Page 83 of Dragon Unhinged

The hot water doesn’t do anything to stop my tears, and part of me just wants to sink under the surface and let myself drown.

Maybe then, I can stop Grey from getting what he wants.

Or maybe he’ll just command my body to keep working, to keep taking those damned pills, until he gets my baby one way or another.

I clench my hands into fists and stare at the ceiling. He’s not getting my baby, and if I can help it, he’s not getting me either.

Chapter

Thirty-Five

MALCOLM

The sedative Syrena gave to Declan has him sleeping, but I don’t think it’s restful. He’s tossing and turning, making the hospital bed creak and groan under his weight. He’s already bent the metal rails on one side.

We need to get him out of this hospital if we’re going to have any chance of keeping his dragon a secret from the non-shifters in the ward or the city. We’re not any closer to finding Brianna and his condition is only going to worsen until she’s back in his arms.

Of course, Ash isn’t answering his phone, and Pru went home for the night to be with her dragon mate and get much needed rest.

Leaving the last unmated brother of the Wystan clan to watch over the patient. It’s not that I’m not happy to help my brother, but if something goes wrong, I’m not the best brother to help. Declan and I aren’t close. I have no idea what it’s like to have a mate, except for all consuming if my brothers are anything to go off. They’re constantly worried about their mates. The current situation probably doesn’t help anything. Once the war is over, maybe they’ll calm down a little.

I can’t say I’m too bothered by not having a mate on my arm, or a crying, pooping, screaming machine in the form of a youngling.

They can keep all that, for all I care.

Of course, the unmated brother without much in the way or responsibilities is saddled with babysitting. Not to sound like a petulant child, but I do have things to do too. I have a life. Not much of one since this fucking war started. Since our parents were murdered. Since our brother revealed dragons to all with irrefutable evidence. Since vampires and humans alike decided it was time for shifters to become extinct.

At the very least, I deserve some fucking coffee.

I check to make sure the tossing and turning has stopped, at least for the time being, before I get up. I’m tempted to take that broken metal bar, add just a little heat, and turn his bed into a shackle to keep him here, but again, I’m trying to not draw attention to the fact that there are dragons here.

“Just keep fucking sleeping, Dec, and I’ll be right back.”

I close the door to his room and stride down the hospital hallways to find the cafeteria. I’m not really in a hurry to find it and get back. I need a break. Seeing my brother like this is harder than I’d like to admit.

I hope the cafeteria is open and there is some coffee, even if it’s burnt, even if it’s been sitting for hours.

The fluorescent lights buzz overhead, and with the chirping of monitors in various rooms, an occasional crackling of an intercom, but not much else, it feels like I’m in some kind of technological jungle, nothing alive, but so many computers, so much tech, calling and responding to each other.

No nurses, no doctors, no one seems to be alive here.

At first, the cafeteria appears to be the same, but at least there’s a coffee vending machine in the corner, so I might be alone, but at least I’ll be caffeinated.

As I pull out my wallet and look over my options, I hear a wistful sigh behind me.

“Oh, thank God I’m not the only caffeine addict still up.”

I turn around, blinking in surprise at the tall, curvy redhead standing there.

“Now, how did I miss you, wandering the halls alone? Can I get you a cup?” I lick my lips, thinking my night just got a hell of a lot more interesting.

“Oh, no, I better not. But I wouldn’t mind chatting for a while, if you’ve got the time.” She smiles, gesturing at a nearby table.

“Sure. I’ve got to get back to my brother soon, but I can at least spare a cup of coffee worth of time.” I grin, punching in my order and feeding in dollar bills.

As the cup drops and starts to fill, I lean against the wall and look at her curiously. “What’s got you wandering around these halls tonight?”

“What’s got anyone wandering around a hospital at night? Aren’t we all just ghosts, haunting this place like a purgatory, waiting to see if life or death awaits?” She tilts her head at me, and then closes her eyes, taking in a deep breath like she’s getting a high off the smell of the coffee.

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