“Everyone in this room”—Cara opened her eyes—“is a Cryptid.” She looked at Kade. “I’ve stopped the bleeding. I can repair the fracture. He’ll be down for a while. We can keep him here until he’s stable.”
Kade nodded. “The lung injury?”
“No biggie. I’ll do that next.”
Jessie listened with wide eyes. Cara had repaired a brain injury with just her mind? How had she done that?
“We could really use you in the ER,” she stated. “You’d save lives.”
Cara smiled a sad smile. “Yes, I could. But humans don’t trust what they don’t understand. Many Cryptid healers have tried to help. And it has always ended badly.”
Before Jessie pushed for more, Zach spoke up.
“Everyone in the room is a Cryptid?” His eyes were focused on Jessie.
“Apparently, I’m one, too,” she said.
“You can heal?”
“I haven’t figured out her heritage, yet,” Cara cut in. “But on top of it she’ll be a Were, if she’s lucky.”
Zach looked confused as hell. “What do you mean?”
“I was bitten,” Jessie pointed out helpfully. “So I’m going to turn into a Were too.”
When Zach stiffened, Cara sighed. “Let me finish up here, and then you and I have to have a little talk.”
“Yeah.” Zach dunked his towel in the hot water. “A talk would be good.” He glanced at Jessie. “I think.”
“It’s pretty simple,” Kade noted. “You just have to open your eyes.”
Zach glared at him. “My eyes have nothing to do with it.”
“Boys,” Cara admonished as she ran her fingers along the deep slashes over the lungs. “Can we focus here?”
“I am focused,” Zach pointed out. His gaze never left Kade’s.
“Jessie,” Cara asked, “Why don’t you introduce Zach to his new friend.” Her eyes flicked his way. “I found you someone to keep the mice out of your teapot.”
Zach froze. “You got me a cat?’
“Said I would.” Cara smiled.
Jessie connected the dots. “She’s his cat?” she said. “She’s lovely and gray with beautiful blue eyes.”
Zach’s eyes narrowed. “I’m detecting a theme. Do all your animals have blue eyes?”
Cara straightened from her task. Jessie noted that the slashes along the ribs were no longer gaping wide. The woman positively beamed at Zach.
“Only the ones,” she said, “that are my eyes and ears to the world.”
Zach went rigid. “Willow. She’s been spying on me?”
“Watching over you,” Cara corrected.
“Willow?” Jessie asked.
“One very nosy donkey with a penchant for boots.” Zach’s normally smooth voice had gone hoarse. “She gets in the bloody house—I’m just glad she can’t make it into the bedroom.” He glared at Cara. “And the cat won’t be getting in there, either.”
