He made sure she was tucked in and her skirts were away from her feet.“Off you go.I will be shadowing you until you are home.”
She blinked as he closed her car door and stepped back.She started her car and didn’t see him anymore.Buckling up, she checked her mirrors and reversed out of the spot, moving slowly toward the exit of the parking structure.
Her house was twenty minutes away, and fatigue was pushing at her again, but she made it home safe, parked, unbuckled, and headed into her house.She heard something as she unlocked her door and looked up.A golden gargoyle in a suit was smiling at her.She blushed and went inside, hearing the slight scramble of claws on her roof as he flew away from her house the moment her door was latched.
She looked at her phone and set an alarm for nine.Ten hours of uninterrupted sleep was unheard of, but everything physical except for the flowers was already at the venue.Tomorrow, she and the catering staff would just make it pretty, and all Vaia and Azreen had to do was get dressed and walk down the aisle.
It took her three minutes to get out of the dress, one minute to brush her teeth and wash her face, and then she was in bed and curled up.A little rest was definitely in the cards.
* * * *
Vaia held Axa’s handand leaned against Azreen.True to the estimation, Axa exhaled, and her eyes fluttered.She opened her eyes, and Vaia got to her feet.
“Axa.Oh, Axa, you have been out for a while.”
“Vaia?Oh, you are dressed fancy.”
Vaia laughed.“I had my hen night with a friend, and when I talked about you, she made some calls, and now you are awake.”
“How long was I out?”
Vaia froze.
Azreen stood behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.“You have been in a coma for seven years.”
Axa gasped.“What?Wait.Who are you?”
“I am her husband, Azreen.Our vow renewal is tomorrow.This time, we are choosing each other.”
Vaia smiled.“Seeing you awake is the best present ever.”
Axa looked at the medical team.“What are they doing?”
“Waiting for us to let them in so they can swarm you.It was your dwarf biology that mixed with the drug at the club.”
“Right.Fucker.Did they catch him?”
“I am going to have to ask about that.”
Axa looked at the medical staff.“So, Vaia, where is your friend?”
Vaia brought up her phone.“I sent her home.She’s my wedding coordinator, and also my cousin, weirdly enough.Here she is.Her name is Krys.”
Axa frowned and rubbed her forehead before she looked at the picture.She started laughing and giggling and snorting.“A fairy godmother?Your friend is a fairy godmother?”
Vaia thought about it.“She is.She’s also great at go-kart, even in the poofy dress.”
“You bought it?”
“I did.You can come and play any time, all the time.Lifetime pass.”
Axa smiled.“What’s the catch?”
“You have to get off your ass and let the staff do their thing.They gave you a new dwarf ident band.”
“That’s good.I guess the other one came off when I was fighting off that guy when you were in the ladies’ room.That’s the last thing I remember.”
“I came back, and you were hitting the floor.I called an ambulance, and one of the bouncers helped me get you to the door.I grabbed your glass and carried it, so they tested it and were able to treat you for the poisoning, but you didn’t wake up.”
