“Well, yes, but I can survive them more easily.”
Brandt looked over at Emmalyn again, then at Tempest, but kept a firm hand on her arm. “You can’t.”
She understood his concern, she had concerns of her own, but she couldn’t not try to help. “Trust me,” she said.
He hesitated, but let her go.
Tempest walked over to where Bam and Daisy were trying to heal her, and laid a hand on each of them. “Can I help?” she asked.
Bam looked up at her, his eyes still wet with tears. “Please help her.”
“It’s going to be okay. I’m going to add my strength to your own. She’ll be just fine,” Tempest said, squatting down beside them.
Tempest smiled up at Brandt as he watched her closely. She’d found a compromise. Instead of taking the injuries into herself. She’d just boost the healing powers Daisy and Bam naturally had. She closed her eyes and swirls of green mist began to rise from her fingertips where they laid on Bam and Daisy.
Bam opened his eyes again when he felt the warmth suffuse his body.
“Just giving you a little boost,” she said.
He nodded and closed his eyes.
Daisy didn’t seem to notice, except that she adjusted her hands to rest one on the back of Emmalyn’s head and another on her neck, particularly her jugular vein.
“Very smart,” Tempest said.
“Try to warm her blood more quickly,” Daisy said.
Tempest nodded, but stayed where she was until she began to feel the customary drain that overtook her when she healed someone. It wasn’t as strong as usual, but she’d not given as much of her own energies this time, either. When it was apparent that Bam and Daisy were as fresh as when they first started, she knew she’d done all she could for now short of taking Emmalyn’s injuries and the drugs and their residue into herself. Brandt was right, it just wasn’t a possibility right now. If Emmalyn was any closer to death, she’d have had to, but luckily between Bam, Daisy and herself, they’d formed a strong enough front to give Emmalyn the help she needed without Tempest having to take on her injuries personally.
Tempest straightened up and moved the few steps to stand with Brandt again.
He immediately embraced her. “Is she okay?”
“She will be. It’ll take a little time, but she’ll be fine.”
“Are you?”
“I’m fine. Just a little tired, but nothing like usual.”
Brandt took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, releasing his fears with it. “We couldn’t find her heartbeat. We didn’t know if we were too late until Delilah and Bam told us she was in there, but even then we didn’t know if she’d make it.”
“If it had been any longer before you found her, or the drugs were any stronger, I’d have had to take more drastic measuresto make sure she’d survive, but she’s in there fighting, too. Her Bear is protecting her, and she’s fighting. Between all of us helping her fight, she’ll be okay.”
Some time later, Barron lifted his head from where it rested against Emmalyn’s. “I feel her heartbeat,” he said with a trace of a smile.
“Thank heavens,” Delilah said.
“Or hells, or whoever. Just thank all the powers that be,” Avaleigh said.
Everly blinked back her tears and patted Analise’s arms where they embraced her. “She’s going to be okay.”
A soft little moan from Emmalyn surprised them all and had them moving a little closer.
“Shhh, it’s okay. You’re safe. I’ve got you, Em. It’s me. I’ve got you, you’re safe” Barron said, kissing her forehead and her face, smoothing her hair back while being careful of the back of her head.
She didn’t open her eyes, but tears began to leak from beneath her lids.
“I’ve got you. I’m never letting go. You will always be safe,” Barron vowed in a powerful voice.
