Page 29 of Night’s Fall (The Four Realms #1)

Target

I lay on my back on Aleksei’s bed.

Aleksei stood beside it, arms crossed on his massive chest, watching everything Dr . Fearsome was doing in a manner, if the half-demon, half-fae doc did something he didn’t like, he’d tear his head off.

Dr. Fearsome —young, midnight skin, fae-built tall, solid body, demon-crafted elegant features—was someone I might have to introduce Catla to (if she was still speaking to me after tonight, that was).

Totally unaffected by Aleksei’s menacing glower, he just got on with it.

He’d taken my blood first and entered it into a machine he’d set on one of Aleksei’s nightstands. The vial instantly unloaded so I could see my red blood flowing to what appeared to be eighteen separate sections. I heard the unit lock down and a soft whir as it got on doing whatever it was it did.

That was when Dr . Fearsome instructed me to tell him everything that happened.

I didn’t get too deep into the assault part, because Aleksei’s energy was growing more and more stifling as I spoke, and if I got into certain bits of it (the parts where they threatened to rape me), I knew he’d go batcrap crazy.

So I gave the doc an abbreviated version that included all I thought he’d need to know.

I didn’t miss the hardening of his features, the red glow that heated the depth of his eyes, or the furious glance he exchanged with Aleksei when I told them about Dr . Buildlore and Nurse Fitzgerald pushing me to allow them to cut my beast out of me.

But, weirdly, it felt nice to be under the care of a doctor who would never do such an ugly thing to a shifter.

He then pulled out his long, narrow, porta-ano-scanner and switched it on.

The blue light shone down on me, causing some heat, some tingles, as, starting from my now-bare feet, he very slowly floated it over my body, his attention riveted to whatever was showing on the monitor at the top of the scanner as it moved.

I got a little freaked when he went back over my torso three times, before he finalized the exam by moving it over my head.

He shut it off and looked down at me.

“You can sit up, Mistress Laura .”

I didn’t sit up.

Like I was an invalid, Aleksei moved in and helped me up.

Then he went further by arranging me with my bottom half curled on a hip, whereupon he threw a silvery cashmere throw around me, tucked it tight and sat next to me, tugging me deep into his side by clamping an arm around me.

Okay.

I was losing the will to be pissed at him for being such a dick earlier.

At that time, he didn’t know I’d been attacked and I thought my beast was dead.

And I had to admit, it was kind of unhinged I’d throw myself in front of a weapon to save the life of the fiercest dragon in the realm.

“I’m sorry, your highness,” the doctor said diffidently to Aleksei . “ Patient confidentiality demands I? —”

“He knows everything,” I told the doc.

“You’re all right with my reporting with him present?” Dr . Fearsome asked me in order to confirm.

Stupidly, since Aleksei actually didn’t know everything, I repeated, “ He knows everything.”

The unit on the nightstand beeped, taking the doctor’s attention, and while he scrutinized the readout of results, Aleksei tightened his arm around me.

I rested my weight into his side, and it felt inordinately good to do that.

The doctor’s attention returned to us.

“As you suspected,” he said to me, even if it was Aleksei’s supposition, “long-term benzo dosing. However , the dose was elevated from what’s used in sanatoriums and penitentiaries.

Either they didn’t know what they were doing, or you consumed more water-based beverages than they expected, or they were very intent to make sure your beast did not awaken. ”

I clenched my teeth.

A low rumble sounded from Aleksei’s chest.

“It’s caused you no harm,” Dr . Fearsome assured. “ But it does mean recovery of your creature will take longer.”

“So, she’s okay?” I asked.

He smiled kindly at me. “ She is very okay, Mistress Laura . She will be well rested when she wakes, and very likely feeling rambunctious.”

Feeling rambunctious.

It took everything not to weep again.

“Is there any way recovery can be expedited?” Aleksei queried.

The doctor nodded and my heart leaped. “ IV fluids every other day”—he glanced at me with a good-natured grin—“and your B vitamins are low, so it’d be good to add those to the first IV drip.

” When I nodded, he finished, “ This will help flush the system. I still estimate it’ll take seven days, maybe a day more, perhaps if we’re lucky, a day less. ”

“What can she expect?” Aleksei pressed for more details. “ Will her creature simply just suddenly awaken? Or will there be a process?”

“I would expect, if Mistress Laura does the IV therapy, in two to three days, her beast will give indications it’s emerging from its unconscious state.

It’s been described as flutters or quivers.

Some warmth. Eventually stronger movement.

But it’s rare for there to be any communication.

