

That sent a tremor down Aleric's spine. "Tell me about when I was brought in."

"Well, you were naked—"

"You can skip that part," Aleric told her.

She laughed. "The hospital gown was flattering—"

Aleric stood up.

"Kidding," Nurse Eastwick said. "Sit down and eat something before you fall over." When he complied, she continued, "They brought you in on the ambulance, saying someone had found you unconscious in an alley. We thought maybe you had been jumped, stripped, and robbed." At his surprised expression, she nodded. "It happens." She gave him a curious look. "Do you know how you ended up there?"

Aleric shook his head. "It's foggy. I don't remember much from before I woke up." He rubbed the back of his head. His fingers found the knot. "Any chance you know where they found me?"

She nodded. "I remember because it's not far from my apartment. Second Street and Hamilton. I'll warn you; it's not the best part of the city."

"So why do you live there?" he asked.

She gave him a wry smile. "ER nurse, remember? Putting my boy through college isn't cheap. I had to make a few compromises to my lifestyle, but it'll be worth it when he graduates."

"You're a good mother," Aleric told her.

Her answering smile warmed his heart.
Chapter 7

Aleric walked through the hallways of the hospital careful to avoid any nurses or patients. Luckily, it seemed the D Wing was seldom traveled, so the hallways around it had less traffic than most. He could hear the sounds of babies on the maternity level three floors up; their mewling cries and the soothing sounds of their mothers touched his ears with the whispers of new life. The Emergency Room was quiet for the moment. It seemed nightfall brought with it a sort of calm that settled over the pale building. If he was going to leave, it was the perfect chance.

He paused by the back door. A glance at the parking lot beyond showed three cars that looked as though they hadn't been moved in quite a while. One had a flat tire and the other two were covered in enough dirt and debris that visibility through the windshields would be quite limited. Several dumpsters lined the back corner. Aleric crossed to these. He ducked behind them and pulled off his clothes. He didn't think Nurse Eastwick would be very thrilled if he tore his scrubs, and he still hadn't gotten his borrowed clothes from the operating room.

He thought of the sensation of moonlight on his thick fur, the feeling of gravel beneath his paws, and the tantalizing tale of the wind to his wolven nose. The change came easier at night. He settled into his wolf form with the feeling of pulling on a pair of comfortably worn shoes. Speaking of which, the unfamiliar scent from those he had worn made him turn his nose away. He didn't know how long he would be stuck in Edge City, but if it was much longer, he vowed to find a way to get clothes of his own.

Aleric trotted across the parking lot. The sound of his padded paws echoed softly against the white hospital building. He slunk around the side, careful to stay in the darkness closest to the wall. In his animal form, he looked like a huge wolf given the fact that mass stayed the same no matter which form he was in. If he kept to the shadows, he hoped he could be mistaken for a big dog. Given the circumstances of the day though, he doubted anyone would think him less than one of their nightmare creatures being talked about on the news.

Buildings loomed high overhead, crowding out the stars with light pollution while the mostly-full moon shone only dully through the clotted cement canopy. Aleric realized when he started up the street that he should have looked at a map. Second Street and Hamilton shouldn't have been too difficult to find, but he didn't know if Second meant two hundred north, south, east, or west, and also, if it was two, two hundred, or two thousand, for that matter. He hoped there weren't that many streets in Edge City, but given the number of vehicles and people that traversed the roads even at night, he wouldn't have been surprised.

Most of the alleyways connected. Aleric found that if he kept away from the main streets, he could make it most of the way unnoticed. There were a few detours when he found himself face-to-face with either a brick wall, the connecting edges of buildings, or alleys containing makeshift houses of cardboard, mutilated furniture, and torn blankets that smelled of sour, unwashed bodies.

Aleric backpedaled quickly and altered his course to avoid the homeless as memories of vampires, demons, and orphaned dark fae rose in his mind.

He followed the block system, counting in his mind as he was sure no dog in the area ever had. The few animals he encountered were quick to scurry out of his way. Several scruffy cats hissed at him in passing, but knew far better than to take on the huge wolf. The scariest thing he saw was a rat bigger than the cats and carrying around what looked like half of a chicken in its mouth. He wondered if it would be considered part of the fae creatures or something evil Edge City had created on its own.

A scent touched his nose and Aleric's steps slowed. He sniffed the air, testing the currently carefully. Two scents came to him. One was the scent he recognized as his own. It was the other that drew him down the alley, his paws slow and heart pounding. He paused near the end where a brick wall stood. It was there that the acrid scent was strongest.

Aleric sniffed the air, sneezed, and sniffed the air again. The sharp smell made his fur stand up. It was tangy, thick, and left a bad taste in his mouth like metal that had burned. He stepped closer to the bricks and the smell disappeared. Surprised, Aleric spun around. There it was, choking, bitter, but when he took two steps toward the mouth of the alley, the scent disappeared.

Aleric turned again. This time, he advanced slowly. He had never encountered anything like the smell. Scent clung to things, lingering on bushes and buildings from passing creatures and objects, and trailing along the ground in tracks waiting to be followed. He had never found a scent suspended in the air like the string on a balloon. It had a beginning and an end. When he rose onto his hind legs, placing a paw against the wall for support, he found that the smell ended just below the highest reach of his nose.

It was a hole.

A tingle ran across Aleric's skin at the realization.

The scent didn't move. It had definite edges that vanished as soon as his nose was past them. It was ragged as though someone or something had torn it open. It was a rift, a rift in whatever it was that kept the fae world and the human world separate.

Aleric sniffed beneath it. He could smell where he had landed. There was a dumpster half-full of garbage and he found scent where his head had hit the edge of the metal container before he slammed to the ground. There were three doors leading to the alley, back doors of the small shops that took up residence along the first floors of the buildings to either side. One of them had undoubtedly found him there when they entered the alley to throw away garbage.

If he was in wolf form when he fell through the rift, that would make sense as to why he had been naked when he reached the hospital. Werecreatures phased back to human form when they were seriously injured; being knocked unconscious must have made his body phase back in the alley before he was found.

Aleric checked the alley from front to back, then side to side, but other than the pungent rift and the trail from the feet of the paramedics and several fresher tracks to the dumpster and back to the doors, there was nothing.

Unsatisfied, but not sure how to find anything else out, Aleric made his way back toward the hospital. There were fae scents interspersed with those of the humans in the city. He was tempted to follow them, but the thought of Braum made him hurry. If the faun awoke and was afraid, he could hurt himself further. Aleric doubted his decision to leave the Light fae in the hands of the fairy. Tranquility had proven to be anything but a calm, easy-going creature.

Aleric was almost to the hospital when he heard a scream. An answering roar made him rush forward so fast his paws practically flew over the sidewalk. He darted around the hospital to the side where most of the staff parked and slid to a stop. Dr. Indley leaned against her car cringing away from the dark creature that loomed over her.

It was the demon from the D Wing.

Aleric launched himself at the creature's back. He latched onto the lava-patterned skin and bit down hard. The demon let out another roar and grabbed Aleric by the ruff. He threw Aleric across the parking lot with a strength fueled by rage. Aleric hit the side of a car so hard he dented it. He fell to the ground and was up on his paws again within the same heartbeat.

The demon raised its clawed hand. Marae cowered against her car. A whimper of fear escaped the veterinarian's lips. The claws came down. The demon would kill her right there; that much was certain.

Aleric slammed into Marae, shoving her out of the way. The claws sliced across his chest. He let out a yelp and leaped at the demon's throat. The demon was ready this time. It smashed Aleric to the ground with both huge hands and balled them into fists, ready to crush the life out of him.

Aleric dodged the fists and darted beneath the Dark fae. He slashed at the creature's hamstring with his fangs; though his teeth sunk deep, the demon's muscular form was too thick for him to tear through the muscle he needed. The demon bellowed and spun faster than Aleric thought the huge beast should be able to move.

He had to get to the demon's throat. The Dark fae was guarding it now. He knew Aleric's tricks. There was no way Aleric could protect Dr. Indley or even survive the encounter if he was unable to bring the creature down, and the only way he knew how to do that was to stop it from breathing long enough for the demon to change form again.

Aleric looked around the parking lot. There was nothing he could use to slow the demon's enraged rush. The creature swiped at him. Aleric dodged to the side and darted around a van. The demon clawed huge gashes through the metal of the vehicle's side where Aleric's head had been. Aleric leaped onto the back of a truck. The alarm sounded. The demon gripped the sides of his head in both hands and let out another roar.

A scent touched Aleric's nose. His head jerked up. He glanced at the air above the top of the truck.

The demon roared and Marae gave a shriek of fear. Aleric was out of time. He jumped off the truck at the creature. The demon caught him with a backhand that slammed him into the side of the vehicle. Aleric fell to the ground and pretended to be injured. The demon reached for him with both claws. Aleric lay there until the last possible second. Just before the demon grabbed him, Aleric ducked under the reaching claws and leaped at the demon's throat.

His fangs sunk into the skin. Aleric had to remind himself not to tear through the demon's throat completely. The demon stumbled backwards, pawing at Aleric's sides. Aleric gripped harder. The demon fell to its knees. Aleric held on, dragging the creature to the ground. The demon's struggles weakened, then stopped entirely. The demon's skin began to shift back to normal. Aleric let go slowly and backed up.

The door behind Aleric burst open. Three security officers with guns rushed through. Aleric slunk into the shadows and darted around the corner to the back parking lot. He didn't stop running until he reached the dumpster where he had hidden his clothes.

It took several minutes for Aleric's heart to calm down. When the phase finally came, he winced at the pull of the gashes across his chest. The long claw marks from the demon bled down his skin. He debated whether to wear the scrubs top or not, but going into a hospital bleeding wasn't his idea of a good time, especially when one of his patients was a vampire.

He glanced in the garbage can and saw a handful of discarded gauze and bandages from the surgery room. Aleric knew contamination was possible, which was why they had been thrown away, but he also knew if he didn't stop the bleeding, it was going to cause questions he didn't want to answer. He picked up several pieces of gauze still in their wrappers and made use of a nearly-empty container of gauze tape. The result was ratty but effective in stopping the bleeding.

Aleric pulled on the scrubs and hurried across the parking lot. He paused just inside the door and let his eyes adjust from the darkness outside to the glare of the neon lights. He jogged toward the E.R. and shoved the doors open to the sight of chaos.

"Dr. Wolf, thank goodness," Marae said as soon as she saw him. "A creature attacked me in the parking lot. It tried to kill me!"

Aleric didn't need to ask where the demon was. By the sounds of arguing, he was just past the next curtain.

"Let me see how I can help," he told Dr. Indley.

"You shouldn't go over there," she replied. "Something like that shouldn't exist. It's not right."

"There are a lot of strange things happening today," Aleric told her. "I've got to help out where I can."

He turned the corner in time to see Dr. Worthen arguing with the security officers. The demon lay strapped to one of the beds, its skin returned to normal and eyes smoldering with a faint yellow glow. Nurse Eastwick injected fluid into the stent in its arm; Aleric hoped they were using a much stronger sedative than before.

"I don't care if he's a psychotic monster," Dr. Worthen said. "I can't let you take him out of this wing. It wouldn't be safe for anyone else out there."

"It's not safe for you," one of the security officers pointed out.

"I've got things under control," Dr. Worthen said.

"This isn't control," the officer said. "This is sedation. It's not a permanent fix for the situation. What happens when it wears off?"

"We'll keep him on a steady dose until we figure out what to do."

The second officer, an older man, shook his head. "I don't know what you want me to do, Kent. I can't leave a patient in here who can endanger everyone in the hospital."

"And I can't let you take him somewhere else where this can happen again," Dr. Worthen replied. "He's more of a threat at the precinct than here. Trust me, Chance. It's the best bet we've got."

Chance watched the doctor closely. "How long do you plan to keep him here?"

"Until they figure out what to do with these creatures," Dr. Worthen replied. "I'll stay in touch with Commissioner Oaks. I have a spare room where we can keep him away from the others. I'll make sure he's monitored nonstop."

Chance hesitated, then nodded. "Fine, but we'll be doing sweeps all night." He looked at the demon on the bed and his bewilderment was clear. "I've never seen anything like this in the thirty-five years I've worked here."

"I know; me either," Dr. Worthen told him. There was understanding in his voice when he set a hand on the other man's shoulder. "Let me know if you see anything else unusual around the hospital. We need to keep this contained to avoid starting a panic."

Chance nodded. "Definitely. I don't like this anymore than you do."

Dr. Worthen glanced at the younger security guard. "Good work back there, Floyd. That stun gun was a good decision when he started moving. It helped us keep him under control until we could sedate him."

"I'm still not sure if it's a him or an it," Floyd replied. He ran a hand through his short brown hair and double-checked the stun gun hooked to his belt. "All I know is I'll do it again if I see that monster up."

"I think that'd be wise," Dr. Worthen told him.

Aleric waited until the officers left through the front doors of the E.R. before he rounded the corner. Dr. Worthen and Nurse Eastwick met him with worried looks.

"Gregory checked the D Wing," Nurse Eastwick said. "Dartan was out cold in one corner. I told Gregory you'd take care of him."

"Is Braum alright?" Marae asked.

Nurse Eastwick nodded. "He didn't go to the other half. He appeared anxious to escape."

"He would have if I hadn't driven into the parking lot at that moment," Dr. Indley said. "I got out of the car and he was right there."

Marae surprised Aleric by gripping his arm in both of her hands. He felt her fingers trembling and glanced at her.

"That was the scariest moment of my life," she concluded.

The veterinarian's face was pale and a furrow had formed between her eyebrows. Her wavy brown hair had worked loose from its ponytail and hung around her face. The gold flecks in her hazel eyes stood out bright with her fear.

Aleric felt bad for her. The veterinarian had just survived an encounter with a creature she hadn't even known existed until she climbed out her car. If he hadn't intervened, it would have sliced her to ribbons for sure. She had just survived a brush with death and knew it.

He gave her a searching look.

"Dr. Indley, are you alright?"

She nodded once, hesitated, then shook her head.

"I, uh, I think I'll be fine. I just don't know what to think of all of this. A wolf saved my life."

Dr. Worthen's head jerked up. "Are you sure it was a wolf?"

She nodded quickly. "I'm a veterinarian. I know the difference between a wolf or a husky or malamute. This animal was a wolf for sure. It pushed me out of the way of the demons claws and got clawed up itself. If it wasn't there, I don't know what I would have done."

Nurse Eastwick looked at Aleric. "It got clawed up?"

Marae's eyes were bright with worry. "Right across the chest. The wolf's probably out there dying right now. I don't know how anything could have survived that demon, or even why there's a wolf in Edge City. I should go look for it."

Gregory caught her arm. "Uh, Dr. Indley, I've checked the parking lot. There's nothing there. I think, uh...." He glanced at Aleric. "I think the wolf probably got away. They're resilient animals. Can I escort you to the break room so you can rest?"

"That would be wonderful," Marae replied. "I definitely need to sit down and drink something soothing."

"We have tea and coffee," Gregory said told her, leading her around the corner. "There's also a nice selection of sodas. Maybe something lemony would help."

As soon as they left the E.R., Dr. Worthen and Nurse Eastwick turned on Aleric.

"Saved by a wolf?" Dr. Worthen said.

"You threw yourself in front of that demon to save her?" Nurse Eastwick demanded. "That's twice in one day. Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Aleric shook his head. "I'm trying to keep everyone else from getting killed. It's becoming a fulltime job with that creature around. Are you sure it's properly sedated?"

"I gave it five times the dose of a normal man," Dr. Worthen said. "I wouldn't be surprised if its heart stops, but I have no other choice."

"I won't say I'd be sorry," Aleric said.

"Don't change the subject," Nurse Eastwick told him. "Take off your shirt."

Aleric looked around. Two nurses he didn't recognize hurried past with files in their hands. He motioned for the nurse and doctor to follow him into one of the empty curtained rooms.

"I'm fine, really. I put some gauze over it. No big deal," he told them.

Nurse Eastwick pulled the curtain shut, then turned on him with her hands on her hips. "Aleric, shirt, now."

Aleric couldn't help the half-smile that crossed his face. "Now you sound like you're my mother."

She nodded. "That's right. Somebody needs to keep you in line. Let me help you."

She eased the shirt over his head. Both Dr. Worthen and Nurse Eastwick's lips pressed together in matching tight lines at what they saw.

"Gauze, really?" Nurse Eastwick demanded.

"What?" Aleric replied. "I'm not a doctor, remember?"

"Obviously," Dr. Worthen said. "Take a seat."

Aleric sat on the bed. He was grateful that at least he had a moment off his feet.

Nurse Eastwick pulled at the tape stuck to his skin.

"This looks like one of my son's repair jobs," she said mostly to herself. "Tape is his favorite way to fix anything. He once broke my lamp by accident and I came home to find it made of mostly electrical tape."

"Did it work again?" Aleric asked. He winced when the nurse pulled on a particularly painful spot.

"Yes, it did," she replied. "I still have it plugged in next to my bed."

"See," Aleric replied. "Tape works."

Dr. Worthen crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Dr. Wolf, I need to tell you what my nurses are always telling me. If you don't take care of yourself, you won't be able to take care of anyone else."

Nurse Eastwick managed to free the last piece of tape and pulled the gauze away. She shook her head at the four deep claw marks across Aleric's chest.

Dr. Worthen gave the wound a closer look. "You got lucky. We can patch these with glue."

"Not tape?" Aleric asked.

Nurse Eastwick threw her hands in the air and stormed off, shaking her head.

That brought a smile to Dr. Worthen's face. "Glue is our best bet. I'll let Nurse Eastwick clean it up. If you need me, I'll be three rooms over taking care of a man who nearly cut off his thumb with a table saw."

"Does that happen often?" Aleric asked.

Dr. Worthen nodded. "More often than you would think." He indicated Aleric's wounds. "You got lucky."

"I'll remember that," Aleric replied. He settled back onto the bed and waited for Nurse Eastwick.

She arrived with a tray of supplies and a disapproving expression on her face. She sprayed disinfectant on the wound and started cleaning it.

"This isn't pretty," she said. "If Dr. Indley hadn't mentioned a wolf, we'd have no idea that you got injured fighting that demon. What happens when this gets infected and you need serious help?"

"I'm hoping to be back to Blays before that," he told her. He winced when she scrubbed a tender spot. "Werewolves heal quickly over there. I guess I was hoping the same applied here."

"You may just have to settle with being one of us for a while." She glanced at him. "Unless you know how to get back."

Aleric shook his head. "I have no idea. I thought heading to the alley where I was found would give me a clue, but it didn't." He tried not to let show how much that bothered him.

Nurse Eastwick finished applying the glue and stepped back. "Well, I can't say I'm sad to hear you'll be around for a bit. If we have more days like this one, we're going to need you."

"It's nice to be needed," Aleric replied, pushing back up to a sitting position.

She gave him a closer look. "You really should rest."

"I'd like to," he said. "But someone needs to go check on our resident vampire and see how the demon escaped. I need to make the D Wing ready to hold him again."

"Good luck with that," she replied. "I put some more blood aside in case you need it."

"I appreciate it." He paused, and a wry smile spread across his face. "I never thought I'd be grateful for a bag of blood."

She pushed aside the curtain. "I never thought I'd be handing them out like juice boxes."

"At least he doesn't need a straw," Aleric replied.

The nurse shook her head as she made her way to the next room.
Chapter 8

Aleric ducked into the Dark fae section of the D Wing. "You alive in here?" he called.

Dartan gave a groan from the corner. "That's a matter of opinion. I feel like I have a unicorn blood hangover." He held his head. "Nasty habit, that. I haven't indulged for centuries."

"What happened?" Aleric asked, making his way warily to the corner where the window had been smashed.

"Our demon friend decided he wanted to go home," Dartan said from his seat against the wall of the opposite corner.

That perked Aleric's interest.

"Did he say how he intended to do that?"

Dartan shook his head, then held it again. "I didn't have the time to ask him when he was throwing me through the air."

Aleric gave the vampire a closer look. "Why would he do that?"

Dartan rose to his feet. "I told him he couldn't leave and he decided I was wrong."

