by Julie Wetzel
A worried noise rolled out of Michael’s chest. “And she’s not a dragon?”
“No, she’s not.”
They both waited in silence as they considered Terra’s condition. Finally, Michael broke into the tension hanging in the air. “So how are you?”
A wry laugh slipped out of Alex in answer, but he didn’t elaborate. If Michael couldn’t already tell that he was an absolute wreck, then the man needed his head checked.
An amused grin turned the corner of Michael’s mouth. “Have you eaten?”
Alex shook his head softly.
“Alex,” Michael reprimanded him. “What good are you doing her if you don’t take care of yourself?”
“I know,” Alex said as he hunched over in his chair. “But…”
His dragon growled in frustration. Yes, he was hungry and needed food, but he couldn’t leave his mate alone again. His bad decision to leave was what had put her in that bed in the first place. He looked up at Michael, trying to find the right words to make the man understand.
Michael raised his hand, stopping any further explanation. “I know.”
Of course he would know. Alex let out the breath he’d drawn in. For a moment, the fact that Michael was a bonded dragon had slipped his mind. He was so used to Michael being human. But he was dragon now. Michael would understand the need to protect what was his.
“Here.” Michael reached out and dropped the paper sack on the bed in front of Alex. “When Daniel said you were here, I figured that you probably hadn’t left to get food. Eat.”
Alex let out a soft snort of amusement. “So Daniel knows I’m here?” He pulled the bag over and unrolled the top with one hand. The smell of hamburgers made his stomach protest its empty state.
“Of course Daniel knows you’re here.” Michael shook his head. “If you’d looked outside this room, you would’ve seen that he has a full security detail on this floor. And not just anyone…” He paused for emphasis. “The man’s got SWAT out there.”
This raised Alex’s eyebrows in amazement. “SWAT?”
Michael nodded. Dropping his backpack on the floor, he leaned up against the wall and crossed his arms. “I’m not sure what’s up, but once they got the bullet out of his shoulder, he ordered the SWAT team stationed on this floor and locked himself in his office. Carissa is beside herself, and the only time I’ve seen Kyle this mad was… well, when Carissa ran off with me.”
Alex chuckled softly. “He was in a bit of a tiff that day.” Pulling out one of the hamburgers, he peeled the paper back and looked up at Michael. “Do you want to know what’s going on?” He took a bite out of the hamburger and nearly groaned in pleasure. That had been exactly what he’d needed.
“I think I can venture a guess.”
Alex gave him a curious look as he devoured the rest of his burger.
“This has to do with the dead dragons.”
Swallowing, Alex nodded his head. “Someone from Eternity is leaking information.”
Shock stole over Michael’s face. “We have a mole?”
Alex nodded as he pulled out the second burger and tore into it.
Michael turned his thoughts inwards. “I thought we’d solved that problem when we caught Jareth.”
“Apparently not,” Alex answered around the partially chewed burger in his mouth. He swallowed and went on. “There was a leak of information three days ago. It’s how they found Terra.”
“I knew something had gone down. Poor Reece has been put on administrative leave, but no one would say why,” Michael said. “I guess he was on dispatch duty that day.”
“I don’t know, but when I find out who’s responsible…” The rest of Alex’s words trailed off in a threatening growl, and anger pounded at the back of his skull. As soon as he found out who had spilled their locations, they were going to be very dead. A note of regret slipped in. Hopefully, it was not Reece. The man had always been nice to Alex. It would be a shame to have to mangle him.
A snort of mirth came from Michael. “Well, you aren’t going to do anything unless you take care of yourself,” he pointed out. “When was the last time you slept?” He sniffed at the air. “Or showered?”
Alex glared at him.
“Look.” Michael pushed away from the wall and picked up the backpack. “You’re no good to her if you’re exhausted.” He set the bag on the foot of Terra’s bed. “I stopped by The Dragon’s Wing and picked up some of your stuff.” Michael paused for a second, thinking. “Did you know someone trashed your locker?”
