Demon Trackers: The Anointed

part twenty-three

Pulling the flask of holy water from the inside pocket of his jacket, Henry poured it over the bite marks. He waited, hoping that might have made Cal at least stir, but there was no reaction. The worry slinked farther up his spine.

Jake crawled up beside him. “What can I do?”

“Start unlacing his boots.” Cal was the only one of them without an injury to his leg, but also the one who probably wouldn’t be walking out of here on his own power. “Use the bark and laces to splint his wrist.” Henry shrugged out of his own jacket, started unbuttoning his shirt to get to his T-shirt beneath. He wished they still had the duffle that had been left behind in the cave. Some supplies would be nice about now. But when it came to a choice between their equipment and one of his sons, his child would win out every time.

Jake had one lace out and moved to Cal’s other side to work on the other boot.

“Do you still have your flask?”

Jake looked up, stopped what he was doing to check his inside pocket where Henry insisted they both keep consecrated water on them. Henry pulled his T-shirt over his head and poured water over one corner of it.

Jake pulled his flask out. “Got it. Need more?”

Henry carefully turned Cal’s head and gingerly began cleaning out the gash. “I think I have enough. Not much I can do with this at any rate without making it bleed more. I should have enough to tend to your shoulder so we can drink whatever is left in yours. I think I felt the flask in Cal’s jacket as well, so we should be good. Jake?”

Henry glanced up at his oldest’s uncharacteristic silence. Normally there would have been a I can pour water on my own damn shoulder outburst. Jake stared at the laces and bark in his hands like he didn’t know what to do with them. Henry leaned closer, staring at Jake over Cal’s body. Firelight reflected in Jake’s eyes. His pupils were huge. Dammit. He should have known. All the signs were there. His slower mannerisms, the way his voice sounded like a much younger child…Shock.

“Jake, I need you to lie down. Right now.”

His gaze filtered sluggishly upward. “Wha…? But Cal.” Forehead creased. “I need to…something…for Cal.”

Stubborn mule, even when he was shaken and didn’t know exactly what was going on anymore. “That’s right. You need to take care of Cal. Cal’s cold. You need to lie down next to him right now and keep him warm.”

Henry quickly moved around Cal to get to Jake. He spread more of the leaf-litter out to give Jake a place next to his brother where the cold ground wouldn’t seep up into his bones.

“Cal’s cold?” Jake looked up at Henry, his eyes liquid and pleading to know what to do and Henry wanted to weep.

“Lay down right here. Stay on your back.” He lifted Cal’s injured hand so it wouldn’t be jostled while wriggled on. Once Jake was settled, Henry laid his jacket over them both, keeping Cal’s hand out so he could splint it.

Henry sank back on his heels, breathing a moment, before he set back to work. He splinted a wrist. Splinted an ankle. Washed Jake’s shoulder and then tackled the bites on his own leg. All the while Jake murmured, fidgeting in sleep, the signs of shock lessening…and Cal remained deathly still.

By the time he’d done everything he could do for them, Henry was exhausted. He added more wood to the fire, put his long-sleeved shirt back on and sat on the other side of Cal, keeping him between himself and Jake. He leaned back against the boulder and found it surprisingly comfortable.

His eyes felt grainy, his body tired beyond belief, his leg throbbing. He’d like nothing better than to close his heavy eyelids, give in to exhaustion, but he was his children’s vigil.

Soft movement tugged at his aching leg. Instantly alert, Henry glanced down at the long fingers grabbing at a wrinkled fold in his jeans.

“Cal?” he whispered. Thank God, thank God.