Burn

by Belinda McBride

“Nah, I think they were just mean bastards. I flagged them down for help. They thought it was funny to pretend to be Good Samaritans then beat the shit out of me.” He swallowed hard. “I’m not healing, Rion.”

  He knew. By now, the small cuts should be gone. The bruising should be yellow and green—ugly, but a sign of healing.

  “You will. It’s just slow because you’re so badly hurt. It’s good, really. The bones need to be set straight.” Normally, they’d heal, but severe fractures still needed setting. Truthfully, Rion was baffled. Why wasn’t Rex healing?

  “Looks like the two of you need some help.”

  Rion was so startled he slammed his head into the roof of the car, bringing an awkward smile to Rex’s face.

  “My friend is hurt. Badly, I think.” He backed out of the car door and looked at a small figure in a white coat. She was pretty, plump and clearly Native American. Her dark hair was pulled back in a braid, and she wore round glasses that echoed the shape of her face. “Are you the doctor?”

  “No, the night doc isn’t here yet, she’s running a little late. I’m Cynthia. I’m it for now.” The little tag on her scrubs stated that Cynthia W. was an RN. Her calm competence eased the panic that had followed Rion for hours now.

  She pushed past him and looked down at Rex. “So what happened to you?” She flicked a pen light over his eyes, checking his pupils. “Looks like someone doesn’t like you much.”

  “Car wreck. Then a truckload of guys that didn’t like my looks.” Again, he gave that lopsided grin that pulled at Rion’s heart.

  “Okay. Well, let’s get you to an exam room and get started.” She backed out of the car with much less effort than it had taken Rion. “I’ll get his X-rays and blood work started. That’ll speed things up once Doc Gastineau gets here.”

  Over her shoulder, Rion caught Rex’s expression.

  “No tests, please.”

  The nurse looked at Rex and looked at Rion for confirmation.

  “It’s against his religion.”

  “Oh.” She was annoyed. She turned back to Rex. “You understand that we can’t treat you if we don’t know what’s wrong.”

  “Yes, he knows.” That brought her back around to Rion. “Please respect his wishes. As Rex has often told me, there were healers long before there were centrifuges and electricity.”

  She sighed. “I guess that’s true enough.” She spared a dark look for Rex. “It’s just so much easier.” Cynthia headed through the double doors of the clinic. Within a moment, she returned with a gurney. “I’ll need your help to move him. I think he’s too busted up to put in a wheelchair.” She lifted a bundle from the gurney, producing a cervical collar. She crawled into the rear of the car, deftly securing Rex’s neck. After several moments of manipulation, they managed to move him onto the gurney. Rion was impressed with her skills at moving the injured man. She must have read his expression.

  “I was an EMT before I was a nurse. Did ambulance duty for years.”

  She moved Rex into an exam room and busied Rion with paperwork.

  “Can I at least examine him?” she asked.

  Rion nodded absently. He dug into his wallet and produced a credit card. They had no health insurance. Since when did an immortal need health insurance? He scanned the other boxes on the form.

  Spouse? No. Next of Kin? None. Rex’s mother had vanished over a century ago. Domestic Partner? He nibbled the pen. They’d never filed, not seeing any need to. Now he changed his mind. As soon as possible, he’d look into it. The laws were constantly evolving. He checked the No box and moved on to the health history. It was every bit as mystifying as the rest. Rion had never heard of most of the conditions listed on the paper.

  “Is it all right if I check his vitals?”

  Rion looked up and caught Rex nodding.

  “Yes, that’s all right, just no invasive diagnostics or treatment.”

  She grumbled something and turned away, pulling a thermometer from a drawer.

  Rion jumped when a buzzer sounded.

  “We lock up after dark. It’s either a patient or the doctor coming in.”

  “Doesn’t she have a key?”

  The nurse shot him a look. One that made him feel much smaller than he really was.

  “Yes, she has a key. The buzzer just lets me know she’s here. I don’t like being taken by surprise.”

  The little nurse bustled out of the door and Rion got up, pulling a rolling stool to the gurney where Rex remained. He ran a gentle hand through the Sidhe’s sticky curls, then traced the arched line of his dark eyebrow.