That caught Aleric off-guard. "Are you saying you stood in the way of the demon leaving here? Why would you do that?"

The question seemed to cause Dartan discomfort. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "I didn't want him to hurt anyone."

Aleric stooped to picked up the large shards of glass. The vampire's answer bothered him. In his experience, Dark fae never went out of their way to help others. They were a very self-interested lot.

The voice in the back of his mind whispered that he was usually the same way.

He stacked glass on top of one of the ruined boards and chuckled it out the window. The glass shattered on the pavement beyond.

Aleric sighed. "I should have thought that through."

He found a garbage bag that was half-full in one of the partially-finished rooms and began to fill it.

"Do I smell blood?"

The vampire's tone was hesitant.

Aleric picked up the bag he had forgotten about and tossed it at the vampire. Dartan caught it. He kneaded it between his fingers and gave Aleric a curious look.

"I meant fresh blood."

Aleric glanced down at his scrubs. A few drops stained his scrubs top from the wound Nurse Eastwick had patched.

"A token of my own encounter with our demonic friend."

"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to bleed around a vampire?" Dartan asked, taking a few steps forward.

Aleric turned to face the vampire. "Are we going to have a problem?"

Dartan smiled, showing his elongated canines, and bit into the blood bag. "Not if you keep bringing such remarkable refreshments," he said, his voice muffled around the bag. "You're quite the host."

Aleric gathered the remaining pieces of glass and shoved them into the bag.

"That's definitely not one I've heard before."

"It's a day for firsts," Dartan replied.

Aleric maneuvered one of the big boards across the window to patch the giant hole. The vampire's footsteps sounded behind him. Aleric's muscles tensed, but he didn't turn around. He wondered if he was about to be bitten; it wasn't a thought he relished. He held completely still.

Pale hands grabbed the board next to his.

"Get the hammer. I've got this," Dartan said.

Aleric met the vampire's gaze. Dartan's expression was unreadable. Vampires were known for their blank looks when their minds were anything but.

Aleric grabbed the hammer and nails from the bench near the door. It took only a few seconds to secure the board over the hole and hammer it down. Both of them stepped back.

"Think it'll keep a demon in?" Aleric asked.

"Not a chance," Dartan replied.

Aleric crossed his arms with a shake of his head. "The creature's drugged, but I'm not sure how long we can keep him here. Sedation doesn't work very well."

"Send him over to Tranquility. She can kill him with her good cheer."

That brought a chuckle from Aleric. "I don't know if I would put any creature through that." He sighed. "Speaking of the overly animated fairy, I need to go check on the other side. There's a faun over there with a broken leg."

"When should I expect our demon back?" Dartan asked.

"A few minutes," Aleric replied on his way to the door. "The less time he spends in the E.R., the better."

Dartan settled back to the floor with the bag of blood in his hands. "I guess that'll give me something to look forward to."

Dr. Indley was on the other side when Aleric walked through. She smiled upon seeing him.

"Braum's vitals are good," she announced. "I think he's going to be alright."

"He's lucky," Aleric said. "You did a good job."

"A great job," Tranquility spouted from her bed beneath the window.

Marae gave her a warm smile. "What are you in here for?" she asked.

Tranquility's eyes widened and she looked at Aleric.

"Uh, Tranquility suffers from a nervous system disorder," he told Marae. "She's here for monitoring."

The fairy gave Marae a grave look, her eyes dramatically wide. "It's serious."

"I'm sorry to hear that," the veterinarian said. She gave Aleric an apologetic look. "Maybe I shouldn't have asked."

Aleric shook his head. "It's alright. Tranquility's tougher than she looks."

Tranquility nodded gravely again.

"May we?" Dr. Indley asked, gesturing to the door.

"Yes, definitely," Aleric replied. "Let me check on one more patient and I'll meet you out there."

He entered the open room where the selkie slept.

"She hasn't moved a muscle," Tranquility called out. "Do you think she's dying?"

The selkie's vitals were the same as they had been the last time Aleric was in the room. He didn't know if the numbers were good or bad, but figured alarming the fairy wouldn't help anyone.

"She's not dying, just sleeping."

"That's a lot of sleep for a selkie," Tranquility said. "I've never known one to sleep like she has."

Aleric left the selkie's room and crossed to the fairy's bed. "Do you know a lot of selkies?"

The fairy shrugged. "A few. They tend to keep to themselves. The Wakun clan lives in Drake City Bay; they're not too bad."

"Ever seen one caught between both forms like this one?" he asked.

"Never," Tranquility replied. "I don't think that's supposed to happen." She blinked quickly and glanced away from him.

"Are you alright?" Aleric asked her.

She shook her head, but refused to look at him.

Aleric moved to the other side of the bed. When he saw tears in her eyes, he asked her more gently, "Tranquility, what's wrong?"

"I miss home," she said, finally meeting his gaze. The tears rolled down her cheeks. "I miss my family, my friends, and Drake City. I want to go home."

Aleric wasn't sure how to comfort her. Helping others feel better wasn't one of his strengths.

The nagging voice in the back of his mind noted that if he was going to continue pretending to be a doctor, he should work on being a bit more reassuring.

"I think we're all, um, a bit homesick," he said. He lifted a hand to pat her shoulder, but the motion felt awkward. He let the hand fall back to his side.

"How did we get here, Aleric?" Tranquility asked.

"I'm not sure," he replied. "I think—"

The little fairy caught him by surprise when she wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. Her little arms felt so tiny.

"I'm afraid," she said. "I'm afraid I'll never go back home."

"I'll find a way," Aleric promised. "You won't be here forever. Trust me, okay?"

She tipped her head back and looked up at him. She nodded, tears still rolling down her pink cheeks.

"I trust you, Dr. Wolf."

Aleric moved her hands away from his waist and stepped back.

"I-I'll be back soon to check on you," he told her. "Let me know if anything changes with the others. Can you do that?"

She sniffed and wiped her cheeks on the sleeve of her hospital gown. "I can do that."

He gave her a smile. "That's a tough fairy."

His words brought an answering smile to her face.

Aleric walked through the door and found Dr. Indley waiting for him in the hallway.

"I've been thinking about the news today and that creature that attacked me in the parking lot," she said. "Do you think Braum is one of those they were talking about?"

Aleric hesitated. "I guess so," he said. "Maybe that would make sense."

"Dr. Wolf, he has the feet of a goat. It's the only think that makes sense." She paused, then said, "Do we need to report him to the police?"

"What? No!" Aleric replied. He realized by her surprised expression that he had answered too quickly. He forced a nonchalant shrug. "I mean, we should probably wait and make sure he's recovering from surgery before we do that. What if they insist on moving him?"

Marae thought for a moment, then nodded. "That makes sense. We'll wait and see how he's doing. I think that's rational." Her eyes widened slightly. "But what about the one that attacked me? He's still here somewhere, isn't he?"

"He's heavily sedated," Aleric reassured her. "I wouldn't be surprised if Dr. Worthen has already turned him over to the proper authorities."

"Oh good," she replied with a breath of relief. "I can't imagine being here if that creature is still around. I've never seen anything like it."

The doors at the other end of the hallway flew open. Gregory's panicked expression made Aleric's stomach turn over.

"Dr. Wolf, uh...." The orderly looked from Aleric to Marae. He shuffled from one foot to the other. "Dr. Worthen has called you in on an...uh...for your opinion on something."

Aleric glanced at Dr. Indley. "I'd better go check it out. If you want to head back to your clinic, we can call you if Braum's condition changes."

Marae's lips lifted in a half-smile. "Dr. Wolf, it's just after midnight."

"Oh," he replied. "I don't suppose veterinarians hold Emergency Room hours. Do we have your home number?"

She pulled a scrap of paper out of her purse and wrote something down. She handed it to him with a smile. "Call me whenever you'd like."

Gregory reached Aleric's side. They both watched the veterinarian turn down a side hall out of sight.

"She gave you her number," Gregory said.

Aleric glanced at him. "In case Braum needs more help."

"Sure," Gregory replied, sounding not convinced in the slightest. "She did say 'whenever you'd like'."

Aleric's eyes widened at his implications. "She didn't mean it like that."

"She most definitely did," Gregory shot back.

"We just met today," Aleric pointed out.

"Oh, come on," Gregory said. "She could barely take her eyes off you. We could have called her if we needed her to come back for Braum, yet she shows up here anyway? It's obvious."

Aleric searched for something to say to hide his embarrassment at being so unaware of Marae's feelings.

"What did Dr. Worthen need?"

"Oh, yes," Gregory said. "It's an emergency. We should have been there already!"

They took off running.

"Could you fill me in?" Aleric asked as they pushed through the doors.

"The ambulance just arrived," Gregory said, leading the way at a headlong rush past the white-curtained rooms. "The crew called ahead and said—"

Aleric slid to a stop at the sight of the young banshee boy standing in the middle of the next hallway.

"Let me go!" The voice of the demon roared from Aleric's other side.

He glanced back just as the demon threw a nurse into the hallway.

"We need more sedatives," Aleric said under his breath.

The demon burst out of his room and glared at Aleric. The Dark fae's glowing eyes shifted from the werewolf to further down the hallway. Aleric followed his gaze.

The banshee boy looked terrified.

"It's you!" the demon said.

The banshee sucked in a breath.

Aleric put his hands over his ears, but he knew from experience that it wouldn't help.

The boy let out a blood-curdling cry.

Pain exploded in Aleric's head and coursed through his body. He fell to his knees with his head in his hands.

Behind him, the demon let out a howl. The banshee's cry increased. A crash sounded.

Aleric lost track of how long the boy cried. It could have been minutes or seconds, but with the pain it took all of Aleric's strength to keep from passing out. He knelt there with his forehead touching the tiles and his hands holding his head. It felt like his fingers were the only things keeping his skull from exploding.

"We'll get you back to your bed...."

Gregory's calming words sounded down the hallway. Aleric was vaguely aware that the banshee's cry had stopped. He breathed through his nose, taking in the scents of cleaner, dirt from the soles of the hospital workers' shoes, and the wool of the mop used to keep the floor sanitary. An acrid taste clung to his tongue.

A hand touched his back.

"Aleric, the demon's gone."

He raised his head.

"It's gone?"

Nurse Eastwick nodded. "It crashed through the doors of the Emergency Room. There's glass everywhere."

"What is it about demons and glass?" Aleric asked.

He pushed up to his feet. The nurse grabbed his arm and steadied him.

"Are you alright?" she questioned.

Aleric nodded, then put a hand to the wall as the world spun around.

"We need to find that demon. He could hurt people."

"Dr. Worthen sent Jaroff to call the police. He's worried about the same thing," the nurse told him.

Aleric turned so that he could lean against the wall.

"How's the banshee?"

"Better than you," she said with concern in her gaze. "You look terrible."

"I'd like to say I feel better than I look, but that'd be a lie." He stood up straight.

"Where are you going?" Nurse Eastwick asked.

"To catch a demon," Aleric replied.

"I'll help."

Both Aleric and the nurse looked toward the door to the D Wing. Dartan stood there in his hospital gown.

Aleric stalked toward him. "What are you doing out here?" he demanded.

"I heard the commotion," Dartan replied.

Aleric stopped a foot from the vampire.

"You need to go back to the D Wing," he said, his voice rough.

"I'm not going to endanger anyone," Dartan said.

"You endanger them by being here," Aleric pointed out.

Dartan glanced at Nurse Eastwick, then lowered his voice. "Look, Wolfie, you're heading out to catch a demon nobody's been able to control. What do you plan to do with him when you get him?"

Aleric opened his mouth and shut it again when no idea formed.

Dartan nodded. "Exactly. Two heads might be better than one in this case. I don't want to see anyone else hurt, either, so let me help unless you have a better idea."

Aleric wanted to have a better idea than trusting a vampire to help him bring in a demon, but no matter how hard he thought, he couldn't come up with one.

"Fine," he gave in, his tone reluctant. "Let's go find the demon." He looked at Nurse Eastwick. "Sedatives aren't working. Do you have anything stronger?"

"How about horse tranquilizers?"

Aleric turned to find Marae standing near the end of the hallway holding what looked like a gun in an open black case.

He glanced at Dartan. "I think that'll work."

Dartan nodded, his eyebrows raised. "That'll do nicely." He pushed past Aleric and made his way to the veterinarian. He gave her a warm smile. "Thank you very much...." He paused expectantly.

"Marae," Dr. Indley replied. A blush ran across her cheeks. "Dr. Marae Indley. I'm a veterinarian." She gestured to the gun. "Hence the tranquilizer."

"Oh, of course," Dartan said with a chuckle. "Otherwise, you're into some crazy stuff I don't even want to know about."

A laugh burst out of Dr. Indley. She covered her mouth with her free hand, her eyes wide.

"I don't know where that came from," she said.

"It was cute," Dartan replied. "You should do that more often."

Aleric elbowed him sharply in the back. "Come on." He took the tranquilizer gun and closed the case. "Thank you very much, Doctor Indley," he said, stressing the name in the hopes that Dartan would catch on.

"You've been very helpful, Marae," Dartan replied.

He walked back toward the D Wing. Aleric followed behind. He skirted the room where the banshee boy was. Gregory stepped out when he passed.

"He's swooping in," the red-headed orderly said, falling in at Aleric's side.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied.

"Of course you do," Gregory told him. "That vamp's as smooth as glass. He's going to get your woman if you don't do something about it."

Aleric rolled his eyes. "Dr. Indley isn't my woman."

"Okay," Gregory said, his tone unconvinced. "Just remember, fight for the desires of your heart or you'll be left empty and alone."

Aleric stared at him. "Empty and alone? What is this, psychotherapy hour at Edge City Hospital?"

Gregory grinned. "Actually, I minored in psychotherapy. Pretty good, huh?"

Aleric sighed. "Yes, great. Stop analyzing me, please? I've been here a day. That's not nearly enough time for a love life."

"The heart wants what the heart wants," Gregory said.

Aleric pushed through the doors to the D Wing and left the orderly behind.

"A tranquilizer? That Marae is quite the girl," Dartan said. "She's a keeper. Don't let that one go."

Aleric shoved past the vampire. "Not you, too."

Dartan chuckled. "No. I just heard what the scrawny assistant said and I wanted to give you a hard time."

"I appreciate that," Aleric replied.

He was almost to the back doors when he realized that he was still wearing scrubs and Dartan wore only the hospital gown. He stopped and Dartan nearly ran into him.

"What's up?"

"We need different clothes."

"I figured you'd wolf-out and I could wear your scrubs," Dartan replied.

The thought of the vampire wearing scrubs didn't seem right to Aleric.

"You hit on women in a hospital gown and they giggle; what would they do if you're dressed like a doctor?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Dartan replied. He ran his tongue purposefully across his teeth.

"This was a horrible idea," Aleric said.

He grabbed the vampire's arm and attempted to drag him back to the D Wing.

Dartan crossed his arms and planted his feet. Aleric couldn't move him.

Aleric paused. "You're a lot stronger than you look."

"I just ate, remember?" Dartan reminded him. "And I'm not going to use the doctor bit to get women. Don't worry." He winked. "Though it seems to work for you."

Aleric shoved the back door open. "Why does everyone assume I need a girlfriend?"

"You're dark-haired, good-looking," Dartan began. At Aleric's look, he shrugged. "I'm a vampire. I can say that."

"I'm also trying to get us back home. Between that and attempting to keep all of the fae in the hospital alive, it's been a busy day."

"Almost two days."

Aleric followed Dartan's gaze to where daylight was just showing as gray on the horizon.

"Let's hurry or I'm going to have quite the sunburn," Dartan said.

"You can wear my scrubs," Aleric told him. "But you get to carry my other clothes. I don't want those scrubs back when you're done with them."

"Afraid of vampire cooties?" Dartan asked with a smirk.

"I'm more afraid of you running around the city in that hospital gown," Aleric replied. "They're drafty."

"Built in air conditioning," Dartan said. "People in Blays would pay big money for these."

Aleric jogged back up the hallway to get his clothes. He returned with the outfit Nurse Eastwick had given him and an extra bag of blood.

At Dartan's surprised look, he shrugged. "Never pays to be too careful."

"Dinner to go," Dartan said. "I'm not complaining."
Chapter 9

"Any idea where he might have gone?" Dartan asked.

Aleric looked up at him.

Dartan smirked. "Oh, right. Wolves can't talk. You do have rolling your eyes down to an art. Or would that be a science? It does take a biological effort to accomplish a feat like that, especially since I figure such an action isn't engrained into a wolf's regular psyche." He sidestepped in time to avoid a snap of Aleric's teeth. "Now that's wolfish. You should do more things like that. Might make you seem less human when you're in that form."

Aleric paused at the edge of the hospital. Two police officers stood near the shattered doors talking to Dr. Worthen.

"With your description, something like that shouldn't be able to hide for very long," one of the officers was saying. "I'm just glad nobody here was hurt."

Dr. Worthen nodded. "Something spooked it and it took off. Otherwise, we might be talking casualties."

"With a creature that dangerous on the loose, Commissioner Oaks has issued a shoot on sight order to the department."

"Did you hear that?" Dartan whispered. A grin spread across his face at Aleric's straight look. "Of course you did. I'm just giving you a hard time."

Aleric wanted to bite the vampire. Instead, he ignored the vampire's quiet laughter and turned his attention to the night breeze. If the demon went south, the small current would carry a whiff of the Dark fae's scent to his nose. After a moment of checking to ensure that no such smell was present, Aleric trotted quietly around the backside of the hospital. He was grateful when Dartan followed without speaking.

They paused at the opposite corner, ensured that the officers' attention was captured by Dr. Worthen, and hurried across the road to the next alley. The metallic cinnamon scent of the Dark fae touched Aleric's nose. He led the way down the alley.

By the spacing of the demon's stride, the creature was running. Several alleys later, Aleric could smell the police officers who combed the city. The gunmetal and nylon scent carried through a dozen streets until the demon outdistanced them.

"We'd better find this thing quick," Dartan said. "Give me another hour and you'll be chasing demons with a barbecue crisp."

Aleric glanced up at the rising sun filtering between the buildings. The scent he followed cut across a lit street. He chose instead to run down a shadowed alley and the next two streets that ran parallel to the first but were blocked from the sun by a bigger skyscraper a few streets away.

Aleric paused at the corner. The scent pointed toward the alley across from them, but the street in-between was lit by the bright sunlight. He glanced back at Dartan.

"Crisp, remember?" Dartan said.

Aleric knew he couldn't ask the vampire to put his life on the line like that. He took a step forward.

"I'm not letting you go alone," Dartan told him.

When the vampire moved to follow, Aleric bared his teeth.

Dartan lifted his hands. "Whoa. Chill, Wolfie. I'll stay here, but don't get upset if you run into our clawed friend and have to handle him by yourself."

Satisfied that the vampire would stay put, Aleric waited for two cars to pass, then darted across the road. He reached the shadows, turned the corner at the end of the alley, and nearly ran straight into the back of the demon.

The creature turned with a growl and swiped at Aleric. He dove beneath the demon and tripped over the sprawled body of a police officer. The demon nearly caught him in its huge claws before Aleric reached his feet again. He danced backwards out of reach and spotted two more officers near a discarded refrigerator. One of the officers was crouched in front of an unconscious policewoman. Deep scratches showed across the front of the upright officer's vest and his gun lay in pieces against the wall. Aleric had stumbled upon them before the demon could deliver a killing blow.

A rage-filled roar let him know just how the demon felt about that. The creature turned back to the police officers. Before he could finish the job, Aleric jumped onto the demon's back and bit down hard.

The demon let out a bellow and reached back. It grabbed Aleric and threw him over its shoulder. Aleric hit the wall near the refrigerator and fell to the ground. He pushed back to his feet just as the demon charged at the officers. Aleric threw himself in the way, hitting the demon with enough force to push it off its feet. It pummeled him with its claws and threw him off its chest before he could get a good hold.

The demon clambered back to its feet and faced the officers once more. Aleric could see the terror in the young officer's eyes; he respected the man for not leaving the unconscious policewoman. The man's badge read Officer Ling; his eyes shifted from the demon to Aleric as the demon's massive claws came down.

