Page 18 of Dead

Not dark. They were stained with blood.

Eilam’s blood.

When he looked up at Noah, the king’s violet eyes were anguished. “I couldn’t use my magic to save him. I’m so, so very sorry.”

Noah wanted to say there was no reason for the king to be sorry—but he couldn’t find the words. Perhaps none of this would’ve happened if I’d been on the king’s guard.

“Will he live?” Noah asked, fear squeezing his chest so much he wasn’t sure the words had come out.

“The healers say he’s lost a lot of blood, too much. So much that his body is struggling to heal itself. They’ve said something about… taking blood from one and giving it to the other. They took a little sample of mine. I wasn’t a match, they said.” The king turned to look at him. “Perhaps you might work better being a bear like him?”

Noah took the few steps separating him and Eilam. He took his brother bear’s hand and squeezed it. “I’ll do whatever needs to be done. Without question.”

A doctor came into the room moments later. Noah was brought fully up to date about his brother bear’s condition, but he struggled to comprehend everything when his heart was breaking. He could only stare at the faded version of Eilam in that bed.

“Do you understand what it is I’m asking?” the doctor said, bringing Noah’s attention back to the doctor.

“I’m sorry… can you repeat the question?”

The doctor smiled wryly. “I know you’re worried about your mate—”

“Brother bear,” Noah corrected.

“Of course. Brother bear… but we need to make decisions about his care and you are the one authorized to make these decisions.”

Noah caught the king’s stare. There was another there who could’ve made decisions. Their mate.

“A transfusion is something we’ve adopted from the human world in cases such as these. If we can find a donor to give a few pints of their blood, it can be given to the patient to offer them added strength. We’d like to test you to see if you’re a match.”

Noah pulled off his jacket and offered an arm. “Test away.”

The doctor paused a moment and looked as if whatever came next was going to be difficult. Noah tensed, trying to ready himself.

“Even if we get his blood levels back… there’s a chance… a chance the blood loss was too severe. It prevented oxygen from getting to all his organs… his heart, his lungs… his brain.”

Noah tensed. “So you’re saying there’s a chance he won’t be the same man, even if he wakes up?”

The doctor nodded. “I can’t say one way or another… he might awaken and be perfectly fine. Or he might not. I just need you to be aware of the chance.”

Noah clenched his jaw, trying to hold back his emotions. Hearing a sniffle, he turned to see tears streaming down the king’s face.

“I’ll send a nurse in to get a blood sample and have you sign some papers.”

Noah nodded.

“If you’re a match, we’ll get moving immediately,” the doctor said before leaving the room.

Things moved in a flurry after that. A nurse came in to check his blood. He was able to breathe better once he heard he was a match. He was immediately connected to tubes, pumping out his blood. It went into a machine that then pumped it directly into Eilam’s body.

“This might take a while,” the doctor said. “Get comfortable. Relax.” The man rose and checked a few of the machines chirping around Eilam. “You might also feel fatigued. That’s normal. I’ll have the nurse bring you something nourishing to help fight that feeling some.”

Noah nodded and squeezed the little ball they’d handed him. Supposedly it would help the flow move quicker, so he squeezed as hard as he could. He stared at Eilam, willing his brother bear to awaken.

He also did his level best to avoid the small warlock. His body was seized with lust, even as it was seized by the pain and fear of losing his brother bear. His body was oblivious to what happened in that room. Instinct only knew his mate was a few feet away.

And it wanted.

After a few moments, he eyed the king. “Your Majesty? You don’t have to stay. Now that I’m here.” The mating need he felt wasn’t welcome… not now. Not when Eilam lay unmoving in the bed between them.

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