9. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

M itchell woke to bright lights and someone talking fast. There was lots of movement around him. Doctors. He was in the hospital. But the flurry of movement reminded him of a television drama he used to watch about an emergency room.

Mitchell wasn't sure what the medical staff was talking about. All he knew was they said something about broken ribs, which he already knew. And they said something about the renal system. He remembered the doctors talking about his dad having renal failure. When the cancer started taking over his body, it had been one of the final things to give out before he'd died.

Even though they had said nothing about his body failing, the panic still tightened his airway. A nurse was inches from his face. Telling him to calm down. That he was going to be fine, but he needed to stay calm. He said something about Mitchell staying in the hospital.

"Where's Seryn?" Mitchell tried to pull the IV out of his arm, but that same nurse stopped him.

"Seryn!" His voice sounded horse even to his own ears, as if he'd been screaming for hours.

And just like that, Seryn appeared next to him. He touched Mitchell's chest. "You're safe."

"We shouldn't be here." It was too dangerous for Seryn, too, not just Mitchell. Davorion knew what Seryn looked like. He'd send people after him, too. It wasn't just about Mitchell anymore.

Seryn smiled but gave nothing away. His smile didn't even tell Mitchell that he believed what he said.

Mitchell grabbed Seryn's shirt and pulled him down. He made sure their gazes met. "Tell it to me straight. Now, Seryn."

He expected some push back, but Seryn sighed as if Mitchell's commanding tone soothed him. "We're good for now."

Mitchell let his shirt go and then wrapped his arm around Seryn's shoulder, pulling him down for a hug. "Thank you, sweetheart."

Seryn buried his face in Mitchell's neck. He breathed deeply, as if taking in Mitchell's scent.

Mitchell couldn't have smelled good. His captors hadn't let him wash very often, and he had blood all over him. But it didn't seem to matter to Seryn. Mitchell felt lips kiss his neck. "Why are you thanking me?"

"For doing what I asked. For saving my life." Seryn didn't have to do what he did. He certainly didn't have to stick around. But he was still at Mitchell's side.

"You didn't ask. You commanded." Seryn met Mitchell's gaze with a smile. This one was genuine.

Mitchell cupped Seryn's cheek. "We're going to talk about that kiss. Among other things."

Seryn grinned. "Yes, Daddy."

Mitchell chuckled. He wasn't sure how Seryn meant it, but he took it for the flirty banter they'd been cultivating. "You won't leave, right?"

"Command me and I won't."

Mitchell raised his eyebrows. It probably looked weird because of the swelling on his face, but it was an odd request, and sort of hot all at the same time. "Don't leave my side. Got it?"

Seryn sighed again, and it was just like the last time. He nodded. "I promise."

And Seryn stayed next to the bed for the next two hours, holding Mitchell's hand. At one point, a doctor tried to get Seryn to back up, but Seryn just gave him that empty smile and said, "I'll kill you if you tell me to move again."

The doctor sputtered and didn't ask again. Mitchell was the only one who talked to him the entire time they were in the emergency room after that.

****

After Seryn threatened the doctor, they put him in a private room. They wanted to dope him up with pain medication, but Mitchell refused. If they had to make a run for it, it would be better for Seryn if he stayed cognizant.

But the pain wouldn't let him sleep. Since things had calmed down a bit, he noticed every injury. The one that hurt the most was his ribs. He knew he had worse injuries. The doctors were concerned about his kidneys. He'd taken one too many hits to them over the years.

All it meant was the present damage compounded what he'd sustained in the past to the point the doctors were concerned.

It was dark outside the window. The view wasn't much, anyway. The lights from the parking garage showed the concrete building and the vague movement of a vehicle winding down to the exit.

Todd lay on an uncomfortable-looking bench below the window. He frowned in his sleep. Mitchell hadn't noticed before, but he could see scars on Todd's neck.

"The scars are from a vampire bite." Seryn whispered from where he sat next to Mitchell's bed.

Mitchell had heard stories. Living on the streets made him susceptible to violence. People had tried to take advantage of him. Jude, being younger, made him even more vulnerable. Mitchell had learned how to protect himself. Part of that included paying attention to certain stories and when to dismiss others. At first, he hadn't believed it. But he'd seen a friend spiral into addiction. He'd gotten money for drugs by prostituting himself and it wasn't always sex he gave away. He had the same puncture wounds on his neck as Todd. One day he'd just disappeared, and Mitchell had never seen him again.

