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“But I thought Denali could only be healed if Kalin’s whip was destroyed or the demon was killed.”
“True,” Panahasi replied. “In normal circumstances.”
There wasn’t anything normal about this situation. Zayde still felt like he was trapped in some nightmare, begging his mind to wake up.
“Now please, let me concentrate,” Panahasi said to him.
Zayde curled his lips in, watching as the blue light slipped inside Denali. Sheriff Harper was right behind Zayde, both of them watching in awe as the blue light slipped back out of Denali’s body like a snake. Which would make Panahasi a snake charmer, if one chose to look at it that way. The blue light was nothing more than a wisp, like smoke from a cigar, rising higher and higher until it circled Panahasi’s hand.
When Zayde looked at Panahasi, the guy had a bead of sweat over his brow, as if it took everything in him to do…whatever the man was doing. Zayde still had no clue, because he had no idea what the blue light was for.
Denali sucked in a deep breath as his eyes opened.
The blue light disappeared inside Panahasi’s hand, and then the guy stumbled backward slightly. Had Panahasi just taken on Denali’s pain? It sure was hell looked like it, although Panahasi didn’t scream like Denali had.
“Are you okay?” Zayde asked. “You don’t look so well.”
“I’m okay.” Panahasi gripped the back of the couch, as if to steady himself.
Zayde moved toward him, afraid the guy would stumble and fall. He wasn’t sure how he could stop Panahasi from falling since the man was almost seven feet tall. Still…
Denali sat up, groaning. Zayde hurried over to his mate and pulled aside the torn fabric of his shirt. He gasped when he saw the wounds were no longer gaping. There were large, puckered scars, but Zayde would take that over how the wounds had looked moments before.
“I was only able to stitch things back together,” Panahasi said. “I’m afraid there’s going to be scars.”
Zayde closed the distance and hugged the big guy then realized what he’d done and pulled away. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to invade your personal space.”
Panahasi gave him a warm smile, though Zayde could see the pain in the man’s eyes. “I have to go, and you and your mate need to return to the demon realm with me so that we can protect you two.”
“I saw those demons trying to get inside. I think they breached the building,” Zayde said. “No offense, but I think we’re better off here.”
“Then I will send a warrior to watch over the two of you. Be warned. Kalin can make himself invisible to the point not even I can detect him.” Panahasi threw out his arm, and a vortex appeared.
It was the second time Zayde had seen one, and they still freaked him out. It looked like a man-sized black hole, and the thought of walking back through one made Zayde feel as if he would still end up on the other side of the galaxy.
“You won’t be able to see the warrior,” Panahasi continued, “but he’ll be close by. Shout my name if things go sideways.”
Zayde nodded then watched as Panahasi walked, more like stumbled, through the vortex. What he’d done for Denali had to have taken a toll on him. Zayde wanted to insist that Panahasi stay until he was better, but the guy was gone and the vortex closed before Zayde had finished that thought.
“I think he took Denali’s pain,” Zayde said. “Like, took that pain inside of himself.”
“I think so too,” Sheriff Harper said. “He didn’t look so hot afterward. I hope he’s okay.”
“Do you know him?” Zayde asked, curious.
“Heard of him,” the guy said. “Since you don’t see too many seven-foot Egyptian men around, I assumed that was Panahasi.”
“It was.” Zayde moved back to Denali. “How do you feel?”
Denali sat up, rubbed the heel of his hand over one eye, and then nodded. “A hell of a lot better. I wish he’d done that sooner.”
So did Zayde, but he would be forever grateful to Panahasi for what he’d done. Zayde really thought he would lose his mate, and the heartache had felt unbearable. They’d just met, but Zayde couldn’t imagine his life without his lion shifter. That fast Zayde had fallen for Denali.
Sheriff Harper leaned against the wall, deep in thought. Zayde was grateful for the sheriff’s presence. He might not have known him very well, but the man’s calm demeanor was comforting when Zayde had needed comfort the most.
This time when Denali pulled Zayde into his arms, Zayde didn’t worry about hurting his mate any further. The wounds were healed. “You had me so worried.”
“I was more worried about missing our date,” Denali confessed. “I wondered how many more times you’d put up with me being a no-show.”
