Bronto's Revenge (Barbarian Lust, #2)(44)

She no longer took life for granted. It was a hard lesson but anything could happen. She thought she’d always be secure and protected when with Bronto but the aliens proved that wasn’t so. They’d abducted her while he was right outside the door. They hadn’t appeared since that day but Vulcan said it didn’t mean they’d all perished. He told the people to remain on guard and always watch their backs.

Bronto rolled off her onto his side and partially rose on his hip. He reached for her frock, presumably to pull it down. “Dear God, Ivy,” he said aghast but he retracted his hand and whipped upright, staring at her tummy. “What did they do to you?”

She gulped. How could she be so careless? She’d done her best trying to keep the wound hidden. Why’d she slip up now? “It’s just a scratch,” she said while trying to adjust the cloth but he grabbed her hand and squeezed.

“It’s not just a scratch.” He lifted her fingers to his lips and kissed the back sides. “It’s infected.”

“It doesn’t hurt.”

He bent over her waist and pressed along the outer edge of the inflamed wound. She winced and flinched and nearly flew off the ground from the intense pain. “Oww.”

“I thought it didn’t hurt.”

“It didn’t until you pressed on it.”

“What did they use to cut you?”

She turned her head and glanced at the ground. “Their claws.”

She sensed him staring at the side of her face but she refused to answer his silent questions. Then he stood and she saw his shadow moving within the firelight illuminated along the back wall.

The door groaned when he pulled it open. She gazed across the hut. He’d dressed in his loincloth and had stepped just outside the doorway but remained within her view.

“Jade?” he called.

She was either nearby or inside her hut because she answered immediately. “Yes, Bronto?”

“Can you do me a favor, please?”

“Of course. What is it?”

“Will you bring me bandages and antibiotic cream, please?”

What’s that?

“Sure. I’ll be right there.”

When he returned he knelt down beside Ivy and covered her lower body with a fur. The entire jagged scratch was even redder and more swollen than it was earlier in the day. A yellow streak where the claws broke the skin stretched along the center. “You shouldn’t have disturbed Jade for this,” she said.

“She was sitting outside her hut with Rocko. I won’t keep her long.”

With Rocko? It was nice to hear he no longer shunned her. Carrying his child while he ignored her would’ve been painful to endure. Ivy didn’t wish such behavior on Jade.

“Bronto, may I come in?” Jade asked from the door.

“Yes.”

She entered, carrying two bottles that resembled lotion and two white rolls of something. She smiled adoringly at Ivy before handing the supplies to Bronto. “What did you do?”

As Bronto nudged his chin at Ivy’s belly, Jade’s gaze followed. Her mouth dropped open and she sat down at Ivy’s side. “What happened to you, baby doll?” she asked, gazing at the wound. With a gentle hand she pressed around the edges.

Again Ivy winced.

“Alien claws,” Bronto responded.

Ivy swallowed. “I think they wanted to cut out my organs as they had the other women.”

“Dear Lord,” Jade gasped. “Bronto, why hadn’t you told me?”

“I didn’t know they’d injured her that severely,” he replied. “I just discovered the wound a few minutes ago.”

Jade laid her hand on Ivy’s forehead then looked at Bronto. “She’s warm. It’s probably from the infection.”

“I thought so,” he replied.

“It needs lanced and drained before she becomes septic.”

A concerned expression contorted his features and he nodded as if to agree.

Ivy’s gaze shot between both of them. “What does that mean?”

“We have to slice it open to drain the poison,” Jade explained, her eyes laced with motherly compassion.

Oh gosh. Ivy’s heart lurched and she swallowed nervously. “Or?”

“It’ll get worse, love.”

“If the poison gets into your bloodstream,” Jade added then paused, “you could die.”

Oh gosh. Oh gosh. Her eyes flared. “What about Birmon? Can he fix it?”

Jade shook her head. “That’s a lot of poison for the little creature to ingest. It may kill him.”

She couldn’t let that happen. She’d never hurt Birmon. “Then do it,” Ivy said, her voice trembling. “Quickly.”

Jade pulled her weaving blade from her pocket and handed it to Bronto. “This is small, so it’ll work better than yours. Sterilize it over the fire.”

He nodded as he removed it from her fingers and held it over the flame. When it turned red-hot he walked to the crate and rolled a small pelt that he fisted in his hand and carried to Ivy. His gaze never wavered from her eyes as he lay down beside her and passed the blade back to Jade. “I’ll hold her down,” he explained, his voice full of concern.

Hold me down! Ivy nearly panicked.

“Bite down on this,” Bronto instructed. When she nodded and opened her mouth, he placed the pelt between her teeth. “And hold my hand.”