“I would be happy to.” Lev deep husky voice melted her to the core.
“It would be hot to see the two of you up in the fight ring, yoga pants and all,” suggested Slade.
Cricket winked at him.
“Lessons are over for today. Rachel didn’t feel so well earlier.”
Lev narrowed his eyes at Rachel. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just a headache.”
“That was not just your average headache. You practically fell to the floor.” Cricket’s tone turned maternal. “Lucky for me, I caught her.”
Lev put his large hands on Rachel’s shoulder. “We go see the doctor.”
“I am the doctor, and I feel much better. Actually, after being in the fresh air I feel as though I have renewed energy. I was probably just dehydrated.”
“A second opinion never hurts,” said Cricket.
“Fine. As long as it’s not Howard.”
Lev rubbed the back of his neck. “Agreed.”
Slade draped an arm over Cricket. “Let’s run in the snow.”
“Love to, but only if you promise to play tag.”
“I’m game,” said Slade as he bent down to grab a bottle of water.
“You certainly are.” Cricket grabbed a towel and wacked Slade on the ass. She then dropped the towel and ran out the door.
Slade growled and gave chase.
Rachel laughed and then turned to Lev. “I would love to play hide and seek with you.” Cricket was definitely a bad influence. She glanced at a bleeding slash on Lev’s shoulder, not because it looked horrible, but because it healed at a rapid rate, like a fast forward time lapse video. “Does it hurt while it heals?”
“A minor sting. Nothing like the bite you stitched in Nepal.”
“Good to know.”
“Darius took a sample of the tissue from where the mysterious lycan bit me. He says the bite would have been lethal to all other werewolves.”
“Really?”
“He will send the tissue to our lab to determine what type of poison they used.”
“But you healed from the bites of the werewolves you fought in the cave.”
“True. Only the werewolf I confronted by their helicopter smelled corrupt. Don’t worry. The poison was out of my system when I bit you.” He shrugged. “Come, I’ll take you to see the doctor.”
“Okay.” Rachel crossed her arms and regarded him. She had to ask. “Do you think your bite caused my reaction?”
Lev ran a hand through his hair. “Possibly.” He released a slow anguished breath. “I don’t know.”
His pained expression explained why he’d avoided her. When Cricket suggested she see the doctor, she’d been in denial Lev’s bite might have caused her illness. “Let’s go then.” It wouldn’t hurt, and why risk not diagnosing some underlying unknown lycan disease?
They returned to the doctor’s office from the lab where, after a physical, Dr. Darius Mark ran some blood tests. Lev paced in the waiting room while Darius talked to her. The sound proof walls didn’t prevent him from hearing their conversation. He resented Rachel preferred a private consultation with the doctor. By right, he should have insisted. Darius would have understood. Yet, the last thing he wanted to do was bully his way into her heart.
“Dehydration and stress could be the cause,” said Rachel.