Read Online The Nightwind's Woman by Charlotte Boyett-Compo - Free Book Online Page A

other
facilities if an emergency occurs but that hasn’t happened so far.”
    They were passing two rooms he told her
were containment cells. She looked into one of them.
    “What’s this used for?”
    “That cell is for the Prime Reaper. For
when he Converts. The other is for Kayle when he’s been a bad boy.”
    She looked around at him. “Converts?”
    “From humanoid to Reaper. Sorn doesn’t need
it unless he too has been a bad boy and that does happen occasionally. He and
your Nightwind loathe one another. Too often they let that loathing erupt into
out and out warfare—making it necessary for me to discipline them. Hopefully
now each of them has a life-mate, that situation will ease.”
    “Having two Alpha males in your employ must
be exhausting,” she said with a grin.
    “You have no idea,” the Supervisor mumbled.
    They had reached a set of double doors inscribed
with a strange symbol.
    “Beyond here are the isolation and
quarantine wards. Unless there is an outbreak or one of our inhabitants enters
his or her danger level, they are seldom used. These doors are kept locked at
all times. Currently there are no patients housed therein. The symbol signifies
danger.” He swept a hand to another set of doors farther down the corridor. “Beyond
there is where you will be working.” Another strange symbol labeled the room. “The
character you see represents healing.”
    “What language is this?” she asked,
reaching out to touch the symbol when they reached the doors.
    “ Draganian ,” he replied. “The
ancient language of the Triune Goddess Morrigunia. It is under Her auspices
that all three facilities operate for the Consortium.”
    “Will I get to meet the goddess?” she
asked.
    “I don’t know,” he answered. “She’s not overly
fond of the life-mates of Her Reapers.” He chuckled. “I believe it is a
jealousy thing but who knows?” He pushed open one of the doors for her then
indicated she was to precede him.
    A long, brightly lit corridor with dozens
of closed doors. Except for four doors on either side that were white, the
other doors were either dark green or black. She turned to the man beside her.
    “White doors are exam rooms. Green doors
are staff offices or labs. Each is clearly marked. Black doors are the
inpatient rooms.”
    He showed her one of the exam rooms,
explained the other seven were identical then moved toward the first black
door. Set into the door was a plexigon window over which a titanium mesh had been
installed on both sides of the glass and buried within the titanium door.
    “Most of the rooms are kept locked at all
times,” he said. “We don’t need the creatures roaming free although there are
about thirty who are trustees, if you will. They help the doctors when asked
and translate should the need arise.” He crooked his fingers. “Come take a look
at one of those you’ll be treating.”
    She tucked her bottom lip between her teeth
and walked slowly to the door. Her palms were sweating and her heart pounding
for she had no idea what lay beyond the portal. What wild, exotic creature
might be lurking inside the room. She held her breath and looked through the
glass.
    The creature was sitting on its bunk with
its back to the wall, knees drawn up. In its hands was a book by John Sandford.
    “What is it?” she whispered.
    “I am a dagon ,” the creature said
without looking up. “Part fish and part man.”
    Scales covered that flesh that she could
see beyond the sleeves of its shirt and the hem of its slacks. There were gills
on its cheeks and its eyes held the same flatness as most aquatic species.
    “Kaitus is one of our trustees,” the
Supervisor said. “He is a shape shifter. He teaches new inhabitants the ways of
their human counterparts.”
    “And he is right in the middle of a very
thrilling part of his book.” He waved his fingers. “Go away. We’ll talk later,
milady.”
    “Ah, sure,” she said and moved back from
the door.