Aleric let out a growl that would have done the banshee boy proud. The sound reverberated off the walls and ground. The demon dropped it claws, the officers forgotten. It spun to face Aleric and let out another roar. Aleric growled and backed up one step at a time with the intention of getting the demon as far away from the officers as he could.

The demon took the bait. When Aleric turned and ran, the demon followed close on his heels. The alley split. Aleric guessed and took the left branch. He galloped with the sound of the creature following close behind. The deep gouging scrapes, the scuff of claws on pavement, and the throaty huff of the Dark fae's breaths spiked Aleric's adrenaline. Instinct bade him to turn around and fight, but he had battled the demon twice. Something deep down told him that he wouldn't be so lucky a third time.

Aleric's plan was to get the demon as far away from the center of the city as possible. If he could reach the outskirts of Edge City, maybe it would give him time to figure out how to return the demon to Blays. At the very least, he could reduce the civilian casualties if the demon got out of hand.

Unfortunately, Aleric didn't plan on the alley coming to an end. It seemed to happen far too often in Edge City. Somebody seriously needed to redesign the city layout.

Aleric spun around halfway to the ending wall. The demon grinned a wide, toothy grin at the sight of his prey with nowhere to go. Aleric crouched, his muscles bunching. He prepared to make the leap for the demon's throat. The demon's claws lifted in preparation.

It knew its weakness; the demon anticipated exactly what Aleric needed to do to stop it, and it would make Aleric pay. Aleric couldn't escape the alley without going around the demon, and the creature's shoulders brushed the bricks on either side.

The thought of the wounded officers lying a few alleys back lingered in Aleric's mind. If he didn't attack, the demon would be able to hurt more people in Edge City. If he did attack, the demon's claws would tear through him. Aleric had two choices; either wait for the demon to kill him, or take the demon down with him and end the Dark fae's ability to hurt anyone else.

Aleric gritted his teeth and sprang.

A strange thwack sounded in the alley. The demon stumbled forward, lowering its claws. Aleric grabbed its throat and let go again in surprise when the creature fell forward without a fight. He leaped to the side as the body slammed to the ground. A dart protruded from the back of its shoulder.

Aleric looked past the creature. Dartan leaned against the wall. The vampire breathed heavily and tufts of smoke rose from his scrubs. Several places where his skin was visible on his arms and face were black and bubbling. He lowered the gun as though it weighed a hundred pounds.

He shrugged at Aleric's surprised look.

"What? I couldn't let you have all the fun."

He tossed the clothes he carried to Aleric's feet and turned his back.

"Get changed. I'm not lugging that beast back alone."

Aleric phased and quickly pulled on the clothes. He looked at the motionless demon.

"Thanks," he said. "I didn't expect that."

Dartan glanced back. "Don't mention it. I told you I didn't want anyone else to get hurt."

"I had you pegged wrong," Aleric told him. "You could have let him kill me before you shot him."

"Tempting." Dartan grinned; the wide smile turned into a grimace at the pull of the expression across his burned face. "You could have been a little easier on me, but I don't know many werewolves who would give a vampire the time of night, let alone a bag of blood."

Aleric crouched next to the demon. "Should we shoot him again?"

Dartan shook his head. "As much as I would like to, he's already changing back. We should save your girlfriend's darts until we need them."

Aleric shook his head and fought back a smile. He could have his stomach ripped open as he attempted to tear out the demon's throat at that moment. He would tolerate a little ribbing if it meant he was alive to hear it.

The demon was back down to his pale, human form. The lack of claws and sharp teeth was reassuring. Aleric glanced at the vampire's burned arms. The charred skin cracked, showing pale cords of muscle beneath. It looked extremely painful.

"I've got the demon," Aleric said.

"I'm not going to argue," Dartan replied. "I'm already dreading the walk back."

Aleric looked at the end of the alley. The sunlight was bright and bold beyond the shadows. Given the vampire's already burned state, Dartan would truly be risking his life to make it back to the hospital.

"I have an idea," Aleric told him. "Wait here."

He jogged up the space between the buildings.

"If the cops find me, I'm telling them I'm a burn victim," Dartan yelled after him.

"You are a burn victim," Aleric called back.

Aleric reached the alleyway where the police officers lay.

"How is she?" he asked when he reached them.

"Unconscious. That monster threw her against the wall. I've called for help." Officer Ling watched him as if unsure who he was.

"Have them take her and the other officer to Edge City Hospital instead of Memorial. They'll be ready."

The officer gave him a curious look. "Will do."

Aleric hurried around them and grabbed the door to the refrigerator. He gathered his strength and pulled. At first, it felt like the door wouldn't budge. Aleric yanked harder and the hinges tore free. He ran past the staring officer back up the alleyway.

"A fridge door?" Dartan said. "That's your great idea?"

"I didn't say it was a great idea," Aleric replied. "But the alley was all out of cardboard. You can't be picky."

"I can," Dartan replied.

Aleric gave him a skeptical look. "Then walk out there without any protection."

Dartan sighed and held out his hand. Aleric gave him the door. To the vampire's credit, he acted as though it barely weighed anything.

Aleric ducked beneath the demon's arms and threw the creature over his shoulder.

"This demon's heavier than he looks," he said with a grunt.

"Maybe you need some blood," Dartan replied, walking past. "It always picks me up."

Aleric's lips curled in distaste at the thought. "Ugh."

"No, blood," Dartan corrected. He turned around to look at Aleric. "You really need to work on your enunciation."

Aleric rolled his eyes.

"There it is. Now I recognize you as the wolf of my nightmares. You have a very pessimistic outlook on life, my friend."

"Are you really giving me life advice right now?" Aleric asked as he hauled the demon behind the vampire. "You do realize how ironic that is given that you're dead."

Dartan glared at him over his shoulder. "Not dead. That's an often mistaken belief regarding vampires. Our cells are very much alive, they're just a bit on the cannibalistic side; if we don't continually resupply with blood, they'll devour our bodily fluids from the inside out."

"So you're like the living dead," Aleric said.

It was Dartan's turn to roll his eyes. "That's an oxymoron. You can't be living and dead at the same time."

"I can't," Aleric shot back. "But you are."

They reached the corner where the officers waited. Aleric glanced at Dartan. He looked ridiculous with the refrigerator door held over his head, burns making a patchwork of his scrubs, and blood staining the corner of his mouth. Aleric doubted he looked much better hauling the unconscious demon on his back.

"Let's go this way," Aleric suggested.

"It'll be longer," Dartan pointed out.

Aleric shrugged to get the demon up higher on his shoulder. The bruises from their fight were beginning to make themselves felt.

"I'd rather go a longer route than explain ourselves to the officers in the next alley."

Dartan paused. "I ran right past them and barely even noticed."

Aleric shook his head. "Come on. They're probably sending officers this way as we speak."

The trek back to the hospital was slow going at best. By the time they reached the back doors, the bottoms of Dartan's pants had burned from the contact of the sun to his skin, Aleric felt like his arms were going to fall off, and they had to shoot the demon with the tranquilizer gun again because he started to revive.

"The last thing we need is for Mister Social Tornado here to wake up," Dartan said. He threw the refrigerator door toward the hospital dumpster and ducked quickly into the shadows of the backdoor. The door landed in the dumpster with a loud crash.

"Seriously?" Aleric said. "We're trying to keep a low profile, remember?"

"That was an amazing shot," Dartan replied.

Aleric shook his head. "It was loud."

"It was amazing," Dartan repeated. "I'm not opening this door until you admit it."

Aleric glared at him.

Dartan shrugged.

Aleric rolled his eyes. "Fine. It was amazing."

"Thank you," Dartan said with a grin. He pushed the door open. "I thought so myself."

They were halfway up the hall when Gregory burst through the E.R. doors.

"Dr. Wolf, hurry! You're on television!"

Aleric and Dartan exchanged a glance.

Dartan reached for the demon. "I'll get him situated in the D Wing. Go check it out. I'll meet you there."

Aleric followed Gregory to the break room. Dr. Worthen and Nurse Eastwick stood staring at the television with Dr. Indley. Alex looked past them to the screen.

The image was a bumpy recording of the alley where Aleric had fought the demon. It showed them from a higher viewpoint as he launched himself in wolf form at the demon just as the tranquilizer dart struck the creature's back. The camera panned to the top of Dartan's head. It was difficult to make out the vampire's face. The image moved back to Aleric as he finished pulling on his shirt. At their feet, the demon slowly changed form back to human. Aleric glanced up. He remembered looking at the sky when Dartan mentioned the sun. The image froze, zooming in on his face.

"A city-wide sweep has been called for this man. Anyone with information leading to his arrest has been asked to call the police at the following number...."

"What did I miss?" Dartan asked, bursting through the door.

Everyone turned around. Dr. Indley's gaze met Aleric's.

"You're the wolf?" she demanded.

She crossed to him in three angry strides.

"I, uh," Aleric began.

Marae grabbed his shirt and pulled it up. The claw marks from the demon had torn the glue and were bleeding again from the fight.

"You want to explain this?" she said, her voice trembling with anger.

"There was this demon," Aleric began.

Marae glared at him. "I'm not stupid! I knew something was going on around here. You said 'I think creatures that vanish into thin air don't exist', and that 'Somebody must be pulling a prank'?" Her voice rose. "You made a fool out of me!"

She stormed out of the room.

Aleric stared after her. It took him a minute to realize that his mouth was open. He shut it.

"You're horrible with women," Dartan said. "You're going to have to get a different girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend!" Aleric protested.

Gregory appeared at the door.

"Uh, everyone, there're reporters demanding to be let in."

"Why here?" Dr. Worthen asked.

"I think Tarli called the police and told them Dr. Wolf was here," Gregory said. He met Aleric's gaze. "I'm sorry. I tried to stop her." He lowered his voice, his face pale, "But she's mean."

"Great," Dr. Worthen muttered. He shoved past Gregory intent on the Emergency Room.

Nurse Eastwick followed him to the door, then paused. "Aleric, do you need a place to stay?"

Aleric met her worried gaze. "I'm not sure what to do. Give me a minute to figure something out."

"My place is always open," she told him. "You could crash in Harrison's room. He's not going to need it until the end of the term. You boys would get along."

Touched by the offer, Aleric smiled at her. "Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."

She nodded and left through the door.

Aleric leaned against the end of the couch. He glanced at Dartan who watched him silently.

"I really appreciate your help back there," he told the vampire.

"Don't mention it," Dartan replied.

Angry voices arguing caught Aleric's attention. He rose and went to the door. A glance at the E.R. doors showed several officers in dispute with Dr. Worthen.

"Get out of here," he told Dartan. "They didn't see your face."

"I did as much as you," Dartan replied.

Aleric turned to face him. "If they take us both, who's going to help the fae and keep them hidden? I need you here."

Dartan looked like he wanted to argue.

Aleric didn't give him the chance. "The last thing the police station needs is a hungry vampire behind bars. That's not going to help anyone."

"I'm not hungry right now," Dartan pointed out.

"How about a few hours from now when that blood bag goes through your system?" Aleric asked.

"What will you do tomorrow night when the full moon forces you to be a wolf?" Dartan shot back.

A chill ran through Aleric's veins at the thought. "I'll figure that out when I get to it." He glanced through the door. "They're coming. Promise me you'll take care of the others and not drink the fairy's blood."

Dartan forced a smile despite the worry in his gaze. "Fairies taste horrible anyway. Their blood is chock full of positivity and light. It's disgusting."

"Thanks," Aleric told him. "Go before they find you."

He watched the vampire make his way back to the D Wing. If anyone had told him at the beginning of the day that he would trust the entire fae wing to the vampire, he would have laughed in their face. The fact that Dartan was the only one he could truly trust made him somber.

"Dr. Wolf?"

Aleric pushed the door open completely and stepped through. Dr. Worthen was followed by the three officers and he didn't look at all happy about it.

"Yes, Dr. Worthen?" he said.

The lead officer stepped around the doctor. He looked Aleric up and down. Aleric knew his clothes were disheveled and blood showed through his shirt from the battle. It wasn't his finest moment.

"Dr. Wolf, you are under arrest for aiding and abetting fae creatures," the officer said.

Aleric didn't fight as another officer handcuffed him. He listened numbly as his rights were read. In the corner of his eye, he saw Dr. Worthen arguing in vain with one of the other officers. Nurse Eastwick joined them and added her argument, but none of the officers appeared to care.

A thought occurred to Aleric. "The officers in the alley should be here," he said. He looked at Dr. Worthen. "I told them to come here because we have experience with demons."

"I'll take care of them," Dr. Worthen promised.

"I know you will," Aleric replied.

He was pushed roughly past the doctor. Dr. Worthen put a hand on his arm.

"It's been a pleasure working with you, Dr. Wolf."

That brought a small smile to Aleric's lips. "I feel the same. Thank you for trusting me."

Dr. Worthen nodded and Aleric was led away.
Chapter 10

Aleric watched the buildings speed past. The detached voice in the back of his mind noted that his journey into the alleys had taken him to barely a sliver of the massive city. Skyscrapers blocked out the sunlight in places while in others, massive parks spanned entire city blocks. All around him, humans lived their lives unaware or uncaring of the creatures that had appeared in their city.

People clogged sidewalks and crossed the streets in huge groups while drivers honked and motioned for them to move. Bicyclers, people on scooters, skateboards, roller skates, and loud motorcycles congested the roads and sidewalks. Aleric could barely believe that so many people lived in one place.

The police car he rode in paused at a traffic light. Aleric's gaze lingered on a lamp in a store at the base of one of the buildings. The glass of the lamp had been crafted in swirls of red, yellow, and blue. He wondered if the lamp would throw colored lights on the walls if it was plugged in. He imagined it would be beautiful. The car pulled away; he watched the lamp until it was out of sight.

"What happens to the city if the demon gets out again?" Aleric asked.

"That's somebody else's problem," the officer in the front seat said.

"It'll be your problem. That creature can throw humans around like rag dolls. Trust me. I've seen it," Aleric said. "Someone else will get hurt if we don't figure out a way to get them home."

The officer didn't reply. Aleric leaned his forehead against the window.

"What if an Archdemon gets through?" Aleric continued, musing quietly aloud. "Who's going to stop it?"

A few minutes later, the car pulled in front of the Edge City Precinct. Inside the building came a blur of paperwork questions about residences Aleric didn't have and contact information he didn't know. In shorter time than he thought possible, Aleric found himself sitting in a room handcuffed to a table with the two chairs and the mirror across from him as the only furnishings.

He could hear officers talking on the other side of the mirror. Without anything else to do in the room, Aleric concentrated on the voices.

"How do we know he's the werewolf for sure?"

"You saw the video."

"Some kid took it. It could have been made up for all we know."

"In that short of time? Impossible. He fought the monster."

"Officer Ling said he saved their lives," a third voice said. "Teri and Daniels wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him."

The sound of a door opening stopped their talking.

"Has anyone been in to question him?"

"Not yet, Commissioner. We were waiting for you."

"Do we have his list of collaborators?" the Commissioner asked.

"He didn't give up any."

"No one helped me."

At Aleric's words, silence filled the room beyond.

"I think he can hear us," one of the officers said, his voice uncertain.

"He's a wolf guy, remember?" another said. "Of course he can hear us."

"Not through this glass. It's too thick."

"Tell that to the wolf guy."

"Werewolf."

Silence filled the air again.

Aleric looked down at his hands cuffed to the table. "The correct term is werewolf, not wolf guy. I just figured since I'm obviously here for questioning, the clearer you are on what I actually am, the better for both of us. No secrets, right?"

He heard the door open and close. A few seconds later, the door to his room opened. Aleric found himself looking at the biggest man he had seen since being torn from the fae world.

"Are you here to rough me up?" he asked with only half a smile. The thought of being pummeled by the man after his battle with the demon wasn't a pleasant one.

"I'm Commissioner Oaks," the man replied. "I just want to ask you a few questions."

"Are they taking notes?" Aleric asked of the other officers he could hear speaking quietly behind the mirror."

"They better be," the Commissioner replied.

He took a seat across the table. Instead of asking questions, the man merely looked at him for a few minutes. Aleric was amazed the tiny chair he sat on could hold the man's impressive mass. Commissioner Oaks clasped his thick hands together on the table and studied Aleric without speaking.

Aleric fought back the urge to shift positions in the silence. He didn't relish how his body healed so slowly in the human world. The front of his shirt stuck to the gashes across his chest. He could tell he had a few more lacerations and bruises along his back from being thrown against the wall. He decided walls weren't his favorite thing and he would do what he could to avoid them in the future.

Werewolves in the fae world were generally regarded with suspicion because they were Ashstock, not Light fae or Dark fae, but somewhere in-between. Because of that, Aleric was used to the distrustful expression on the Commissioner's face, but he felt he had done nothing to deserve it. The patients in the hospital needed him, Dartan would require blood soon and there was no one to get it without him seeking out a nurse or orderly, and Aleric didn't imagine that would go over well. With Dr. Indley gone, there was nobody to keep an eye on Braum. The last thing they needed was a terrified faun with a broken leg hobbling around making it worse.

And Tranquility. Please, oh please don't let Tranquility have the run of the hospital. He could just imagine what trouble the poorly named fairy would get into without him there.

Aleric knew no one else was going to come to his defense. As the silence drew on, he decided he would have to do it himself.

"All I did was stop a demon from killing your officers; I didn't know saving lives was an offense in your world."

The Commissioner's thick eyebrows rose and he met Aleric's gaze. The sharp intelligence in his eyes was intense. "You've nailed the problem on the head."

Aleric sat back. His handcuffs pulled at his wrists, forcing him to sit forward again. "What does that mean?"

"You said 'Your world'. That is the problem, isn't it? You are in this world, currently, which makes it your world as well, yet you separate yourself from it. This is what makes you dangerous." The Commissioner's voice was deep and rumbling. It rolled around the room like a tidal wave.

"I'm not dangerous," Aleric replied.

Oaks gave him a straight look. "We both know that's not true."

Aleric broke the silence that followed. "So what are you going to do? Throw me in a cell and toss the key? You could swallow it. Nobody would ever get that back. That's a favorite pastime of trolls where I come from. You never want to get locked in a troll dungeon. Trust me. I've been there."

Commissioner Oaks tipped his head to one side and gave Aleric a thoughtful look. "You know, Police Commissioner of Edge City isn't an easy job."

"I can imagine," Aleric said quietly.

Oaks held his gaze. "Do you know why I'm the Commissioner?"

"You ate the last one?"

The barest hint of a smile touched the Commissioner's lips. He opened his meaty hands. "Because I am very good at knowing whether a person is telling the truth or lying." He sat back and crossed his arms. "The problem is that I don't get the feeling that you're lying."

Aleric tried to cross his arms as well, but the handcuffs prevented it. He gave in and sat forward again with his hands on the table.

"I'm not lying."

The Commissioner inclined his head. "I know. Three days ago I would have had you placed in the psychiatric ward for monitoring and drug therapy to help with your belief in this apparent other world with trolls and demons and all that." His gaze bored into Aleric's. "Unfortunately, given the events of the past two days, I am liable to believe you no matter how farfetched it sounds. As the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes said, 'Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.'"

That brought a glimmer of hope to Aleric that he wasn't going to be thrown into a jail cell and forgotten about. "So you believe me?"

"I've been hearing reports of demons, vampires, trolls, goblins, jackalopes, spider people, upright cows, unicorns, hippogriffs, and bigfoot over the past two days. Now I'm talking to a werewolf. I have to believe you or else check into the psych ward myself."

"It might be easier," Aleric suggested.

That brought a smile to the big man's lips. "Yes, it just might." He sat forward and linked his fingers again. "Aleric Bayne, I want my city to go back to normal with its petty crimes, sadistic gangs, and homicides. I like my city. I can keep my city under a semblance of order when things are normal. What I can't control is Edge City swarming with creatures from nightmares plaguing the citizens and causing fear and unrest. You seem to be the only one able to do anything about it, so tell me about yourself."

The request caught Aleric off-guard. He studied his hands for a moment. "Well, I'm from a place called Drake City in the fae continent Blays. It's a city much like yours, but instead of gangs we have werewolf and werepanther packs. We went through a recent civil unrest when vampires broke the Fallow Conflict, and the homeless are made up of Dark fae orphans who band together for survival. Petty crime is when fairies steal shiny gems from the elves and homicides are usually the result of territory wars between the werepacks or if someone gets on the wrong side of a demon; though the occasional outbreak of howling pixies can make anyone want to end their lives."

