CRAVE Read Online Free Page A

“Partially.”
    “Yes, well,” Sky continued, not wanting to be pulled off track, “Charming’s brother, Crave, had been held prisoner by the Rautt. For years.”
    “I see.”
    “Probably not. He was tortured in ways none of us want to contemplate. In short, the experience stole his memory and perhaps his sanity. It’s hard for us to know because we haven’t had mental health issues in the past.”
    Dr. Reising nodded. “I’m sorry.” Her eyes went to Charming. “I mean I’m sorry about your brother. Not sorry that you haven’t had a need for services such as ours.”
    He noted that she seemed genuinely sympathetic, which was in her favor.
    Sky went on. “At present he is a danger to himself and others. We’re trying to devise a way to contain him so that he’s comfortable while he… recovers. But we don’t really know how to…”
    “Fix him,” Charming finished the sentence. “Personally I don’t believe there’s any hope of that, but his Promise thinks he’s still in there somewhere.”
    “His Promise?”
    “The female he was pledged to mate. Can something be done to restore his, ah, restore him to himself?”
    “I can’t say without seeing him. Of course I’ll help if I can.”
    “You’ll have to come to Newland.”
    She shook her head. “He’ll need to be admitted here.”
    “No. We’re keeping him close to his home, things he may recognize.”
    “I have a full schedule. Working in trips to your, um…”
    “Colony.”
    “Yes. To your colony would be a challenge.”
    Charming looked a little flustered by her reluctance. “With respect,” he began, “I’m tired and don’t want to mince words. You owe us. Simple as that. And we need you to do this.”
    She studied Charming for a minute. “No one can promise that he is even treatable, much less curable.”
    “We understand,” said Sky. She glanced at Flora. “Flora is currently giving him a natural sedative to help keep him quiet. We wonder if you have something that would be better.”
    “A natural sedative?” The good doctor looked at Flora like she’d never heard the word ‘natural’ before. “What do you mean?”
    Flora lifted a shoulder. “Valerian. Chamomile. Passion Flower. The trick is knowing the fractions and the dosage.” She made a face. “Well, maybe the real trick is finding people strong enough to hold him down so he takes it.”
    Dr. Reising looked a little horrified. “What is the effect on the patient?”
    “As Sky said, it makes him too sleepy to hurt himself.”
    “Does he need a straightjacket?”
    “What is that?” Charming asked.
    It was the hybrids’ turn to look horrified as she explained how it worked. “Good gods,” Charming mumbled. “No one is doing that to my brother.”
    “I understand how you feel,” Dr. Reising sympathized, “but as you said, he has to be subdued so he doesn’t hurt himself.” Looking at Flora, she said, “I can give you some medication in the form of pills that will sedate him, but if you’re satisfied with the results you’re getting…”
    Flora interrupted. “Crave is still highly agitated even though he’s being given my remedy at full strength. If you have something stronger that does no harm, we’d be grateful for the assistance.”
     
     
    Cage, Thorn, and Breaker sought out the human military leaders they’d worked with when they’d orchestrated the assault on the Rautt. Having bonded with the Exiled over the shared goal of ridding their world of the mutual bane of terrorism, the humans were happy to assist with the construction of a holding facility for Crave. They volunteered workers and materials so that completion might be accomplished quickly, within days.
    When the elders reconvened at the Extant’s home, they had a plan. They were armed with medication to make Crave more manageable and help on the way to build a custom facility.
    The Exiled found the presence of humans in Newland a little unsettling, but the elders were quick to