He waited for her to fire off another sarcastic comment, but she seemed to withdraw into herself instead. Tav felt a stab of pity.
I don’t need to make this any harder on her.
“I’ll make you a cup of tea, all right? You just relax, and when the storm clears up, I’ll take you to the hospital. They can run some tests…”
He trailed off remembering why he hadn’t taken her to the hospital in the first place.
She obviously doesn’t remember being turned. It just happened. If she goes to the hospital, they’ll tell her.
Tav decided he would deal with that matter later. He pivoted away toward the kitchen, worried that she might see the concerned expression on his face.
“Wait!” Lora cried out, and Tav paused to look back at her.
“Yes?”
“I…you said I was unconscious in the woods?”
He nodded.
“Didn’t I have a bag or anything? Something with my address on it?”
Tav shrugged and shook his head.
“I looked, but there wasn’t anything.”
She gnawed on her lower lip like she was trying to make sense of what she was being told.
“But…”
She faltered, looking lost.
“I’m sorry, Lora, but I don’t know what to tell you,” Tav sighed. “Honestly. I was just trying to get you out of the storm and conscious again.”
She gave him a grateful look, even if her full lips did not formulate the words. Yet Tav understood the expression and nodded.
“Let me see about that tea, okay?”
She didn’t stop him this time, and Tav could feel her dark eyes watching him as he retreated into the vast kitchen, out of view. Again, lightning cracked, illuminating the night if only for seconds at a time.
A moment after Tav had put the kettle on, Lora appeared at the threshold, comforter still enveloped around her body. Standing, she was much taller than Tav had expected, although not nearly as tall as Tav. Her build was slender but athletic, and it was clear that she stayed active.
Maybe she was just on a hike and got lost.
It would explain why she had no purse, but no keys? No water? That made less sense. Moreover, where Tav had found her was miles away from any lot. Someone had intentionally brough Lora there and left her alone. The questions were why and who?
“Are you all right?” he asked when she didn’t speak. She watched him warily.
“Do you live here alone?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“This is a lot of space for one person.”
Tav chuckled thinking about how small the five-bedroom cabin had seemed a few hours earlier.
“Yeah well…” he trailed off. “Feel free to look around.”
She looked like she might take him up on the idea but shook her head.
“No thanks.” Slowly, Lora ambled closer to the marble kitchen island and slid onto a stool. “Where are we exactly?”
“On Blanca Peak.”
“Colorado?”
Tav nodded.
“You sound confused about that. Are you not from Colorado?”
“I-I really don’t remember. I must be but…” Lora sighed. “It’s kind of familiar, I guess.”
“Your motor functions seem to be intact. Your long-term memories seem okay since you know your name. I’m sure everything else will come back to you.”
“You did say you’re not a doctor, right?”
She wasn’t trying to be sarcastic, but Tav could not help but become slightly defensive.
“I’m not a doctor,” he sighed. “I’m just telling you what I think.”
“Unless someone did something to me.”
Her statement was blunt, matter-of-fact, and she looked suspiciously at Tav. He blinked.
“You mean like me?” he choked. “I don’t even know you!”
“I don’t know that. All I know is that I woke up here and have no idea where I am.”
“What’s the last thing you remember?”
Lora shook her head, upset coloring her face.
“I don’t know!” she exclaimed. “I…I’m not sure. I only know what you’re telling me!”
I can’t lose my patience with her. She’s genuinely terrified and probably rightfully so. Someone left her out there.
Tav exhaled. Without a word, he moved toward the laundry room, ignoring Lora when she called out to him. He retreated a moment later with her clothes.
“This is what you were wearing when I found you,” he said firmly. “I haven’t had a chance to wash them yet. Does this outfit ring any bells?”
Lora cautiously took the items, embarrassment staining her face.
“You changed me out of these?” she mumbled. More defensiveness shot through Tav.
“They’re soaked,” he pointed out. “I waited for you to wake up first, but when you didn’t, I was worried you would freeze.”
Lora held up the blouse, her brow furrowing.
“Is that blood?” she muttered. She put the shirt onto the counter and looked over her body, more alarm oozing from her as she moved. “Am I hurt?”
Tav knew this was his opportunity to tell her about the wounds he’d located on her neck, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. She was already in a fragile enough state, and he didn’t want to cause her any more grief than she was already enduring.
“I don’t think you’re hurt,” Tav said, turning to the boiling kettle, grateful for the distraction.
“None of this makes any sense,” Lora mumbled, but Tav got the sense that she was talking more to herself than him as she continued to look herself over.
I’ll let her collect herself and rest, he vowed. When she’s a bit more clear-headed, I’ll tell her what I found on her neck.
“Drink this,” he told her, sliding the chamomile tea across the island before slipping onto a stool in front of her. Tentatively, Lora took it, but Tav could feel the uncertainty palpitating from her as she put the ceramic mug to her lips.
Her eyebrows knit into a vee as she took the sip, a glimmer of light appearing in her eyes, but it was gone just as quickly.
“Is it okay?” Tav pressed when she didn’t speak.
“Yeah…it’s good,” she mumbled in a way that made him think that she was embarrassed to admit it. He grinned.
“That’s better than being bad,” he volunteered lightly. For the first time, she cast him a half-smile, but it was laced with skepticism.
She doesn’t know if she can trust me, he thought. I don’t blame her after all she’s been through already.
“Well…” she muttered. “Since we can’t talk about me, why don’t you tell me about you.”
Tav laughed.
“What would you like to know?” he asked brightly, but he felt a stab of apprehension snake through him. Despite the openness between shifters and humans, advertising his abilities was not something that Tav was likely to do. That was more Andreas’ way. Moreover, he didn’t want to scare Lora any more than she already was.
“I dunno. How does a slick young man end up living up in the mountains in a mansion all by himself?” Lora retorted. Tav laughed loudly and genuinely.
I don’t know how to tell her that every part of that question is wrong. I’m not slick, young, or living in a mansion. Hell, I’m barely a man.