The Alphas Wonder Land Phoenix Mountain Book 9

A month.

A solid month, Damica has been locked inside herself.

There’s been zero brain activity, but I continue to feel her and scent her. I visited her every day. For hours. If she wakes up, she’s waking up to me not some strange doctor.

That’s if she wakes up. Her prognosis isn’t good. The longer she’s in the coma, the more risk it is to her organs.

I’m going out of mind. I’m still playing the specialist, but this is going on too long. I’m losing my cool fast. It doesn’t help that I have about a hundred messages from Zander I haven’t answered. Some asking me what the deal with Jake is. I don’t need that.

Her doctors are also having conversations about notifying family and pulling plugs. Not on my goddamn watch.

I’m about to do something that’s very stupid.

In Damica’s room, I pace as I wait for Ricky to pick up.

“Hey, Rick…Oh, you know…It’s going. Listen I need a huge ass favor. Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing…”

I tell her what I need and now we wait.

Several hours later, Ricky is standing with me in Damica’s room. She’s checking her status and she opens her bag.

“I don’t know if this will work, Sawyer. I’m not sure of it’s affects right now.” She pulls out a vial and draws the clear liquid into a syringe.

“It has to work.” I grumble.

“And if it does? Do we have a cover story for Miss Fox's miraculous recovery?”

I shrug “Miracle from God?”

“Sawyer. She won’t even have so much as a hang nail. They’ll know somethings up.” She hesitates at the IV bag.

“Ricky. Humans aren't very bright, ok. When they are faced with a miracle, they’ll leave it at that. We won’t have a problem. Even if we do, I really couldn’t give a shit. I’m not letting them kill her.” I stitch my brows together as I cross my arms.

She ticks her head. “Ok. It’s your fallout.”

****

DAMICA

I sit in my little white room. On the floor. My knees pulled up and my mouth buried in my arms.

I don’t know how long I’ve been here, but I know I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.

I don’t dare blink as I see the dirty, old rabbit missing an eye sitting on the floor in front of the black door.

“He misses you, Damica. He wants to see you.” The voices haunt me. They drift in from the black. I cover my ears and shake my head.

“You’re not real!” I yell.

The laughter came. “We spilled his blood, Dam. We’re real. If you don’t come out, we’ll spill more.”

“No! It’s not true!” I claw at my ears. I don’t want to hear anymore.

“You’re not real.” I crawl across the floor and grab my pad and crayon. “You’re not real.” As I furiously draw.

Something hits the floor and slides about a foot away from the bunny.

I slowly turn my head and I start to cry.

I look at the syringe on the floor.

“Just a little prick, little girl. That’s all we need.” The deep voice instructs from the door.

I shake my head “No.” I sniff and turn back to my drawing. “No. No. No.”

Five more syringes hit the floor.

I grab my head. “NOOOO!”

“Give it to us. Give it to us. Give it to us.” They start to chant.

“STOP IT!!!” I cry.

“No, Damica! You will help us!”

I get to my feet and walk to the middle of the room. I lean to the door. “FUCK…YOU!!” I scream at them.

Then flashes. Gunfire. The screaming. It makes me jump back. Tears fall as I absorb what’s going on in the shadows.

The voices run. They beg for their lives.

Then I hear heavy foot steps. His evil glare comes across the curtain.

I suck in a breath as I shake with fear.

His hands are behind his back. Dressed in his black military gear, his good eye scans me.

“River.” I whisper.

“Damica.” He growls.

He looks at the threshold between my safe space and the black.

He looks back up at me. He lifts a foot and his blood soaked boot crosses that line.

I shake my head fast. “No! Please!”

He produces a short whip. “You’ve been a naughty girl, Damica. I’m going to have to deliver some administrative punishment.” His lips turn to an evil smirk. He bounces the whip in his hand as his boots leave bloody prints on the floor.

I back up to the wall. My eyes filled with terror. “No! Please…I’ll be good…I promise…please...”

I shrink myself down on the wall to the floor. Hold onto it as I watch River walk to me and stop.

“I certainly hope so. This will hurt so bad.” He grins as he raises the whip over his head.

My eyes widen. “SAWYER!!!”

****

My eyes shoot open. I’m choking and coughing. I can’t breathe. My heart is racing. There’s all kinds of noises. I’m crying and arching my back.

Help me!! Please, God, someone help me!!

My eyes can’t see anything. I can’t move properly.

I’m in complete panic as I try to gasp for air.

