Page 92 of Night's Fall
I didn’t miss the hardening of his features, the red glow that heated the depth of his eyes, or the furious glance he exchanged withAlekseiwhenItold them aboutDr.BuildloreandNurseFitzgeraldpushing me to allow them to cut my beast out of me.
But, weirdly, it felt nice to be under the care of a doctor who would never do such an ugly thing to a shifter.
He then pulled out his long, narrow, porta-ano-scanner and switched it on.
The blue light shone down on me, causing some heat, some tingles, as, starting from my now-bare feet, he very slowly floated it over my body, his attention riveted to whatever was showing on the monitor at the top of the scanner as it moved.
I got a little freaked when he went back over my torso three times, before he finalized the exam by moving it over my head.
He shut it off and looked down at me.
“You can sit up,MistressLaura.”
I didn’t sit up.
LikeIwas an invalid,Alekseimoved in and helped me up.
Then he went further by arranging me with my bottom half curled on a hip, whereupon he threw a silvery cashmere throw around me, tucked it tight and sat next to me, tugging me deep into his side by clamping an arm around me.
Okay.
I was losing the will to be pissed at him for being such a dick earlier.
At that time, he didn’t knowI’dbeen attacked andIthought my beast was dead.
AndIhad to admit, itwaskind of unhingedI’dthrow myself in front of a weapon to save the life of the fiercest dragon in the realm.
“I’m sorry, your highness,” the doctor said diffidently toAleksei. “Patientconfidentiality demandsI?—”
“He knows everything,”Itold the doc.
“You’re all right with my reporting with him present?”Dr.Fearsomeasked me in order to confirm.
Stupidly, sinceAlekseiactually didn’t know everything,Irepeated, “Heknows everything.”
The unit on the nightstand beeped, taking the doctor’s attention, and while he scrutinized the readout of results,Alekseitightened his arm around me.
I rested my weight into his side, and it felt inordinately good to do that.
The doctor’s attention returned to us.
“As you suspected,” he said to me, even if it wasAleksei’ssupposition, “long-term benzo dosing.However, the dose was elevated from what’s used in sanatoriums and penitentiaries.Eitherthey didn’t know what they were doing, or you consumed more water-based beverages than they expected, or they were very intent to make sure your beast did not awaken.”
I clenched my teeth.
A low rumble sounded fromAleksei’schest.
“It’s caused you no harm,”Dr.Fearsomeassured. “Butit does mean recovery of your creature will take longer.”
“So, she’s okay?”Iasked.
He smiled kindly at me. “Sheis very okay,MistressLaura.Shewill be well rested when she wakes, and very likely feeling rambunctious.”
Feeling rambunctious.
It took everything not to weep again.
“Is there any way recovery can be expedited?”Alekseiqueried.
