Page 19 of The Vampire’s Receptionist (Charmed Away Temp Agency #4)
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The meeting wasn’t anything Dorian felt the need to stress over.
The investors who’d stuck around after the coup were a little anxious about how things were going while they got the business back in working order and just needed a little reassurance.
He told them his plans to get the division back on its feet, and his goals for the future, and the meeting ended with smiles all around.
He sighed, shutting the laptop screen, and ran his hands over his face. The frequent wakings weren’t pleasant, and he hoped Doctor Chapman would allow him to go back to normal feedings soon so he could sleep. He was sure Kian felt the same way.
“Doing okay?” Zephyr asked. He was seated in the small sitting area nearby, a laptop on his lap.
He had his own division to run, but Taron couldn’t sit still for the life of him, so he was already gone with Tony in tow back to the office while Zephyr stuck around until a replacement could take over for him.
“I’m fine. Last night was… difficult, to say the least.”
Sympathy flashed over Zephyr’s face. “I bet. Is the fae making things difficult?”
Dorian frowned. “Kian? Absolutely not. He’s gone above and beyond to care for me, despite the awkwardness of the situation. Why do you ask?”
Zephyr lifted a shoulder, looking back down at his laptop. “In my experience, fae can’t be trusted. One tried to kidnap my cousin. My entire convocation had to fly into the fae realm to get him back.”
While Dorian didn’t agree with discriminating based on race, he could see why Zephyr held a grudge. Still…
“Kian is not like that. He cares very deeply for the well-being of others. He has yet to complain about all of this, despite having his life turned upside down to cater to my needs. I’m grateful that it was him who offered to help me.”
Zephyr studied him for a moment, the distrust clear on his face. He was new to their friend group, and a little standoffish at times, but he wouldn’t be Taron’s mate if he didn’t have a good heart. He dipped his chin once.
“I’ll take that into account if I’m dealing with him. You should take a break. You need your rest, too.”
He wanted to argue, there was plenty to do, but chose instead to heed Zephyr’s suggestion. It would be Kian who paid the consequences if he did too much too soon. He stood to stretch his legs a little.
“I’ll take a short break then. Do you need anything?”
“No, thank you. Maverick should be here soon to relieve me.” He paused for a moment, cocking his head a lot like his shifted thunderbird might. “Unless you’re uncomfortable with him after yesterday?”
Dorian shook his head, reassuring him, “I don’t blame Maverick for what happened. He did what was necessary. I’m fine with him being here. Have a nice afternoon, Zephyr.”
Leaving Ozen’s home office, Dorian considered what to do.
Taking breaks wasn’t something he did often.
He found himself seeking Kian out. He’d said he would be working, but Dorian was worried about him overdoing it.
He, more than Dorian, needed to rest after yesterday’s incident. Being drained was no simple matter.
He expected the man to be in the library, or maybe the kitchen, as it was close to lunchtime. He didn’t expect to find him in bed, an IV in his arm, and Doctor Chapman looming over him, scolding him.
“... Your recklessness doesn’t just affect you now. If your well-being doesn’t mean anything to you, at least think of Dorian. He is dependent on you to survive.”
“What’s going on?” Dorian asked, stepping into the room.
Kian rolled his eyes but didn’t answer, scowling at the wall instead. It was Doctor Chapman who spoke up.
“He was using his magic. I warned him against it while he was still recovering. The mix of his blood means he requires more energy to do magic. He is being reckless by pushing himself so soon. Over what? A couple of plants?”
Dorian had only met Doctor Chapman a handful of times in his lifetime. He’d always struck him as a calm presence. For some reason, Kian’s actions spurred him to anger. Dorian stepped in to stop him before he went too far. Upsetting Kian wouldn’t help matters.
“What does he need now?”
“Rest,” Doctor Chapman growled, pointing at Kian with narrowed eyes. “No work. No gardening. Just rest. Read a book or take a nap. The nurse will arrive soon with your next transfusion, and I will stay nearby until I’m sure you understand my meaning. This is no joking matter, Elamoira.”
Kian stiffened, whipping his head around to glare at the druid. “Don’t call me that.”
“If you wish not to be connected to your family, then perhaps stop acting like them,” Doctor Chapman shot back.
The fury in Kian’s eyes worried Dorian. He’d heard the name, most had, but Kian obviously didn’t claim it willingly. Dorian stepped between them, standing in front of Kian protectively.
