Skin Walkers: Gauge by Susan A. Bliler Page A

direction before growling, “She claims to have fallen.”
    Jenny’s eyes rounded, “Off what?  The Empire State Building!  Those wounds didn’t come from a fall.  Someone did this to her and whoever it was, they weren’t pulling their punches.”
    Ella winced at the sound of Gauge’s teeth grinding.
    “Where’s the child?”  Jenny was scanning the room.
    “ Aries has taken her back to StoneCrow.”
    Their conversation was interrupted when Legion and King entered, “Monroe sent us behind you,” King offered by way of explanation. “We’ve got a transport vehicle.  He held a long bright orange spine board in one hand. 
    “ Legion, help me roll her,” Jenny ordered, “Once we get her on her side King, just slide the board underneath.”
    “I’ll do it ,” Gauge barked.
    Before he got a chance to take the spine board from King, Jenny turned and shoved him hard in the chest.  “You just stay back.  You’re too damn angry, and she can’t afford any mistakes here.”
    Gauge gritted his teeth and ground out, “I wouldn’t fucking hurt her!”
    “Wrong,” Jenny countered, “you wouldn’t mean to hurt her.”  Then Jenny turned her back on him and continued barking orders to Legion and King.
    Seconds before they had Ella rolled onto to the board Gauge could’ve sworn that Jenny, Legion, and King all tensed for the briefest of moments.  When he scented their combined rage he knew that something more was wrong.
    “What is it?” h e bit out. 
    Jenny ignored him as she finished strapping Ella to the board.  Legion held the foot of the spine board, while King held the head. 
    “Jenny,” Ella whispered, “I don’t want to be seen like this.”
    “Hand me that blanket.”  Jenny snapped her fingers at Gauge and pointed at the blanket he’d yanked from Ella earlier and tossed carelessly onto a chair. 
    The fact that Jenny was ignoring him didn’t go unnoticed and after he retrieved the blanket he held it out to her but refused to let go when she yanked on it.  “What’s wrong?”
    “Not know , Gauge.”  This time when she yanked on the blanket, he let it go.
    As Ella was carried from her room, Gauge could scent her utter mortification.  She was humiliated by the display she was creating.  He’d always known she was a deeply private person, but he’d had no idea the extent of her unassuming demeanor until now.  Even enduring the most excruciating pain he’d ever scented on a female, she was more embarrassed than anything else.  The revelation simultaneously enraged him and endeared her to him. 

Chapter 12
    Back at StoneCrow’s Infirmary, Jenny made short work of banishing Gauge from her surgery.  Against his protests and after a heated argument that forced Jenny to summon Monroe, Gauge was relegated to pacing the halls.  He’d stopped both Legion and King as they exited the exam room, but neither would explain what had happened back at Ella’s motel.
    “Look ,” Legion rubbed the back of his head, “I didn’t see anything.  It’s not my place...”  He strode quickly out of the building even as Gauge scented the lie.
    “ King!” Gauge demanded grabbing the Chief of Security’s arm as he made to pass.  “What is it?”
    King watched Legion disappear down the long empty corridor before turning sad eyes on Gauge.  “It’s not mine to tell.  You’ll need to get the information from Ella if she’s willing to give it to you.”
    Gauge scowled at the Walker.  He wanted to argue, but couldn’t.  If something so horrific had happened to Ella, then it was her right to keep it to herself if she chose.  He knew that neither King, Legion, nor Jenny would share their knowledge, and if it was that bad then he was grateful to them for refusing to do so. 
    Gauge nodded once, before he released King’s arm. 
    “But when you find the one who did this, let me know.”  King stalked down the hall tossing over his shoulder, “I’ll help you kill the fucker!”
    A