Page 28 of Mitchell
Seryn complied, pulling the blankets to his chin. He wiped the tears away from his cheeks with the sheet, but more came.
"Stay there." Mitchell grabbed the box of tissues from the bathroom, setting it on the nightstand. It would be within reach if Seryn needed more. Mitchell sat on the side of the bed next to Seryn.
He moved slowly, which didn't bode well for Seryn's body temperature, but it was what it was.
Seryn studied his expression. Mitchell wasn't sure what Seryn expected to find, but he was growing calmer.
As Mitchell wiped Seryn's face, he said, "I'm going to get undressed so I can warm you up faster."
Seryn teeth chattered by way of answer.
Mitchell put the used tissue on the floor. He'd pick it up later. He cupped Seryn's cheek. His skin was still chilled to the touch. "You're going to let me take care of you now."
Seryn leaned into Mitchell's touch, closing his eyes. The gesture was as much of an affirmation as he needed.
Mitchell kissed Seryn and then stood. Reaching behind him to take his hospital gown off was a lesson in why he should never move another muscle again. He groaned and told himself to breathe through the pain.
When Seryn got out of bed, Mitchell shook his head. "Stay there. I've got it."
Mitchell let the gown fall at his feet and then moved around to the other side of the bed, getting in. He opened his arms, inviting Seryn to snuggle into him. "Get right on top, sweetheart."
Mitchell liked the thought of their bodies meshing. He liked it so much not even his pain level stopped him from anticipating it.
Seryn was careful when he laid on Mitchell. "My weight…doesn't…bother you?"
"Weirdly enough, no, it doesn't." It put pressure on his ribs, but otherwise wasn't an issue.
Seryn laid his cheek back on Mitchell's chest.
Seryn was a walking fireball wrapped in a little package. Mitchell had five other analogies, but he needed to stop, or he'd go down a rabbit hole.
It took Mitchell rubbing the warmth back into Seryn and burying them both under the blankets before Seryn stopped shivering. He relaxed a little at a time until his body went slack. His breathing evened out.
Mitchell had had no one fall asleep on top of him before, but he liked it. It didn't take him long to fall asleep, too.
****
When he woke again, Seryn had plastered himself to Mitchell's side, with his arms and legs covering Mitchell. They were both warm. Mitchell's pain level was high, but not so much that it stole his thoughts, which was about the same as he had been.
Seryn rested his hand over Mitchell's heart. He seemed to lose some of the calmness and deceptiveness while sleeping, too. He growled in his sleep and mumbled. Mitchell couldn't make out what Seryn said, but he flashed his fangs at whatever threat he was fighting in his mind.
Mitchell wondered if Seryn had a dream or if they were visions. And what was the difference between those two things? If there was one at all.
Mitchell tightened his hold on Seryn and ran his hand down Seryn's side. "Shh, sweetheart. It's okay. You killed them all. We're safe."
The tension went out of Seryn. He settled against Mitchell, mumbling his name. After he sighed, he settled into a deeper sleep.
Mitchell wasn't sure how long they lay there, but he was in a light sleep when Seryn woke up. What woke Mitchell was the way Seryn's arm tightened around him, as if protecting Mitchell even while he slept. And then he kissed Mitchell's chest, which was where he lay.
"Mate." Seryn might have mumbled, but the word was still clear. "Need blood."
Mitchell stiffened. His first thought was of Seryn's fangs. As pretty as he was, those sharp teeth made him beautiful and dangerous all at the same time. He was exactly the type of guy Mitchell was attracted to but had run away from in the past. Pretty boys with their pretty smiles, who would rip out his heart straight through his chest if given half the chance. Mitchell hadn't ever gone beyond flirting with guys like Seryn.
He couldn't deny Seryn was different, though. He might have fangs and clearly wanted to use them on Mitchell, but he had risked his life for him. Why would he go through all that trouble only to suck Mitchell's blood out of his body in a hotel room? It made little sense. He'd gone through a lot of trouble for a meal, even if Seryn considered Mitchell gourmet.
"Just so you know. I'm not a five-star meal. I'm more like fast food." Mitchell relaxed again.
Seryn sucked in a breath and tried to move away from him, but Mitchell held him in place.