“DAMICA?!”

I feel hands on my head, but I can’t see who they belong to.

“Damica! Calm down! I’m here!”

I hear the voice. I know the voice. I do. Do I? Do I know the voice? I must know the voice.

“We need that tube out. Hold her steady.”

I don’t know that voice. Who’s that voice? What’s that voice?”

“Can’t you give her something?”

The voice I know is upset. I still can’t see. Why can’t I see? What’s going on?

Please, help me!!

I close my eyes and start to cry. My chest hurts.

“Damn it, Ricky! Come on!”

“Ok. Ok. Here.”

I start to feel warm. My heart slows. I can’t feel. I’m still scared as hell.

“Ok. Damica, I’m removing the tubes.”

“Shut those damn monitors off.”

Suddenly, whatever was in the way was gone. I take a deep breath in and scream a loud, desperate scream.

“DAMICA! ITS OK!!”

I feel myself being lifted. I cry hysterically.

“What’s wrong with her?”

“I’m not sure. It’s like her brain is slow to catch up. Keep holding her.”

I feel the arms around me. I feel the hand on my head.

“I got you. I got you. It’s OK. You’re safe. I got you.”

“What’s going on in here?”

“She just woke up.”

“Who are you?”

“Dr. Ricky Maximus. Here to assist Dr. Dawn.”

Maximus. Maximus? God no! No! “No!...Please. No!”

I push away from whoever has me. My arms are flailing. My head is shaking now fast as I fight.

“Damica! It’s Ok!”

“No! Get away from me!” My arms fight the arms that have me.

They over power me and hold me tight. I throw my head back. “Please let me go.” I cry.

“I can’t do that, baby. Please trust me.”

“We need a heavy sedative now.” The woman’s voice says.

I feel a hand on my forehead as I try to push away.

“Baby, it’s me. It’s Sawyer. You’re Ok.”

I can’t see through the distorted vision and tears. I shake my head. “No.” I hitch.

“Hold her.”

My head is pulled in and I feel a prick in my arm. I start to feel tired. So tired. I slowly shake my head no.

“Shhh. I got you. You’re safe.”

His voice drifts to a thousand miles away.

I’m safe. I’m OK. I’m safe.

Its not real.

****

My body hurts. My head hurts. I slowly open my eye.

At first my eye is blurry and then it starts to focus. I see fire red hair. As I focus more, I see soft, tanned skin dotted with freckles.

Perfect pink lips and eyes quietly sleeping.

I’m on my side in a hospital bed. This man is beside me. He has his arm draped over my waist.

I slowly reach over and move a lock of his hair away from his eye.

He startles a little bit, and I take my hand back.

He rolls and rubs his eye then rolls back.

His head settles back on the pillow. His eyes slowly opens.

I look over his face and my eyes meet his. He smiles. I smile back.

“You came back to me.” He whispers.

“I was lost. You found me.” I look to his hand and put mine on top. I lace my finger into his.

He looks at me and leans in. His lips touch mine and I feel my pieces start to come back together.

My lips warm and my cheeks flush. He asks for entrance and I allow his soft tongue to explore mine. It was so gentle. So safe. It makes me feel like nothing can touch me when I’m in his arms.

My body heats as his hand slides behind my hair. He deepens the kiss and my heart skips beats. I hold his cheek. I don’t want this to end.

My fingers feel his stubble and his hand moves from my hair to my cheek. His fingers trace my jaw and chin. He slowly breaks the kiss and his fingertips softly touch my lips.

“You did the impossible.” He says as his eyes lock with mine.

“What did I do?” I whisper.

He places his forehead on mine. “You scared me.” He says quietly.

“I’m sorry.” I look down at his nose.

“Hey.” He bumps my chin a tiny bit with his knuckle. My eyes meet his. “Don’t make it a habit.” He smirks.

“I won’t.” I smile.

His lips fall. “Where were you?”

My smile fades. “Somewhere far away from here, but right here at the same time.”

“Do you want to tell me about it?” His finger tip traces the freckles on the bridge of my nose.

I press my lips together and shake my head no on the pillow.

“Ok. Do you want me to leave?” He gently plays with my fingers.

Again, I shake my head no.

His lips tug up a tiny bit. “Ok. I’ll stay right here.” His voice was full of caring and softness.

I cuddle into him and he wraps his arms around me.

I start to drift back off to sleep.

It’s OK. I’m in Sawyers arms. It’s Ok.

I’m safe.