He paused in the hallway. “If you’re certain.”
“I’m certain.” She gave his arm a squeeze. “Stop worrying and go back to whatever you were doing when Maarev interrupted your work.”
He hesitated. “What are you going to do?”
She winked. “Snag another bag of jarumi nuggets, then decide what I want to learn next.”
He smiled. “Will you at least rest while you do it?”
“I’ll think about it,” she quipped.
Shaking his head, he gave her lips a last look, then headed down the hallway.
Eliana remained where she was, watching him until he rounded a curve and left her view. Grimacing, she rested a hand on her sore ribs and headed for the lift at the other end of the corridor. A few moments later, she strode into Med Bay.
One of the younger medics looked up and gasped.
Adaos swung around. His pale green eyes widened. “Eliana? You look like you’ve been brawling with a palari.”
She laughed, then grunted as pain stabbed her in the chest. “You should see the other guys.”
A twinkle of mischief entered his normally somber eyes. “I have seen them. Maarev, Liden, and Efren were just here, asking for silnas to speed their healing.”
The younger medic gaped. “You are the one who injured them?”
Adaos frowned and jerked his head toward the back of the bay.
Closing his mouth, the young medic swiftly ducked into the hallway back there and left them alone.
Adaos crossed to stand in front of her and raised his hand scanner. “I’m surprised Dagon didn’t insist on accompanying you.”
“I told him I was fine.”
Censure entered his gaze. “You lied to him?”
“No. I am fine. Or I will be. All I need is a transfusion.”
He grunted. “You’ve fractured your ribs.”
“Yes,” she agreed with exaggerated solemnity. “I fractured them.”
His lips twitched. “Maarev and Liden fractured a few of their own.”
She grinned. “Hell yes, they did.”
He chuckled. “I thought that would please you. Come. Let us transfuse you so your wounds will heal faster.”
“Thank you.”
Eliana crossed to the bed he nodded toward and hopped onto it, stifling a groan.
“Recline, please.” He adjusted it so she wouldn’t have to lie flat.
Again she grimaced. “You don’t have to go through all this. Just give me a bag of blood.” She’d rather siphon the blood into her veins via her fangs than do the needle thing.
He shook his head. “This way is faster.”
She leaned back, grumbling beneath her breath.
Adaos tapped some commands into the data tablet he always seemed to keep handy.
Seconds later, she watched with dread as the mechanical arm descended from the ceiling. A cool spray unerringly found the bend of her arm.
“I knew it!” a deep voice rife with irritation growled.
Her head snapped around.
Dagon marched into the room, a dark scowl creasing his forehead. “You said you were fine.”
“I am fine,” she insisted. “Or I will be as soon as I— Ouch!” Jumping, she glared down at the needle that pierced her arm. “Damn it! I wasn’t ready.”
Dagon’s boots thudded as they ate up the floor between them. Stopping beside her, he once more crossed his arms over his massive chest. “You said you were fine,” he repeated, the statement an accusation.
A little twinge of guilt struck. “I am fine…”
His eyes narrowed.
“…ish,” she qualified. “I’m fine-ish. All I need is a blood transfusion.”
“You should’ve told me.”
“Did Maarev, Liden, and Efren tell you they were heading to Med Bay?”
“No. They didn’t need to. I’ve trained with them on many occasions and knew they would come here for a silna if their injuries would otherwise take days to heal. I don’t know you as well though, so I rely on your honesty to guide me.”
Eliana had been all ready to feel defensive, but that sort of took the wind out of her sails. “I know. I’m sorry. It’s just…” She let her head drop back against the bed. “I planned to grab a bag of blood when I got here and didn’t want you to watch me sink my fangs into it. I told you. That sort of thing never went over well back on Earth.”
“Adaos could have transfused you the way he is now.”
“I know.” She sent the medic a squinty-eyed look. “This is worse.” Wrinkling her nose, she avoided Dagon’s gaze. “Do you know how embarrassing it is for someone in my line of work to be squeamish about needles?” It was a weird-ass phobia to have for someone who was stabbed and slashed with knives so often. “Daggers, throwing stars, sais, shoto swords, katanas, broadswords, bowie knives, tactical knives, machetes… none of those even faze me. But show me a tiny damn needle and I get nervous.” Her scowl deepened as heat crept into her cheeks. “Like I said, it’s embarrassing.”
Relaxing, he leaned a hip against the bed and took her hand in his. “I just watched you take down three men who were two heads taller than you and more than twice your weight with just your bare hands and a staff. The fact that you dislike needles doesn’t lessen my regard or my respect for you in the least.”
She risked peering up at him through her lashes. “Really?”
“Really. Everything I learn about you merely makes me admire you more.”
She smiled, feeling all warm and fuzzy inside now. “You’re so sweet, Dagon.”
Adaos snorted.
Dagon shot him a dirty look, then sat beside her on the bed, one foot still braced on the floor, the other knee drawn up to rest against her hip. “You aren’t the only one who is learning here, Eliana.”
“I know,” she acknowledged softly and squeezed his hand. “There’s a saying on Earth: old habits die hard.” She sighed, the action easier now that the virus—fueled by the blood transfusion—raced to heal her damaged ribs. “I told you, people who are different in my world aren’t treated well. And after years of dealing with that stupid bura, it just became second nature for me to hide my differences.”
He covered her hand. “You can trust me.”
“I know. And I do trust you.” She really did. “It’s just a habit I need to break, a sort of… unconscious self-defense mechanism.” She sent him a wry smile. “Aaaaaand I might have been a little afraid you’d refuse to let me train with your men again if you knew they’d fractured some of my ribs.”
Fury darkened his features. “They fractured your ribs?” he nearly roared.
“Just a couple,” she hastened to tell him.
Across the room, Adaos looked up from whatever he was doing. “She fractured several of theirs as well.”
“Damn right I did,” she boasted.
A dark smile touched Dagon’s lips as satisfaction lit his gaze. “Good.”
She grinned.
Adaos winked at her. “And it may interest you to know, Eliana, that there are currently two soldiers on board who faint at the sight of needles. A third comes close to doing the same at the sight of blood.”