Surgery? No, he couldn’t wait that long, the surgery would last hours and then he would be under from the anesthetic for even longer. Mike was worried for him, probably thinking the worst. He needed to see him and tell him that he would be okay. Thattheywould be okay.
“Not yet.” Pushing past the pain gripping his entire body, he forced the words out, making sure the nurse heard him. “Need to see Mike first, let him know I’m okay.”
“Sir, you’re not okay.” He glanced off to the side. “We’re going to sedate you.”
The nurse signaled to someone out of Aiden’s limited range of sight and a doctor stepped up to his bedside. She was presumably the anesthesiologist, because she reached for Aiden’s IV line. Aiden slammed his fist down beside him. He had to choke back a scream of agony at the impact to what was surely a broken wrist. But he’d managed to startle the anesthesiologist into taking a step back.
“You try to put that stuff in me before I get a chance to talk to Mike and we’re going to have a serious problem.”
The anesthesiologist froze, looking unsure. Then she gathered herself and reached for the line again. “Sir, please relax.”
“I’ll relaxafterI talk to Mike.”
Sucking in a deep breath that sent pain screaming through his shoulder, Aiden called up his power. It hit the two at his bedside first. They went still, hands dropping to their sides, eyes straight ahead and staring. But that wasn’t enough. Aiden didn’t want anyone to stop what he was about to do. Sweat poured down his face and tears leaked from the corners of his eyes from the strain, but he turned up his power until everyone in the room was affected. They all stood there completely enthralled by the brilliant glow coming from the operating table. Aiden looked directly at the nurse. “Get me Mike Zielinski.Now.”
In a daze, the nurse turned and walked out the operating room door.
∞ ∞ ∞
Mike paced back and forth in the waiting area. The scene kept repeating in his head, Aiden up on the pole spinning, head thrown back, joy on his face. And then the fall. And the blood. So much blood.
“Did anyone get a look at who fired the shot? Z? Did you?”
Mike mentally tore himself away from the horrific visions tormenting him and turned to Sonica. He nodded.
“Who was it?”
He couldn’t answer. He couldn’t...speak. Aiden was going to die because he hadn’t protected him.
Sonica stared at him expectantly, waiting for him to answer. When he continued to stand there saying nothing, her mouth dropped open in surprise before she snapped it shut.
“Oh my God. You can’t talk.” She moved toward the nurse’s station. “We need someone over here to look at—.”
Mike put a hand on her arm, halting her call for help. When she turned back to him, he shook his head. He didn’t need to be seen. There was nothing a doctor could do for him right now. It would only waste their time and take them away from someone they could actually help.
After a moment, Sonica gave his arm a reassuring squeeze before she went to sit in one of the plastic chairs. Mike was still in the same spot when one of the nurses he’d seen rushing off with Aiden came down the hall and through the swinging doors. Mike frowned. It was too soon for them to have finished operating on Aiden. Unless...
He stumbled back, light-headed, blood rushing in his ears. No. Aiden couldn’t be gone.
“Mike Zielinski?” the nurse called out.
His heart pounding, Mike stepped forward, pointing to his chest.
“The patient wants to see you.”
Mike’s brows drew together in confusion. Why would Aiden be asking for him now? He should be in surgery. But as he approached the nurse to go with him, he saw that his eyes appeared dazed and unfocused, as if he’d been hypnotized. That had to be Aiden’s doing.
The nurse turned and quickly went back the way he’d come. Mike followed, so closely he nearly stepped on the man’s heels. In the operating room, Aiden lay on the table, his lips bloodless and skin gray beneath the golden shimmer keeping the staff enthralled. Mike yanked off his visor and rushed to his side.
“I’m okay,” Aiden said in a hoarse whisper. “Those assholes didn’t kill me.”
Mike nodded. Words still wouldn’t come however. The terror of possibly losing Aiden hadn’t left him yet.
“Hey. It’s all right,” Aiden rasped. “I’m not going anywhere.”
His hand twitched on the table and Mike reached down to gently take it in his own.
“I’mnotgoing anywhere. And I love you. Okay?”
