Page 101 of Deadmen's Queen

She smiled. “I’m glad I could help. Now, lastly, these are sleeping pills.” She tipped a couple into my hand. “You don’t have to take them, but I’ll leave them with Bast in case you need them. See you tomorrow, Paige.”

I lay there quietly as she left, hearing them talking outside my door as she gave them instructions. Doctor Harper had cleaned my body as well as my wounds, washing away the blood and other foul substances that had clung to me, and even that had made me feel so much better. Bast had left clean sheets as well, and after I was clean and dry and my wounds dressed, she’d changed the bedding. I had begged for a shower or a bath, but she’d explained that some of the knife wounds needed to heal further before she’d advise that. I hadn’t realised how many times he’d cut me, until she’d cleaned every wound. Many would heal, but many would scar as well. I didn’t want to think about that right now.

Pushing myself up on my side, I took the tablets. I probably could have fallen asleep on my own, but I could already feel the dark thoughts prowling around the outskirts of my waking mind, the shadow of a man, the flash of a blade. I laid back down, letting the coolness of the cotton sheets calm me.

The door opened and Nate came in. I looked over at him.

“Thank you,” I said softly.

He came over and sat down on the side of the bed, careful not to touch me.

“For what, baby?”

“For coming for me.”

He smiled. “Fat lot of good we were. Our badass girlfriend was the hero today.”

My body trembled, but I forced a small smile.

“Girlfriend? I thought I was just your Persephone?”

He leaned down, touching his forehead gently to mine.

“Oh baby girl, you are so much more than that to me. To all of us.”

He was quiet for a moment, before speaking again.

“I’m sorry Paige, we should’ve been there sooner. Got you out quicker.” He sounded haunted, the guilt heavy in his voice.

“No,” I said, placing a shaking hand on his wrist. “You saved me. So did Bast. I had just about given up when you got there, but seeing you both… I couldn’t let him win… I wanted…”

“What did you want, baby?”

“I wanted to come home,” I said, the tears starting to fall again. “Home to you, and Bast and Tristan. Is he really ok?”

“It was touch and go for a few hours,” Nate admitted. “But he pulled through, and he was awake when we left the hospital this morning. Bast got an update twenty minutes ago, and the doctors are happy with how he’s progressing. He was the one who told us what we needed to find you.”

“I want to see him,” I said, blinking to keep my eyes open. The sleeping pills were starting to work, and my body felt heavy.

“You will, as soon as either of you are well enough. We need him to get better, and then as soon as they clear him to leave the hospital, we’ll get him here, ok?”

“That sounds good,” I said sleepily.

The door opened and Bast walked in, his eyes instantly moving to me.

“Hey princess,” he said gently as he reached out to touch my hand, “how are you feeling?”

I managed to muster a small smile at his voice. “Tired,” I replied honestly.

He nodded understandingly. “Get some rest Paige,” he said, tucking a loose lock of hair behind my ear. “We're going to be right outside the door if you need anything.”

“No, please don’t go!” I said, starting to sit up and wincing at the pain.

“Hey, take it easy,” said Nate, pushing me gently back down on the bed.

“Please don’t leave me,” I begged. “I don’t want to wake up on my own again. I kept waking up and finding him… please… I’m scared.”

“Then I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “I can’t sleep without you anyway, Paige. You’ve kept my nightmares away for so many months. It’s my turn to hold you.”

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