Ravensong (Green Creek 2)

I didn’t hesitate.

I took the knife from Jessie and sliced the skin around the bullet wound, making the opening wider. Ox’s hands closed to fists and his toes curled, but he turned his head toward Joe, who pressed his nose against his forehead.

“You ready?” I asked Kelly and Mark.

They nodded.

I put my hand over the wound, close but not touching. I was exhausted, but I pushed through it. It took a moment for me to find it, the bullet of silver embedded

in his shoulder. But once I did, I latched on to it and pulled it up. Ox screamed as it slowly rose out of him, keeping to the same path it’d used to enter him. The smell of burning flesh filled my nostrils, but I was so fucking close to—

The bullet slid from the wound. It was really the smallest of things.

Ox gasped as it left him, throat working as Joe rumbled in his ear.

I put my hand over the wound again, this time pressing down against his skin.

I tried to pull as much of the pain as I could. My vision started to swim only seconds later, and I heard Mark say, “Gordo, that’s enough. Gordo. Gordo.”

Arms wrapped around me, tugging me away. I fell back against a warm chest.

“It’s okay,” Mark whispered in my ear. “It’s okay. Look. He’s already starting to heal. You did it. Gordo, you did it. It’s okay.”

I nodded, unable to find the strength to open my eyes.

I didn’t remember much after that.

I WOKE in a room that was not my own. The light was dull. I was warm.

I blinked slowly, muscles stiff and sore. My tattoos felt burnt-out, weak. I wanted nothing more than to close my eyes and drift away again.

But then I remembered everything.

“Fuck,” I groaned, turning my head into the pillow.

“Sounds about right.”

I sighed. Of course. I didn’t look at him. “How long have I been out?”

“A few hours,” Mark said from somewhere in the room.

“Ox?”

“Healing. He’ll be fine.”

I closed my eyes again. I knew where we were. The pillow smelled of him. I would know that scent anywhere. It’d been burned into me since I was a kid. “You’re a fucking asshole.”

Mark snorted. “Glad to know you’re feeling better.”

“You shifted. Carter too.”

“You were in trouble.”

I ground my teeth together. My jaw hurt. “You heard what Michelle said. It makes it worse. Is that what you want?”

“You were in trouble,” he repeated.

“I had the situation under control.”