The coffee finished and Dane poured himself a cup. Jo waved him off when he offered. He cradled the hot mug between both hands and leaned against the counter. Shutting his eyes, he inhaled the steam, realizing that it grounded him back to reality. The heat, the fresh coffee scent. He still felt caught in some kind of dream, but the coffee helped remind him that he was genuinely a part of the world.
Something so simple…
“Dane, my sisters and I think that maybe you have an important part in all this. We hadn’t planned to keep you ignorant forever. We just…weren’t sure. But I think maybe there are things at play here that will be vital to Clay and the others succeeding. I—no, we think you have to be here.”
“Then I’ll stay,” he said quietly.Chapter 20“In stories, a shapeshifter would change into an animal form to heal,” Baer grumbled as he lay stretched out with just his head propped up on the pillow. His red hair looked bright against the white sheets, his face nearly as pale. “I don’t think I have the energy to do it.”
“That’s fairy tales and nonsense, honey. Real life doesn’t work that way,” Flo answered as she gently sat on the edge of the bed. “You carry the same wounds with you in the shift. And you can’t shift when wounded this badly.”
That would explain why Baer hadn’t shifted earlier to escape the pestilents. Clay had planned to ask him why he hadn’t just turned into something small and run. Or even something big and attacked.
Baer lifted his head and guzzled more whiskey. Flo had cleaned and dressed his wounds, but he was obviously in a lot of pain, his eyes glassy, his lips a compressed line. The belly wound worried Clay. It had looked deep, and he possibly had some internal damage.
“That’s too bad,” Baer said, his voice starting to slur. “If I could become an animal, we could take me to a vet.” He took another swallow of whiskey. He held up the bottle in a shaking hand and looked at its contents to find it half-empty. “I think I may need another bottle.”
“You don’t need more.” Grey stepped up to the bed. “Let what you’ve already drank do its job. More will just make you sick.”
Baer groaned, but he nodded.
Grey took the bottle from him and set it on the table next to the bed. He stood and walked toward Clay, his face pinched. Clay got it. He knew Baer’s wounds were severe. Hell, he was ready to take the man to the hospital. They’d find some way to explain the wounds. And any blood anomalies. Hell, he’d get Grey to do his mind control magic on people. Watching Baer slowly die was fucking ridiculous.
He was also worried about Dane, who had every right to be pissed.
Clay should have told him the truth weeks ago. He was a fucking coward. They’d been so happy together, and Clay had been terrified of destroying it all with talk of magic and monsters. Of course, Dane had to find out the truth in the worst way, destroying everything anyway.
He needed to apologize. To tell the man how he felt. Now.
Clay looked at the door to the room, wondering where Dane had gone. Wondering if he’d lost the man when he’d just started realizing how much Dane meant to him. His chest began to ache, and he rubbed the spot as if he could make it stop.
When Grey touched his shoulder, he jumped.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you, but your feelings are just…loud.”
Clay frowned at him. “I’ve told you not to butt in on my thoughts.”
“I don’t even have to try right now. You’re projecting like you have a megaphone.”
“That’s comforting.” Clay crossed his arms.
Grey gave him a pointed look, eyes kind for once. “Go to him. Tell him how you feel. I’ll keep an eye on Baer.”
Clay hesitated, his eyes darting over to Baer again. He hated to leave his brother like this. If all his focus hadn’t been on Dane, maybe he would have been there, could have even stopped the attack from happening.
“Go. Trust me, you two have…a connection. I’ve been trying to figure out exactly what I see but haven’t been able to yet.”
Baer chuckled. “Well, that’s pretty damn obvious to anyone paying attention.”
Flo stood and approached Clay. “What is it you’re feeling?”
“I’m feeling cornered right now is what I’m feeling. How I feel about Dane? I think that’s something he and I need to discuss. Alone.”
“He’s right,” Dane said as he entered into the room. He paused and Clay really looked at him, taking in the pinched lips, the barely banked anger in his green eyes.
Clay cleared his throat. “Dane, I—”
“I meant it. This conversation requires privacy, and right now, we need to focus on Baer.” He walked up to the bed and leaned over the redhead. “How are you?”