Page 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
S kippy's head felt like a bomb went off inside it. The pain was off the charts. He couldn't think about that though because he felt a body against his. The warmth told him the person was still alive. Either that or they hadn't been dead for very long. He thought it might be Gavin. He'd been by his side when the shit hit the fan.
He tried to move, but a hand covered his chest and then someone whispered in his ear. "Shh, Daddy. It's all right."
"Daddy. Seriously." It was definitely Eryn who spoke.
Skippy's chest tightened as the fear took hold. The need to protect took over. He tried to tell Yael and Eryn to run. They would take a bullet if they didn't get out of there.
And then Yael said, "I'm not explaining our relationship to you, Eryn. It calms him when I call him that."
How the hell did Yael come to that conclusion? It didn't calm him so much as turn him on, but with his head pounding, it didn't do that either. But it made Skippy think about why Yael and Eryn would have a conversation about their Daddy/Boy relationship when someone was shooting at them. Unless no one was shooting at him any longer.
Where were Gavin and the Sheriff?
He heard nothing associated with being outside. Not the wind rustling the brown grass and shrubs in the fields on either side of them. He heard something, though. The sound of Yael rubbing Skippy's chest through his shirt. People talked nearby. Their voices were conversational. Not intense and fearful. Not angry. Nothing but low murmurs.
And then it was lights out again.
**
He wasn't on the hard road anymore. He lay on something softer than pavement. And it was definitely a mattress. He smelled coffee and Yael's cinnamon scent.
He was surrounded by dragons. No doubt about that. Besides Yael's scent, Daruss was there, probably in the room with him or had been long enough for his scent to linger.
He tried to open his eyes, but the light hurt his head. "Shut off the light, baby."
He thought he said it loud enough, but Yael just patted his chest. "It's alright. Everything will be alright now."
Skippy put his hand over Yael's, trying to still him. It was soothing, but Skippy didn't want to be soothed. He wanted to know what was happening. He had gaps in his memory. That much was obvious. He remembered blacking out and then coming to again. He'd been in and out. But maybe he'd stayed out for longer than a couple of minutes. But how long?
And where were those men from the bar? They'd been shooting at Skippy. Did they want revenge? Maybe it was some other reason.
Skippy wasn't fond of guns. He would much rather kick someone’s ass the old-fashioned way. With his fists.
Yael sucked in a breath. "I think he's waking up. Eryn, will you get the doctor?"
He'd been awake for several long minutes. He thought Yael had known that, but maybe what he thought was happening really wasn't.
"He's breathing heavily again. Do you think he can hear me?'
"I'm not sure but keep talking to him just in case." Enzo. Was the doctor there already? Was he losing time again?
"I'm here. Right next to you. You touched my hand this morning. Do you remember doing that?” Yael whispered in his ear. Skippy could feel his breath fan across his face. That more than anything would have calmed him if not for the knowledge that he was, in fact, losing time. He knew it for sure because he thought he had touched Yael's hands seconds ago.
"Move back. I need to take the wrapping off his head wound. You might not want to be here to see that." Enzo must have been speaking to Yael.
"I'm not leaving him." There wasn't much that would move Yael if he didn't want to be moved. Yael was a force to be reckoned with when it suited him.
"If you get upset, I'll have Daruss physically remove you."
If anyone hurt Yael, in any way, there would be consequences. Head wound be damned.
Skippy hadn't realized anything was on his head until it wasn't there anymore. The bandages kept his head warm, but when they were gone, the air hit it, stabbing him on the side of his head.
When Enzo started probing around, pain exploded in his head.
He blacked out again.
**
He came awake again to something sweet in his mouth. He recognized it as blood. His body was on top of someone. He wasn't sure who until Yael moaned.
The dream was a good one. One where they completed the mating bond with Yael's long legs wrapped around his waist and their hard cocks notched together.
"That's right. Take what you need." How could Yael speak so clearly while they were in the middle of having sex? Wasn't Skippy driving him wild? "My blood will make you heal."
Heal? As soon as the confusion lifted, he understood exactly what had happened.
He groaned when moving exacerbated the pounding in his head. But he knew he rolled off Yael.
When he opened his eyes, he stared at a white ceiling. And then Yael's pretty face was in his line of sight. Yael had tears clinging to his lashes, but he smiled as he cupped Skippy's cheek. "You were under a long time."
