Standing His Ground: Greer (Porter Brothers Trilogy 2)

Greer started shaking with fatigue. The bullet was moving closer to the surface as he healed. Dustin put his hand on his back, steadying him, linking them together. Dustin’s touch was a shot of adrenaline. He didn’t have the same healing as Greer and Rachel. What he had, though, was a parent’s love for his child; the same love Holly shared.

He finally understood why she had protected Logan when he was a baby. A parent’s love knew no boundary, whether that child was conceived from their body or not. When you loved someone, there were no boundaries. You would do anything for them to live.

That was why Rachel was trying so hard to save Holly. They had drawn close as sisters. She couldn’t watch Holly die any more than she could have been able to watch him or their brothers die.

Tate went to Cash, holding his hand out to him, while Cash left one hand on Rachel’s back. Tate then held his other hand out to Sutton. Carrying Ema, she sank down on the ground next to Tate, linking hands with him.

When Logan started breathing, Greer used one of his hands to pull the bullet out that was now close to the surface.

“Thank you.” Giving the spirits their praise, he nearly fell over.

“I’m coming, Rachel!” Stumbling around Logan, Greer fell down beside Rachel, immediately bringing his hands to Holly’s chest, heartsick at what he saw.

So close to death, Holly was dragging Rachel into Death’s doorway, like a drowning victim dragging their savior down into the bottomless depths.

“Let go, Rach!”

“I can’t.”

“Cash!”

Cash immediately wrapped his arms around Rachel’s waist, pulling her backward to the ground.

Tate touched his back, still holding Sutton’s hand as he worked on her. Now that Rachel was free, he could concentrate on Holly.

“Spirits, hear my plea. I’m begging you to save my wife,” he begged the spirits that were already moving away from his voice. “Help her! I’m begging you. I’ll pay any price you want. Take me instead. You can bring back what hasn’t been taken yet. Help her!”

He felt the spirts regroup, starting on the massive injuries.

Holly was fighting their efforts.

“Dammit, woman, I’m not ready to let you go. If you don’t stop fighting me, I’m going to give your ass …” Changing tactics, he tried to cajole the woman he loved instead. “You promised children, Holly. You can’t leave before you give me a part of yourself.”

He increased the pressure on her chest, healing warmth blazing out from his palms. “I know it’s beautiful, but our life will be just as beautiful. I can take you there again for a visit, but where you’re going, you’ll be leaving me behind. You loved Logan enough to sacrifice your life for him; can’t you do the same for me?”

Greer leaned over, covering her lips and breathing into her mouth. “Breathe, Holly, breathe.” His tears rained down onto her cheeks.

A gasping breath blew against his face.

“That’s my woman.” Straightening, he redoubled his efforts, directing the spirits.

Tate scrunched closer, so he could feel the warmth sink into his clammy skin.

“Please, Ma, Granny … help me. Heal her.”

The toll it was taking to heal Holly was excruciating. His strength was weakening.

“You’ve never let me down, ever. Please help me!” he begged, raising his eyes toward the sky, pleading to a higher power. “Spirits, you helped me heal Tate and Rachel when I couldn’t do it alone. I’m begging you not to leave me alone now,” he yelled out, lifting his voice to the Heavens above.

His hands filled with unending love, increasing the warmth of his palms into a fire so hot he thought it was scorching his skin. He didn’t pull them away, though the heat was so painful it was like dunking his hands in lava.

The spirits were now repairing the damage at lightning speed, knitting the flesh on her back closed, moving with a colorful array that couldn’t be seen with the naked eye.

Greer was reverently witnessing the profound beauty as his prayers were answered.

When bright red lights flashed into his face, nearly blinding him, he felt the warmth leave his hands. God and the spirits left to watch over them from above.

“Thank you.” Greer knew Holly had been healed enough to let modern medicine take over.

The EMTs loaded Holly first, then Rachel. They would only let one person go with them in the ambulance, so Cash went. Greer would follow in his truck. Holly was unconscious, but her vitals were stable. Rachel was conscious and deserved to have her husband with her.

Grim faced, Knox motioned the ambulance to leave, so the other one could load Logan inside.

Greer saw Dustin jump into the ambulance. He then watched the driver slam the doors shut before jumping inside and driving down the driveway.

He headed for his truck, not wanting to be too far behind Holly, Logan, and Rachel.