Mitchell hadn't fully believed, until Seryn threw fireballs and had fangs.

"You're a vampire." The evidence added up.

"I'm also a warlock." Seryn gave him that empty smile. The one that meant a lot of things depending on the circumstance. Mitchell thought it meant Seryn was nervous. "It's a rare thing to have vampire and warlock traits."

"So, you're unique amongst your own kind." Some humans were unique like that, too. It wasn't so off the wall to think other types of people could be.

Seryn averted his gaze. "It hasn't always been a good thing."

"Seems like you made it work for you, though." Understatement of the century. With what Seryn could do and the skill he had at killing, he was amazing and terrifying.

"Surgery is the only way to fix it." There he went again, talking nonsense.

"Why would you want to fix it? You're just fine the way you are, sweetheart." Not being human didn't take away from his beauty. But it left Mitchell leery, despite what he'd said.

Mitchell didn't know how to process it. He didn't even know what questions to ask, because something was clearly wrong with Seryn. He had something going on in that pretty head of his. No doubt about that. Mitchell just didn't know what.

"I meant you. The doctor will come in and say you need surgery. And you'll fight them, but surgery will save your life." So, Seryn thought he knew what was going to happen.

Seryn winced and shook his head. He blinked as if someone had thrown sand in his eyes.

"Hey. Look at me." Mitchell kept his voice stern. It seemed Seryn liked it, so he kept it up.

Seryn's gaze snapped to Mitchell. The stress vanished from his face.

Mitchell held out his hand, beckoning Seryn to take it. "You're going to tell me what's going on with you. Right now, Seryn."

"I have visions. But since meeting you, they come one right after another. I can't stop them most of the time." For the first time since Mitchell had met him, Seryn seemed worried. About Mitchell's reaction? He didn't know. With Seryn, it was difficult to tell why he had any reaction at all because he always seemed so calm.

"Visions?" As in he saw things that weren't there? Or he was psychic.

"Of the future. Of you. It's also a rare trait. Warlock genetics." Which didn't explain one thing.

"Why me?"

"Because you're my mate. I knew it the moment I saw you in a vision." Mate. That was a weird word.

"What does that mean, Seryn?" Getting information was like pulling teeth.

"I should wait to answer. When you're feeling better." Seryn averted his gaze again.

Since Seryn seemed to respond positively when Mitchell was bossy, he kept at it. "I told you to look at me."

Seryn's gaze snapped to him again.

"Tell me about yourself first. More about the vampire and warlock thing." They had to start somewhere. "We'll get to the rest."

Seryn covered his mouth when he yawned. It seemed even superheroes grew tired.

His ribs hurt when he scooted over. Moving at all sent knives into his abdomen. He hissed at the pain and then tried to breathe through it.

Seryn leaned forward. "Don't move around. You're going to hurt yourself."

Mitchell waited for the pain to recede before patting the bed beside him. "Come on."

Seryn shook his head. "You're injured."

"There's nowhere else for you to lie down. And there's plenty of room for both of us." Mitchell wasn't sure what made him do it. He'd watched Seryn kill more than a dozen people and he'd just admitted to being a vampire and a warlock. One of those things seemed impossible and since Mitchell actually believed him, it also seemed dangerous. So, it might appear as though Mitchell had a death wish. Hell, maybe he did. But he also owed Seryn his life. The least he could do was take care of Seryn, since he'd taken care of Mitchell.

Seryn chuckled. "You don't fear me."

"If you were going to take me out, you wouldn't have saved my life." If Mitchell was going to die, at least he got to see Seryn's beautiful face in his last moments. "You won't suck my blood, right?"

"Not unless you give your consent. But I might put a spell on you." Seryn winked and then promptly yawned again.

"Come on." Mitchell patted the bed.

Seryn sighed and then took his duster off, laying it carefully in the chair. And then he moved the chair closer to the bed before sliding in next to Mitchell. He laid his head on Mitchell's chest and shut his eyes. "I was just joking about the spell. I'd never hurt you."

"I know, sweetheart. You just sleep. We'll talk later." Mitchell was surprised that Seryn joked at all.

Seryn nodded and then sighed. Mitchell lay awake, waiting for Seryn to fall asleep. As soon as he did, so did Mitchell.