All Skippy knew was the wound on Yael's neck looked fresh, which meant he really was awake. He wasn't losing time anymore.
"Get away from me." The words croaked out of him, making his voice sound raspy and harsh.
Yael's smile faded and his expression was nothing but confusion. "What?"
"Get. Away. From. Me." The last thing Skippy wanted to do was hurt Yael again.
Yael's expression hardened. "No. No way am I leaving you, Simon."
Yael crossed his arms over his chest. He might have shown a bit of anger and Skippy was sure he felt it, but Skippy had hurt his feelings. He hadn't meant to.
Skippy tried to clear his throat, but it felt as though he'd gargled with sand. "Water."
Yael scrambled up, which got him away from Skippy, although he stayed within touching distance the entire time. He grabbed a cup with a straw inside it and stuck it against Skippy's lips.
Skippy drank the entire cup. At first, it was about him being thirsty. About halfway through, all he wanted to do was stare at Yael a bit longer.
Skippy could have died. He probably would have if not for his dragon shifter genes, making him just a little harder to kill, even if his head skidded several feet across the pavement. He might not have ever looked upon Yael's face again.
When Skippy drained the cup, Yael put it on the bedside table.
"Do you need anything else?" Yael sat on the side of the bed.
"For you to get as far away from me as possible. Please, baby. Before I hurt you again." Skippy cupped his cheek.
Yael's confusion only grew worse. "What are you talking about? I'm not injured. You're the one who was hurt, Simon. But you're going to be just fine. You'll see."
Yael smiled and leaned into his touch.
"I bit you, baby. Without your consent." Skippy would never forgive himself.
"Actually, you bit me without your consent. Which I'm sorry for. I truly am." Yael averted his eyes to his lap. "The doctor said my blood might help you."
Skippy wiped away the tears on Yael's cheeks with his thumb.
"You wouldn't wake up and he said…" Yael sniffled. "He said you might not."
"I heard you, baby. Some of it anyway." Skippy smiled even though every muscle he moved, even the ones in his face, hurt his head. "For the record, when you call me Daddy, it doesn't calm me. It makes me hard. Or it would have under the right circumstances."
Yael's eyes widened. "I called you that this morning. But I haven't again because it made Eryn uncomfortable."
"Where is everyone?"
"Having dinner." Yael grabbed a tissue from the box on the nightstand and wiped his eyes. Skippy let his hand fall away.
"Why didn't you go with them?"
"I'm not leaving you." Yael meant it, too. He practically dared Skippy to argue the point.
"Aren't you hungry?"
"That's not the point, Simon." Yael sighed, and he crossed his arms over his chest again. "If you're going to die, then I want to spend every second I can with you."
"I'm too mean to die, baby." But Skippy's head hurt bad enough he might have wanted to if not for Yael's stubborn desire for Skippy to live. Skippy wouldn't do that to his mate. Not after the declaration he just made.
Yael lay his forehead on Skippy's chest. "The doctor wasn't sure. You wouldn't wake up. The doctor said it'd been too long."
"So, you decided to try to help things along?"
"I bit my wrist. Once you had enough blood, you growled and then bit me on my mating mark." Yael met his gaze. "Are you mad?"
"Mad that you saved my life. No, baby. And for the record, I love you too."
"I never said I loved you."
Skippy cupped Yael's cheek again. "You didn't have to say the actual words, boy."
"If you promise to live, I'll say it."
Skippy chuckled, but then groaned.
"I'll get the doctor." Yael stood, but Skippy held him around the waist.
"I'm fine. Just have a headache." Unlike any headache he'd ever had before, but he didn't want to worry Yael any more than he already was.
Yael nodded and settled into bed again. "I wouldn't have left the room."
"You've made that very clear, baby." Skippy brushed Yael's hair off his forehead. He hadn't noticed before, but Yael had circles under his eyes, and he looked haggard. "What day is it?"
"You've been out for three days."
Skippy hadn't realized it had been that long. "Have you eaten or slept at all?"
Yael shrugged.
"Lay down beside me."
Yael yawned and did what he was told. He rested his head on Skippy's shoulder.
Skippy wrapped an arm around Yael.
It wasn't long before they both shut their eyes. Skippy wasn't sure who fell asleep at first, but the last thing he heard was Yael whispering, "I do love you. More than I want to love anyone. So please don't break my heart by dying."