15. Emrie

Iwas in and out of it for a while. There were whole patches of time where I felt like I was high on something and perceiving everyone in slo-mo, but with their voices turned up really loudly, like annoying little chipmunks.

This made my bear angry, and she growled at them. Thankfully, everyone quieted down after that. The next time I awoke I saw Roarke sitting next to me. He had his elbows on his knees, and he was hunched over as if the weight of the world were on his shoulders. I wanted to reach out and stroke the back of his hand to let him know everything would be okay, but my arms felt like they weighed a million pounds. Even keeping my eyes open for more than a blink at a time was difficult.

One thing was certain in this in-between time: I wished the fantasy stories about shifters was actually true. That I could just shift into my bear, and we would be healed. But, sadly, it was only fiction. I mean, I had a bear that I could shift into, and yes, we merged as one when we became our bear and these things to humans were fantasy, but to have that shifting lead to instant healing? That would certainly be nice, but it was just too easy.

As much as the humans loved to write books and movies about us, for paranormals, real life wasn't easy. I couldn't say for certain whether we had it worse or better than humans, life just was. We had our own difficulties, similar, but different.

Right now, my bear and I were wishing that shifting and magical healing were a thing because we felt awful.

Oh, wait! High elven potions! Where could I get my hands on one? And I was seriously impressed that I'd remembered because my brain felt like it was funneling thoughts through a teeny-tiny straw at the moment.

Someone knocked on my door, and even though I was very team Roarke, and he was my mate and everything, I distractedly noticed that the High Elf gliding toward me was gorgeous. My bear grumbled at me in disgust, effectively rolling her eyes at me, but I internally shrugged back at her. I couldn't pluck out my eyeballs. It was just a dispassionate observation. The sky is blue. The grass is green. The male walking toward me would have made millions in the humans' movie industry.

My mate awoke in an instant when he sensed someone else in the room, noticed that I was blinking awake, and knelt next to the bed. He was so big that he covered the entire left side of my bed with his bulk. I tried to smile at him, but to be honest, I was still a little high on the pain meds, and it might have come out completely lopsided and more like a baring of my teeth. My bear, who didn't seem high at all, chuckled within me and I grumbled at her. Why was I high on pain meds and she wasn't? So unfair. Actually, I was really glad she wasn't. She was more prone to reacting to things than I was. And if she didn't understand what was happening, and everyone was crowded around her with the volume of their voices turned way up high—yeah, that might result in injuries.

"How are you doing?" Roarke whispered.

"I feel strange," I said, my tongue feeling thick. "I'm guessing it's the shifter pain meds?" Shifter pain meds had been invented many years ago because human pain medicines and knock-out drugs simply didn't work on us. And they figured, if we were ever to have a hope of coming out of life-saving surgeries alive, we needed our own medicines that actually worked! And the truth was, prior to their invention, many shifters had died on operating tables, despite our accelerated healing.

Roarke nodded, dropped his forehead gently to mine and just breathed for a moment or two. "I thought I'd lost you," he said, his voice hoarse and full of pain. "Seven hundred plus years of waiting, and I've only been your mate for a month. I won't tell you where my thoughts went."

I trembled and rubbed his pinky with mine—the only part of me that worked at the moment. He wouldn't tell me, but I bet I could guess. I was constantly amazed that my mate had waited more than seven hundred years for me. I'd thought my nearly thirty years were difficult. I couldn't even image hundreds of years. I knew he'd given up on finding his mate. My heart broke for his broken heart, and for how fragile life was, and for how badly I'd scared my mate.

"I love you." It was a reminder, but also a thank you. Thank you for being my mate. For loving me. For protecting me. For sharing this life with me.

"I love you too," he whispered. Then he kissed my forehead and straightened when the High Elf cleared his throat gently. He was holding a lavender potion that was still bubbling and fizzing. My bear thought it smelled like blueberries, her favorite. I fixed my gaze on the ID badge clipped to his pale blue lab coat that read Rennyn Feliss. Potions Technician.

His voice was melodious, and I could see why the hospital chose to employ him. He was really soothing, and he could probably brew healing potions like a boss, being High Elf and all. Well, at least I hoped he could. I wanted him to gimmegimme so I could feel better and have clear thoughts again.

"Your stab wound has been sewn shut, and the organs have also been sealed. Your right kidney and liver were damaged in the assault. The surgeons have done what they can, but they're concerned about infection setting in, despite your shifter physiology, so they asked me to key a potion to your damage and DNA."

He handed it to me, but even though I could move them now, my gimme fingers were still fumbly. Roarke took it instead and sat me up enough that I could slowly sip at it. Rennyn waited patiently, neither shifting nor looking away. He seemed to be a person comfortable with patiently waiting on others. His gaze and body language demanded nothing of the other person, and I found it very restful.

