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His mind clung to every signal, catching only fragments of awareness—the distant sound of shouting, an alarm, or maybe siren. A voice barking instructions.
He battled for clarity.
His body was shunted. Pain overwhelmed consciousness.
Then silence, invaded only by beeping noises.
Eventually, he was able to open his eyes a crack.
Bright lights swam in his vision. He found it hard to breathe. Struggling to the surface, he moved his hand to his face. It was hard to do, his arm felt heavy and weighted. His fingers closed over a hard plastic object.
A hand covered his, drawing it away gently. “Its oxygen, let go of the mask.”
Okay. Okay. Vaguely, he was aware of surroundings. Bright overhead light.
Smells like hospital, he decided.
Then darkness and dreams.
Strange, strange dreams.
* * * *
When he eventually came to full consciousness, the first thing he saw was Rowan’s face looming close. Her eyes were large with concern. Was she real this time? He couldn’t make sense of it.
She was staring at him, wide-eyed, mascara streaked down her cheeks.
“Oh my god, you’re awake.”
“Yep, and my head is banging.” He tried to move. Pain shot through his shoulder and down his side. Then he remembered.
The gig. The gun. The finger on the trigger. Darkness descending.
Groaning, he rested back against the pillow. A quick scan of the room gave him his location. “Jesus, I’m in hospital.”
“Yes, and there’s a cop outside the door.” Rowan lowered her voice and glanced at the door uneasily. Once they know you’re awake I’ll have to go. They just let me in for a few minutes.”
“Love you,” he whispered, proud of her for getting past the police.
“You could have died! They took a bullet out of you, Sean.”
“That explains the pain.” He tried to move. Couldn’t. “Where?”
“Collarbone. You got lucky, it just missed a major artery.”
“Thank fuck it wasn’t my—”
“Language, Sean.” Rowan’s eyes rounded.
Her fake chastisement made him want to laugh. It came out as a cough and hurt like hell.
She put her hand on his arm. “Keep still. I’ll have to call for the nurse soon, they told me to press the buzzer if you came round. We haven’t got long alone.”
Sean sensed he was drifting, and he didn’t want to, not this time, not with Rowan here so real and close to him. But he’d been sedated or drugged, for sure, and it was weighing him down. He battled for his time with Rowan.
“You’re in deep shit, Sean Rattigan.”
Sean frowned. “Draco? Is that what he said?” He squinted, seeking out Draco’s face beyond her.
