Page 250 of Halfblood Deceived

Zeydan held back a sigh and reluctantly stood, facing a woman with short blonde hair and square glasses.

“Good evening, I’m Doctor Hudson,” the woman announced. She looked down at her tablet. “You must be Ella?”

“A-e-l-l-a,” Zeydan corrected. “Like the Amazon.”

Aella chuckled softly, gray eyes bright with amusement.

“Right,” Doctor Hudson said, giving Zeydan an almost hostile once-over. “You can wait outside.”

“Zeydan stays,” Aella said in a kind but uncompromising tone. “He didn’t hurt me. If he had, I would have told my friends, and he’d be the one needing medical care, not me.”

Zeydan snorted. He couldn’t help it. “Too true.”

Aella grinned at him and met the bewildered doctor’s gaze. “He is my partner, and I want him here.”

Zeydan’s humor died, replaced by a slow, burning pride that made him feel ten feet tall.

He smiled at the doctor. “The lady has spoken.”

Doctor Hudson’s face twitched. “I see.” She turned her attention to Aella. “Your blood test is normal. Well, as normal as it can be for a gargoyle.”

There was something about the way Dr. Hudson said gargoyle that got on Zeydan’s nerves.

He would have thought he was being overprotective, but Aella tensed, her brow furrowed.

“Your hemoglobin is low, but barely,” the doctor continued. “I’ll prescribe you some iron supplements and vitamin B12.”

“That’s it?” Zeydan asked. “Didn’t you find anything strange in her blood test or CT scan?”

Doctor Hudson didn’t bother looking at him. “She has anemia. That’s all.”

Zeydan frowned. “I’m not an expert, but I don’t think it’s normal for people with anemia to cough up a pint of blood.”

Doctor Hudson gave him an acidic smile. “You’re right. You’re not an expert.”

“Well, this was a waste of time,” Aella said, sitting up and tearing out her IV. Blood gushed out of the small hole in her vein. “Ouch! That looks way less painful on the TV.”

Zeydan took her hand and licked the blood away, sealing the wound. “Better?”

Aella sighed. “Better.”

A small choked sound made them both turn toward Doctor Hudson, who was looking at them with clear disgust.

Zeydan swallowed back a low growl.

Aella didn’t.

The doctor’s pale skin turned paper-white. “You can’t just leave—”

“Yes, yes, I can,” Aella said, standing and taking Zeydan’s hand. “I can buy supplements at the store down my street. And I bet they won’t be rude to me or my partner there.” She tugged on Zeydan’s hand, leading them both to the door.

He went happily, giving a sardonic smirk to the doctor as they passed by her.

Aella seemed to deflate when they were in the privacy of the elevator. “That sucked.”

“It did,” Zeydan agreed. “Are you sure it’s a good idea to leave the hospital?”

Aella sighed. “They weren’t being helpful. And you heard the kind doctor. I’m fine. Just tired.”

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