When I finished the last blueberry flavored sip, I blinked, the room and my thoughts suddenly clear. "Did I turn into a Smurf?" It didn't matter who you were, the opportunity to turn Smurf was always fun.

Rennyn smiled. "It was more like Violet Beuregarde in Willy Wonka the Chocolate Factory."

"So cool! I've always wanted to be purple!"

Roarke snorted and rubbed my shoulders, working out the knots in them. I guess almost dying had left me tense. He turned to Rennyn. "Thank you. How many potions will she need?"

"About four. I don't want her to heal too quickly. That could put her and her bear into shock. Slow and steady is better." He looked at both of us. "The good news is they can be administered every six hours or so, so you should be okay to check out sometime tomorrow."

I breathed a sigh of relief. Hospitals were a necessary thing, and very vital to society, but I didn't know anyone who actually liked being in them.

Rennyn smiled in understanding. "I'll see you both in six hours." He left and I turned to look at my mate who looked utterly exhausted.

"Have you slept?" I was guessing from how terrible he looked that the answer was no, even before he shook his head at me.

He kissed my forehead again. "I'm so glad you're okay," he whispered, his voice rough.

I sighed, melting into his embrace. "So am I. Did Finn happen to catch them?" I knew it was a long shot, but it was still possible that someone in the Ferris wheel group could identify who'd stabbed me. We'd been in a huge group of people at the time. The likelihood that every person there hadn't seen anything was very slim. But then again, I hadn't seen anything, and I was the one who'd been stabbed.

Roarke's expression turned thunderous. "No," he said curtly. "The stiletto blade was spelled to numb instantly on contact, and they made sure to punch it all the way in. So, when you felt the impact of a punch against your side, and not the blade, it was designed that way. They wanted you to be stuck on the Ferris wheel with no way to get down and to get help. Finn set up a hotline so anyone with information can give it anonymously, but so far, no one has come forward."

"Well, it was a madhouse. I don't understand what the stabber was thinking. Didn't they realize that as a dragon you can fly me to safety and the hospital?"

Roarke shook his head. "I think this was an assassin, not the shifter you met in your tainted dream."

I puzzled that through. "So, either the assassin is dumb and didn't do his research, or he or she thought you'd be too distraught to think of shifting and airlifting me out of the fairgrounds."

Roarke looked subdued. "It really hadn't occurred to me at first, so it was a pretty good bet. That's why I had you contact Riggs. I knew he'd be more clearheaded than I was capable of with my mate bleeding out on my lap."

I kissed his brow, nuzzling him. "It worked, and that's all that matters. We'll call it a team effort."

We both started laughing which made me gasp in pain. I was a lot better, but not yet healed. Roarke rubbed my shoulders gently in apology.

"Has the spell suggestion worn off of Drew yet?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. When you're feeling up to it, we can find out. Riggs and the others are here, waiting in the waiting room to see you."

I tried to sit up a little more but failed epically until Roarke lifted me gently by the shoulders, elevated the bed, and added more pillows behind my back.

I patted the top of my head to feel my probable rat's nest and was puzzled to find it in a tidy bun. I remembered wearing it down to the fair. I wasn't sure how a neat bun had happened without my being awake.

"Mia did that. She said having it in a bun would keep it untangled and out of your way once you woke up. She had every faith you would."

That had been really sweet of her, which reminded me. "Are they okay? Are they still here as well?" Mia had been crying as I was wheeled into surgery, and Draven had been holding back a furious Roarke.

Roarke shook his head. "They had to go home. Mia said she'll be by tomorrow. Draven is bringing me something in a bit."

I let out a big breath. "Okay. I'm ready for my Clan. Send them in."

Roarke left for a minute, and while he was gone a timid nurse came in and took my vitals, charting the numbers on a rolley computer station. It took me a minute to figure out why she was avoiding looking at me.

"I'm so sorry if Roarke growled at the staff. He's not housebroken yet."

She chuckled, nodded, and quietly left. I was a little frustrated with my mate, but I also empathized. He'd gone through something horrific. He'd thought I was going to die. But I still felt bad for whatever staff he'd yelled at. I was surprised they hadn't kicked him out. I knew human and paranormal hospitals were different, but there were still a lot of things that were similar between them, and yelling at the doctors and nurses was always a big no-no.

My Clan came in looking like a cat shifter had dragged them backwards through a swamp. "Woah, you guys look rough." I winced in sympathy.

Mateo immediately hugged me. He was gentle, but I could feel his friendship and our close Clan bond through his hug. I patted his back, feeling a little choked up.

"Don't do that again," he ordered gruffly.

"I'll try not to. We need to catch this psycho."

He pulled back and looked at me. "Roarke's on it," he whispered. Obviously, everyone still heard, but what did that mean?

I gave my mate a look and he gazed back at me in affected innocence.

"I will find out," I warned him.

He smiled. "I would expect nothing less."

