My Salvation - Page 109

Cas closed her eyes as everyone began to move around her.

She hoped she lived. She really was looking forward to snacks and their Minecraft play-through.

*****

The first day was hell. His parents sat on either side of him. Their very presence kept him grounded. Eion and Ilian stood against the wall, like sentries, as if they would fight death itself to protect his mate.

On the second day, a badly wounded Gage fell to his knees in front of him, where he sat in the hospital room and sobbed his thanks. Zoe and the boys got him to his feet but wasn’t able to convince him to go back to his own room. The hospital staff moved a reclining chair into the corner for him. Gage refused to be more than a few feet from him. Priest felt relief that his closest brother was with him.

On day three, Ari made him shower and change into his own clothes. Brie and Aeson took turns force-feeding him. Kincaid somehow made jasmine bloom along one wall. The scent was soothing and helped him in the long hours of the night. Gage no longer needed the hospital bed and took turns with Ari in their round-the-clock vigil with him.

On the fourth day, his biological family hovered outside the door. Looking over to his parents, they nodded. His father waved them in and immediately embraced Gaius. His mother, of course, went to pieces over Vesta. Both his mother and father broke down crying their thanks that Gaius and Vesta had been there for him. Priest watched and knew that it no longer mattered what happened in the past. When he and his mate needed them most, his other family had been there for them. Merrick was working double duty to feed everyone.

Finally, on the fifth day, he felt his bird stir. Looking up from where he had been lying on their clasped hands, he saw his mate trying to wake. Of course, his bird liked his mate more. He was fine with that.

“Hey there, beautiful,” he whispered.

She blinked. “Did I die?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“That sucks.”

He simply brought her hand to his forehead, then kissed it. “You have no idea.”

“Zoe?”

“Safe, all thanks to you.”

“I had to.”

“I know. I am so proud and so mad at you.”

“Anyone else taken? Hurt?”

Priest shook his head. “Only the enemy. The people of Éire Danu fought back.”

“I remember seeing someone wrapped in a sheet,” she said, then struggled to sit up.

He motioned for her to lay back, then hit the button for the nurse. “The fae who did that has magic with fabrics.”

“Hi! How’s our girl?” A bright voice asked from the doorway.

“Hey, Ellie. She’s awake,” Priest announced. He met Ellie during his last visit to the Noctem Falls hospital. He knew he shouldn’t trust her more than the other doctors, but being mated to a fellow unit warrior made him feel at ease.

The woman nodded, smiling. “I can see that.”

She walked over to the other side of the bed. “Hello, Cassandra. My name is Dr. Eleanor Douglas. I wasn’t your surgeon, but I will be helping with your follow-up care. How do you feel?”

Priest eyed his mate worriedly.

Cas stretched a bit. “I feel fine, actually.”

Ellie nodded. “You healed beautifully once we got the bullets out of you.”

“How long have I been asleep?”

Ellie looked at her watch. “Today is the fifth day, I believe.”