It’s like taking a very long time to emerge from a deep sleep.

The beast will be fidgety, she’ll eventually become restless, but the creature will still be unconscious. ”

Flutters. Quivers . Warmth . Movement .

I wanted it all, ASAP .

“Do you have the IV stuff now?” I asked impatiently.

“I can have it delivered and administer it before I leave,” he offered.

“Please do that,” Aleksei said.

The doctor pulled out his tablet where the results of the scan had been transferred, and while looking at it, he said, “ All other systems are a go. Very healthy. The remodeling of your ribs is strong. However , your wrist was not well set, which is causing a ten percent loss in strength in that hand.”

Ah…

Heck .

I’d gone solid.

Aleksei’s vibe had gone hot.

The doctor looked at me. “ You can visit my clinic, and we’ll see to that. We’ll rebreak it and remodeling will take two days. Physical therapy for a week, and you’ll have full function in that hand again. Through all this, there will be no pain.”

“Um,” I hummed.

“These breaks happened during the assault?” Aleksei asked tersely, as he would since I’d been significantly beaten, but they’d concentrated on my face, hadn’t broken any bones, and Aleksei had heard me explain all of that earlier.

The doctor appeared confused. “ No . These breaks are—” His attention darted to me.

“They’re what?” Aleksei pushed.

“Aleksei,” I whispered.

He ignored me and demanded of the doctor, “ They’re what?”

“Mistress Laura ?” the doctor asked.

I bit my lip, but there was nothing for it. I’d have to tell Aleksei one day.

I guessed today was that day, and it wouldn’t be me telling him, but Dr . Fearsome .

I nodded to the doc.

Gods, I was such a coward.

Dr. Fearsome studied my face, then he turned to Aleksei . “ They’re from her childhood.”

“Are you done?” Aleksei suddenly barked, and I jumped against his side.

His response was to tighten his hold on me.

“I’ll arrange the IV ,” the doctor murmured.

Definitely getting the gist of what was going down, he left his stuff and us alone in the room.

When he was gone, I turned to my mate. “ Aleksei .”

He didn’t look at me when he stated, “ We’re not talking about it now.”

That was fine by me.

“Which one?” he asked the wall beyond us.

“Sorry?” I asked back.

He turned to me, and it was unfortunate I was attached to him when I saw his amethyst was back.

In full glow.

“Which one of your two fucking parents broke your bones?”

Okay, so we were talking about it now.

“Mom, my wrist. Dad , my ribs,” I whispered.

“Right,” he grunted.

“Let me just explain—” I started.

“No. Oh , hell no, bissi . For now, that’s all we’re going to say. We narrowly escaped an epic shitstorm tonight. We don’t need to court another one.”

I thought about my mother and father standing as statues made of ash before they filtered to piles of nothing, and mumbled, “ Probably wise.”

His head ticked to the side, and he announced, “ Allain is here.”

And again, like I was an invalid, he took his feet and lifted me out of the bed and put me on mine.

The cashmere throw felt good against my skin, and I had to admit, I was a little bit shivery with all that was going on, so I held it closed tightly at my front, not realizing at first that Aleksei wasn’t moving, and further, he was barring my path to the door.

I tipped my head back.

And my heart squeezed with the expression on his face.

He was in agony, and I felt that for him. I felt it for him and for me.

I felt it blaze deep.

It wasn’t as if I didn’t know how it felt when people cared about me.

I’d known Cat since I was eight, we’d been bestest gals since practically the minute we set eyes on each other.

We both met Gayle when we were nine, and same.

And with them came the Truelocks and Vinestrongs , who, it did not escape me, did everything in their power to be the parents they noticed I didn’t have. Especially the Truelocks .

Monique came later, but I was in no doubt how deep a place I had in her heart, and I hoped she felt the same.

But this was different.

This was magic. Destiny . History . Future .

Forever.

This was a male who wouldn’t even let me sit up straight without helping me after an ano-scan when I was perfectly healthy.

This was something I should have had from birth in the undying depths of parental love.

But I had it now, in the undying depths of feeling between fated mates.

And it was everything.

“One more question,” he said gently. “ How old were you?”

“Please, later?” I pushed out, coming to terms with so many things (so many!), I couldn’t take more. “ When you learn about all of it, I need time to see to you.”

“How old, bissi tressa ?”

Oh heck.

Bissi was bad enough.

Bissi tressa meant my beloved little treasured one.

In other words, he’d pulled out the big guns.

“Maybe six, my wrist. I think nine, my ribs.”

His chest expanded with the huge breath he took.

He took his time letting it out.