“Handsome trash, though. I see you have a shadow…” He trailed off, looking at the dragon behind me.
I huffed, glancing back at Nix, who just beamed. “I just want to be near her,” he explained with a shrug.
If it wasn’t for how bizarre the whole situation was, I would have found his actions endearing.
Griffin gave him a look that was almost approving, much to my horror.
“Okay, I’m going to check on Rory—you’re fine,” I grumbled, glowering at my friend as I exited the room, striding right past my guard dog.
Compared to Griff, Rory wasn’t any worse, but he wasn’t improving, either. He had a few moments of lucidity, and I discussed trying to get him to eat something. He was so dehydrated, his eyes were starting to sink into his skull. If we didn’t change that immediately, Rory would go downhill fast.
“Leah, I know I’m new here, but do you trust me?” I asked, sitting in the chair next to hers.
“I do. But…” She trailed off, looking at her sleeping son and his labored breathing.
“I know it’s hard to trust, but what I want to do is give Rory some IV fluids and completely take him off all medications. Would you let me do that?”
“Stop everything Doc is giving him?”
I nodded. “Those drugs could be doing more harm than good. I want to see how he does with only natural, herbal remedies. The IV fluids… Well, he’s so dehydrated, he needs a little help,” I explained.
Leah sat up straighter, looking me dead in the eye, resolve spreading across her face. “Let’s do it.”
“Thank you—you won’t regret it,” I assured her, gently grasping her hand before getting up and springinginto action.
“The doc mentioned IV medications,” Rory’s mother explained as I hooked up the lines after placing a cannula in his arm.
“I wouldn’t recommend IV meds for a dragon; it’s too much on their bodies. Actually, I avoid IVs in general because the way a dragon heals, the skin could easily close around the needle. Rory is just a kid, though, and his need for fluids right now is greater than the risk of potentially having to remove the needle down the line. I won’t be giving him any medications in this, just some water and a touch of sugar.”
Nodding, Leah glanced at the clear bag that now hung from the silver pole near Rory’s bed.
“I-is there anything we can do?” she asked in a shaky voice.
“Just be there for him,” I said, giving her a sympathetic smile.
“I’ll stay here all day, keep an eye on him. I need to get my things together, but I’ll just be in the other room. If you need me, I’m next door,” I reassured her before heading to the storeroom.
On my way, I passed Nix. “Looks like we’re here for the day, then, sunshine?”
Pausing, I stared at the floor in the hallway. “I’mhere for the day. You don’t need to be. You can leave anytime.”
“I go where you go.” Nix shrugged like it was nothing, totally at ease. “I can entertain myself just fine. What do you need from the storeroom?”
“Some anti-inflammatory herbs, if you’ve got them, for Griff. I want to see if I can find anything to reduce a fever. I know Jenkins probably only has the synthesized stuff, but it’s worth a check.” I didn’t know why I was bothering to say all this. Nix and his stupid fellow Alphas had been nothing but a pain in the ass to me.
“There should be plenty in the cabinets in Doc's office. He keeps fridges in there. He spends most of our money on new medications, too much to count coming and going, so he can make us ‘healthier.’”
I rolled my eyes again, everannoyed with the doctors meddling. “I don’t think he would appreciate me being in his office.”
“Well, IamAlpha of this horde, or at least one of them, so my word trumps his. Take whatever you want, sunshine. If it’ll help Griff or the kid, take it. I’ll deal with Jenkins.”
Nix’s voice was so calm and solid, I had to admit I was impressed by the fact that he was taking my word over Jenkins’s. I’d just arrived. Technically, as the resident doctor, Jenkins had seniority. Or I would have thought he did.
“Uh, thank you,” I managed to get out before making my way to the office I’d avoided previously.
The room was old and musty; it smelled like it could do with a good cleaning. Choosing not to linger longer than I needed to, I headed to the fridges I’d noticed upon entering. The silver appliances stood out like a sore thumb in the room's otherwise simple decor. When I opened the doors, my jaw dropped through the floor at their contents.
“Uh, Nix?” I called out, internally cursing the fact that he was the only one around.
