Stranger Read Online Free Page B

whipping against her arm. Then he set out a basin of saline solution, wiped down the back of the boy’s right hand with alcohol, and nicked the vein with a scalpel. He taped the cut end of the ropethorn to the boy’s vein, and put the thorn end in the basin. Fooled by the warmth and salt content, the vine swelled as it began to suck the liquid from the bowl and transfer it into the boy.
    Mia’s dad gave Sheriff Crow a bemused look. “What happened to him? He looks like you picked him off a battlefield.”
    â€œAll I know is that he said someone was chasing him. When I found him, he was already bleeding and sunstruck and trying to keep himself standing by hanging on to a vampire tree.” Sheriff Crow indicated the bloody bites that marred the boy’s upturned palm. “He had to be pretty far gone not to notice that the bark had mouths.”
    â€œThat’s the desert for you,” Mia’s dad said, tightening the bandage he’d applied to the boy’s arm. “Once you’re injured and not thinking clearly, everything you do gets you in worse and worse trouble. Becky. Treatment for vampire tree bites?”
    Becky’s soft voice was confident here in the surgery, as it rarely was outside. “The sap prevents blood from clotting. Wash out the sap and apply yarrow leaves to stop the bleeding.”
    At his approving nod, she headed for the surgical plants. A ropethorn tendril grabbed a lock of blonde hair that had escaped from her hair net, and she jerked away.
    Mia remembered her promise to Brisa and Meredith, and examined the boy for the details she knew they’d be interested in. Because everyone knew Mia wouldn’t be interested. But that was
perfectly normal.
    His face was turned aside, but faces were hard to describe anyway. He had overgrown wavy hair that was as black as the sheriff’s where it wasn’t matted with blood. His body was thin but muscular, his ribs and collarbone sharply etched, and he had a lot of scars for someone his age. Mia bet each one came with a thrilling story.
    Her father sponged at the drying blood on the boy’s side. “That’s odd. This is a gunshot wound. But this . . .” He indicated the bandaged gash in the boy’s arm.
    Sheriff Crow inspected it. “Looks like a defensive wound. Gun battle
and
knife fight?”
    â€œMaybe he fought one bandit at close range. Then the other bandit shot him.”
    â€œOr he was shot, and dropped. When the bandit got close enough to rob him, he fought back, and got knifed. Either way, he put up quite a fight.” Sheriff Crow pushed her hair back. “But he still warned me. Actually told me to leave him and return with armed backup. Take good care of him, Dante.”
    Ever since she had won her place as sheriff, Elizabeth Crow had seldom used first names, and corrected anyone who forgot and used hers. The boy must have made quite an impression on her, to cause her to forget that she was the sheriff for a moment. Mia was impressed too. She wondered if she’d have been willing to risk her life for the sake of a stranger.
    â€œI will.” Mia’s dad bent over the boy’s injured arm. “Though he may need some difficult surgery. It looks like there’s some damage to the tendons that control the fingers. This will be a good one for you to watch, Becky.”
    Becky nodded as she applied yarrow leaves to the boy’s cheek.
    â€œDo your best.” Sheriff Crow straightened up. “Well, I’ll search him for weapons, and then I’ve got to run.”
    â€œDid you have a chance to speak to Tom Preston?” Mia’s dad asked.
    â€œNo, I ran straight here. I’m sure he’ll be on me to know whether or not the boy is Changed.”
    Mia double-checked to see if she’d missed any tentacles or feathers. There was nothing, unless it was a Change that a pair of ripped-up jeans would cover. Of course, he could have