THE PERFECT TEN (Boxed Set)

hadn’t heard Mathias request anyone to come here, but in the next moment I heard a male voice outside the hut announce, “Jaxxson coming in.” 
    The opening appeared again. The guy who stepped forward had blond hair, a dark honey shade, and eyes so rich a brown and ringed by thick lashes that they appeared outlined in black. Naked chest showed above his skirt-like covering that reached his ankles. He was athletic looking, but had a lithe, sinewybuild as compared to Callan’s muscular physique. I personally found Callan more attractive.
    Not that my opinion would matter to either of them.
    Callan’s gaze tracked over to me and I merely lifted an eyebrow in response. That sent his attention back to Mathias.
    “Take a look at the girl’s arms,” Mathias directed the healer, his voice less hostile but no less authoritative.
    As Jaxxson stepped past me, he nodded once, either a sign of respect or just sizing up the stranger in their midst. Then he knelt on the opposite side of Gabby from Tony, keeping his movements slow, as if not to overwhelm or scare her.
    Wise move. Even the most docile animal would attack when in pain.
    Gabby pushed herself to sit up straight, wincing with the effort. She’d been so tough all day I’d come to understand that putting up a strong front was a matter of pride with her.
    Jaxxson reached forward, then paused before touching her and asked, “May I?” 
    She shook her head and raised glazed eyes to me.
    I gave Jaxxson’s back a don’t-you-dare-try-anything threatening glare. I explained, “She doesn’t like to be touched.”
    “I’m a healer.” Jaxxson spoke gently to Gabby, but hostility danced beneath his words as if coming here to care for a prisoner wasted his precious time. A possible tek-nah-tee prisoner.
    “Can you open your arms just to show him,” I asked Gabby, wanting her to get the help she needed.
    She gritted her teeth, but she forced her arms to unbend half way, which appeared to be all she could manage with her limbs swollen.
    Jaxxson looked over his shoulder at me and asked, “How’d this happen?”
    I unflexed my balled hands. “We had to fight off some monster plant that was trying to suck us inside a pink flower. Its vine wrapped her wrist.” They weren’t showing an appropriate amount of concern, so I glanced in Callan’s direction and added, “Gabby’s having a bad reaction to that... or those red vines your little soldier wrapped around her wrists.” 
    Mathias sent Callan a pointed look filled with silent questions. Callan asked, “Pink flower? Green spots? A frazzle vine?”  He used his palms to air sketch a shape. “Blossoms this big? Then one huge flower head on the host bush?”   “Sounds like it.” I stepped toward Gabby. “Whatever it was, she’s been the only one of us to react. I think your red restraint vines made things worse.”
    Mathias asked Jaxxson, “Can you do anything for her?”
    “Yes, but I’ll need to move her back to the healing hut.”
    I immediately tensed. Last thing I wanted was to allow them to take Gabby anywhere alone. Especially if it meant her being isolated and vulnerable. “Why can’t you help her here?”
    Callan cut me off. “Because his supplies are in the healing hut, but that will have to wait until we get back. We need Jaxxson and have to leave soon.”
    Not good enough. I stepped toward Callan. “She’s getting sicker by the minute. She can’t wait for later.”
    “She doesn’t have a house,” Mathias argued.
    I snarled, “I don’t care if she doesn’t have a tent, she could die from this. Are you willing to let that happen after we saved that little girl?”
    Guilt slid through Callan’s hard expression, but he looked as though he’d come to some conclusion. “I told you we have to run the transender lines then we also have to hunt for food.”
    Not my fault , I wanted to answer but instead said, “What do you mean by running these lines?”
    He drew a deep breath as if just listening to me took all his patience. “Do not play games with me. The tek–”
    “ I’m not a tek-nah-tee! ” I roared. “I don’t know who or what they are, but I’m starting to wonder about what kind of people you are if you’re willing to leave her–”  I pointed at Gabby. “–in pain.”
    “That is your problem,” Callan charged. “Mine is saving our children.” He paused as if wrestling his temper under control, then added in a calmer voice, “But we may be able to work