If the Commissioner was surprised by any of this information, he didn't show it. Instead, he sat back in his chair and said, "That is all very interesting, but I want to know about you. Are you someone I can trust to help us rid the city of this outbreak?"

Aleric watched the man closely. His instincts said he could trust the hulking Commissioner, yet he had never been one to open up about himself lightly.

"Outbreak?" he repeated. "You act as if the fae people are a plague."

"They are," the Police Commissioner replied. He held up a hand. "Not to be rude, but by definition, an outbreak is the sudden start of something unwelcome in a particular area. The rise of your fae people, as you call them, have disrupted life in this city and endangered the citizens I work so hard to protect."

Aleric sat back. The restraint of his handcuffs pulled him forward again.

The Police Commissioner surprised him by drawing a key from his shirt pocket and unlocking the cuffs. He let the handcuffs fall to the table with a clatter.

Aleric sat back and studied the man. "You have a point. I imagine that a sudden influx of humans with guns and hostile attitudes would be considered a plague in Drake City."

"I'm glad you understand," the Commissioner replied.

Aleric folded his arms and thought for a moment. "You want to know about me. I'll be one hundred percent honest." He met Commissioner Oak's gaze. "If we were in Blays, I would tell you not to trust me. Werewolves and other Werecreatures are called Ashstock. We are neither Light nor Dark fae; because of this, we are regarded with enmity from the other fae. We work the jobs nobody else wants, and many of us end up on the streets fighting or scrounging at an early age." He shook his head. "I wouldn't trust the werewolf I was in Blays. I lost people I cared about, I was bitter, and I fended for myself because that's all I had."

Something showed in the Commissioner's gaze when he motioned for Aleric to continue. Aleric realized that the light was one of respect.

"And now?" Commissioner Oaks prompted.

Aleric looked at the table. "In the past two days, I have saved the lives of several fae creatures I would have otherwise passed by on the streets of Drake City. I have battled a demon to keep him from harming humans, I have worked beside a medical doctor and a veterinarian to save the life of a faun, and I stood in the way of harm to protect your officers from getting killed." He rolled his shoulders in an attempt to ease the tightness caused by the battering and met the Commissioner's gaze again. "I'm a different werewolf in Edge City. I want to help people, and I think I have been placed in a position where I can."

"You're not a doctor," the Commissioner said.

Aleric shook his head. "No, I'm not; but I am also the only individual here who seems to know how to take care of the fae creatures so that they can hopefully return to Blays and get on with their lives."

The Commissioner sat forward. "How is that going to happen?"

Aleric shook his head. "I wish I knew. That's something I'm still working on. Until then, not only are your people at risk, but so are mine through the ignorance of our two societies. You have a job to protect the citizens of Edge City. I see it as my responsibility to do the same for the fae."

The Commissioner gave a grunt of acceptance. "Well put," he said. "Are you sure you don't want to go into politics."

That brought a wry smile to Aleric's face. "In Blays we have a saying, 'Let the Light fae lead the Light and the Dark fae lead their own. The best place for a werewolf is to leave the twain alone.'"

The Commissioner nodded. "Werewolves stay out of it. Probably smart." He stood. "Aleric Bayne, I appreciate your frankness."

He held out a hand.

Aleric rose and shook it. "So what now?"

The Commissioner glanced at the mirror. "I imagine the mayor will be here any moment."

"She's here," one of the officers said.

"She's here," Aleric repeated.

"He can hear us?" the voice of a woman asked.

Aleric looked at the one-way glass. "Apparently, she's been watching."

The Commissioner gave an appreciative nod. "Those ears come in handy. Can you see through the glass as well?"

Aleric shook his head. "Just acute hearing. One of the side-effects of my race."

"Any others I should know about?"

Aleric took a chance. "Well, if I stay in here during the full moon, you might be calling animal control."

A smile lifted the side of the Commissioner's lips and he gave a single chuckle. "I'll keep that in mind." He gestured toward the table again. "I need to discuss a few things with Mayor Perlis. I must ask you to wait here again, though I don't feel the handcuffs are necessary." He paused, then said, "It might take a while. Things of this extreme nature aren't easy to come to terms with. We have a lot of agencies involved."

"I understand," Aleric said. He took a seat again and watched the Commissioner knock on the door. "Commissioner Oaks?" he said.

The man turned.

"Given what I've seen on the news, your hardest job is going to be reminding them that the fae are people, too."

The door opened for the Commissioner. He thought about Aleric's words for a moment, nodded, and left through the door.

Aleric sat in the hard chair until it became uncomfortable. He rose and walked around the room. When he drew near to the mirror, he heard the officers on the other side step back. He paused and looked at the mirror as though he could see through it.

"I hope your chairs are more comfortable than mine," he said, glancing at the microphone in the corner of the ceiling.

There was a pause, then a voice answered, "We actually don't have chairs."

Aleric grinned at his reflection. "Who would have thought this was the comfortable side?"

Voices laughed. Aleric crossed to the other side of the small room and took a seat on the floor against the wall.

"I hope you don't mind if I relax a bit."

He sat there until his shoulders ached. He stood and walked around the room again. After a few very short laps, he paused by the window. He gave his reflection a critical look. The blood that colored the front of his shirt had dried into a dark patch. His black hair was a disaster and scruff showed on his jaw.

"I'm a mess," he said.

A few chuckles replied as he smoothed his hair and attempted to straighten his shirt. He clenched his jaw as he pulled the shirt away from the gashes. Dried blood on his skin wasn't his favorite thing, especially when he had already gone through the gluing process.

"My doctor's going to be upset at me," he said. "I prefer to keep my blood on the inside of my body."

"I agree," a voice replied.

"Any idea how long we've been waiting?" Aleric asked.

"About four hours," a woman answered.

Aleric let out a breath. His throat was dry and he felt lightheaded. He knew it was the aftereffects of his fight with the demon. "Any chance for some water?"

A pause followed, then a man said, "I'll bring you some."

"Thank you," Aleric replied.

He took a seat against the wall once more. He figured it was the best way to prove to whoever entered that he wouldn't hurt them. His shirt stuck to his chest again.

A few minutes later, the door opened and an officer entered. His nameplate read Officer Rellen.

"I found you another shirt. We figure if you get pulled in front of the mayor, you'll want to look, well...."

"Like I didn't just crawl out of a coffin?" Aleric suggested.

Officer Rellen nodded. "Exactly." He set the cup of water on the table.

Aleric stood, reminding himself that most of the men and women usually held in the room were handcuffed. He was careful to keep his actions slow and turned his back to the mirror as he drew his shirt over his head and pulled it gingerly from the gashes across his chest.

"Is that from the demon?" Officer Rellen asked.

Aleric glanced behind him at the mirror. Dark bruises and scratches showed all across his back. No wonder he felt so sore. He nodded. "They're stronger than they look."

"By the video, that beast looked terrifying," Officer Rellen said. "Me and the other officers at this precinct appreciate you putting your life on the line for Teri, Daniels, and Ling." He crossed the space between them and handed Aleric the shirt.

"Thank you," Aleric said, affected by the man's lack of fear. "Officer Ling was very brave the way he protected his comrades. That demon would have killed him, but he didn't run."

"Ling is young and brave. He made the entire precinct proud," Officer Rellen replied. He took Aleric's dirty shirt. "I grabbed some compresses. You looked like you might need them. No sense in getting a clean shirt ruined." The officer handed him a handful of large bandages.

"That was considerate," Aleric said.

He pressed bandages over the wounds on his chest, then pulled the dark blue shirt over his head. The feeling of the clean fabric combined with the fact that his shirt was no longer sticking to his chest was more refreshing than he thought it would be. He drank the water down in one gulp.

"I'll be back with some more. Take a chance to relax. You look exhausted," Officer Rellen told him.

"Everyone keeps telling me that," Aleric replied.

"When was the last time you slept?" the officer asked.

Aleric thought about it. "I caught a nap sometime yesterday, I think."

Rellen gave him an empathic look. "I'll bring you a pillow, too."

The officer was as good as his word. An hour later, Aleric awoke to the sound of muffled talking beyond the mirror.

"Shhh. Don't wake him up," a woman said. "He deserves to rest."

"If we don't get him out of here now, they're going to have him caught up in red tape so tangled he'll be stuck in holding for years," Commissioner Oaks replied. "Our government friends don't feel returning a fae, any fae, to the street right now is a good idea."

"But he helped," Officer Rellen pointed out.

"That's what I argued," the Commissioner replied.

Aleric sat up. He looked at the mirror. "So what's the plan?"

"We're running you out the back. The fewer questions asked, the better."

Aleric met the Commissioner at the door. The man was ready with a set of handcuffs.

"For appearances," he explained. "Trust me."

"I do," Aleric replied.

The Commissioner gave him a searching look. "Why? I'm the reason you're in here."

Aleric lifted his shoulders in a shrug. "I have a knack of knowing whether a person is telling the truth or lying."

The Commissioner grinned. "What do you call that?"

"Instincts," Aleric replied.
Chapter 11

The police car pulled onto a side street. Aleric glanced around. There were several shops with broken windows surrounded by rundown apartment buildings. No police precinct was in sight.

"Where are we?" he asked.

The officer climbed out of the car without a word and walked around to Aleric's door. He pulled the door open and stepped aside.

"What are we doing here?" Aleric asked, standing up.

"I'm letting you go on Commissioner Oak's orders," the officer replied, stepping behind him. The sound of the key in the handcuffs was loud in the quiet square.

Aleric looked back at the officer. His gaze flickered from the familiar face to the name badge that read 'Officer Ling'.

"How's your partner?" he asked.

"Alive, thanks to you," Officer Ling replied. "And so am I." He put the handcuffs in his pocket and faced Aleric. His face was pale as he spoke. "I don't know what you are or what that creature was. All I know is that we were powerless against that thing. Our bullets didn't slow it down at all. We can't do this alone."

"I'm trying to get them out of your city and this world if I can," Aleric said.

Officer Ling nodded. "I know you are. I'll try to give you as much time as I can before I call in your escape. Oaks said to make it look as realistic as possible." He indicated the car. "Think you can punch out that window?"

Aleric grinned. "Definitely." He obliged with a quick jab that shattered the window and sent glass to the ground. "Have any other remodeling you need done?"

Office Ling shook his head. "That should do. I'll give you a head start."

"I appreciate that," Aleric replied. He glanced around. "Uh, where are we?"

Officer Ling watched him closely. "You really aren't from around here, are you?"

Aleric shook his head. "I have a feeling I'm a lot further from home than either of us know."

The officer pointed past one of the abandoned stores. "I drove around to make sure we weren't being followed. The press has been dogging the precinct's every step. The hospital's just through there."

"Thanks," Aleric told him. He headed in the direction the officer indicated.

"Dr. Wolf?"

Aleric fought back a smile at the title and turned. "Yes?"

"Be careful," Officer Ling said.

"You, too," Aleric told him.

The werewolf jogged down the narrow street; his steps slowed when he neared the side of the hospital. Scents swarmed his nose. He paused and looked around. A leaf lay on the street near his foot.

"You can come out," he said. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"You're not the one we're worried about," a breathy voice called from the dark end of the alley.

"The cops are gone," Aleric told her.

"How about the man with the gun?" the voice asked.

Aleric's blood turned cold. He spun around just as the sound of a bullet tore through the air.

The slug tugged at Aleric's sleeve before it buried itself into the brick at his side. Aleric wasted no time. He dove forward, phasing into wolf form as he did so. He sprang the moment his paws touched the ground and leaped across the road. His jaw closed around the man's arm. Aleric pulled him to the ground like a wolf bringing down a stag. The man struggled to hold onto the gun. Aleric bit harder and the man yelled. The gun fell to the ground with a clatter.

Aleric heard the back door of the hospital open beneath his rumbling snarl. He glanced up to see Dartan running toward them. The vampire held a newspaper over his head in an attempt to keep the sun from scorching his skin. As soon as he reached the shadows thrown by the building, he tossed the newspaper down and grabbed up the gun.

"Aleric, are you shot?" Dartan demanded.

Aleric mentally checked himself over. He gave a brief shake of the head.

Dartan pointed the gun at the man. "Move and I'll shoot you," he warned.

"I won't move," the man said, his voice tight with pain.

Aleric slowly let go of his arm. He could taste the man's blood coating his teeth. He backed up and shook his head. Humans weren't his favorite flavor.

"What happened?" Dartan asked him.

Aleric snorted.

Dartan waved his hand, realized he still held the gun, and aimed it back at the man. "I know you can't tell me in that form. Go phase and get back here."

Aleric trotted to his clothes and dragged them with him to a pile of boxes near the dumpster. He phased and pulled on the pants. Pants were easier to get out of when changing form because they slipped off in the process. His shirt, on the other hand, had torn along both sides of the neck. Aleric tried to put it on, but it hung awkwardly. He sighed and tore the shirt off.

When he reached the pair, Dartan handed him the gun. Aleric looked at the man on the ground who held his arm cradled to his chest.

"Why did you shoot at me?" he demanded.

"You're a monster," the man said.

Aleric shook his head. "I'm not the one taking cheap shots in an alley. How long were you waiting for me?"

"I wasn't waiting for you. I was hunting them."

Aleric followed the man's finger across the way. He had forgotten about the fae who told him about the gun. Two green figures stood in the mouth of the alley. Leaves covered their bodies from head to toe. One leaned heavily on the other and clutched her stomach. Green blood dripped between her fingers.

Aleric swore softly under his breath.

"Watch him," he told Dartan. He handed the vampire back the gun.

"I don't know how to shoot this," Dartan said.

"Then bite him if he moves," Aleric told him.

"That I can handle," Dartan replied.

Aleric reached the wood nymphs. The one who was shot had her eyes half-closed; she looked like she was going to pass out at any moment.

"I know people who can help you. Will you trust me?" Aleric asked.

Tears showed in the wounded wood nymph's green eyes when she nodded. Aleric picked her up and took off toward the hospital. "Come on," he called over his shoulder to the other nymph.

She caught up to him with graceful ease. "Are you sure it's safe?" she asked in her breathy voice.

"Safer than out here," Aleric replied. "She needs help fast."

He ran through the doors and didn't slow until he reached the Emergency Room.

Gregory was busy restocking shelves in the corner. He turned at their entrance. The orderly stared at the young woman in Aleric's arms.

"Where's Dr. Worthen?" Aleric demanded.

"Uh, the, uh, in his office," Gregory replied.

Aleric waited for a moment, expecting the orderly to respond. Instead, the redhead kept staring at the wood nymph.

"Go get him!" Aleric said.

Gregory took off running.

"Please," the wood nymph at his elbow told him.

"Please," Aleric called after the orderly.

Dr. Worthen appeared at a run. He took one look at the wood nymph and motioned for Aleric to follow him.

"She needs emergency surgery. What happened?"

"The man was following us," the wood nymph at Aleric's elbow said. We couldn't hide anywhere. We saw you on the news and tried to make it to the hospital. He shot Valerian. I didn't know what to do."

Her breathy voice cut off.

"We'll take care of her," Aleric promised. "Dr. Worthen will do everything he can."

"I need your assistance," the doctor told him.

Aleric shook his head quickly. "I'm not trained for this."

Dr. Worthen gave the girl in Aleric's arms a meaningful look. "Neither am I. The hospital's short staffed. We're going to have to wing it."

He pushed through the doors to Operating Room Seven. At his motion, Aleric set the wood nymph on the operating table. Nurse Eastwick entered the room.

"Uh, alright," she said when she saw the woman covered in leaves bleeding green blood on the table. She met the gaze of the other wood nymph. "We have a room where you can wait."

"I'd prefer to be in here," the smaller woman replied.

Nurse Eastwick gave her a kind smile. "There's a risk of contamination. We can't allow anyone other than the doctors and nurses in this room during surgery, but I will personally keep you updated on your friend's condition."

"She's my sister," Aleric heard the wood nymph tell the nurse.

"Your sister is in good hands," Nurse Eastwick replied, leading her through the doors.

"Keep pressure here."

Aleric turned back to the table to find Dr. Worthen pressing a bandage to the wood nymph's stomach. He did what the doctor asked.

"We need to scrub up, but there has to be pressure on that wound to slow the bleeding. I'm assuming there's a bullet in it?"

Aleric gave him a surprised look. "How did you know?"

"I thought I heard a gunshot. When Gregory said someone was hurt, I half expected it to be you."

"It almost was," Aleric said, remembering how close the bullet had come to striking him. "The gunman got her first. Dartan's handling him."

Dr. Worthen paused on his way out the door. "You left the gunman with a vampire?"

Aleric realized it might have been a poor decision, but Dartan had proven himself to be far more trustworthy than Aleric had ever known a vampire to be. "He'll be fine, though you may have to treat the man for a wolf bite when Dartan brings him in."

Dr. Worthen pushed through the door, leaving Aleric with the bleeding wood nymph.

Her eyes were closed. A breathy moan of pain escaped her green lips.

"It's okay," Aleric said, his voice gentle. "You're in good hands; the best. Dr. Worthen is a great guy. He takes good care of the fae."

"It hurts," Valerian said.

Aleric wanted to ease up the pressure on her stomach, but with the amount of green blood covering his hands, he knew if she lost any more, the wood nymph would be in trouble.

"I'm sorry it hurts," he told her. "They'll give you medicine to relive the pain as soon as they can. Just breathe and stay with me, alright?"

She nodded. Aleric counted the seconds Dr. Worthen was away and listened closely to the wood nymph's heartbeat to ensure that it didn't weaken. He let out a breath when the door opened and the doctor returned, his clean and gloves hands held out to avoid contamination with the door. Nurse Eastwick followed close behind. She brought fresh bandages and nodded for Aleric to let go. Smoothly as though she changed bandages on wood nymphs all the time, the nurse slipped new bandages under the first one and threw it away without letting anything Aleric had touched get near the wound.

"I put a fresh pair of scrubs in the scrub room," she told him. "I also placed bandages in there. You look like you're going to need stitches."

Aleric glanced down at his chest. He forgot that he wasn't wearing a shirt. The bandages from the police precinct were long gone and the gashes bled again. "I had to phase to wolf form to stop the gunman," he explained. "Changing form isn't exactly nice to wounds like this."

"You're lucky the vampire has some self-control," Nurse Eastwick said.

"He's full of surprises," Aleric replied. He pushed open the door that led to the scrub room.

It took a few minutes to bandage the wound, change his clothes, and scrub up. Aleric tried to hurry, but given the fact that he had spent time in the precinct, traversed the alleys of Edge City, and took down the gunman, he could just imagine the bacteria all over of him. He scrubbed with the thought that he had never worried about something like bacteria before. If Dr. Worthen had known some of the places he had lived growing up, he doubted the doctor would let him anywhere near the operating room.

"Dr. Wolf, hold this," Dr. Worthen instructed as soon as he entered the room.

Aleric reached the table in time to see what the doctor was indicating.

Dr. Worthen had sliced into the wood nymph's stomach and was instructing Aleric to hold the instrument that kept the sides from closing.

"I don't know if—"

"Forceps," Dr. Worthen said.

Aleric had to grab the instrument to free up the doctor's hand. The werewolf concentrated on keeping his fingers from shaking as he held the tool. Nurse Eastwick dabbed up the blood that trickled down the side of the wood nymph's stomach. Aleric could hear the nearly silent drip of the bag that made up Valerian's I.V.; he wondered what kind of liquid was inside. Fortunately, with wood nymphs, any kind of liquid would have a good effect.

"Dr. Wolf, hold this."

Aleric took the curved instrument the doctor held out.

"Good. Clamp it there to stop the bleeding. I need to close this before she bleeds out."

Aleric did as the doctor instructed. He watched Dr. Worthen carefully pull the metal slug from the wood nymph's stomach and drop it into the plastic bowl in Nurse Eastwick's hand. The doctor quickly cleaned the area, then began stitches.

"These will dissolve on their own," Dr. Worthen said.

