green graph of the steady beat of his heart.
Cole studied him critically. “Thank God you finally came out of it. How do you feel?”
“Awful,” Arcan replied hoarsely. “I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck.”
“Hah!” Cole snickered. “I thought you were indestructible. Keto swore you spit nails and shit bricks.”
Arcan couldn’t help but grimace. Among his pride, he was the biggest and the most muscular. People had always assumed he was a physical trainer or a henchman for an organized crime family, when in reality he designed houses and buildings for a living.
“How did you find me?” Arcan’s voice came out like a growl. His throat was parched. A nurse entered and checked his temperature. He asked for water. The nurse refused flatly, stating that he’d just been downgraded from critical to stable, having survived a grueling surgical procedure. The doctor wasn’t allowing him to take anything by mouth. But he could chew on ice chips to moisten his palate. Arcan grudgingly agreed.
The nurse left.
“I followed the ambulance to the hospital. I waited for you during the surgery. You scared us all. Jennifer and Sarah have been texting me nonstop. You scared us all.”
“I’m fine.”
The nurse returned with a cup of ice chips. While Cole flirted with her, Arcan grabbed a handful of ice and munched on it. He felt thirstier afterward. The nurse scolded him when he asked for more ice chips.
“I have to ask the doctor first.” She edged towards the door. “If he allows it, I’ll come back with more.”
Cole tailed the nurse outside in a nonchalant manner and returned with a pitcher of ice water. “Screw the doctor,” he said, grinning. “What does he know about treating a shifter, huh?”
Arcan joined in the grin. He gulped down water directly from the pitcher until it was empty. Instantly, he felt much better. “Ugh.” He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “I think the painkiller or whatever shit they gave me messed up my system. If they patched me up without those shots, I’d have been fine. Doctors don’t understand supernatural physiology.”
K’stal shifters had remarkable healing abilities. Often, modern medicine only impeded the regeneration process. Food, water and plenty of rest were usually what a K’stal shifter needed when they were wounded.
“I forgot you’re sensitive to analgesics and aspirin.” Cole looked around and closed the door for privacy. He sat next to Arcan and talked in a hushed tone. “I actually arrived just as everyone heard gunshots. I was in the building lobby when it happened. Everyone was panicked, and then the security guards ran to the elevator. I went to the back of the building instead. I saw two vans with blacked-out windows serving as getaway vehicles, and about a dozen armed men in tactical suits stormed out. I didn’t see them carry your girl out, but I’m sure they have her. I couldn’t stay long; there was no place to hide.”
“You didn’t try to stop them?”
“Me and what army? And how was I supposed to stop them? By going lion? In the middle of the city with plenty of witnesses around?”
“Sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” Arcan blamed himself for his failure to protect Yazmina. He was worried about what they would do to her. “I’m useless. I couldn’t help her when she needed me the most.”
“Come on. Give yourself a break. It’s not your fault. You ain’t superhero.” Cole straightened his back. “Anyway, I followed the building manager to your apartment. We found you lying in a pool of blood. Honestly, Cuz, you had me worried back there; I thought you were dead.”
“Tch.” Arcan made a face. “Who do you think I am? A few bullets can’t kill me.”
Cole tutted in return. “Right. You’re lucky none of those bullets hit your vital organs. The building manager called the ambulance. The police were also involved. They want to ask you questions once you’re up.”
Arcan groaned. “I can’t
Cole studied him critically. “Thank God you finally came out of it. How do you feel?”
“Awful,” Arcan replied hoarsely. “I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck.”
“Hah!” Cole snickered. “I thought you were indestructible. Keto swore you spit nails and shit bricks.”
Arcan couldn’t help but grimace. Among his pride, he was the biggest and the most muscular. People had always assumed he was a physical trainer or a henchman for an organized crime family, when in reality he designed houses and buildings for a living.
“How did you find me?” Arcan’s voice came out like a growl. His throat was parched. A nurse entered and checked his temperature. He asked for water. The nurse refused flatly, stating that he’d just been downgraded from critical to stable, having survived a grueling surgical procedure. The doctor wasn’t allowing him to take anything by mouth. But he could chew on ice chips to moisten his palate. Arcan grudgingly agreed.
The nurse left.
“I followed the ambulance to the hospital. I waited for you during the surgery. You scared us all. Jennifer and Sarah have been texting me nonstop. You scared us all.”
“I’m fine.”
The nurse returned with a cup of ice chips. While Cole flirted with her, Arcan grabbed a handful of ice and munched on it. He felt thirstier afterward. The nurse scolded him when he asked for more ice chips.
“I have to ask the doctor first.” She edged towards the door. “If he allows it, I’ll come back with more.”
Cole tailed the nurse outside in a nonchalant manner and returned with a pitcher of ice water. “Screw the doctor,” he said, grinning. “What does he know about treating a shifter, huh?”
Arcan joined in the grin. He gulped down water directly from the pitcher until it was empty. Instantly, he felt much better. “Ugh.” He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “I think the painkiller or whatever shit they gave me messed up my system. If they patched me up without those shots, I’d have been fine. Doctors don’t understand supernatural physiology.”
K’stal shifters had remarkable healing abilities. Often, modern medicine only impeded the regeneration process. Food, water and plenty of rest were usually what a K’stal shifter needed when they were wounded.
“I forgot you’re sensitive to analgesics and aspirin.” Cole looked around and closed the door for privacy. He sat next to Arcan and talked in a hushed tone. “I actually arrived just as everyone heard gunshots. I was in the building lobby when it happened. Everyone was panicked, and then the security guards ran to the elevator. I went to the back of the building instead. I saw two vans with blacked-out windows serving as getaway vehicles, and about a dozen armed men in tactical suits stormed out. I didn’t see them carry your girl out, but I’m sure they have her. I couldn’t stay long; there was no place to hide.”
“You didn’t try to stop them?”
“Me and what army? And how was I supposed to stop them? By going lion? In the middle of the city with plenty of witnesses around?”
“Sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” Arcan blamed himself for his failure to protect Yazmina. He was worried about what they would do to her. “I’m useless. I couldn’t help her when she needed me the most.”
“Come on. Give yourself a break. It’s not your fault. You ain’t superhero.” Cole straightened his back. “Anyway, I followed the building manager to your apartment. We found you lying in a pool of blood. Honestly, Cuz, you had me worried back there; I thought you were dead.”
“Tch.” Arcan made a face. “Who do you think I am? A few bullets can’t kill me.”
Cole tutted in return. “Right. You’re lucky none of those bullets hit your vital organs. The building manager called the ambulance. The police were also involved. They want to ask you questions once you’re up.”
Arcan groaned. “I can’t
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