Page 99 of Grave Beginnings

“Please let me help,” Angel said.

“However you touch him is going to hurt,” Xavier said. “Can you remain in control if he cries out or passes out again?”

“Yes.”

“He’s a shitty liar, too,” one of the twins said.

“You two go find the lot and whatever Jude pulled from the dead.”

“I didn’t,” I wheezed.

“Not intentionally,” Xavier said. “But it may have saved your life. How about we worry about your abilities after we know you aren’t going to heave up a kidney?”

Ivan paused our slow movement toward the elevator, again putting himself between me and—this time—Angel. I knew it was Angel because his magic reached for me, a warm hug of power that almost made my resolve crumble.

“Hi,” I said, knowing he was there, but only able to see a shadow of him.

“Can I carry you?”

“I’ll probably pass out.”

“Okay.”

“Don’t hurt Ivan.”

“Never,” Angel promised. “I just need to hold you, okay? Let’s get you upstairs and cleaned up.”

“I think my wrist is fucked up.”

“I’ll be careful.”

“Xavier popped my shoulder back in, but it still aches.”

“Yeah, that takes a little while to heal.”

“Did I really pull something out of the ground? Like a zombie?”

“Maybe. I’ll send a message to the team to check.”

“Holy fuck,” I muttered.

Ivan finally moved, and Angel’s arms slid around me, carefully. I swallowed back any cries of pain as he lifted me into a bridal carry and tucked my face into his neck, settling into his warmth and the soothing touch of his magic as he carried me toward the elevator.

“V?”

“Right here, Jude,” Ivan said, sounding close.

I breathed out a sigh of relief, which made my ribs hurt more. Fuck. This had been a bad one. I’d been unprepared. Gone too long without the wariness of hazing, as I’d grown comfortable with Joe. I should have expected it after the encounter in the elevator and turning down Cassidy’s offer. He had never beenthatguy. Not out, no, but never condoned the hazing or joined in the teasing.

The world tilted for a few minutes and I woke to find myself in the bathroom, Angel stripping off my clothes. “Hi,” I said again, feeling too shitty to enjoy being naked with him.

“Is it okay if I get you cleaned up? Look at the wounds?” Angel asked as he used a warm, wet cloth to wipe the gunk from one eye.

“Hmm,” I said, sad that we couldn’t do more. I’d like to kiss him. But maybe when I didn’t feel like my gut would upchuck my liver if I moved too much.

The bathroom door opened and Angel growled. An actual full, cat growl, though I knew he was in his human form.

“You don’t get to decide for him, Angel,” Xavier said. “Ivan can help if he’s not ready.”