This brought a wry grin to Alex’s face. “Yeah.”
“Yeah.” Michael echoed the irritated tone that had slipped into Alex’s voice. “Brigs and I did our best to sort it out for you. Sorry, man. I couldn’t just shove it all back in there like it was.”
“Thanks.” Although he hated when someone went through his things, Alex appreciated the gesture.
“Anyway,” Michael continued, “what you need now is a nice hot shower and a nap.”
“I’m not going to leave her,” Alex protested. Hell would freeze over first.
“You don’t have to.” Michael pointed to the open bathroom door. “You can shower here, then either get dressed and go find a place to nap, or shift and curl up at the foot of her bed.”
“But I can’t leave her,” Alex protested again. She needed him to protect her.
“Look,” Michael said sternly. “You need rest.”
“But—”
“And think about what she’s going to say when she wakes up.” Michael cut him off. “You reek. Do you think she is going to like that?”
Alex sat for a few minutes, thinking on his situation. He did reek. Badly. And he wasn’t doing Terra any good, sitting there exhausted. Drawing in a deep breath, he let it out in a loud sigh. “But I can’t leave her alone.”
“Go wash. I’ll stay here until you’re done.”
Looking up, Alex studied Michael’s face. Michael had always been a solid and dependable guy. His transformation into a dragon hadn’t changed that. Alex weighed his options. His dragon didn’t like leaving her in the care of others, even if it was only to shower in the next room.
“You can even leave the door open,” Michael offered, trying to coax him into agreeing.
Alex smiled. “All right.” He was hesitant to let Terra out of his sight, but Michael did have a point. He wasn’t doing her any good sitting there. Reluctantly, he turned loose of her hand. It was the first time he had released it since the doctors had settled her in that confounded bed. He patted it gently and stood up. “But just a quick shower.”
Michael laughed as he stepped out of Alex’s way. “I didn’t expect anything more.”
Shooting the man a glare, Alex picked up the backpack and went into the bathroom. A quick glance out the door gave him a great view of the head of the bed. A hint of a smile curled the corner of his mouth. He could get his shower without Terra being out of sight at all. Digging into the bag brought a full smile to Alex’s lips. Michael had thought of everything. Clothing, soap, shaving equipment, a toothbrush, even a towel. Taking the things he would need, he stripped out of the scrubs and climbed into the shower stall. The temperature of the water made him jump when he turned it on, but it quickly warmed up.
Alex stood in the falling water and savored the feel. Even his dragon relaxed a little. This had been exactly what he had needed. Worry for Terra still ate at him, but the fresh water eased his tired mind. The best doctors in the area were working on her case. If Carissa Markel was worried enough to have Michael there, then the best mages were working on it, too. They will find out what’s wrong with her. She will be okay. Alex kept repeating those two lines over and over as he washed and shaved. The inability to do anything for her was starting to drive him nuts.
A sound from the other room drew Alex’s attention away from his thoughts.
“Alex!”
Tearing out of the shower, Alex raced into the hospital room, slinging water as he went. The sig
ht that met him made his heart clench in fear. Michael had a knee up on the edge of the bed, trying to hold Terra down as she thrashed.
No! Shoving Michael out of the way, Alex caught Terra in his arms and pulled her up against him so she wouldn’t hurt herself as she flailed. Immediately, her fit subsided. He sat on the edge of her bed, shocked, as she let out a soft moan and relaxed against him. What the hell just happened?
Turning his head, he looked down to where Michael lay sprawled on the floor. Surprise was plastered all over the fallen man’s face.
Slowly, Michael pulled himself up from the floor. “What just happened?” he asked, verbalizing the question racing around Alex’s head.
“I’m not sure,” Alex confessed, “but I think you should go get the nurse.”
Michael nodded and left to get the nurse on duty.
Bewildered, Alex turned his attention back the woman in his arms. When he’d come racing out of the bathroom, she’d appeared to be having another seizure, but that couldn’t have been. No one calms down from a seizure that quickly. The look on her face was contented as he held her to his damp skin. He studied it for a moment. Something was different about her. Horror stole over him as he realized the change. The bones in her face had shifted, and fine scales had broken out over her skin. Holding his breath, he slid his hand down her back, praying it was normal. It was not.
