“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 sight 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.