  “You’re a mess.”

  Rex didn’t open his eyes but gave a crooked smile. “Your touch feels good. Don’t stop.” His lips were still dry and parched. Rion gently stroked his eyebrow, trailing his finger down to his jaw.

  “What treatment can you safely take? You’re dehydrated, they can help that.”

  “Just bone setting and stitching, if need be. If we were in the Other Place—” Rex swallowed hard. They hadn’t been to his Sidhe home in over a decade. He opened his reddened eyes and the sadness there was painful to see.

  “I’ll take you, Rex. You’ll heal there, won’t you?”

  “Aye. But the nearest gateway is far from here, Rion. And now we don’t have a vehicle that can make the trip.”

  “We shouldn’t have settled so far away from a portal.”

  Rex brought up a hand and weakly rested it on Rion’s cheek. “You’re so beautiful…even when you hide yourself…” His hand slipped away and Rion clasped it, holding on tightly. “In hindsight, it wasn’t a good idea to move so far, but the portals are so few, and we can’t keep hovering near them.”

  There was one in the Wasatch Mountains, and another in the dark heart of San Francisco’s Chinatown. The last one they’d used had been in the empty plains of Nebraska. Rion knew there must be others.

  “Do you remember, last time we were home…”

  “Carly.” Rion smiled and finished for him. Carly had been Rion’s first lover. She’d taught him about lovemaking. She’d also taught him that sometimes it was better to remember pain than to forget it through bliss. Her particular gift was to bestow forgetfulness on those in pain. Her particular curse was that her lovers tended to forget her once they left her presence.

  She’d been their sometime lover, and Rion thought she loved them merely because they remembered her.

  “I’ll take you home, Rex. I’ll rent a car and we’ll get you there.” Gently, he kissed Rex, tasting salt and dirt and the tang of blood.

  The Sidhe started to take a breath then it caught on a cough. “Damn.” He swallowed. “Broken ribs, I’d say.”

  “Isn’t it nice that you can diagnose yourself?”

  Rion straightened at the new voice. When Rex’s eyes went wide, he turned and nearly froze in his tracks.

  “I’m Doctor Gastineau. My nurse tells me you refuse diagnostics and treatment.”

  Under her white coat she wore form-fitting blue jeans on endlessly long legs. Her white lab coat was parted to reveal a deep-red, scooped-neck blouse. A heavy necklace of intricately worked silver rested around her throat, draping down to her chest. She was lean, but curved in all the right spots.

  It was her face, though, that held his attention. Jet-black hair was pulled back in a severe braid similar to Cynthia’s, but her face was stark in its beauty. Not a trace of makeup touched her skin, yet she glowed, her honey skin flawless. Her dark eyes followed the high slope of her cheekbones. Her full red lips were meant for laughter and kissing, but were now set in a stern expression. Rex’s hand tightened on his, until his grip was nearly painful.

  “Nothing personal, Dr. Gastineau. It’s the way he was raised.”

  She simply pursed her lips and moved to the side of the bed opposite Rion.

  “You aren’t his registered domestic partner or his spouse. I’m very sorry, but the patient will have to speak for himself.”

  “He’s correct. I’ll accept a p
hysical exam and bone setting. Stitching, if it’s needed. I was raised in a family of natural healers, so I’ll attend my own treatment once I’m home.”

  Saying nothing, she merely checked his pulse and began to examine him, drawing grunts of pain as she probed for various injuries.

  “Cynthia, we’ll need to cut away his pants.” The shirt had fallen into tatters and pulled easily from his body. Rion stood back as the nurse cut away Rex’s ragged jeans. His remaining tennis shoe came off easily.

  The break in Rex’s left leg made him swallow hard. The bone hadn’t broken through, but the bulge of the break against skin looked freakish and painful. Dr. Gastineau carefully examined the injury, her fingers gentle, though her expression was serious.

  “This is bad. I’d really prefer to see what’s here before I try to set it.” She stood up and folded her arms. “You were right about the ribs. At least two on the left side are fractured. Your left clavicle is probably broken as well. You’re bleeding internally. You may have a minor concussion, though your pupils are equal.”

