Lover Mine (Black Dagger Brotherhood 8)

He nodded and went over to the stainless-steel sink. Running a stream of cool water, he got a clean towel from a stack and wet it before returning to her. As she held out her hands, he put the damp cloth in her palms and watched as she slowly pressed it against her face. It was hard to see her so frail and he thought back to how he had always known her: strong, powerful, edged-out.

Her hair had grown longer and was starting to curl up at the ends, suggesting that if she didn't cut it, it would have a thick wave in the length. God, he wanted to touch the softness.

His eyes moved down to the table and abruptly popped wide. The sheet had twisted out from under her. . . and there was a dark spot on the towels that had been wrapped around her hips.

As he inhaled deeply, he caught the scent of fresh blood and was surprised he hadn't before. Then again, he'd been pretty fucking distracted.

Oh. . . Christ. She was bleeding. . .

He tapped her lightly on the arm and mouthed, Doc Jane.

Xhex nodded. "Yeah. Let's get this over with. "

Frantic, John stalked over to the door of the exam room. Out in the hall, there was a legion of worried faces, with Doc Jane at the head of the group.

"She ready for me?" When John stepped to the side and motioned urgently with his arm, the doctor came forward.

He stopped her, though. With his back to Xhex, he signed, She's injured somewhere. She's bleeding.

Doc Jane put her hand on his shoulder and maneuvered him around in a circle so they traded places. "I know. Why don't you wait outside. I'll take good care of her. Ehlena? Would you mind coming in--I'm going to need a second set of hands. "

Rehvenge's shellan went into the exam room and John watched over the doctor's head as the female started washing her hands.

Why isn't Vishous assisting? he signed.

"We're just doing an ultrasound to make sure she's all right. I'm not operating. " Doc Jane smiled at him in a professional way--which was oddly frightening. And then the door was shut in his face.

He looked around at the others. All the males were locked out in the hall. Only females in there with her.

His mind started to churn and it didn't take him long to come to a conclusion that couldn't possibly be right.

A heavy hand landed on his shoulder and V's voice was low. "No, you need to stay out here, John. Let go. "

That was when he realized his palm had locked on the door handle. Looking down, he told himself to release his hold. . . and had to send the command twice before his grip slid off the metal.

There was no more screaming. No sounds at all.

He waited. And waited. And paced and waited some more. Vishous lit another hand-rolled. Blay joined him, firing up a Dunhill. Qhuinn drummed a beat out on his thigh. Wrath petted George's head while the golden retriever watched John with kind brown eyes.

Eventually, Doc Jane poked her head around the door and looked at her mate. "I need you. "

Vishous put out his cig on the sole of his boot and tucked the butt into his back pocket. "Scrubbing in?"

"Yup. "

"Let me go change. "

As the male jogged off to the locker room, Doc Jane met John's eyes. "I'm going to take good care of her--"

What's wrong? Why is she bleeding? he signed.

"I'm going to take care of her. "

And then the door shut again.

When V came back, he looked every bit the warrior even though he was out of his leathers, and John hoped like hell the guy's competency on the field translated into the medical racket.

Those diamond eyes of his flashed and he clapped John on the shoulder before slipping into the exam room. . . which evidently was now functioning as an OR.