Aleric realized the man was speaking aloud for his benefit.

Dr. Worthen glanced at him. "I figure our friend here would prefer to stay away from humans if possible after this."

Aleric nodded. His mouth was numb. Green blood from the wood nymph covered his hands. It took great concentration to will his fingers to not shake. One slip, and he could be responsible for the end of the wood nymph's life.

The voice in the back of his mind reminded him that it would actually be the shooter's responsibility.

"Why would somebody shoot a wood nymph?" he asked quietly aloud. "They take care of plants and don't harm anybody. They're gentle creatures."

"People are afraid of what they don't understand," Dr. Worthen replied as he closed the wound with small, well-practiced stitches. "Fear drives reckless decisions. Perhaps he thought he was protecting his loved ones."

Aleric shook his head. Killing someone to protect somebody else was a concept he struggled with; it had changed the course of his life, and it had almost changed Valerian's.

"Dr. Wolf, you don't need to hold those anymore."

Aleric realized he was standing there with the metal instruments in his hands as he intently watched the doctor work.

He looked at Nurse Eastwick. She motioned toward the tray next to the operating table. Aleric set them down.

"Ready for swab and bandage," Dr. Worthen said. He stepped back and Nurse Eastwick went to work cleaning the area and preparing it for bandaging.

Dr. Worthen pulled down his mask and smiled at Aleric. "Congratulations, Doctor. You just participated in your first surgery."

Aleric followed him from the room. In the scrub room, he pulled off his gloves and the scrubs shirt, dumping them into the bin in the corner as Dr. Worthen did.

He stood there a moment, his mind still caught up with the wood nymph on the table, her blood on his hands. The cold, metal instruments had felt hard and unyielding next to her fragile body. He wondered how such things could save a life.

"Aleric."

He looked up with the realization that Dr. Worthen had called his name several times.

"Sorry," he said. "Distracted, I guess."

Dr. Worthen gave him an understanding smile. "I was just saying that we need to get you stitched up. It appears glue doesn't hold when you're changing form."

Aleric looked down at his chest. The gashes had bleed through the gauze. He sighed. "Remind me to thank Forsythe for that."

"Nobody will be speaking to him for quite a while," Dr. Worthen said. "Dr. Indley dropped off more of the horse tranquilizers. We're keeping him very heavily sedated until we can figure out what to do with him. It's the only way I could keep the Commissioner from hauling him out of here."

Aleric shook his head. "Forsythe would destroy the precinct."

"That's what I told him over the phone," Dr. Worthen said. "He's trusting us, for now."

"He's a good man," Aleric replied.

Dr. Worthen nodded. "We went to high school together. I was wondering how you two would get on. He really cares about this city."

"I can tell. I'm glad he can be rational. His men snuck me out of the precinct against orders from the mayor. I hope that doesn't get him into too much trouble."

Dr. Worthen led the way to another operating room. He grabbed a clean pair of scrubs, washed thoroughly, and motioned for Aleric to do the same. Aleric followed, his actions automatic. He walked into the operating room with Dr. Worthen and, at the doctor's motion, laid on the table.

"I hope stitches will hold," Dr. Worthen said, swabbing the gashes. "I've never had a patient who changes form. They don't put that on the contraindications for skin glue."

Aleric sucked in a breath at the cold antiseptic. "I guess they need a more diverse group of test subjects."

Dr. Worthen chuckled through his mask. "I'll have to tell them that."

He was quiet for a few moments as he worked the needle in and out of Aleric's skin. Aleric tried to ignore the pulling sensation.

"I'm glad you're back," the older doctor said without meeting Aleric's gaze.

Aleric nodded. "Me, too."

Nurse Eastwick stepped into the room. "The patient is ready for relocation to the recovery wing."

Dr. Worthen snipped the last thread and straightened. "I'm done here. Swab and bandage."

"Yes, Doctor," she replied.

"I can do it myself," Aleric said when Dr. Worthen left the room.

Nurse Eastwick gave him a kind smile as she gently pushed him back to a lying position on the table. "Dr. Wolf, sometimes you need to let other people take care of you. Pretend like you're at a spa."

That brought an answering smile to Aleric's lips. "A spa that smells like blood. I must be in Cruor."

"What's that?" the nurse asked as she finished cleaning the wound and pressed fresh bandages over it.

"The city of the vampires in Blays," Aleric replied with his eyes closed against the overhead lights. "I've never been there, but I've heard stories. Anyone with a pulse avoids it."

"I can imagine," she said. She stepped back. "Done. Now try to take care of yourself."

"Yes, boss," Aleric replied. He climbed gingerly off the table. His legs wavered when he hit the ground.

Nurse Eastwick grabbed his arm to steady him. "Take it easy. You've had an eventful couple of days. Tarli brought some lunch. You should stop by the break room."

Aleric followed her through the doors. "Gregory said she's the one who called the police."

Nurse Eastwick nodded. "She was trying to protect the hospital. Dr. Worthen spoke to her. It won't happen again." She washed her hands and then handed Aleric a pair of fresh scrubs. "I can't keep up with your laundry. You destroy more shirts than we have here."

Aleric pulled on the scrubs shirt. "I don't normally have to phase so quickly. It takes a lot of energy doing it that way, but I had to stop the gunman." He glanced at her. "Do you know what they've done with him?"

Nurse Eastwick led the way out to the hall. "If you'll go prepare a room for our guest, I'll find out and meet you at the D Wing with Valerian and her sister."

"Will do," Aleric replied. He started down the hallway, then a thought occurred to him. "Will you bring more blood?"

"I will," the nurse said.

Aleric pushed through the doors to the D Wing. He glanced at the Dark fae side, but ducked through the door to the Light.

"Ready for duty, Dr. Wolf, sir," Tranquility said with a salute when he entered the room.

"We have another patient coming in, a wood nymph who was shot," Aleric told her.

"Wood nymph. She needs water and sunlight." Tranquility pushed her bed away from the window. At Aleric's surprised look, she shrugged her tiny shoulders. "She needs it more than I do. Besides, I was hoping you'd get here. The faun woke up."

Relief filled Aleric. He walked over to the faun's room. As soon as he stepped inside, the faun screamed.
Chapter 12

"Werewolf!" Braum yelled at the top of his lungs. "Werewolf! Get me out of here!" He pushed to the top of the bed and stood on his good leg, holding the pillow in front of him with the other.

Aleric raised his hands. "Whoa. Calm down! I'm not going to hurt you."

"Says every werewolf I've ever met," Braum shot back. "Get out of my room!"

"I'm your doctor," Aleric replied.

That caught the faun by surprise. He lowered his pillow slightly. "Say that again."

"I'm your doctor, remember? We met before you went into surgery."

Braum stared at him for a moment. "It's all blurry. I remember being chased by the wolf pack. I hit a ditch that wasn't a ditch." He glared at Aleric and lifted his pillow again. "Is this some sort of intricate plot? Are you healing me to kill me, that sort of thing?"

Aleric folded his arms and leaned against the door frame. "That doesn't make any sense."

His words deflated the faun a bit. "I suppose you're right." Braum eyed him. "Why should I trust you?"

Aleric motioned toward the door. "I'm pretty much your only option unless you want a fairy to take over."

Braum shook his head quickly. "No, please. No fairies. They give me a headache."

"Her name's Tranquility," Aleric said.

Braum let out a sound of disbelief. "Give me a fairy who's not an overwhelming whirlwind of sunshine, positivity, and glitter and I'll cut off my horns."

Aleric chuckled. "Fine. The fairy stays out."

"I heard that," Tranquility called from the other room.

Braum stepped carefully down to the bed. His leg hit the mattress and he nearly fell over. Aleric was at his side in an instant. He helped ease the faun to a sitting position.

"That really hurts," Braum said.

Aleric could tell by his tight expression that the faun was trying to be strong despite the pain.

"I'll have the nurse bring some more painkillers. She should be in at any moment with another patient," Aleric told him.

Braum was quiet for a few minutes. Aleric was about to go when the faun's voice stopped him.

"This isn't Drake City, is it?"

Aleric turned back. "No; it's not Blays, either."

The faun's expression was lost when he said, "Then where are we?"

Aleric shook his head. "I'm not sure. The hospital is in Edge City. It's a human world. They haven't seen creatures like us before."

"Lucky," Braum replied.

Aleric watched the faun. "Lucky for them or us?"

"Both, I suppose," Braum said. He fell silent, then continued, "There was such fear on the woman's face when she saw me in that alley." He shook his head. "Nobody's ever afraid of a faun. We're harmless, really."

"So was the wood nymph," Aleric said, his voice quiet. At the faun's questioning expression, he explained, "She was shot by a human."

Braum gave a low whistle. "Who hurts a wood nymph? What kind of a place is this?"

"The humans are defensive and on edge since we started appearing in their city. I can't blame them, but I can't protect us, either. We need to get home."

There it was, that statement again. Aleric wondered why he wanted to return to Drake City so badly. After the Fallow Conflict, there wasn't anything left to go back to.

"How do we get home?" Braum asked. "My family's going to be worried. Mom thinks I'm working at the Grass Patch. She'll be furious and then worried when I don't go home."

"We'll get there," Aleric reassured him.

He heard the door behind him open.

"I'm going to go help with the wood nymph. Nurse Eastwick will be in with your pain meds in a bit."

"Thank you." Aleric was almost through the door when the faun said, "And I'm sorry about my reaction. Werewolves haven't been exactly kind to my people."

Aleric looked back at him. "Trust me. I understand completely. Werewolves aren't my favorite either."

He left the faun and found Nurse Eastwick setting Valerian up in the sunniest spot near the window.

"...And then I was rushing through the Cobble Store. The elf wouldn't leave me alone. She kept saying that I stole her ruby necklace, which I didn't. Why would I do that? Fairies don't steal. We may borrow things once in a while, and it's not our fault that we forget to return them. We have short memories and all that. I just can't help that I like shiny objects. Mom says it's a genetic condition and that I can blame her because she also likes things that sparkle."

Aleric cleared his throat. "Tranquility, I think we need to let the wood nymphs rest for a bit. They've had quite the scare."

The fairy gave a bright smile. "Hi, Dr. Wolf."

"Hi, Tranquility," he replied. He waited for her to do as he had asked. When she continued to give him her beaming smile, he cleared his throat again.

"Oh, uh, right. On my way, Dr. Wolf. I was in the middle of telling the selkie a story anyway."

"The selkie? Is she awake?" Aleric asked. He took a step in that direction, but the fairy stopped him.

"No, but I figured she could use a story while she's sleeping. Maybe it'll give her something good to dream about." The fairy's blue-streaked blonde hair bobbed around her face as she spoke. She shook her head and fluttered her eyelashes at him.

Aleric's inner voice said, "Maybe she'll wake up just to get away from the fairy."

Aleric fought back a wry smile and nodded. "Good idea. Keep up the good work."

"Yes, sir, Dr. Wolf, sir," Tranquility said. She disappeared around the corner.

"I think that fairy has a crush on you," Nurse Eastwick said.

Aleric stared at her. "Could you never say something like that again?"

Nurse Eastwick smiled as she checked the numbers of the wood nymph's monitor.

"Can you blame her? You saved her life and you run around like you own the place. If I was twenty years younger, I'd have my eyes on you, too."

Aleric shook his head. "That's ridiculous. How's Valerian?"

The nurse chuckled at his change of subject. "Her vitals are stable, at least. Dr. Worthen recommended extra liquids, but wanted me to check with you first."

"He wanted you to check with me?" Aleric was taken by surprise; he reminded himself that he was the doctor's fae expert. If only the citizens of Drake City could see him now. He nodded. "Yes, extra liquids would be good. Anything you'd give a tree, really. Wood nymphs are closely related to plants, as you can tell."

He moved the sheet up higher on the wood nymph's body and positioned her hand more comfortably on top.

"You really care about them, don't you?" Nurse Eastwick said.

Aleric glanced at her. He let out a breath. "I do. Things are different here. We don't have our people or packs; it's like all we have is each other." He gestured to Valerian. "She was shot just because someone was afraid of how she looked." He gazed down at her. Small, soft, delicate leaves covered her face and closed eyes. Her breath stirred the velvet that showed on the leaves beneath her nose. "I guess I feel like they're mine to take care of. If the world is trying to hurt them, they need someone who is also trying to save them."

"You're a good man, Aleric," Nurse Eastwick said.

"Don't tell anyone else that," he replied.

A tap sounded at the door. Aleric looked over his shoulder to see Dr. Indley standing in the doorway to the Light fae wing.

"Light and Dark; I guess that should have been a clue," she said. Her expression was unreadable.

"You can come in," Aleric told her.

She took several steps inside. "Is the demon in here?"

He shook his head and pointed.

"Oh. The Dark side. Right. Like Star Wars," she replied.

"What's Star Wars?" Aleric asked.

She shook her head. "Nothing. It's just ironic. I feel like I've stepped into a movie or book or something. The whole world has changed."

Aleric nodded. "I feel the same way."

"I guess you would," she acknowledged.

Aleric didn't know what to say. The silence that filled the room between them was heavy and uncomfortable.

Marae finally broke it. "So, how is our patient doing?"

Her words lightened the mood.

"Braum's awake. You should say hi," Aleric told her.

He led the way to the faun's room. He glanced back to see Dr. Indley following a few steps behind as if nervous to meet the patient.

"It's okay," he reassured her. "Faun's don't bite."

"We have flat teeth," Braum's voice said from the other side of the door.

Aleric pushed the door open. Braum looked more at ease in his bed than the last time the werewolf had been there. The faun smiled at Dr. Indley.

"Hello."

She gave a tenuous smile back. "Hi."

Aleric let out a breath at the doctor's sudden shyness.

"Dr. Indley, this is Braum. Braum, she's the one who saved your leg."

"I am in your debt," Braum said. He ran a hand through his light red hair in an attempt to straighten it around his short horns. "I didn't know I owed my life to such a beautiful doctor."

Red ran across her cheeks. "I'm actually a veterinarian," Marae said.

Braum gave Aleric a questioning look. Aleric grinned. He was going to enjoy this.

"She's an animal doctor."

Braum's mouth fell open. "Well, I never—"

Dr. Indley shook her head. "That doesn't mean I thought you were an animal; it means Dr. Worthen doesn't know how to work on animal parts and your legs are, well...."

"Goat legs," Aleric finished helpfully.

"It's true," Marae said. "So he called me because my expertise ranges on the animal side of the spectrum."

Braum looked a little less offended. "The animal side of the spectrum," he repeated.

Aleric laughed. "You could have put that differently," he said.

Dr. Indley looked entirely flustered. "Well, I, uh...."

Aleric took pity on her. "It's alright. What matters is that you saved Braum's life. I'll leave you two to talk. I have a vampire to feed and a selkie to check on."

"Salt water."

Aleric paused at the door and looked back at Braum. "What?"

"Give her salt water. I heard the fairy talking. Is the selkie caught between forms?"

Aleric nodded.

"Give her salt water. Selkies change form in the ocean. She must have been transported here while she was phasing. I doubt she'll wake up until her body can stabilize again."

Aleric stared at him. "Of course. Why didn't I think of that?"

"Because werewolves don't need water to phase. When's the moon full?" Braum asked.

Aleric felt the answer thrum through his veins. "Tonight."

Braum nodded. "I'd recommend avoiding humans. They sound a bit trigger-happy."

Aleric looked up at the exposed ceiling. "You hear everything in here, don't you?"

Braum indicated his pointed ears. "And beyond."

Aleric nodded. "I know the feeling. Holler for me if you need anything." He tipped his head at Marae. "Or let Dr. Indley know. She's extremely competent."

She looked entirely caught off-guard by his compliment. He was outside the room when he heard her say, "Well, thank you."

A small green figure caught Aleric around the waist in a hug. He looked down at Valerian's sister.

"Thank you, thank you for saving us! We were so scared. We couldn't get away from that man, but we knew we had to find you."

Aleric waited until she stepped back to ask, "What do you mean, you knew you had to find me?"

The wood nymph looked up at him with her bright green eyes. "We saw you save the demon."

"I fought the demon," Aleric replied.

She nodded. "Fighting Forsythe was the only way to save him. When he's in fury mode, there's no reasoning with him."

"There's no reasoning with a demon anyway," Aleric said.

"Demons are people, too. He's just as lost as we are." The wood nymph's expression became sympathetic. "I heard what happened to Sherian."

Aleric raised his hands and backed away. "What is this? How do you know me? I don't know any wood nymphs."

"I'm Vinca."

Aleric stared at her. He shook his head. "It's not possible."

"Anything is possible," Vinca replied.

"That's what your elders said," Aleric replied. "But they were wrong."

She set a gentle hand on his arm. "Losing Sherian—"

Aleric shook his head, cutting her off. "I don't want to talk about it, not now or ever." He waved in Nurse Eastwick's direction. "Loreen will take care of you and your sister."

The nurse stared at him as if shocked by the change in his attitude.

"Nurse Eastwick, please start the selkie on a bag of saltwater. We may have to up it to two if she doesn't respond before nightfall."

"Yes, Dr. Wolf," she replied.

Aleric left the Light fae section in a daze. His feet took him to the Dark section. He wandered inside and found the closest bed. He threw himself on it and stared up at the beams that lined the unfinished ceiling.

"I smell blood."

Aleric tipped his head to the side to see Dartan watching him from his usual corner near the window; the vampire sat on the floor with his hands folded in front of him looking much more composed than Aleric felt.

"I asked Nurse Eastwick to bring some. It's probably in the other wing. I'll grab it in a moment."

"I'm fine," Dartan replied. "But I still smell blood."

Aleric sighed. He should have known the vampire would smell it no matter how good he scrubbed. "I helped Dr. Worthen remove the bullet from the wood nymph."

Dartan shook his head. "Ugh. Wood nymph blood. Disgusting."

"Vampires don't like their vegetables?" Aleric asked dryly.

"Wood nymph blood is like a vampire tranquilizer. It makes our bodies and joints gum up; very painful. The red stuff is much better." Dartan tipped his head at the werewolf. "Performing surgeries now? Impressive."

"I excel at holding things," Aleric replied, turning his attention back to the unremarkable ceiling.

"You're different." He heard the vampire rise. "What happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"I do," Dartan said, pausing near the bed. "It's quite boring in here. The only sound is our demon friend's snoring."

Aleric listened for a moment to the rattling breaths that came from the furthest room.

"The wood nymphs say he's not usually in such a bad mood."

Interest colored Dartan's voice. "They know him?"

Aleric nodded.

"By your silence, can I take it to mean that they also know you?"

Aleric was still for a moment, then nodded again.

"Ah, I see. Perhaps I need to speak with them."

Aleric glanced toward the door. "Good luck getting in there. The UV lights Tranquility rigged look effective."

"I'd consider it a minor sunburn compared to my skin now."

Aleric's attention turned to the vampire. He pushed up to a sitting position. "I'm sorry to say I forgot. Let me see."

Dartan shook his head. "I didn't bring it up to turn you to doctor mode again. We're just having a conversation."

Aleric gave the vampire a searching look.

"They're already healing," Dartan said with an accepting sigh. "The darkness is almighty and all that. Yay."

His droll tone brought a small smile to Aleric's face. "Full moon tonight."

"That'll be fun," Dartan said. "Any chance I could cage the big bad wolf in here and keep you from doing something stupid?"

"I'd like to see you try," Aleric replied. He hesitated, then admitted, "Though it wouldn't be a bad idea."

"Consider it," Dartan suggested. "It'd probably be good for your health." The vampire walked back to his usual spot and sat down.

"I could get you a chair," Aleric offered.

"I could get myself a chair," Dartan replied. "The floor's fine. It's cooler down here and once in a while I can hear birds singing beyond these boards."

"I didn't take you for the bird type."

"Their blood has a gamey taste. I think the draw is more like cats on the other side of a window. I'm a big, bad predator, but birds evade me. No wonder vampires made up the story they could turn into bats."

That brought a chuckle from Aleric. He settled back onto the bed. It was bumpy, but at that moment, given all he had been through, it felt like the most comfortable bed in the world.