Taco leaned in and gave me a hug as well. "I'll tell you what it is, and I think I can say for all of us that we like it a lot."

"Does it involve death and mayhem?" I asked, patting his back too.

"Of course!"

I groaned and everyone chuckled.

Alpha Riggs stood on the other side of my hospital bed. "You're looking better than the last time I last saw you."

"High Elf potion." I grinned. "I turned purple."

He laughed. "Yes, focus on the color you turned and not the healing of the potion."

I shrugged. "Wellll, turning colors is pretty cool."

He leaned in and gave me a gentle hug. "Without a doubt." He pulled back. "Do you want us to stick around?"

I tried to find a clock. "What time is it?"

"Four-thirty in the morning," Alistair said, leaning down to give me a gentle hug and a kiss on my forehead. "You've been here for more than eight hours already."

I groaned. "Go home, guys. Just because I'm miserable doesn't mean everyone has to be. I'll see you guys tomorrow when I check out."

"You mean today tomorrow, or tomorrow tomorrow," Mathan said, kissing my cheek and squeezing my shoulder gently.

"Tomorrow tomorrow."

Drew gave me a timid little wave and I brought him in for a hug. He was a moody teenage bear-shifter, but he was Clan, and Clan was family.

I waved as my Clan left, and then slumped back onto my pillows in exhaustion. I loved my Clan, but they were a lot. Even in small doses.

I wasn't paying attention to what Roarke was saying into his phone, so when the king of vampires starting wheeling in another hospital bed, except larger, I blinked to determine if I was having a reaction to the High Elf potion. Maybe a delayed reaction?

"Thanks, Draven."

"No problem," the king said. "I got it all straightened out."

Roarke smirked. "Did the doctor have a hissy?"

"Of course not," Draven laughed. "He looked like he'd swallowed his tongue, but what was he going to say to me? No?"

"Blatant misuse of power," I teased, and then had to wonder if I were still high on shifter pain meds. Was I teasing the Vampire King? I winced when my brain caught up to my tongue.

Draven and Roarke saw the expression on my face and roared with laughter. I, of course, turned beet red in embarrassment and shrunk down in my bed, wincing at the strain on my side.

"Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry! I'm still high on pain meds." I put my cool fingers to my cheeks to reduce the heat radiating from them but it barely helped.

Draven chuckled. "Can I hug your mate, Roarke?"

"Be gentle," he growled.

And, surreally, the Vampire King hugged me as though I were precious to him and his family. He also smelled delightful. I'd never hugged a vampire before, so I considered the thought that it was a vampire thing. Maybe pheromones? They didn't do anything for me, but they smelled really nice.

"I'm sorry you and Mia missed your ball." I felt super bad about that.

"Don't worry about it. The ball still happened, and Mia and I caught pieces of it. We wanted to be here as much as we could for you and Roarke." I got all teary, stupid big feelings, and Draven politely pretended not to see my overwrought emotions. "I'll leave you two to get some rest," Draven said as he pulled away from me, and patted Roarke on his shoulder. He had to reach up a bit to do it, and I wanted to giggle inappropriately again. It felt like my filter was not just thin but completely absent.

Roarke saw him out, then wheeled the new bed to the other side of mine so it wouldn't block the bathroom and the machines hooked up to me. As he made the bed with the sheets and blanket sitting on top of it, he grinned over at me. "Why are you internally giggling?"

"I always see the Vampire King as this super powerful person."

Roarke nodded. "He is. Much more than others realize."

"And yet he has to reach a bit to pat your shoulder. I just found it inappropriately funny."

He leaned over and kissed me then went back to making his bed. His bed was broader and longer than mine, but still had the keypad on the side that raised and lowered different parts of the bed.

"Do you need help to the restroom?"

I winced. "Yeah, probably." He called a nurse in and she unhooked my lines from the different monitors, then Roarke lifted me in his arms and set me down gently in front of the bathroom mirror, shutting the door behind him. I used the restroom then brushed my teeth and washed my face with a luxurious washcloth that was super soft. I'd never been in a hospital before, and I was surprised at how nice things were. The room was beautiful, and the soaps, toothbrush, toothpaste and hand-towels were all upscale brands.

Roarke helped me to bed again, then tucked me in like I was a little cub. I almost felt like asking for a bedtime story, but somehow refrained. I guess my filter was operating again, which was kind of a shame. It'd felt freeing just saying what I'd wanted.

Roarke carefully cuddled with me after the nurse hooked me back up to everything, and we fell asleep amidst the beeping of electronic monitors, the sound of shoes squeaking on the floors, the sound of paranormals in pain in other rooms, the many hospital smells, and the low sound of the staff talking amongst themselves.

In short, it was a miracle we slept at all, but I think we were both exhausted, and at least on my part, a little nervous about what the next day might bring, and if we would be able to find the person that kept trying to kill me.