“I believe it’s best if everyone took a break. I’ll make sure Kian rests. I’m sure you have other patients to check on.”
With Kian outside of his line of sight, Doctor Chapman let go of his frustration long enough to speak to Dorian directly. “He must rest. It’s not just him that will suffer if he doesn’t.”
Dorian wasn’t concerned about his wellbeing. He was concerned about Kian. He felt the flex of magic behind him. Kian was fighting to keep himself under control and losing his temper was a sure way for him to overdo it. The doctor’s presence wasn’t at all helpful right now.
“I’ll handle it. Thank you for checking on him.”
He led the doctor out, shutting the door behind him so that Kian had more privacy. When he turned around, Kian was once again glaring at the wall and refused to look at him.
“I didn’t–”
Dorian interrupted before he could start ranting.
“I couldn’t imagine someone telling me not to use something so intricately part of my being.
I do not blame you for slipping up on something that is probably second nature to you.
I do, however, worry about your health. You look pale. What do you need from me?”
Kian had jerked around, startled when Dorian took his side.
Now he eyed him suspiciously, searching for the lie.
He wouldn’t find it. While Dorian didn’t actively use his magic often, he understood that many races did and found it hard not to.
Spellbound developed many devices to help with this so that supernaturals of every race could function without harming themselves or others. It was no different for Kian.
“What do you need, Kian?”
Swallowing hard, Kian frowned. “I don’t– I’m not sure…” he admitted softly.
Nodding, Dorian suggested, “How about we start with lunch? Are you hungry?”
When Kian shook his head, Dorian didn’t argue with him. Kian struck him as fiercely independent. Having Doctor Chapman scold him like he had probably put his back up, and he wasn’t yet ready to accept help. Dorian could be patient. He didn’t want to push Kian too far.
“Doctor Chapman mentioned something about plants. Do you enjoy them?” he asked.
Kian’s brows furrowed a little, but he nodded slightly. “Yes. My mother is a green witch. Our house was always full of plants. I do the same in my own apartment. It feels… sterile without them.”
Dorian pressed his lips together to hide his chagrin on the matter. His home had no plants, but he had a good reason for it.
Kian noticed his expression and narrowed his eyes. “You don’t have any plants either, do you?”
He winced. “I’ve tried in the past. They’ve never survived. My friends say I’m not to be trusted around plants. I believe Taron called me a plant murderer after I accidentally killed a housewarming plant he gave me.”
A smile tugged at Kian’s lips and his shoulders relaxed a little. “Are you a plant murderer?”
Dropping his chin, Dorian sighed. “I don’t intend to be. I either over water them or don’t water them enough. Ozen tried to get me a cactus once, but even that met its end when I forgot that it actually needed water some of the time.”
That made Kian crack up, and Dorian felt himself relax. Kian’s smile lit up his face, and his eyes brightened as they danced with mirth. He felt drawn to those eyes and found himself coming closer, sitting on the edge of the bed near Kian’s feet so he could be near the man.
“Does your magic respond well to plants? There’s a terrace on the roof if you’d be more comfortable resting there.”
Kian shook his head. “That’s where I was when the asshole druid started barking at me. He said if I get out of bed, he’ll move me to a hospital because I can’t be trusted to take care of myself,” he scoffed.
Dorian made a mental note to speak with Doctor Chapman about his bedside manner. He understood that Kian’s health directly affected his own, but it wasn’t going to make things easier if the doctor was too hard on Kian in response.
“Well, I’m sure he’ll get over it if I bring you up there myself. I’d rather you feel comfortable than force yourself to be unhappy just to help me.”
He got a small smile in return for the comment, and Kian waved him off. “I’ll stay here for now. The nurse will be by soon for another infusion. I think I’ll take a nap while that’s happening. You’ll wake me before your next feeding, right?”
“I believe I’m comfortable skipping the next one. I’ll confer with Doctor Chapman to be sure that it’s safe, but I haven’t felt any urge to take more than necessary since the incident. It should be safe to go a little longer between feedings, so long as someone is nearby to intervene if necessary.”
“I agree,” Kian said with a nod. “I haven’t noticed you losing a grip on yourself at all. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
The nurse arrived not long later and Dorian left them alone while she worked.
Kian deserved his privacy. Meanwhile, Dorian had work to do.
Kian had sacrificed a lot to care for him and would continue to do so until they figured out what was needed to fix him.
He deserved the same dedication from Dorian.
He would care for the man who held his survival in his hands if it was the last thing he did.