Jailed by Viola Grace Read Free Book Online Page B

Hechuar medical station was indeed on their way back to Wyencar Prime. Kori was nervous as hell.
    Norod held her hand while the physician outlined the procedure. She would be injected and observed for sixteen hours. If she didn’t have any rejection issues, the second and third rounds would be administered.
    Norod said he would be with her the entire time.
    The basic issue was that she was too acidic to let a Wyencar baby grow inside her. She needed to be altered for it to be possible. Rewriting her DNA and RNA was something that had been starting on Earth, so it wasn’t as scary as it could be.
    The first shot went in and Norod held her hand, telling her about the house he had built six months earlier.
    Kori felt a little warm but that was the only side effect she experienced. Sixteen hours after the first shot, she woke up for the second and then curled up with Norod in the bed next to her. The third shot caused an ache in her system that reminded her of having the flu.
    Norod held her during the final rush of treatment. He seemed to know what she would be in for and she promised herself to kick the doctor in the ass for not warning her.
    Time blurred and her body fought the changes. It was a nightmare of heat and panic, but when her head finally cleared, she felt good.
    Norod looked into her eyes and he sighed. “Thank the stars. You are awake. You made it.”
    “Was there doubt?”
    He hugged her so tight she heard her bones creak. “I am just glad to see you back.”
    “Where was I?”
    “Based on your vital statistics, you were visiting death.” He blinked and huge tears welled in his eyes.
    “Oh, don’t do that. If you cry, then I will cry, and then, it will all go downhill from there.” She stroked his cheek.
    They clung together in silence until the doctor came in and he ran scans on her. “Against all odds, it seems to have worked. Of course, time will be the final proof, but it appears that the procedure has worked.” His amazement was obvious.
    She tried to get to her feet, but Nikada entered the room. “Stay right there, Kori. If you are being given leave to go, I will carry you back to the ship, and then, I will return to get Norod. You both need a good meal and rest.”
    Nikada was as good as her word; she lifted Kori in her arms while Norod struggled to his feet.
    Kori didn’t feel secure in Nikada’s arms, but she remained quiet until she was tucked into the ship.
    Less than five minutes later, Nikada returned with Norod supported by her and stumbling hard. She dropped him in a chair, sealed the hatch, got some rations for both of them and sat on the chair nearest them. “Well, that took longer than expected.”
    Kori shrugged. “Sorry. It wasn’t well planned out on my part. I didn’t factor in a near-death experience.”
    Nikada waved that off. “It wasn’t a complaint, we will just arrive later than expected. I will get us underway and then come back to make sure you have enough strength to eat. I will feed you if I have to.”
    Kori took the hint and started in on her meal, giving the utensils a pass in an effort to get some of the food in her mouth. She smelled something acrid and realised it was her. Eww. Well, no shower until she got food, so she focussed on eating.
    A few times, she glanced at Norod and saw him struggling the same as she was in an effort to eat. It was sweet that he had literally been there with her every step of the way.
    “Why didn’t you go and eat?”
    “You couldn’t so I wouldn’t.”
    His answer was so simple that it made her smile as she finished her ration pack. She used the walls and seats to help her move back to the galley and disposed of her dishes. She continued on until she was in the lav and a fast solar shower made her feel a thousand times better, and she no longer smelled like fear.
    She emerged, and Norod got up from his waiting position to follow right behind her. “My turn.”
    She eased past him and his own pungent scent reached her.