"If you don't mind, I think I'll catch a little shut-eye. The E.R.'s quiet for the moment as far as the fae are concerned, but we know that's only a temporary condition."

"I'll stand guard, captain," Dartan said in a wry tone.

Aleric closed his eyes. "Should I be concerned that I'm trusting a vampire to keep an eye on things while I sleep?"

"If I can be concerned that my only friend here has fleas."

Aleric snorted and rolled over. His weary mind drifted off. Memories took over almost immediately.

He heard the faint knock on the door. The wood was marked with the crest of the forest dwarf. Aleric pulled the door open. The scents of Blays rushed inside with the cool breeze. He grimaced. The backstreet always smelled like the gnomes' ale from the tavern across the way.

"Ric." The pet name came out as a soft rasp.

Aleric looked down and his heart skipped a beat.

"Sherian!"

He dropped to his knees. She leaned her head against his chest. He tried to help her to her feet, but she let out a cry of pain. When he lifted his hands, they were covered in her red blood.

"Oh no. Oh no. Oh no." Aleric froze. He didn't know what to do. He looked around wildly, searching for help, but no one was in sight at the late hour. He didn't kid himself to think that any of his neighbors would be willing to help. Werewolves were on the outs with the Fallow Conflict. Nobody wanted to be involved.

Aleric gathered Sherian up in his arms. Her head lolled against his shoulder.

"Stay with me, Sher. I'll get you to help. Don't you leave me."

Aleric ran down the street. Sherian's head bobbed up and down and she moaned. He tried to soften his steps, but the sound of her drops of blood hitting the pavement met his ears like the toll of a bell.

"They'll pay," Aleric promised. "They won't get away with this."

"No...more," Sherian gasped out.

Aleric looked down at her. Her eyes were filled with tears of pain when she met his.

"The fighting...stopped. They killed everyone."

Aleric's steps faltered.

"Everyone?" he asked.

She nodded. "They're gone, Ric. The demons...Forsythe...the vampires called them."

Aleric gritted his teeth. "I'm taking you to the wood nymphs. They'll help."

They were the only ones he knew who would aid a werewolf. Aleric felt so helpless as he ran down the street to the Drake City forest. He knew the twists and turns of the path by heart. He heard Sherian's heart skip a beat, then another. His shirt and pants felt coated in her blood.

"Help me!" Aleric yelled. "Somebody, please help!"

"We'll help you," a gentle, whispery voice replied.

Wood nymphs appeared from the trees around him. Aleric knelt on the forest floor. His hands shook when he took them away from Sherian.

"The demons," he said. "It was the demons."

"We'll do what we can," a nymph replied. "Anything is possible." She held out a red-leafed hand. "Vinca, take this werewolf to the grove. We'll meet you there."

"I'll kill them all," Aleric growled.

"You won't," the Light fae replied. She touched his forehead. "For now, you'll sleep."
Chapter 13

"Aleric, wake up."

Aleric's eyes opened at the sound of Dartan's voice. The room felt different. He could tell that night was falling despite the boarded up windows. He sat up.

"How long did I sleep?" he asked.

Dartan stood near the door. He glanced at Aleric over his shoulder.

"A few hours. It was good for you. The nurse came in a few times, but she said things were quiet out front. She wanted to let you sleep."

Aleric felt rested for the first time since he awoke in Edge City. He stood.

"How are you doing?" he asked the vampire. "Do you need blood?"

"I appreciate the offer," Dartan said with a half-smile. "But the nurse brought that as well. She's quite thoughtful, that one."

Aleric nodded. "How about Forsythe?"

"Still sleeping, though I wouldn't mind the opportunity to shoot him again. It was fun the first time."

"You got the better end of the deal on that one," Aleric told him. He made his way to the door. "I'd better go check on my patients."

"Let me come with you."

Aleric looked at the vampire in surprise. "Are you kidding?"

Dartan shook his head. "I'm not going to hurt anyone, honest. I am going out of my mind here. That's more dangerous than a little bloodlust."

"You sure about that?" Aleric asked.

Dartan rolled his eyes. "Look. Get me a clean pair of scrubs. You could use the help."

"There's not much to do," Aleric said.

At that moment, he heard footsteps running down the hallway. He pushed open the door just as Gregory burst into the D Wing.

"Dr. Wolf!" he gasped. "Come quick! Something's wrong with the boy!"

"You mean the banshee?" Aleric asked.

"You have a banshee?" Dartan repeated.

"I forgot to mention that," Aleric replied.

"Hurry," Gregory said.

Aleric stepped through the door.

"What about me?" Dartan asked.

Aleric nodded. "Let's go."

As much as Aleric hated the thought of seeing the banshee boy again, if something was wrong, the boy's cries could affect all of the fae in the hospital. He didn't want to risk that happening.

As soon as they threw open the doors to the Emergency Room, Aleric's hands rose to his ears.

"Is that the banshee?" Dartan shouted over the sound. He cringed in pain.

"That's why I forgot to tell you," Aleric yelled back. "I blocked it out."

Gregory led the way as if the sound didn't bother him. The vampire and werewolf slowed the closer they drew to the room. Aleric felt himself blacking out from the pain. He leaned against the wall. Dartan put his forehead against the wall next to him.

"We can't go in there," Aleric said. "It just might kill me."

"Let me talk to him," Gregory replied. He disappeared into the room.

A few minutes later, the crying stopped. Aleric let out a sigh and glanced at vampire. Dartan stared at the wall in front of his face.

"That was unpleasant." He looked at Aleric. "Do you taste that?"

Aleric moved the acrid taste around in his mouth. "Nasty, right?"

Dartan nodded. "Tastes like bad blood, and trust me, I know what that tastes like."

"I believe it," Aleric replied. He walked to the open door. "Is it safe to come in?"

"Prepare yourself," Gregory replied.

"For what?" Aleric asked. He rounded the corner and paused.

A strange network of vines filled the room. Gregory stood in the middle near the boy. Tears streamed down the banshee's face. In the far corner, Aleric made out a cocoon of vines with goblins bigger than his head standing on it.

"Who's in the cocoon," Aleric asked, forcing his voice to be calm.

"Dr. Worthen," Gregory said. "I asked Daylen to let him go, but he doesn't know how the doctor got there in the first place."

The boy shook his head. "I was missing my mom," he said. "The doctor came in and told me it was going to be alright, but I couldn't stop crying; then the air opened and the goblins appeared. They wrapped him up."

Aleric glanced at Dartan. "The air opened and the goblins appeared."

Aleric was suddenly aware of the scent in the room. Why he hadn't noticed the thick, tangy, burned-metal smell before was beyond him.

The boy gave a little sob. Both Aleric and Dartan cringed in pain. That was why; it hurt too badly to be aware of anything but the agony that filled his body at the sound. Aleric held up a hand.

"Please don't cry. We can't help you if you cry, alright?"

Daylen closed his mouth and nodded.

Aleric crossed carefully to the bed. He kept an eye on the vines that snaked around the room. The Dark fae on the cocoon turned to follow him. The goblins had six jagged limbs with clawed tips like spiders. Their faces moved to keep him in sight while they continued weaving the vines around the doctor. Their movements sent a chill of warning up Aleric's arms.

"Daylen, when you cry, do things like this happen?"

Daylen nodded. "They have since I woke up here. I want to go home." His voice was tight, but he refrained from sobbing.

Aleric watched him closely. "Is your family from Drake City?"

Daylen nodded again.

"What part of Drake City?"

"We live by the Glass District."

Foreboding whispered in the back of Aleric's mind. "On Twenty-Seventh Street?"

The boy nodded.

"How did you get here?" Aleric asked.

Daylen sucked in a shuddering breath. "My sister disappeared. They were looking everywhere for her." His voice tightened. "They tried to find her, but she wasn't anywhere to be found. She was gone. I told Mom and Dad that she had vanished, but they didn't know what I was talking about." His eyes filled with fresh tears. "I couldn't make them understand where she had gone. I couldn't make her come back."

Fresh sobs tore from the boy. Aleric hit the ground on his knees. He clutched his head in both hands. A glance to the right showed Dartan beside him, his face twisted in pain.

"Dr. Worthen!" Gregory called out.

Aleric looked up. The orderly pulled at the vines, but the goblins were working, spinning their vine webs even thicker. Their dark faces leered at Aleric. One opened its mouth in a laugh at his pain, revealing black, pointed teeth.

Aleric knew the press of the vines. He had been trapped inside of them before. They would squeeze in the more the goblins wove them. The Dark fae lived to create pain. Dr. Worthen would suffocate.

"Leave him alone!" Aleric growled.

He surged to his feet and stumbled to the cocoon. Memories of being trapped in the alley, his breath being squeezed from him, surfaced in his mind. He phased into wolf form and tore at the vines with his fangs. In his mind, he heard the frantic actions of another wolf. He saw a snout break through, ripping the other vines free. He fell out of the cocoon and landed on his hands and knees, drawing in fresh air with great gasps.

Sherian had changed then, phasing from the gray-coated wolf to the form of a girl his age. She ducked into the shadows and pulled on a dress that was torn at the edges and dirty.

"You saved my life," Aleric said. After all he had seen in the unforgiving depths of Drake City, his young mind could barely accept it. "Why?"

"Because I could help," Sherian replied.

Aleric tore another vine away. The goblins, seeing his progress, attacked him instead. Their sharp teeth bit into his shoulders and back. Lucky, his thick fur protected him against their wrath. He bit through several more vines, then hands were beside him. Dartan pulled with the strength of a vampire, tearing more of the writhing vines free. Whenever one of the plants hit the floor, it turned purple, then black, squealing until it dried up into dust.

Aleric grabbed a chunk of vines in his fangs and pulled backwards. He could see Dr. Worthen's face just beyond. The doctor's eyes were partially-open; he took a ragged breath. The goblins jumped back to the cocoon. Aleric backpedaled, pulling the vines with him. The doctor pushed his way through. Dartan caught Dr. Worthen before he could hit the ground.

Aleric took several calming breaths. He turned his gaze to the goblins. A rattling growl escaped from his throat. The goblins growled back, their claws raised and teeth bared. They skittered across the floor toward the werewolf. Aleric took a step forward.

"I've got them," Gregory called out.

The orderly threw a black box on top of the Dark fae creatures and sat on it. After several howls of protest, the box grew quiet.

"That was quick thinking," Dr. Worthen said, drawing in huge breaths of air. "I don't really know what happened."

Aleric stepped into the hallway to phase. He glanced around quickly before he changed form. The last thing he needed was to terrify any of the regular patients in the E.R.; fortunately, Dr. Worthen had the presence of mind to keep Daylen down one of the lesser-used hallways. Aleric phased quickly and pulled on his clothes. He took in a breath and allowed the painful memories that had swarmed him to settle back into the far reaches of his mind so that he wouldn't have to visit them again for a very long time.

He walked back into the room.

"You're a werewolf," Daylen said.

Aleric read the fear on the boy's face.

"I'm a werewolf," he replied. "But I'm a nice one."

"He's a doctor here," Gregory told the boy. "He saves the lives of fae like you."

"Really?" Daylen asked.

Aleric nodded. He couldn't get the metallic taste out of his mouth. It spurred him to ask, "So when you cry, things come out of Blays?"

Daylen nodded. "I can't help it. I opened the hole to look for Elianna, but then I fell."

"And you woke up here," Aleric finished.

The boy nodded again. "Do you know where she is?"

Aleric shook his head. "No, but I plan to find her. What I need to know is can you open the hole without crying? I want to help you, but I can't be here if you're going to cry. It's a banshee thing."

"I-I can sing," the young boy said.

Aleric glanced at Dartan. The vampire's expression showed his hesitancy to hear anything that came out of the boy's mouth. Given the pain of the banshee's cry, Aleric couldn't blame him.

He had to take a chance. "Will you sing for us? We need to see what happens."

Daylen thought about the request for a moment. He took in a small breath and opened his mouth. A wordless song came out, soft and sweet as though it was sung by a bird. Aleric felt drawn to the boy, captivated by the beauty of the song. All thoughts he had entertained about leaving the room as quickly as possible fled, and instead he stood there entranced as Daylen sang his wordless song.

The air beside the bed flickered, drawing Aleric's gaze to it. Sparks showed and he heard Gregory and Dr. Worthen's exclamations, but he couldn't tear his gaze away from the hole. It expanded, growing round and charged along the outside as if electricity flowed around it. The scent of burned metal filled the air.

"Drake City," Dartan whispered.

Aleric saw it to, the unmistakable outline of the buildings near the docks. He had been to that place many times; he swore he could almost smell the salty scent of the air that flowed from the bay.

The goblins in the box let out howls of protest. They were fighting to get free. One gave a massive heave and dumped Gregory off. On impulse, Aleric grabbed the box and scooped it up; he tossed it at the hole. The box disappeared inside.

Daylen closed his mouth. The image immediately vanished.

Aleric's heart pounded loudly in his chest. "Where did they go?"

"Drake City," Daylen answered.

"You came through a hole like that?" he asked.

Daylen nodded. "That's how I got here, only I think it was too high. The fall was too far. I'm worried the same thing happened to Elianna."

A thrum ran along Aleric's spine. He glanced out the window. The sky was darkening above the tall buildings. The moon was on the rise.

"I don't have much time," he told the boy. "I'm going to find your sister. Is there anything you can tell me about her?"

Daylen thought for a moment. "She has brown hair like mine. She's a year younger than me, and she likes dolls."

Dartan looked at Aleric. "That's not much to go on."

"Oh," Daylen said, his eyes lighting up. "This is her doll. I thought she would want it, so I brought it with me."

He pointed to a little rag doll on the table beside him.

"Perfect," Aleric replied. "Can I take it?"

The boy nodded. "Give it to her and tell her I want to take us home."

"I will," Aleric promised.

He left the room with Dartan at his side.

"You're going to search all over the city for a smell from a doll?" the vampire asked. "You know that's like looking for a gnat in a gnome pile, right?"

"Do you have any better ideas?" Aleric asked.

Dartan shook his head. "Not off the bat, but I feel like a wolf in Edge City, especially a huge one, isn't going to run around unnoticed. You'll draw attention, and given the guns I found on the man who shot the wood nymph, I'd say that's a bad idea."

"What did you do with him?"

Dartan walked beside Aleric to the back door. "I escorted him to that nurse, Tarli. She likes to call the cops. I told her the man shot a patient and she said she'd take care of him. Last I saw, he was getting hauled off by the police."

Aleric paused by the door. "I appreciate you handling it."

"You're the one that handled it," Dartan pointed out. "I just came running at the sound of the gunshot."

"Through direct sunlight."

Dartan followed Aleric's gaze to the burns along his arms. "The newspaper didn't help as much as I hoped it would, but we're both alive."

"As long as that's our goal, I think we're doing fairly well," Aleric said.

Dartan nodded, but his expression was grim. "Aleric, I don't think you should go out there roaming around. It's too dangerous."

"You felt what the banshee can do," Aleric replied. "The last thing we need is the boy getting upset again. Besides, if he can open holes like that, we can get everyone home."

Dartan nodded. "I suppose you're right."

Aleric watched the vampire. "You don't appear too excited about that."

Dartan leaned against the wall and folded his arms. "Remember how vampires and werewolves aren't supposed to be friends?"

"The Fallow Conflict." Aleric hated the bitterness of his tone when he spoke.

"Let's just say that I hated werewolves for a reason," Dartan told him without meeting his gaze. "And I was told they were all dead."

"We were, are, for all intents and purposes," Aleric replied.

Dartan shook his head. "Yet here you are, right where you're not supposed to be. If we go back to Drake City, it's not going to be good for you."

Aleric felt the rise of the moon as a tingling along his skin. He wouldn't be able to put off the need to phase much longer.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, his voice tight with control.

Dartan studied the parking lot through the glass of the door for a moment. "You saved my life, Aleric. You weren't supposed to do that."

Aleric's muscles tensed with the need to change form. Fighting it was painful. "Do you want an apology?" he asked.

Dartan shook his head. "You're not what you're supposed to be."

His words sent a rush of anger through Aleric that was amplified by the adrenaline-charged need to obey the call of the moon.

"What do you expect? A blood-thirsty beast? Your people paid a demon to kill my friend and left her to die at my doorstep. Vampires declared war on every werewolf in Drake City. I lived like a pariah until I woke up here." He opened the door, gripping it tight with one hand. "You're a monster acting like a man."

Aleric regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth.

Dartan didn't get upset; he merely studied the wall across from him. "I can't let you go back there. I took a vow. I figured here it wouldn't matter; we didn't have a way to Blays, so I wasn't obligated to uphold the promises I made."

The truth struck Aleric. He looked at Dartan. "You need to kill me."

Dartan shook his head, hesitated, then nodded. "I'm supposed to, yes."

Aleric's muscles ached from fighting the change. His limbs shook. He couldn't control it much longer. He clutched the rag doll so tight his knuckles were white.

"So why haven't you?"

Dartan shrugged without meeting Aleric's gaze.

Aleric let out a breath. "I'm done here. We'll talk about it when I return."

"If you return," Dartan said.

Aleric stalked out the door and crossed the parking lot. He was almost to the dumpsters when the need to phase forced him to his knees. He was barely able to pull off his shirt before his body changed form. A few moments later, he stood on four paws. The touch of the moon fell onto his shoulders and back like the warm embrace of a blanket. He looked back at the door. Dartan stood there watching him, his expression unreadable.

Aleric sniffed at the rag doll and locked the scent in his mind. He would know it when he found it. He trotted away from the parking lot, the dumpster, and the hospital without looking back.
Chapter 14

Dartan's words drummed through Aleric's mind as he raced along the sidewalk. The vampire was under a vow to kill any werewolf in Blays. He wished he was surprised, but given the results of the Fallow Conflict, he should have guessed.

The vampires had signed the Armistice of Fae Equality in an agreement to not drink the blood of the fae. It was supposed to help the citizens of Blays feel safe and able to trust vampire-kind. However, the citizens also felt bitter about the taxes they had to pay in order to support the creation of artificial blood for the vampires to drink. Some felt it would be easier if vampires didn't exist in the first place.

That's where the werewolves came in. During a secret council of the Drake City government, it was decided that werewolves, as Ashstock and able to fight in either the day or night, would be paid heavily to attack the vampires and wipe them out. Roughly a quarter of the packs refused to get involved, stating that annihilating an entire race wasn't ethical. Those werewolves who supported the idea rallied together and fought the vampires.

The pack Aleric and Sherian had joined in Drake City avoided the conflict. As the war raged, more packs began to disappear. Soon, the Light fae became involved as citizens also began to vanish. Governor Hornsbellow felt their casualties were too high, so he called a meeting with the vampire leaders and gave proof that the vampires had broken the Armistice.

The vampires admitted that they had broken the treaty, and motions were made to repair the damage done. Most vampires left to Cruor and peace appeared to return to the city. However, while the Light fae rested easily in their houses, the vampires wiped out as many werewolves in Drake City and the rest of Blays as they could get their fangs on. It was an underground movement to take down those who had wronged them, and though the government might have seen what happened, they turned a blind eye in the name of peace.

Aleric saw Sherian in his thoughts again. They hadn't been romantically involved. Sherian liked a werewolf from the Brighton pack and Aleric flirted with several werewolves who worked in the retail shops, but she had been special to him, a friend who had been there during the darkest of times. Losing her had been an even greater blow than finding out his father planned to sell him to Grimmel after his mother died.

Regret had been the battle Aleric fought every day of his life since. Aleric couldn't have saved his mother. The sickness had traveled to her organs and there hadn't been anything the physicians could do to fight it. But perhaps he could have saved Sherian if he had known the vampires were out for blood.

Caught in his thoughts and the thrum of his paws on the pavement, Aleric almost missed the scent. He glanced around with the realization that he also had no idea where he was. No people were in sight at the late hour, and the moon was on its descent. He had run for half the night.

Aleric's rush had taken him deep into the city in the opposite direction of his earlier travels. The streets smelled sour and garbage filled the alleys as though people no longer cared about sanitation. The exhaust and asphalt scent of the sunbaked city streets hung thick and cloying in the air. The musky wisp of several rats in the nearest pile of garbage went along with the nibbling, scratching sounds deep within the debris.