  Rex swallowed hard, visibly nauseated from the pain of the exam. “Then go ahead and strap the ribs and arm. And set the leg as best you can.”

  “Look, Mr. Clark, you’re in bad shape all around. You really need to be on fluids. Hell, you need to be in the hospital having surgery. I can do so much, but you’re making me work blind here.”

  For the first time, Rion could see stress around her eyes. He frowned in a bit of surprise. Lovely, yes, but not as mind-numbingly beautiful as she’d been when he’d first seen her. He wondered if stress had affected the way he’d initially perceived her.

  “Rex, it’s just your leg, surely an X-ray wouldn’t be so bad?”

  Or would it? Would the lower part of his spine show? His tail? The break was below the knee.

  Rex looked weary. Shock was setting in. “Doctor, it’s like asking a Catholic to use birth control—or a Mormon to drink a beer.”

  “I know Mormons who drink.” Cynthia had seemingly had enough of the stand-off. “Let’s go.” She released the brake on the gurney, getting it ready to move.

  “Doesn’t he have to sign a consent first?” Rion remained in the room, watching the women maneuver the gurney. Finally, he followed, relief warring with fear.

  “I’ll have to ask you to stay back from the X-ray suite, Mister…”

  “Hunter. Orion Hunter.”

  The doctor stood very still for a moment. “That’s an unusual name.” Suddenly she was in motion again. “Cynthia, go ahead and get him to sign off on the X-ray.”

  The nurse nodded, but Rion didn’t miss the hidden anger on her face. She didn’t like the doctor.

  They vanished into the X-ray suite, leaving Rion standing in the hall alone. Exhausted, he leaned back against a wall and sighed, relieved that someone else was taking charge, even if only for a few moments.

  Chapter Four

  Noemi really hated disturbing him, the poor man had literally fallen asleep on his feet. He was leaning against a wall and visibly jerked at the sound of her voice. “Orion? Mr. Hunter?”

  The eyes that fluttered open were impossibly blue, deep and haunted. Odd, normally white men with blue eyes didn’t seem mysterious to her. But he was. And his love for the other man was painfully obvious. It made her aware of the little hollow spot in her chest where a heart should live. Not the beating muscle, but the warmth of love for others.

  It had been many years since Noemi had felt love for another. She’d been too busy surviving. First it had been the death of her mother, then medical school.

  And then other things.

  A slight twist of guilt ran through her. The reservation wasn’t considered federal lands, but her ethics as a doctor still demanded that she obey the wishes of the patient, even if their wishes put them at further risk. In her opinion, her patient wasn’t in the proper frame of mind to make medical decisions for himself, and legally, his lover didn’t have the right to sign off on a procedure.

  “Mr. Hunter…let’s sit down.” She led him to a lounge with a little round table. It was actually for staff use, but she didn’t want to bother taking him back out to the waiting room.

  He sat, his face heavy with exhaustion and fear. God, but he was a gorgeous man. Even with shadowed eyes and a weary face, he was as near perfection as could be. His oval face was sculpted, with high cheekbones and a strong jaw balancing each other. His nose was straight and strong. He probably had the most beautifully kissable lips she’d ever seen on a man.

  She blinked, shocked at the arousal rising in her belly, ashamed that she was lusting for this man who was already so clearly in love. He looked steadily at her, waiting for her to speak.

  “I’ve stitched up the cuts that needed attention and did butterfly bandages on others. I’ve also strapped his ribs. He’ll need to keep his arm in a sling… Maybe six to eight weeks for the rib and the collarbone.”

  He blinked and she realized that he was also in shock. Now Noemi began to worry in earnest. How would this man manage the drive to a motel? The nearest she was aware of was at least twenty miles away, if they were even open.

  “Mr. Hunter…”

  “Rion. Call me Rion.”

  “Rion, he really should have a surgeon look at that leg. I understand his objections, so I’ve agreed to set it, but it’s going to be incredibly painful.”

  Rion turned his head toward the exam rooms. His profile was straight and classical. His dark-red hair was pulled back in a thick braid that dropped just past his shoulders. When he looked at her, she blinked in surprise.

