His Human Vessel (Zandian Masters 5)

“Lundric?” she screamed.

He coughed. “I’m...all right. Stay where you are.”

“Are we on fire?”

“I’m...putting it out.”

She heard the spray of the fire extinguisher, and white powder filled the air, along with the black smoke. She couldn’t see a thing. Couldn’t breathe.

“Lundric?”

Her vision began to fade. No. Hell no. She couldn’t pass out now. Lundric needed her help.

She unbuckled from her harness, but they must be upside down, because she fell onto her head, and the haze of smoke and powder faded to black.

~.~

Daneth gripped his medical case and strode briskly onto the training pod. Zander, himself, had flown them there the moment they’d received word of serious injuries. Lundric and Cambry had been shot down while on their reconnaissance mission, but their burning ship had been extracted by another ship.

“Where are the injured?” he barked. He hadn’t been on the pod before and didn’t want to waste precious time wandering around.

“I’ll take you to the medical unit, Master Daneth,” a guard nearby offered, already starting down the corridor in front of him.

He followed, leaving Zander to a briefing with Rok. The “medical unit” was nothing more than a closet-sized room, jammed with two narrow cots and cabinet of supplies.

Bayla. Even though he’d known he’d see her, the sight of his beautiful human nearly brought him to his knees. Whatever resolve he’d had to let her go evaporated when he saw her. Every cell in his body screamed for him to claim her, mark her as his, mate her. Yes, breed her. He wanted her in the most basic, primal way. As a male needs a female. As a lover gives his heart.

She stood leaning over Cambry, who lay unconscious on one cot, soot covering her face and clothing. Lundric sat on the cot beside her, dodging Lily’s attempts to clean the gashes on his head and face.

“Don’t worry about me,” he growled. “She’s the one who needs help.”

“Everyone clear out,” he ordered.

Bayla and Lily moved toward the door but didn’t leave, clearly wanting to be of help. “You, too, if you’re refusing treatment,” he said to Lundric.

“I’m not leaving her,” Lundric thundered.

Cambry whimpered.

“Your shouting won’t help her head wound. This area is too small for me to function adequately. Stand in the corridor unless I ask you for something.”

This time, all three of them exited, giving him enough room to set his case down and pull out the necessary monitoring equipment. He scanned Cambry for injuries. Multiple contusions, abrasions, and bur

ns. The only serious injury was a blow to the head. He shot her with an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent. When he pulled her eyelids back and checked her pupils, she whimpered again, which he took as a good sign. She wasn’t too deeply unconscious if sounds and touch bothered her.

“Captain Lundric,” he summoned her mate.

“Yes?” Lundric charged back into the small space.

“I will scan your injuries now.”

“What about Cambry?” Lundric demanded.

“I have administered a painkiller and something to bring down the swelling. I expect her to wake soon. Now, sit down.”

Lundric scowled but sat, staring only at his mate as Daneth performed a quick scan. He also had multiple contusions, abrasions, and burns.

“Bayla.” His tone altered when he spoke her name, and he was certain everyone in the room would stop and stare. He hadn’t been able to touch her yet, or speak to her, but his voice caressed the sweet syllables of her name like a lover.