Within it all, there was another scent like a note rising above the cacophony of a crowded room. It hung there sharp and definite, the faint but clear trace of Elianna's doll.

Aleric followed the trail down the road between two warehouses. His steps slowed. His instincts warned of danger, though he couldn't smell anything past the garbage. He glanced behind him just as two forms disappeared around the corner. Aleric backed up slowly so the wall could protect his back if there was an attack. Four forms appeared to his left and the two on his right reappeared with three companions.

A scent reached Aleric's nose and his ears flattened to his skull. The coppery odor of vampires was unmistakable. He snarled and backed up until his tail brushed the bricks behind him.

"A werewolf in Edge City?" a vampire with a black cloak said.

"I've seen stranger things here," the woman to his right replied.

The first vampire inclined his head. "Humans are such docile creatures; no wonder the appearance of this beast alarmed them. It wouldn't due to have them spooked."

"Not at all, Ravad. Should I bring him in?" another vampire asked.

The black-cloaked vampire gave Aleric a smile that revealed his elongated canines. "I do get tired of human blood. A little fae mixed in would be most welcome. What do you think, Tereen?"

The female vampire smiled. "Most welcome, even if it is Ashstock blood. At this point, anything sounds lovely."

They closed in on Aleric. He had seen Dartan's strength. One werewolf against seven vampires would be a losing battle for sure, but he wasn't about to go down without a fight.

Aleric bared his teeth and a rumbling snarl rolled from his throat. The first vampire made a grab for his head. Aleric dove beneath the vampire's arm and bit his ribs. The vampire yelled and slammed a fist into the side of Aleric's face. The punch threw him and he rolled with it, coming back up on his feet.

Two vampires charged. Aleric leaped at the first one and clamped down on her shoulder. The second vampire grabbed him by the back of the neck and threw him across the alley. He hit the warehouse wall and fell to the ground. Two vampires pounced before he could rise. He yelped as teeth sunk into the skin between his shoulder blades. Fists pummeled his ribs, knocking the air out from him.

Aleric ran straight for the wall. He spun at the last second, slamming one of the vampires against the wood. The second let go at the impact. Aleric slashed the vampire's leg with his fangs and leaped out of the way before the vampire could catch him. Another vampire grabbed him in hands stronger than any human's and threw him against the wall again. Aleric hit the ground in a daze. Seven forms advanced on him, their shadows cloaks of darkness in the fading moonlight.

Aleric growled. The smell of the doll lingered in his nose. They had the banshee's sister. He knew that for certain. He had to get past them to free her. He wouldn't leave a young girl in their greedy clutches.

Aleric sprang at Ravad. The vampire backed up in surprise and Aleric's teeth clicked shut millimeters from his throat. A vampire to Ravad's right grabbed Aleric by the ears and slammed his forehead against the werewolf's. Aleric dropped to the ground. He felt four sets of teeth sink into his flesh. The feeling of his blood being sucked by the vampires made his skin run cold. He tried to fight, but Ravad held him down, pinning Aleric against the pavement with unforgiving strength.

"Wait!" a voice called.

The vampires lifted their heads, breaking contact with Aleric.

Familiarity struck Aleric through the pain-filled haze. He looked past the vampires to a form at the corner. Dartan barely glanced at him before the vampire's red eyes met those of the Dark fae around Aleric.

"Leave the werewolf to me."

"Prince Dartan," Ravad said with a note of loathing. "I thought you were dead."

"Me, too," Dartan replied. "Fortunately, I appear somewhat more resilient against sunlight than you hoped."

"I wasn't the one who left you in that garden."

Dartan's eyes narrowed. "Did I mention it was a garden?"

Ravad met the younger vampire's glare with one of his own. "What do you want, Inheritant?"

Dartan gestured to Aleric. "The werewolf."

Ravad shook his head. "That's not happening."

Dartan held the older vampire's gaze. "I'm bringing him to my father as you should have."

"And how do you intend to control him?" Ravad asked.

Dartan hefted the gun he held. Aleric recognized it as the tranquilizer gun from Dr. Indley.

"With tranquilizers. Father would want the honor of draining the Werewolf of Edge City himself." He speared Ravad with a look. "You know that."

"It was our intent to bring the werewolf to His Lordship, but the creature put up such a fight we wanted to drain him a bit to make him a little more amenable to our demands."

"Just a bit?" Dartan said. "He looks rather deflated. Perhaps you got a bit overenthusiastic?"

"Perhaps," Ravad replied.

Dartan gave Aleric a cold once-over as though he inspected a bag of blood for freshness. "I could probably handle him in his current physical state, but just to be sure...." He pointed the gun at Aleric's head. The barest hint of a smile crossed the vampire's mouth and he shifted to barrel to aim at Aleric's shoulder. He squeezed the trigger.

A yelp escaped Aleric when the needle point of the tranquilizer impacted with the force of a bullet. He waited, expecting the numbing rush of the horse sedative. Instead, a strange, bubbling sensation filled his veins. The taste of grass filled his mouth. Aleric looked up at Dartan in surprise.

Dartan crouched and sunk his hands into Aleric's thick fur.

"Act tranquilized," he hissed in Aleric's ear.

The vampire stood and hefted Aleric onto his shoulders. Aleric let his head and limbs flop over the vampire's back and chest. The bite wounds from the vampires throbbed, but he was grateful to be alive. Where he would end up after the sun rose was left to be determined.

"I just want to reiterate that I'm grateful you're alive," Ravad said, falling in behind Dartan. "His Lordship was quite beside himself at the disappearance of his only son."

"Very much so," Tereen seconded. "Right Brell?"

"Oh, definitely," Brell said.

"I'm sure he was," Dartan muttered. He glanced back at the vampires. "How is the lair coming along?"

"Very well," Ravad reported. "His Lordship is quite pleased with the progress. He says as soon as the excavating is finished, we'll begin Phase Two."

Aleric wasn't sure if he wanted to know what Phase Two was. He kept his eyes half-closed. Dartan carried him without showing any sign of exhaustion beneath the werewolf's weight. The vampires walked between the rundown buildings with a knowledge of the streets that told of much time spent there. When Dartan reached the base of a huge building, the doors opened without hesitation.

"Welcome back, Inheritant," a low voice said.

"Thank you, Crode," Dartan replied. "I've come with a gift for my father."

"He's overseeing the conclusion of Phase One, my Prince. You'll find him in the lower levels," Crode answered.

Dartan gave a single nod and led the way down the long hallway. Aleric lost track of how many stairs and hallways they traversed. It felt as though they climbed down beyond the normal limits of human architecture by the time Dartan's footsteps slowed. He paused at a door.

"Open," he demanded.

"For whom?" a voice asked from the other side.

Dartan glared at the panel in the door. "For the Inheritant, Gron. You know who I am."

The thick door slid aside with the sound of metal gears.

"I just had to know my eyes weren't failing me," an ancient vampire with white skin and a hump on his back replied when Dartan stepped through.

Dartan walked past without answering. Cells lined the walls in the hundreds. Aleric glanced at them while keeping up the appearance of being under heavy tranquilization. Each cell was empty.

"Phase Two," Dartan said under his breath.

Aleric realized the vampire was speaking low enough that only he could hear.

"My father brought me here from Blays a week ago. I told him what they were doing was wrong. We argued. He said I didn't respect his vision. A few days later, I woke up in a hospital covered in burns."

Dartan reached the end of the hallway and took the right-hand branch. He pushed open the doors at the end without waiting for anyone to open them.

"Father," he said.

A chill ran through Aleric's veins at the sight of the hundreds of vampires that filled the rectangular chamber. A lone vampire sat at the end of a very long table while the other Dark fae waited respectfully along the walls.

Aleric recognized the vampire. The fact that he was in Lord Targesh's lair set his teeth on edge. It was all he could do to remain limp across Dartan's shoulders.

The vampire wore a long red cloak over his black clothes. A silver clasp with the stamp of the ironwork troll held the cloak around Lord Targesh's neck.

"I was told you were dead," the Vampire Lord said when Dartan approached.

"I hear the sorrow in your voice," Dartan replied dryly. "Don't hold back, Father. No one will judge your tears."

The vampire speared him with a look. "You always were a ridiculous sot prattling on about who knows what. Your opinions regarding our actions here have been discussed and disregarded for the good of the clan."

Dartan inclined his head. "I respect that, and to prove it, I've brought you a gift."

The vampire's head rose.

Dartan grabbed Aleric by the scruff of his neck and threw him down onto the table. His body made a resounding thud on the thick wood.

"A werewolf?" Lord Targesh said in surprise. "Where did you find this Ashstock beast?"

"He's the one that's been plaguing Edge City, Father. He was close to locating the shockwave Initiator. I thought you would enjoy this particular vintage as tribute to your vision that reaches much further than mine," Dartan replied.

The Vampire Lord eyed Aleric with suspicion.

"He's still breathing. What's wrong with him?"

Dartan casually pulled the gun from his waist and tossed it on the table next to Aleric. "I used a tranquilizer dart from the hospital. I know how you enjoy your beverages fresh."

Lord Targesh chuckled. "My habits are becoming legend."

Vampires from around the room joined in the laughter.

The Vampire Lord rose. "Son, it's good to have you back in this penitent state having seen the error of your ways. Your gift is accepted. Drink with me."

Aleric's heartbeat thundered in his ears. He wanted to fight back; his instincts screamed for him to throw himself at Lord Targesh and attempt to tear out his neck before the other vampires reached him.

Yet Aleric lay still with his eyes half-closed and his muscles as relaxed as he could will them to be. The Vampire Lord pulled him closer by the fur beneath his right ear. He lifted Aleric's muzzle to better position himself above the jugular.

Dartan moved next to his father.

"Bottom's up," Lord Targesh said.

Two sets of fangs sank into Aleric's neck. His muscles twitched at the pain. He could feel the Vampire Lord drinking deeply of his blood. Thoughts of betrayal flashed through Aleric's mind. Dartan had brought him to the vampires to die. He had made a vow and he was fulfilling it. Aleric would never return to Blays. He would never again help the patients at Edge City Hospital. He would die beneath the fangs of a vampire as so many other werewolves had during the Fallow Conflict. The circle of betrayal was complete and Aleric would be their final werewolf victim.

He willed his limbs to respond, bunching his muscles to die fighting instead of lying on a table like some grand bloodsucker meal. He didn't have much time left. His paws felt cold as the blood was pulled through his body by the greedy fangs of the Vampire Lord. He couldn't tell if Dartan drank his blood or not; he decided it didn't matter given the vampire's betrayal.

Aleric took a steadying breath and was about to pull his paws beneath him in a final effort when Lord Targesh reared back, breaking the contact.

"What's wrong with me?" he asked. His words slurred slightly. Blood dripped down his chin. The Vampire Lord wiped the blood with his hand and stared at it. "Is that...green?"

Several drops hit the table when he spoke. As Aleric watched, the single puddle separated into two, the smaller portion of green blood pooling away from the red.

"Wood nymph blood," Dartan said. He winked at Aleric. "Courtesy of our mutual friends."

The Vampire Lord stumbled. Dartan grabbed his father's shoulders and eased him to a sitting position on his chair. Other vampires closed in. Dartan picked up the dart gun and pointed it at his father. The Vampire Lord's head slumped to his chest and a gurgling sound rattled from his throat.

"One more step and his death will be on your shoulders," Dartan snarled.

The vampires halted a few steps away.

Dartan's gaze circled the room.

"I haven't killed your lord, but he is under my control. If any of you make one wrong move, I will give him a dose of wood nymph blood straight to his cold, pitiless heart."

"Why?" the word bubbled from Lord Targesh.

An incredulous expression filled Dartan's face. "Why? He wants to know why?" He stooped to look into his father's eyes. "You couldn't abide by the Armistice of Fae Equality, could you, Father? You couldn't abstain from drinking the blood of fae even if it meant going back on your word." His voice tightened when he said, "You killed people."

"Light fae aren't people," the Vampire Lord gurgled, his head still slumped on his chest.

Dartan raised the gun to his father's head. For a moment, Aleric thought he would end the life of the Vampire Lord. Instead, Dartan glanced back at Aleric.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Aleric rose slowly to his haunches. His head swam from the lack of blood and he let it hang down as he gathered his strength. He gave a short huff.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'," Dartan said. He motioned with the gun for the vampires around them to move back. "Give us space, brethren and sisters. For you see, with Lord Targesh currently incapacitated, as the Inheritant, I am in charge."

A rush of whispers ran through the crowd. It seemed the vampires realized the same thing because they fell back to the walls and stood as still as statues. They watched the proceedings with wide, red eyes.

"Bring me the shockwave Initiator," Dartan commanded.

Several vampires left the room. A few minutes later, the scent from the doll made Aleric lift his head. He glanced to the left to see a young girl be led forward. Silver chains stamped with the emblem of the ironwork trolls dangled from her wrists and feet. Her long brown hair hung in ratty strands and her dress was tattered and torn. Her hands shook, making the chains rattle.

"Free her," Dartan ordered.

The vampires quickly obeyed.

When the chains were clear, Dartan knelt in front of the girl.

"Hello, Elianna," he said, his voice gentle. "Are you alright?"

She nodded despite the dried tear tracks along her dirty cheeks. "How do you know my name?" she asked in a voice just above a whisper.

"Daylen sent me," Dartan told her. He held up the doll.

The girl's eyes lit up at the mention of her brother and she clutched the doll to her chest.

"Do you want to go back to Daylen?" the vampire asked. "He asked me to bring you where you could be safe."

Her eyes filled with tears and she nodded. "I want to go home."

"So does he," Dartan reassured her. "I just need you to do something for me. Do you think you could help me out?"

"What thing?" she asked, her voice hesitant.

Dartan pointed to his father on the chair. "Do you know that man?"

Elianna nodded and took a step backwards. Fear showed on her face. The expression made Aleric want to end the Vampire Lord's life then and there, but he knew better than to upset the tenuous hold Dartan had on the vampires in the room. He jumped to the floor with less grace than he usually had as a wolf. The scarcity of blood in his system was definitely making itself known. He stopped at Dartan's side.

Dartan set a hand on Aleric's head in a gesture that was almost like a human with a pet. Aleric fought back the urge to shake him off.

"Elianna, this is my friend Aleric. He's a werewolf. Do you know about werewolves?" Dartan asked. At Elianna's nod, Dartan smiled. "Aleric doesn't like vampires. He has promised to protect you and your brother from any vampire who would want to hurt you. Do you like that?"

The little girl nodded again quickly. To Aleric's surprise, she crossed to him and wrapped an arm over his neck. She had to rise on her little tiptoes to do so, but the shaking of her hands stopped as she clutched at his fur.

Dartan addressed her again, his words gentle. "Elianna, I need to send this bad man home. Can you help me with that?"

"Y-you want me to send out the shockwave?" she asked.

Dartan nodded. "If you do, I will take Lord Targesh to Governor Hornsbellow and let the Governor know all the bad things he has done." Dartan met Aleric's gaze. "Including his orders to wipe out all werewolves despite the Armistice."

Gratitude filled Aleric. If the truth came from a vampire, there was no way Governor Hornsbellow could deny justice.

A warble of denial rose from Lord Targesh.

"I'll do it," Elianna said.

The vampires around them pressed more tightly to the walls.

Elianna closed her eyes.

Aleric felt a thrum of energy run through the girl. She held out her hands. For a moment, nothing happened. Aleric glanced at Dartan. He waited with a look of trepidation on his face even though he made no move to stand back with the rest of the vampires.

Electricity shot between Elianna's hands. Aleric's fur stood on end. The energy moved back and forth until it formed into a crackling, angry ball. Elianna spread her hands apart and the electricity grew. She whispered something and then threw the ball at the wall across from them.

Vampires dove to either side. The ball erupted in a shockwave that pulsed through the room, knocking everyone but Elianna off their feet. She kept her hands out, her palms toward the pulsing wall across from them. The blurred image moved into focus and the energy shifted to the perimeters of the wall to create a passageway.

Aleric's heart gave a strong beat at the familiarity of Twenty-Seventh Street and the corner of the Glass District. It was where he had fallen from Blays to the human world, the last thing he had seen before he blacked out.

Dartan stood first. He made his way to Lord Targesh and brought the Vampire Lord's arm up around his shoulder. The Vampire Lord muttered angry curses but couldn't move as his son dragged him to the shockwave.

Dartan looked over his shoulder.

"I order every vampire on this premises to follow me. Under orders of the Inheritant, you will depart to Cruor and never return to Edge City ever again."

The vampires around the room walked toward the passageway without question, attesting to the true power the Inheritant had over the clan. Dartan waited at one side with his father and watched as the vampires stepped one-by-one through the shockwave.

When the last one had passed, Dartan met Aleric's gaze.

"You thought I betrayed you, didn't you?" he asked with a half-smile.

Aleric snorted.

Dartan chuckled. "Don't lie. You thought I turned you over to the vampires. What kind of friend does that? You must really be questioning your loyalties now. Just what Edge City needs, a confused werewolf leading its fae." Dartan's smile lessened and seriousness took over his tone. "That's who you are, Aleric; don't you forget it. The fae here need you. They're lost and you know where they need to go. Get Elianna safely to Daylen and send the fae home."

Aleric nodded. Elianna's hands wavered.

"I've got to go," Dartan said. "It's been fun. Insanely painful and utterly confusing, but fun."

He stepped through the shockwave and pulled his father with him. His voice flowed through the passageway.

"If you choose to come back, I retract what I said about the vow. Not killing you makes us even," he called.

Elianna's hands lowered and the shockwave vanished.
Chapter 15

Elianna rode on Aleric's back to the parking lot of the hospital. She slid off when he sat and waited while he trotted to the dumpster and phased. He pulled on his scrubs with the acknowledgment that he actually enjoyed how comfortable they were. He walked back across the parking lot lit by the golden haze of the early morning sun. When he reached Elianna, he gave her a warm smile.

"Ready to see your brother?"

She nodded and took his hand.

Aleric pulled the door open and led the way inside. He passed the door to the D Wing and felt a pang of regret at the thought that Dartan was no long there to give him a hard time. He would miss the vampire's sarcasm.

They reached the E.R. and found Gregory sitting in a chair near the doors.

"We thought you were gone for sure," Gregory said, rising with a relieved, tired smile. "Dr. Worthen was worried you would never come back. He slept here instead of heading home last night with the hopes that you would return."

"I couldn't leave you with the fae," Aleric said.

Gregory nodded. "The demon's scary."

"It's the fairy I was worried about," Aleric replied. He chuckled at Gregory's confused look.

"Dr. Wolf!" Nurse Eastwick said when they entered Daylen's room.

Daylen jumped off the bed and ran to his sister, wrapping her in a big hug.

Dr. Worthen rose from a chair in the corner and gave Aleric a warm smile. "You were successful," the doctor said.

"I promised I would find you," Daylen told his sister. "When that vampire came for you, I told him I wouldn't give up until we were both home."

Tears ran down Elianna's cheeks and she hugged her brother as tight as her little arms could hold him. "I was so scared. They were mean to me."

A sob sounded from the banshee and Aleric winced in pain.

"Uh, could you, maybe, take it down a notch for Dr. Wolf's sake?" Gregory asked.

Daylen sucked in a shuddering breath and nodded. The pain vanished. Aleric stood slowly and leaned against the wall.

"Are you alright?" Nurse Eastwick asked. "You look pale." She looked at him closer. "What happened to your neck?"

"Let's just say I won't be donating blood anytime soon," Aleric replied.

"Thank you so much for finding her," Daylen said.

Both siblings crossed to him. Aleric lowered to his knees and they wrapped their small arms around his neck. A smile spread across his face. He looked up and saw matching smiles on Dr. Worthen and Nurse Eastwick's faces.

"I have some people I'd like you to meet," Aleric told the children. "Will you come with me?"

Both of them nodded with matching expressions of trust. He rose and their hands slipped into his. Aleric walked with them back down the hallway to the D Wing. Dr. Worthen and Nurse Eastwick followed.

As soon as Aleric opened the door to the Light fae side, Tranquility ran up to them with a huge, welcoming smile.

