Page 56 of The Vampire's Mate

“Calm down, love,” James said, rising from his chair in the corner of the room to stand behind me. “Nothing’s going to happen to him.”

I laid my head on his shoulder. “I thought you said you weren’t a mind reader.”

“I can feel how stressed you are. And I’d like to think I know how your brain works by now.”

“Fuck, I need to call Hannah,” I realized, jerking back and fumbling for my phone.

“Not yet.” James pulled me close again, pinning my arms to where I couldn’t reach into my pockets. “It’s four in the morning. There’s no sense in worrying her until we know what’s going on.”

It wasn’t much longer before someone came in. They looked Carlos over, giving him a shot that was supposed to relax him. The tech did the same thing I did, feeling over his back, belly, and each leg—and dodged the same warning bite when they reached his paw. Good thing whatever they’d given Carlos slowed his reflexes. Another technician came in to pick him up, and my panic resumed when he was whisked away for tests.

“Let me go,” I whispered to James, who had kept a tight grip on me even after the door was shut.

“Where?”

“Nowhere. I just need to move.”

To my relief, he took a step back and let me pace the length of the small room. It felt like forever before the door opened and the same person from before led a very sleepy Carlos back into the room on his leash. While he nursed his back leg, he was at least putting weight on it, which he hadn’t been doing before.

“Good news, Dad,” the vet said. “He’s going to be fine. They’re muscle spasms.”

“Muscle spasms?” I echoed. “How does that even happen?”

She knelt down next to Carlos, getting his tail wagging by scratching him behind the ear. “They’re common in high-energy breeds like Huskies, and exacerbated by overexertion.” She straightened and pulled a pill bottle from her pocket. “The sedative we gave him should keep him comfortable for a while, but if the pain gets too bad you can give him half of one of these with his food. He should rest for the next few days.”

“That’ll be easy,” I said sarcastically.

She laughed. “Animals are smarter than you think. He should mostly take care of the recovery himself, but you can always call us if there’s anything you’re concerned about.”

It wasn’t until we got Carlos home and settled that the adrenaline started to fade from my body. The sun was starting to rise, and I knew Hannah would be getting up for class soon. I sat on the empty two-seater and scrubbed my hands over my face, only peeking between my fingers when the smell of coffee wafted in front of me. I looked up to see James setting a cup on the table.

“Thank you,” I muttered, feeling for my phone. “I should call Hannah.”

“You should go back to bed.” James spoke softly as he walked back to the kitchen. He hadn’t intended for me to hear him.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” I called after him. “You know how I feel about that.”

“I’m not telling you what to do. It’s not like you listen to me anyway.”

“I’m a grown man and I don’t need my boyfriend babysitting me all the time.”

“Ryder, calm down.”

“Don’ttell me to calm down.”

James sighed, and then he was next to me, crouching with a hand on my back. “I told you Carlos would be fine.”

“I don’t know why; you don’t even like him.” I was glad James couldn’t see my face, because I flinched at my own words. I regretted them instantly, but instead of apologizing and making it up to him, my stubborn ass stood my ground.

“That’s unfair but you’re exhausted and stressed so I’ll let you have it. Do you feel better?”

“No,” I admitted honestly. I felt like shit, but I couldn’t manage to climb out of the hole I’d dug.

“Then let me get you to bed.”

“I don’t want to go to bed!” I took a deep breath, slightly taming my temper. “I want to call my daughter. And then I think I want to be alone with Carlos for a while.”

“Are you sure?” James was pretty good at schooling his emotions, but that didn’t stop me from knowing that I was hurting him. Again.

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