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“This is bad,” he said quietly. “She would heal on her own if she hadn’t already been so weakened. Her body won’t be able to pull through this unless she feeds. Even so, she’s too weak to do that on her own. She’ll need to be tube fed.”
It shamed Nick to the core that he sagged with relief. He wanted to be a good mate to her and put his fears behind him, but the thought of letting her bite him still made him shiver. This, however, he could do.
“Take my blood,” he told the doctor. “I’m the best candidate you’ve got to heal her fast.”
“How’s that?” Viktor frowned.
“Because she’s my mate.” His voice was sure, and brooked no argument.
The doctor glanced at Tarron, who nodded. “It’s true. All of that can be addressed later, but for now, just do what must be done to save her.”
Nick was grateful Tarron already knew he and Calla were mates.
Viktor’s eyes were kind and understanding. “I’ll do everything in my power, Your Highness. For now, I need to get Nick’s blood. Wait outside, please, and he’ll join you momentarily.”
A nurse stepped forward and gently touched Tarron’s arm. Nick hadn’t even noticed her presence before, he’d been so focused on Calla. Reluctance etched on his face, Tarron allowed the nurse to lead him from the room. Then Nick held out his arm.
“Take as much as you need. Take it all, if that means the difference between life and death.”
“A generous offer,” the doctor said with a knowing look. “But as you’re mates, that will be unnecessary. Your blood will be much more potent with healing antibodies than anyone else’s in the world. Nurse?”
Another nurse went about tying a rubber strip around Nick’s arm. Then she found a good vein, slid a needle into it, and drew several large vials of blood. Nick’s head swam a bit by the time she was done, though he hardly cared. He’d meant what he said. Calla was his only concern.
With Calla remaining on her side, the nurse inserted an IV and then hooked the vials to a pole by the bed and started the flow of Nick’s blood into the vein.
“I thought you said she would be tube-fed?”
“That, too. The intravenous feed is extra insurance.”
He was all for that. A tube was pushed down her throat and he winced, wondering whether deep down she felt any pain or discomfort from that or the burns on her back. She was out cold, so he didn’t believe so.
“She’s already breathing easier,” Viktor observed.
“Thank God.” He closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, a female nurse was smoothing a white ointment all over every part of Calla that had touched the silver table. Including her buttocks. Nick’s wolf growled, but was calmed by the knowledge that the person touching her was female, and had only her healing in mind. Even though the doctor had the same intentions, Nick doubted the wolf would have cut a male the same slack. Good move on the doc’s part.
Calla was still pale as they finished cleaning her up, and got her into a hospital gown, then settled her in a fresh bed with warm, clean sheets. He followed when they wheeled her to an empty room.
“You were supposed to go outside with Tarron,” the doctor said.
“Yeah, well. You’ll find out that I’ll never follow orders where my mate is concerned, except when it involves her well-being and immediate safety. Just so you know.”
“I understand. Just don’t get in the way of my treatments, and we’ll never have a problem.”
“I won’t.”
That would never happen in a human hospital, but their world wasn’t normal by a long shot—if “normal” even existed. The paranormal world was frightening, often brutal. Mates were a gift and nothing was allowed to interfere with that bond.
Nothing.
With a nod at Nick, Viktor and the nurse left him to sit with Calla. He would go get her brother in a few minutes. Right now, he was content to sit here, hold her hand, and watch. Make sure every single breath continued to get easier than the one before. That her cheeks pinked and she was no longer knocking at death’s door.
He was a lucky wolf. He’d almost lost Calla today. His new lease on life. The reason he’d be glad to wake up every day from now on and embrace it.
Deadly determination seized his gut. He was going to find and rip apart the vampire who’d done this. No matter how long it took.
In the meantime, he was going to make good on the promise he’d made to himself.
He would get his shit together. Calla deserved a whole mate.