Two long lumps stretched the skin along her back. Wings.
14
“You’re going to have to turn her loose,” Carissa pleaded. “I can’t look at her while you’re wrapped around her like that.”
Alex glared at her from where he lay in the hospital bed with Terra pressed against him. After Michael had come back with a nurse, Alex had forced himself to let her go so the nurse could check her over. He had just turned away to shut the water in the shower off and get a towel when Terra’s fit resumed. After a few minutes, they discovered it was Alex’s touch that held her to her current form. And that form was not pretty. The fit had pushed her further into a dragon form, but it wasn’t a smooth transition. Rough patches of ugly, misshapen scales covered her body, while wickedly sharp talons tipped her fingers. Two half-formed wings poked out of her back. Her spine had lengthened, but she hadn’t sprouted a tail yet. Alex had never seen anyone twisted as badly as Terra was. It looked painful, and that upset his dragon greatly.
“Come on,” Kyle coaxed him. “Let us help.”
Looking up at the king, Alex waffled for a moment before giving in. He could refuse them, but it would do him little good. The king had power over his dragon subject. Besides, they were there to help.
Reluctantly, Alex eased himself back from Terra. She moaned in distress as he climbed out of the bed. It took all of his willpower to not grab her back up against him. Turning his back to her, he closed his eyes. She let out another soft moan. His muscles tensed as he stood there, fighting the instinct to go help his mate. A body bumped into his side, and a hand landed on his opposite shoulder. Cracking open his eye, he glanced at the person holding him. Michael stood there, intensely watching the scene behind Alex as he gave Alex as much comfort as he could.
A strange sense of relief rolled through Alex. He had never been one to enjoy physical contact from anyone. Usually, it made his dragon cranky, but this… this comforted him. The simple touch gave him the strength he needed to stand there, helpless, as others tried to fix what was wrong with his mate. He shifted so his side was more solidly against Michael. The fingers at his shoulder tightened as the sounds of the scene behind him intensified.
“Kyle,” Carissa’s voice was heavy with concern, “she’s caught between forms. Can you push her all the way to dragon?”
“I can try…”
Alex bit his lip, drawing blood, as he listened to the king attempt to force Terra into full dragon form. Michael’s hand clamped down harder when Terra moaned in pain. Alex shifted, trying to keep from turning around. His dragon was roaring to protect his mate, but he knew they were trying to help her.
“She won’t go.” The concern in Kyle’s voice met Alex’s ears.
Carissa made a worried noise. “Let me try.”
The seconds ticked by at an agonizing rate as Alex listened to the king and his sister work to help Terra. He stood there with clenched fists, listening to his mate moan in pain as they tried to force her into a full shift. Magic tingled along his back as Carissa worked. Slowly, the sounds of Terra’s distress subsided.
Did they fix her? The thought passed through Alex’s mind, and he turned his head to glance back over his shoulder. Terra was back to her full human state. Michael’s hand stayed on his shoulder as Alex turned around to face the bed.
A soft moan rose from Terra, and her eyelids fluttered open, then closed again.
Hope squeezed Alex’s heart as he dropped to her side and took up her hand. “Terra?” he called to her.
Her eyes blinked a few times, unfocused, before finding him. There was confusion there, but she smiled as she recognized him.
Joy filled him as she squeezed his hand. Mine! was okay. Now, if they could just find a way to keep her that way.
***
Ouch. Terra wasn’t sure what she had been doing, but every part of her hurt. A soft tingle ran along her nerves, driving the pain back to a dull ache. As the hurt subsided, her consciousness slowly returned. She tried to open her eyes, but the bright light of the white room drove a moan of pain from her, and she closed them again. Movement on her left drew her attention, and warmth enveloped her hand.
“Terra?”
