N. Walters - Threads of Destiny

“I need hot water.” Kathryn glanced wildly around the room. “I need an operating room.”

Marc frowned. “An operating room?”

“Oh God. I need to remove the bullet and stitch up his wound.”

“You are a healer,” he could hear the awe in his voice. Healers were rare and valued by all. His woman was indeed a treasure.

“I need a needle, threads, any medical tools and medicines you have on hand.” She turned back to her friend, placing her fingers against his neck.

Marc bounded to his feet and strode to the door. Flinging it open, he let out a roar that was sure to bring people running. In the meantime, he went to the fireplace, crouched down and lit the kindling beneath the logs that lay waiting.

He heard the sound of cloth ripping and turned. Kathryn had torn Tienan’s shirt open. As he watched, she whipped her top over her head. Folding the material, she placed it over the wound. She was still wearing a white garment with lace around the edges. A bra. He’d heard Christina describe the contraption on more than one occasion.

It was pretty but it exposed far more than it hid. Her breasts weren’t overly large but they were firm and high.

“Check Logan.”

She didn’t even look his way as she tossed the command over her shoulder. He knew she was worried about both men. Pulling his gaze from her breasts, he took the few steps necessary to bring him to Logan’s side. Marc crouched down and inspected the still man’s body. “His arm has a slight wound but it’s already stopped bleeding. He doesn’t seem to be hurt anywhere else.”

Footsteps pounded on the stairs and Jarek bust into the room, sword drawn. Behind him almost a dozen warriors followed, including Zaren and Bador Bakra. They filled the room, all of them staring at the group sprawled on the floor.

“Get Mara and Christina. I need hot water, needles, thread and medicine.” He gave them Kathryn’s requirement quickly.

He heard her gasp. She swayed slightly but her hold on the bandage never wavered. “This is crazy. Maybe I’m dead. Or maybe the General caught me and this is some delusion brought on by torture.”

Jarek stepped forward, sword still held high. “What is going on?” The tone of his voice suggested that he wanted an immediate answer.

Marc sighed, knowing all hell was about to break loose. “The tapestry brought them.”

Kathryn kept up the pressure on Tienan’s wound as she glanced over at Logan.

She’d seen him move the slightest bit a moment ago and knew he was awake but playing possum until he understood the situation. Although the guns were nowhere in sight, she knew he didn’t necessarily need them to defend himself. Both he and Tienan had trained in martial arts and ancient weaponry. In fact, both men would probably enjoy swinging one of those swords that Marc carried.

She was losing her mind. There was no other explanation. She didn’t want to look by the door, didn’t want to face the large group of warriors, all armed, all talking at once. As soon as Marc had mentioned the tapestry, everything had changed. She could sense the excitement bubbling beneath the tension. Would they attack or would they help?

She glanced at Marc and he seemed completely at ease but then again, this was his home, not hers. Not that she had a home anymore. Tienan gave a low moan, more of a sigh really and she leaned forward. “Don’t move. You’ve got a bullet in your shoulder that has to come out.”

He opened his eyes and they were clear and alert. “Where are we?”

“I’m not really sure,” she began.

“You are at Castle Garen in Javara.” The big warrior who’d burst through the door took a step toward them. His sword was still in his hand but at least he’d lowered it to his side. It looked big and sharp and Kathryn quickly remembered the heads of the two guards that Marc had decapitated in one swing. Bile rose in her throat but she swallowed it back.

Had they made a mistake in coming here? Not that they’d really had any choice in the matter. At least now they had a chance.

“I am Jarek.” His brown eyes narrowed as he studied them.

Kathryn shook her head. This was unbelievable and it was just like in the book.

Except this seemed real. She could see the family resemblance between him and Marc.

His coloring was slightly different but the facial features were similar. And just like in the book, his hair fell to his waist with two thin braids framing his face. All the people around them seemed real. She knew that the blood seeping from Tienan was too real to be ignored.

“Kathryn Piedmont.” She gave him a sharp nod.

Jarek took another step toward them, raising his sword the slightest bit. Both men beside her burst into action. Logan launched himself to his feet in one motion and delivered a kick to the midsection of another warrior who had been staring intently at her chest. When the man doubled over, Logan moved in swiftly, landed a karate chop on his arm and grabbed the sword from midair as it fell from the warrior’s nerveless fingers.

Tienan wrapped his arm around her, rolling them both against the far wall. Pushing her behind him, he came to his feet, knees bent, arms loose by his sides, blood seeping heavily from his shoulder. She slapped the bandage back over the wound, ignoring his growl of protest. She wasn’t letting him bleed to death. He could bitch at her later.

Logan placed himself in front of both Tienan and her. The large sword was gripped lightly in his right hand, his feet were braced apart and his knees were slightly bent. He was ready to fight. “You will not harm her.”

She peeked around Tienan’s shoulder, icy sweat rolling down between her shoulder blades. She shivered. She didn’t want to die this way.

Marc was standing with his arms crossed, shaking his head. Jarek had lowered his sword, disbelief in his eyes. No one spoke.

“What’s going on in here?” The woman stepped through the doorway and the men moved aside to let her into the room. Her hair was so blonde it was almost white and fell in a thick mass to her waist. Her figure was what could only be described as lush and she was carrying thick towels and some jars in her hands. She blinked, her eyes so blue that Kathryn thought that they couldn’t be real.

The woman stopped beside Jarek and cocked her eyebrow at him. The warrior’s face softened as he peered down at her. If Kathryn was correct, this would be Christina.

The woman glanced at Logan and then beyond him, her gaze resting on Tienan.

“You’re injured.” She turned back to her husband.

“We didn’t do it,” he grumbled. “The tapestry brought them.” Fear appeared in Christina’s face and she took a step away from them. Marc rested his hands on her shoulders and Kathryn felt a flash of jealousy rock her to her core. It was as if she’d caught her man cheating on her. As if feeling her gaze on him, Marc looked her way and slowly removed his hands from Christina, letting them fall to his sides.

“The tapestry did not come for you, Christina.” Marc reassured her. “It came for me.”

Kathryn now understood the woman’s fear. She obviously didn’t want to return to her own time. This wasn’t the time to start into some long explanation. “This is all fine and good,” she spoke up, ignoring Tienan’s low grunt of disapproval. “But Tienan is bleeding to death while we’re gabbing.” He was still steady in front of her but she could sense his waning strength.

Logan held the heavy weapon in front of him, the blade never wavering. “I will have your word that you will not harm Kathryn.” She noted that he didn’t mention his own wellbeing or Tienan’s.

Christina’s eyes widened. “They would never hurt a woman.” Her disbelief seemed to relax both men but Logan still didn’t lower his sword. He had his eyes on Jarek, the obvious leader of the bunch.