"Come in, come in!" the little fairy buzzed. She walked around so fast her feet looked like they barely touched the ground. "You both are so cute!" she doted. "Do you need some water, a bed? Food?" She looked at Aleric. "Are they in the hospital for a serious reason?"

Aleric couldn't hold back his smile. "They're here to get you guys home."

"Home!" Braum shouted from his room. A few seconds later, the faun appeared standing on one hoofed foot. "We get to go home?"

"I miss home," Vinca said.

"Me, too," Valerian echoed. Nurse Eastwick crossed to her.

The sight of Valerian awake filled Aleric with relief. He nodded. "Elianna was taken by Lord Targesh to open up a window to this world so that he would no longer be bound accountable to the laws of Blays. He wanted to be able to drink blood from humans outside of Governor Hornsbellow's reach. Because of that, her brother was trying to find her by any way that he could." He smiled down at the banshee. "As painful as it was."

Daylen grinned at him. "Sorry about that."

Aleric ruffled the boy's hair. "Don't worry about it."

"Can we go now?" Tranquility asked.

Aleric looked at the children. "It's up to them."

At the hopeful expressions on Tranquility and Braum's faces, Elianna nodded. "I can open the shockwave."

Tranquility's smile vanished. "That sounds painful."

"It doesn't hurt," Elianna reassured the fairy. "I promise."

She put her hands together and was about to start the process when a thought hit Aleric.

"I have someone who needs to go home first. Will you give me a minute?"

He hurried from the room.

The wood nymph's words echoed in his mind. "Demons are people, too. He's just as lost as we are."

He pushed open the door to the Dark fae wing and paused as much to let his eyes adjust as to listen to what was happening in the room.

He heard it, the small hitch in the demon's breath that betrayed his attempts to pretend to be asleep.

"I need you to promise me something," Aleric said, crossing to the demon's side.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you're a very angry werewolf?" Forsythe replied.

"Yes, they have," Aleric said. "I'm going to free you." The thought of fighting the demon again went beyond his strength level. He shoved the weakness he felt at the blood loss away and put on a fierce front. "If I let you go, am I going to have to bring you down again?"

Forsythe shook his head, his eyes glowing in the darkness. "I promise I'll be good."

Aleric circled the demon's bed. "I don't know if I can trust you."

Forsythe sighed and closed his eyes. "All I want to do is go home."

"That's what I'm going to give you," Aleric said.

The demon's eyes flew open again. "Don't lie."

Aleric made up his mind. He pulled on one of the straps that bound the demon to the bed. It loosened and he threw it over the Dark fae's body. He did the same to the next three. Aleric paused with his hand on the final strap that ran across the demon's chest.

"I'm trusting you because Vinca said I could," he said quietly. He pulled on the final strap and threw it clear.

Forsythe sat up, his actions slow as if he was aware of how tense the werewolf was. Aleric felt completely responsible for the fae waiting in the next room. If the demon went into fury mode, he wouldn't have the strength to stop the creature. He was trusting the faith the wood nymphs had in the demon to keep all of them safe.

"These gowns are drafty," Forsythe said, attempting to hold the back shut behind him as he climbed off the bed.

The action brought a small smile to Aleric's face. "Yeah, they are. They have a serious design flaw."

"I thought it might have been just mine; you know, as a cruel joke or something," Forsythe said. "I figured it was the fairy."

Aleric shook his head. "I think if Tranquility got ahold of you, it'd be much worse, and there'd be glitter."

A shudder ran down Forsythe's spine. "Fairies. Can't live with them and can't feed them to the gargoyles; gives them indigestion."

Aleric chuckled. "I can imagine. So, ready to face the Light fae?"

Forsythe sighed. "I suppose. It's worth it to go home."

Aleric led the way through the door and stepped inside the Light fae side to turn off the UV lamps. When Forsythe entered the main area, Tranquility hurried to where Braum stood near the back of the room and slipped her hand into his. The two banshee children looked to Aleric for reassurance.

Dr. Worthen, Nurse Eastwick, and Gregory backed up to the far wall.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Dr. Worthen said.

"So do I," Aleric replied.

To his surprise, Vinca sprang off the bed where she had waited with her sister and ran across the room on feet so light he couldn't hear them. Forsythe bent down and Vinca threw her arms around his neck. She hugged him tight.

"I'm so happy to see you," she said in her breathless voice.

"I'm happy to see you, too," Forsythe replied. He crossed to Valerian and touched her green cheek gently. "I was so worried about you both. I looked everywhere, but that werewolf kept bringing me back here."

"You were looking for them?" Aleric asked.

Forsythe glanced at him. "Why else would I break out of here? They needed my help."

Aleric sighed. "Could you have just told me that?"

"And trust a werewolf?" Forsythe shot back. "No way. Especially after everything that happened in Drake City. What if you decided to take out your revenge on the wood nymphs? I'd never forgive myself."

Aleric opened his mouth to argue, then shut it again. He hadn't exactly given the demon any reason to trust him.

"I guess I've got my own prejudices to deal with," he said.

Forsythe gave a true smile. "You've definitely helped with mine."

That brought an answering smile to Aleric's face. "I'm glad. Let's get you guys home."

"Wait; aren't you coming with us?" Tranquility asked.

Aleric shook his head. "As much as I want to, I'll be needed here if other fae show up. Plus, the selkie hasn't awakened yet. I can't abandon her."

He met Dr. Worthen's gaze. The doctor nodded with a proud light in his eyes.

"Then should we stay?" Tranquility's tone was torn.

Aleric shook his head. "You need to go home. This isn't a place for fae. Go back to where it's safe and where your family is counting down the minutes until you return."

"If you're sure," the little fairy said.

Aleric smiled at her. "I'm sure." He turned to the children. "It's up to you guys now."

Gregory crossed to Aleric. "I'll go keep an eye on things up front. I'll let you know if we need you."

"I appreciate it," Aleric told him.

The human left through the door.

Elianna smiled. "I've got this. One shockwave coming up."

"I'll help," Daylen said.

Elianna rubbed her hands together and the energy sparked. The ball grew. She threw it against the wall near Aleric. Daylen closed his eyes and began to sing. The sparking at the edges of the shockwave softened and the image became clear. The burned metal smell filled the air, and this time Aleric decided it wasn't so bad. He drank in the sight of Twenty-Seventh Street and the Glass District. The word 'Home' whispered in the back of his mind. Aleric's smile faltered.

"I'm so excited!" Tranquility said.

The little fairy helped Braum toward the shockwave.

The door to the room opened and Dr. Indley rushed through.

"Am I too late?" she asked. "Gregory said something about children opening a vortex to a fairy world and that I'd better hurry or I'd miss it. After the past few days, I've learned not to doubt that anything exists."

"The fae are leaving," Dr. Worthen told her.

Braum's eyes sparkled when he said, "Dr. Wolf found us a way home."

She looked at him and a shadow of regret showed in her eyes. "I really owe you an apology. I never said it."

"You don't have to," Aleric replied. "I should have trusted you."

"And told me you're a werewolf from a fae world? Probably best not to lead with that one."

Nurse Eastwick laughed. "She has a point."

"Is that it?" Marae asked, looking at the shockwave.

Aleric nodded. "That's Blays."

"It looks a lot like Edge City," she said.

"It's home," Braum replied. The faun limped eagerly forward, his eyes on the streets of Drake City. He paused just before they reached the border.

"Thanks, Dr. Wolf, thanks Dr. Indley. I can't tell you how much I appreciate what you've done."

"It's thanks enough to see you up," Marae told him.

"Happy to help," Aleric replied. "Rest that leg."

"Will do, Doc," Braum said.

"Wait. I have to do something," Tranquility said. "Are you okay for a moment?"

At Braum's nod, the little fairy ducked from under his arm and ran to Aleric's side. She tugged on the sleeve of his scrubs and he knelt down. Tranquility stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you, Dr. Wolf," she said.

She spun on her heels and rushed back to the shockwave.

"Sorry. I couldn't help myself; he's just so handsome!" she said to the faun.

Braum stepped through the shockwave with the little fairy at his side. They disappeared into the image beyond.

"Where did they go?" Vinca asked with a hint of concern.

"To the corner across from our apartment," Elianna replied. "That's a memory of mine, but it takes you to the same place."

"Our turn," Forsythe said to the wood nymphs.

He gently picked Valerian up in his arms. He rose and she leaned against his chest. "Let's get you both home," the demon said. He smiled at Elianna and Daylen when he passed them. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," both of the children replied.

The demon stepped through with Vinca clutching one of his hands.

Aleric let out a sigh of relief at the realization that the demon was no longer in the hospital or Edge City.

"Our turn," Daylen said with a huge smile. "You ready?" he asked his sister.

She nodded. "Definitely. Let's go home; I'll bet Mom will even let us have ice cream!"

"I'll wait for you at the corner," Daylen promised. His sister nodded and he stepped through.

Elianna waited a moment for him to make it safely, then took a step toward the shockwave. She paused and confusion touched her face.

"What's wrong?" Aleric asked.

"There's someone coming through on the other side," Elianna replied. "I can feel it. Daylen's helping."

Adrenaline rushed through Aleric's veins. His hands clenched. If the vampires were trying to get back to Edge City, he would fight with everything he had left. He took a step forward.

The shockwave sparked and the image wavered. A form stepped from the passageway. Aleric blinked against the brightness and his eyes focused on Dartan. Disbelief filled him at the sight of the vampire.

"You came back?"

Dartan shrugged. "I could have stayed in Blays and taken my spot as the Inheritant of the vampire throne, ordering hordes of bloodsuckers around and trying to maintain some semblance of peace in the blood city...." He smiled. "Or I could threaten them with surprise visits from Tranquility and if she's not happy, she'll report to me through the banshees. We set up a system. It's more fun this way."

Aleric chuckled. "That will keep them under control. I'm glad you're back."

"There are a lot more fae out there needing to be rescued," Dartan said. "I figure we'd better get started sooner rather than later." He gave Elianna a warm smile. "Your brother is waiting for you."

Excitement filled Elianna's eyes at the prospect of going home.

"Take care of yourselves," Aleric told her.

"We will," Elianna promised. She stepped through the shockwave. After she passed, it shrank to a ball, then vanished entirely. Only the acrid, burned metal scent remained to tell of where it had been.

Aleric let out a breath of relief. "I promised them I'd find a way to get them home."

Dartan nodded. "You made good on your word. They're happy and safe now."

"Glad to have you still here," Dr. Worthen told Aleric as they walked with the humans to the door. "I wasn't sure what I'd do if more of your fae creatures came through. Nurse Eastwick says certain liquids can kill them."

"No water for fairies. That's very important," Aleric told him.

"The wood nymphs needed them though," Nurse Eastwick pointed out.

"And Braum was alright with one," Dr. Indley said.

"They're not fairies," Dartan said.

"Fairies aren't fae?" Dr. Worthen repeated.

Aleric paused with his hand on the door. "Fairies are fae, but not all fae are fairies."

Dr. Worthen shook his head. "New order, Nurse Eastwick. Run all fae care by Dr. Wolf before starting treatment; I don't want to be responsible for mixing up who needs what."

"Good call," the nurse replied.

The nurse and doctor made their way back up the hallway toward the Emergency Room. Dr. Indley hung back.

"I'm still not quite sure what happened here," she said.

Dartan smiled at her. "Stick around. I can tell you about Blays, maybe fill you in on some of the idiosyncrasies of fae in case any other creatures show up."

"That would be nice," Marae told him.

Aleric watched them walk together to the Dark fae side of the D Wing. He stood in the hallway torn as to where he should go.

His gaze lingered on the garbage can near the door. The can was overflowing.

"At least I know where the garbage belongs," Aleric said to himself. "I've been to the dumpster more times than I'd like to admit." He grabbed the bag in both hands.

"Are you a janitor here?"

Aleric spun at the sound of a female voice.

He met the young woman's gaze and his heart slowed. She wore the hospital gown of a patient, but she looked at him with the air of someone who knew something was out of place. Aleric realized doctors probably didn't empty garbage cans, and he couldn't prove his claim as a doctor anyway.

"I, uh, yes, I'm a janitor."

She nodded. "I thought so. My dad's a doctor here. I've known most of the physicians since I was young."

Aleric pulled the bag from the garbage can and tied it.

"If nobody changes them, they don't get changed," he said, hefting the bag. He mentally kicked himself for saying the stupidest thing he possibly could have. First of all, it was obvious, and second, it was redundant. If Dartan had heard him, Aleric would never hear the end of it. But there was something about her gaze that unnerved him. He felt more nervous than he had facing the vampires.

"You're right about that," she replied with a warm smile.

She pushed her black hair back behind her ear. Aleric noticed the bandages on her forearm.

"What happened there?" he asked; he realized a janitor probably wouldn't ask something like that of a patient, and so he said, "If, uh, you don't mind me asking. I really don't mean to pry into your privacy, so you don't have to tell me."

She shook her head, her blue eyes sparkling as if she knew just how uncomfortable she made him. "It's alright. I got bit by something that was hiding in our cellar. I didn't see what it was. Dad told me to come in for some tests to make sure it wasn't carrying a disease."

Something about her words caught Aleric's attention. "It was hiding in the cellar? Can I see the bite?" He covered with, "I know a lot of animal bites. I grew up in the country." He decided he would be better off staying in wolf form if his socialization reached such high levels of conversation.

She took pity on him. "I guess so. I should probably air it out anyway." She eased the bandage back and showed him her forearm.

Aleric's stomach tightened.

"What?" she asked.

The door to the E.R. opened and Nurse Eastwick stepped into the hallway. "Oh, Dr. Wolf, I see you've met Dr. Worthen's daughter, Lilian."

Aleric stared at her. "Dr. Worthen's daughter?"

"You're a doctor?" she replied.

"Oh, I, uh, I'm in training."

"To be a janitor?" she replied with confusion. "That's highly unusual." She shook her head, then put a hand to it. "I'm a bit lightheaded. I'm going to go lie down."

"You do that, hon," Nurse Eastwick told her. The nurse watched her walked back up the hallway with a fond expression on her face.

"We have a problem," Aleric said.

Nurse Eastwick nodded. "You have to tell me whatever story you're concocting or else I can't go along with it. You're a janitor now?"

"What? No. Not that," Aleric said. "Lilian is Dr. Worthen's daughter?"

Nurse Eastwick smiled. "Yes. She's been a part of this hospital since she was a little thing. She came in for an animal bite, but Dr. Worthen says it's nothing serious."

"She was bit by a goblin; it's deathly serious," Aleric replied.

Nurse Eastwick stared at him. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," Aleric replied.

The E.R. doors burst open.

"Dr. Wolf!" Gregory called out. "Dr. Wolf, Dr. Worthen's in trouble!"

Dartan and Dr. Indley appeared from the D Wing.

Aleric and the vampire exchanged a glance. "Come on," Aleric said.

They took off running to the orderly. Aleric reached him, then passed the red-head on his way to the Emergency Room. Gregory spun and ran after them. Aleric burst through the doors and skidded to a stop. He swore under his breath.

A troll that made Commissioner Oaks look small roared at Dr. Worthen. The doctor stood in front of his staff, shielding nurses and orderlies with his body. The troll took a step forward and Aleric felt the percussion through his feet. Aleric took a steeling breath and jumped in front of the doctor.

"Stop!" he barked.

The troll pulled up short.

"Aleric, what are you doing?" Dartan hissed.

Aleric glanced at him. "Winging it," he replied. He met the troll's beady-eyed gaze. "Back up, now!"

The troll looked baffled at the werewolf's angry commands. The creature took a step back.

"That's a Dark fae, right?" Nurse Eastwick asked from behind him.

"Light fae," Aleric replied. "Trolls are normally not this hostile."

"'Never get between a troll and something it wants'; that's one of the golden rules of Blays," Dartan said.

"Not helping," Aleric told him. He turned his attention back to the troll. "Sit down. Now!"

The troll looked around. It grabbed a metal chair from against the wall and sat on it. The chair immediately collapsed, sending the troll to the floor. The troll lumbered back to its feet as everyone watched with bated breaths. It reached for another chair.

"Never mind that," Aleric told him. "Sit on the floor."

The troll sat with a bang that rattled the beds and chairs within range. He stared at Aleric, his chest heaving and beady eyes as wide as they could be.

"What's going on here?" Aleric demanded. "Why are you trying to hurt these people?"

"Hurt me," the troll replied.

"It talks!" Dr. Worthen said in amazement.

Aleric glanced at him. "Yes, he talks, and he's very angry, which isn't normal for a troll." He looked back at the creature. "We'll help you, not hurt you," Aleric promised, "But you have to calm down. Can you do that?"

The troll nodded.

Out of the corner of his eye, Aleric saw Dartan circle around the troll. The vampire paused when he reached the creature's far side.

"I see the problem," the vampire said.

Aleric stepped sideways and heard the nursing staff follow him. He turned slowly, shielding them with his body until they were behind the troll. Several of the staff hurried out of reach.

"Oh no," Nurse Eastwick said.

"Do you know what those are?" Dartan asked.

Aleric nodded. "Archdemon spikes."

He put a hand on one of the foot-long metal spikes protruding from the troll's back. He was about to pull it free, but Dr. Worthen grabbed his hand.

"There's a more humane way to do that," the doctor reminded him. "We'll set up the surgery room."

"Thank you," Aleric said. He walked back around to face the troll. "You tangled with an Archdemon?"

The troll shook his head. "He fight me. Send me here."

That gave Aleric reason to pause. "He sent you here? After he hurt you?"

The troll nodded.

"Why?" Dartan asked.

The troll met the vampire's red gaze. "He said 'Tell Aleric hi.'"

Aleric took several steps back. He looked from the vampire to the troll, then back to the vampire.

"Dartan, we're in trouble."

Dartan nodded. "There's an Archdemon in Edge City."

Thank you for reading Dr. Wolf Book 1- Shockwave! I hope you enjoyed it. Demon Spiral, the next book in the series, is available now.

BOOKS BY CHEREE ALSOP

The Silver Series-

Silver

Black

Crimson

Violet

Azure

Hunter

Silver Moon

The Werewolf Academy Series-

Book One: Strays

Book Two: Hunted

Book Three: Instinct

Book Four: Taken

Book Five: Lost

Book Six: Vengeance

Book Seven: Chosen

The Haunted High Series-

The Wolf Within Me

The Ghost Files

City of Demons

Cage the Beast

Ashes of Night

Heart of the Wolf Part One

Heart of the Wolf Part Two

The Galdoni Series-

Galdoni

Galdoni 2: Into the Storm

Galdoni 3: Out of Darkness

The Small Town Superheroes Series-

Small Town Superhero

Small Town Superhero II

Small Town Superhero III

Keeper of the Wolves

Stolen

The Million Dollar Gift

Thief Prince

When Death Loved an Angel

The Shadows Series

Shadows- Book One in the World of Shadows

Mist- Book Two in the World of Shadows

The Monster Asylum Series

Book One- The Fangs of Bloodhaven

Girl from the Stars

Book 1- Daybreak

Book 2- Daylight

Book 3- Day's End

Book 4- Day's Journey

Book 5- Day's Hunt

The Pirate from the Stars

The Dr. Wolf Series

Book 1- Shockwave

Book 2- Demon Spiral

Book 3- The Four Horsemen

Book 4- Dragon's Bayne

The Wolfborne Saga

Book 1- Defiance

Book 2- Ricochet

Book 3- Dark Coven

Book 4- Ghost Moon

The Prince of Ash and Blood

Game Breaker

Orion's Fall

Find more books by Cheree Alsop here: Cheree Alsop's Website

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About the Author

Cheree Alsop is an award-winning, best-selling author who has published over 50 books. She is the mother of a beautiful, talented daughter and amazing twin sons who fill every day with joy and laughter. She is married to her best friend, Michael, the light of her life and her soulmate who shares her dreams and inspires her by reading the first drafts and giving much appreciated critiques. Cheree works as a fulltime author and mother, which is more play than work! She enjoys reading, traveling to tropical beaches, riding motorcycles, playing the bass for the band Alien Landslide, spending time with her wonderful children, and going on family adventures. Cheree and Michael live in Utah where they rock out, enjoy the outdoors, plan great quests, and never stop dreaming.

