Page 28 of The Vanishing
Nodding, Haruka mentally prepares himself for the long road ahead. “He will need to use this IV drip and have my blood drawn until his tongue has regenerated?”
“Yes, that’s right. It won’t be fun for him, but again, since you’re both purebreds, I imagine the process will be on the shorter end. His ribs should heal pretty fast, too. Your mate will be back to normal within a few months.”
“That is a relief,” Haruka breathes. None of the details matter. As long as Nino will be safe and healthy again, all is well. They can deal with the particulars together.
“You’ll need to take it slow.” Doctor Davies turns his screen forward, then clicks with his mouse before giving them his full attention. “He’ll need a lot of blood as he heals, but you can’t starve yourself feeding him. So take it little by little. I would also recommend you restrain from rigorous physical activity while he heals… Maybe avoid pulling his aura? Or nature? Are the two interchangeable? In all my studies I’ve never been clear on that.”
“Fundamentally, they are one and the same, but a vampire’s aura is the physical, outward manifestation of their internal nature,” Haruka explains.
Doctor Davies nods, his caramel-colored eyes bright behind his glasses. “Right. Got it. Makes perfect sense. Thank you for that. I’d like to have a follow-up appointment in two months to check on your progress, maybe even give you both the green light to resume your normal activities. How does that sound?”
“Understood. Thank you, Doctor Davies.”
Cellina sighs. “Thank you, Doctor.”
“It’s my pleasure—honor, really.” He grins. “Stop by the nurse’s station at the end of the hall. Sora should be there. She’ll schedule the follow-up. We’ll also need to have your blood drawn each week for the IV—”
“Is there someone who can make house calls?” Haruka asks, not wanting to traverse back and forth to Himeji for the next two months or so.
“Um, sure…” Doctor Davies scratches the back of his head. “I’ll look into that for you. We’ll get something figured out.”
“And…” Haruka smiles, charming. “Do you have any recommendations for books or resources that focus on the physiology of the frontal and parietal lobes of the brain? Something that outlines precise details?”
Doctor Davies pauses. His brow lifts above his black glasses. “Ah… I’ll see what I can do?”
Fourteen
Haruka hates the smell of hospitals. He is sensitive to odors, and the barrage of human blood and harsh cleaning products gives him a headache. He sits beside Nino on the bed. The benefit of this is twofold—he is closer in proximity to his mate, and the unique scent of Nino helps to drown out the other distasteful scents surrounding him.
Nino is out cold, lying on his back and tucked underneath the sheets with his chest rising and falling. The doctor said he needs much sleep as part of his recovery. Haruka slides and tangles his fingers into the coppery length atop his head. It is soft but weighted down from days of being unwashed.
There is a thick dusting of coppery-golden hair tracing his jawline, chin and upper lip. Nino hates his facial hair and shaves it clean every day, but Haruka smiles, looking down at him. He likes it. His husband looks like a youthful, gingery lumberjack. He needs some flannel.
The door to the hospital room slides open and Giovanni is there. Stylish in a dark trench coat over his dress shirt and slacks, he has just arrived from managing Nino’s business dealings in Osaka. Cellina and Asao sit together at a small table off to the side near an open window. His manservant is teaching her how to play karuta.
“What’s the prognosis?” Giovanni walks to the opposite side of the bed, looking down at his sleeping brother.
“He is underfed.” Haruka sighs. “His ribs are damaged and his tongue is missing.”
Giovanni flickers his hazel-green eyes over to him, frowning. “What was that last part?”
“Lajos vanished his tongue and assaulted him.” Haruka shakes his head, resentment churning thick within his heart. If he evenseesLajos again, he will strangle him and put an end to his repulsive life. Period.
“What a fucking maniac—What purpose did any of that serve?” The green behind Giovanni’s eyes flashes a little brighter. He takes a deep breath and runs his palm down his face. “Has he been awake enough to tell you anything?”
“No. Earlier, he opened his eyes for about five seconds, but only said ‘Hi’ to me with his inner voice and smiled before falling asleep again.”
“Well, that’s a good sign, I guess. What happened to the old man?”
“He disappeared again,” Haruka grumbles. The situation is unnerving. A callous, malevolent creature is roaming free and with full knowledge of their location. He can appear at will and without warning, capable of vanishing either or both of them at any time of the day or night.
Stress pounds between Haruka’s ears—the utter lack of control within this circumstance creates stiff tension all throughout his body. How can he ever go on as he was? Blasé and wildly unprepared for a sudden attack. Lazy and overconfident in his ability. Nothing will ever be the same. From this day forward, he’ll do whatever it takes to protect his mate.
“This old creep’s ability is terrifying,” Cellina professes. “You ancient-blooded vamps and your bizarre powers… To use his ability like this in the modern age is crazy. If Haruka decided to bend other vampires to his will, who could realistically stop him?”
Asao laughs, boisterous. “He’s waaay too introverted for that.”
Haruka nods in agreement. “From a personal standpoint, that sounds like a nightmare.”
