Page 103 of Sloth
Max had gone lax, and Grace was drawing blood while Parker attached monitoring electrodes. Sloan chewed on her nails.
“We need to start a transfusion,” Barry decided. “Sloan’s blood”—he scanned all the Deadly Seven present in the room—“all of your blood. It’s regenerating and you’re all universal donors. Give the man a transfusion using your blood. Theoretically, it will purify the toxins from Max’s system.”
Sloan was already hitting the form-fitting button on her jacket chest, releasing the fabric’s hold on her body. She tugged it over her head until she was only in her bra. Then she held her exposed inner elbow out. “Whatever you need, Doc.”
Grace was ordering someone—anyone—to find her an intravenous transfusion kit. Parker dashed off to another door, yanked it open and disappeared into the darkness. He returned moments later with a long transparent tube with bags.
Don’t ask Tony how the man could see in that pitch black room, but he had.
Parker handed the kit to Grace. “Field transfusion kit.”
She nodded. “Good. This is good. Someone get Sloan a seat.”
That’s all Tony saw because Parker promptly shoved Tony out of the room, ordering the rest of the team. “Everyone out. Give the doc some space.”
Seconds ticked by.
Minutes.
They all settled in the hallway, watching Sloan sitting with her sleeping man. One hand grasped his, the other was resting on a cushion on the bed as the blood drained from her body and into his.
Through it all, Tony watched quietly, trying not to pay attention to the cells in his body, already screaming out for another drink. At some point, Parker came to stand next to him. Both men stood stoically, staring. Hoping and praying that Sloan wouldn’t lose her mate tonight.
And it wasn’t because they were afraid of her snapping. It was because of the way she looked down at him with affectionately sad eyes. It was the way she gently wiped his sweaty hair from his brow, and it was the way her fingers trailed down to stroke his jaw before settling once again on his hand.
“You know, it’s amazing what you can do when your mind isn’t clouded by booze,” Parker mumbled under his breath.
Tony’s jaw clenched. He said nothing.
Grace shouldered her way out of the medical room. Evan went to her and clasped her on the shoulder. She smiled up at him fondly and then brought her gaze to the rest of them.
“The transfusion is done. Barry was right. As you’re all universal donors, the blood seems to be taking. There’s nothing left to do now but wait until he wakes up. Barry’s taken the samples we took to his new lab. We should know more in the morning.”
Everyone left, except Tony. He watched Sloan and her man through the glass, and he felt… he rubbed his chest. What did he feel? Something uncomfortable. Something that reminded him of the way Bailey had said,I don’t expect you to know anything.
He didn’t like that feeling. He was done with it. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. Within two rings, a woman answered.
“Hello. Darling Greens Rehabilitation. How can I help you?”
Thirty-Three
Weeks later,Sloan was hiking through the bush with Max, trying to find the place he insisted Gale had told him to visit. Now that Max was recovered, and she had her heart firmly back in her chest, this was the first place Max had thought to go. They both needed a break, but after hours of seemingly aimless trekking, it felt like they were chasing a ghost.
Gale had never been to America, so it didn’t make sense he’d told Max about a certain camping spot… but she didn’t have the heart to remind him.
The sound of rushing water took her by surprise, and she turned to him in surprise.
He grinned, dimples flashing. “I told you it existed.”
“How did you—?”
He shrugged. “I called Gale’s parents. They said they came here once when he was a child.”
She smiled knowing he’d called them. It meant he was slowly coming to terms with what happened to Gale, and maybe, dare she think, forgiving himself.
Pushing through the overgrown bush and shrubs, they crested a clearing that ended in a small waterfall and a cascading narrow river. It wasn’t big. It only had a few small ribbons of water that ran over rocks and boulders, molding them from sharp to soft lines before dripping into a stunning deep blue pool below. Big Aspen loomed on all sides, giving them shade and shelter.
While Sloan gawped at the stunning site, Max cleared the area of debris and twigs so he could lay the two-man tent. She turned to watch him, and couldn’t help noticing the way he’d come alive on the hike. This was his element and, she had to admit, she enjoyed it too. Being miles from anyone but Max gave her empathic ability a reset, and she felt rejuvenated just by being there.