She knew that voice. Slowly, her weary mind kicked in and gave it a name. Alex. Blinking to clear her vision, she turned towards the source of the warmth and sound. There he was, holding her hand. A warm smile crept across her face as she took him in. Something inside of her purred with delight that he was there. Her eyes traced over his kneeling form, and her smile widened. “You’re naked again,” she teased him weakly.
Joy flashed across his face, and he stood up to sit on the edge of her bed. His arms wrapped around her and pulled her in against his chest in a fierce hug. “Mine!” he whispered into her hair.
A contented rumble echoed up between them, surprising Terra. She pulled back from him, shocked at that sound. For a second, she thought the noise had come from him. It sounded like something he would make, but the vibration had rattled up from her own chest. She placed a hand over her sternum as the noise continued. What the hell?
Sympathy filled Alex’s eyes as he reached out and caressed her face. “We will figure this out.”
“Alex.”
The soft sound of a woman’s voice drew Terra’s attention away from Alex and her new issue. Fear raced through her, and she clutched at Alex’s arm. A beautiful woman stood next to the bed. Her golden hair was pulled up and held in place by a pair of bronze sticks. The woman’s long dress was casual, but there was an elegant air to her that told Terra she was someone important. A man dressed in a button-down shirt stood behind her. He was taller but had the same golden hair and elegant air. Something about this pair pulled at the back of Terra’s mind, but she just couldn’t place them.
“Hello, Terra,” the woman said with a gentle smile. “Just relax; we’re here to help.”
Some tension in Terra’s chest unwound at the woman’s calming voice, and the fear that had been racing through her eased as the woman went on.
“My name is Carissa, and this is my brother, Kyle.” Carissa waved to the man behind her. “I know you’ve been through a lot, but we’re going to help you figure it out.”
At a loss for words, Terra glanced at Alex. Taking the nod he gave her as encouragement, Terra turned back to Carissa and asked the question she wanted to know the answer to. “What’s going on?”
Carissa let out a long sigh and sat on the edge of the bed. “That’s what we’re trying to find out. How do you feel?”
How do I feel? Terra pondered that question for a moment. Up until Carissa had asked it, Terra ha
d felt fine. A little tired, maybe, but now, not so much. The more she thought about it, the more it felt like something was moving under her skin.
“Weird,” she answered, unable to explain the sensation. Something brushed against her mind, making her gasp. She dropped her head to her hand as a wave of fright and pain rolled through her, making her head spin.
Alex clutched her against his chest, and the sensation changed. The pain was still there, but need chased out the fright, and she clung to Alex as if her life depended on it. She needed Alex, but not in a physical way. Her soul needed him. This new sensation brought the fear and confusion back, and her hold on Alex tightened.
“Relax,” the man Carissa had introduced as Kyle said soothingly. “He’s not going anywhere.” He brushed his hand down Terra’s shoulder, and some of the tension and fear eased again.
A soft vibration rumbled up from Alex’s chest. “I will never leave you again,” he purred.
“But you will have to turn her loose,” Carissa said. “We can’t help her with you there.”
Alex growled.
Terra smiled at the possessive tone of the noise. It made whatever curled inside of her happy.
“Alexander,” the tone Kyle took with him held a stern warning.
Another angry growl rumbled out of Alex, but he reluctantly released Terra.
No! the thing curled up in her chest protested, don’t leave me! A whimper slipped out before Terra could stop it.
“I’ll be right here,” Alex promised as he laid a kiss on the side of her head and stood up away from her. He squeezed her hand for a second longer before dropping it to the bed.
Terra wanted to say that it was fine, she didn’t need him to hold her, but the thing curled up inside of her had other ideas. It roared in distress. The sound came out of her, scaring her. Pain raced along her nerve endings as heat burned through her. An anguished cry slipped out as something pushed against her skin, trying to force its way out. Immediately, hands were on her, holding her down. The burning and pain subsided, leaving her gasping for breath. Her skin hurt, and tears blurred her vision. She blinked them away, but something was wrong with her vision. The world was too sharp, and the colors were off.