  “What are you asking?”

  “He passed out. I’m asking your permission to put him on an IV and get him sedated before I try to set the leg. He’s broken both the tibia and the fibula.”

  “You bullied him into an X-ray that he didn’t want. Now you want me to give you permission to do something else he’s refused?” He lifted an elegant, arched eyebrow. Noemi flushed with embarrassment.

  “He’s in shock. Shock can kill, Rion. I just want to support his health the best I can. I do respect his beliefs—”

  “Do you?” Rion stood, and though she was fairly tall, he towered over her. “If he’s unconscious, let’s get the leg set. When he wakes up, ask him again about the IV. If you explain what’s in it, he’ll probably accept it. But don’t try to talk me into taking his choice from him.”

  Noemi felt fatigue flow over her. It was early to be so tired, but she hadn’t adapted well to sleeping during the day. And now she was wrestling with an uncooperative patient, his obstinate lover and her always difficult nurse all at the same time. She reached up and fingered the pendant she wore on a leather loop around her neck. Even under the nubby fabric of her shirt, it brought a familiar sense of comfort and safety.

  This night felt off. Strange.

  “Can I come in while you do it? He might want me there afterward.”

  Good, the man wasn’t afraid to witness pain. She nodded and led the way out of the door to the small room where they did minor surgical procedures. Cynthia had cleaned up the mess left from cleaning and suturing the man. Noemi stood next to him, briefly checking his pulse.

  He appeared to be sleeping but she wasn’t sure.

  “Mr. Clark? Rex?”

  Impossibly thick, dark lashes fluttered open. She glanced up at the other man and noted he was similarly blessed.

  Why was it that men always had the best hair and lashes? Well, they had male pattern baldness too, so she shouldn’t complain.

  “I’m going to set your leg. Before I begin, I want to ask again if you’ll take something for pain.”

  “No. Thanks.” His dehydration had her nearly as concerned as the leg.

  “An IV? Saline only, for the dehydration. No medicine.”

  “It’s just fluid, Rex. Nothing else.”

  She watched as their gazes locked. So much communication there. The patient looked at her.

  “Okay. Just saline.”

>   She didn’t bother to call the nurse. Noemi expertly inserted the needle into his arm, starting the life-giving hydration. Okay. One more hurdle out of the way. Cynthia would be pissed, but frankly, she was a bit rough with needles in general. Noemi would rather do it herself.

  Briefly, she explained the procedure and the risks, and called Cynthia join her. “I won’t put a plaster cast on right now. There’s a risk of swelling, so we’ll use a boot instead.”

  Eventually there was no more busy work, no more prep. Rion Hunter stood at the patient’s head while Cynthia stood ready to help. Noemi took a few deep breaths and touched the patient’s hot, swollen leg.

  She worked in silence and, for the most part, Rex tolerated the pain quite well as she manipulated the bones into position. Now that his face was clean, she saw his skin was tanned, though he’d gone sickly pale. His bruises and injuries stood out in stark contrast. His companion was white as a sheet.

  Finally she finished, but continued manipulating his leg. She kept one hand steady under his muscled calf, calling up every reserve of energy she had.

  Normally, Noemi would never use healing on a patient in front of others, but Cynthia had left the room and the redhead was focused on his lover. She didn’t dare channel all of her energy to the injury, just enough to assure herself that the nerves and vessels were cleanly joined.

  At the moment, it was the best she could do.

  “My leg burns.” Rex loosened his good hand, reaching down toward his leg.

  “I’m sure it’s just the circulation returning. The pain will let up soon.” She turned and found Cynthia waiting with the splint, a speculative expression on her face. Had she seen? Noemi set that concern aside as they began bracing his leg.

  “Not bad burning, not really. It’s just odd.”

  She didn’t look up at him. He really shouldn’t have felt anything, they never did. From the corner of her eye, she saw Rion watching her. He was astute. He came off as naïve, but Noemi was uncomfortably aware that he saw far too much. Had they noticed her funneling energy into Rex’s wounded leg?

  Once they were finished, she and Cynthia easily transferred him from the gurney to the bed in the other exam room.