“We could have told you he was brain damaged and saved you all the hassle,” Chase said, but I was busy watching Trey. I could hear the argument building up in his head before he opened his mouth. He hated hospitals. He had things to do, and the fans would worry ... the list went on and on.
“I think that’s a good idea,” I cut in before he could start. Trey blinked at me, confused. “It’s always better to be safe than sorry,” I added. Then silently I projected my real reason into his mind. Two of those vamps are still out there. Can you think of a safer place to be right now than this hospital? Trey frowned, but didn’t argue. They’re giving you the royal treatment, I added. Enjoy it for a while. “Thank you Dr. Hyatt,” I said. “We appreciate everything you’re doing to take care of Trey.”
“You’re welcome,” he said, smiling. Then he let himself out of the room, but I heard Karen talking to him in the hallway. She was asking for an update on Trey. I hadn’t realized she was still here.
Your biggest fan is still here, I projected for Trey. She’s in the hallway trying to find out how you’re doing.
He smiled, and silently responded, Will you ask her to come in?
Chase started asking Trey about his arm as I made my way over to the door and pulled it open. Karen was standing in the hallway looking relieved as Dr. Hyatt walked away from her. She turned to look at me as I stepped out.
“Hey,” she said, smiling.
“Hey,” I answered back. “I’m glad you’re still here. Trey would like to see you.”
Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. “I ... he ... really?”
I nodded, grinning. “Come on.” I opened the door wide enough for her to step in with me and she took a few timid steps. Apparently, she’d been in paramedic mode earlier, but now all of that had fallen away, and she was as star-struck as anyone.
Chapter 11
Aurora
“THERE SHE IS,” TREY called out to Karen as I closed the door behind us. “My hero.” Karen covered her open mouth with her hand as she stared into the faces of O’Shea, Jonas and Chase. “Guys, meet Karen –EMT extraordinaire,” Trey said. “She took care of me in the ambulance.” Trey pointed to the place on his wrist where the IV needle was and said, “See this? That’s her fine work.”
“Seriously?” Chase asked, stepping up to introduce himself to her.
“I’m sorry you had to put up with our singer,” O’Shea said apologetically. “He can be a real pain in the-”
“Hello? I can hear you,” Trey called from the bed. Karen laughed, still in shock at being surrounded by her favorite band. I smiled and went to Trey’s side again, enjoying the swirl of thoughts running through Karen’s head as the guys took turns hugging her and thanking her for taking care of Trey. Finally Karen made her way over to Trey.
“Thank you doesn’t seem like nearly enough,” Trey said, reaching out his good hand to her.
She took it and smiled. “I was just doing my job. Besides, I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“Hey, do you have your phone or something?” I asked her. “I can take a picture of you all.”
“Yeah, gather round guys,” Trey said. Karen handed me her phone and stood between Trey’s bed and O’Shea while Jonas and Chase went to the other side of the bed. I snapped a few shots on the phone’s camera and handed it back to her. There was another knock on the door and it opened. This time, it was Neon poking his head in.
“Hey, things can’t be too bad if we’re having a party in the hospital room,” he said, walking in.
“I’m good, Neon,” Trey assured him. “Just a little banged up.”
Neon approached his bed slowly, not really looking convinced as he took in all the wires, tubes and monitors. “If you say so, man.”
Trey grinned at him, and Neon seemed to relax a little. He looked up at me and said, “You really meant it when you said these guys were going to make me earn my paycheck. One week in, and, already, one of you is in the hospital.” That was when he took a closer look at Karen and her paramedic’s uniform.
“Neon, meet Karen,” Trey said. “She brought me in on the ambulance.”
“Good to meet you,” Neon said, shaking Karen’s hand. “You’re the one I should be asking questions.”
“It sounds like he’s going to be fine,” Karen said. “He’ll be on his way out of here tomorrow evening, if everything goes well.”
Neon took a deep breath, watching Trey. “I got here as fast as I could,” he said to him, but I sensed there was something he wasn’t saying. I reached into his mind, unable to stand the suspense. My nerves couldn’t take anymore tonight. It only took a glimpse to see what he meant. I reached over and picked up the television remote from the bedside table and turned on the local news.
Everyone turned to watch as a reporter said, “Clearwater’s own Trey Decker, front man for the band Catalyst, was taken to the hospital by ambulance tonight after wrapping his car around a pole.” Video footage of Trey’s Mazda with steam pouring up out of the crumpled hood showed on the screen. O’Shea swore at the sight of Trey’s car, but no one else spoke as the reporter continued. “Decker’s girlfriend was also a passenger in the car but reportedly escaped the incident without serious injury. Doctors at Morton Plant Hospital are reporting that Decker’s condition is stable for now.” The footage changed to a photo of the front of the hospital. “Police are calling it an accident. There’s no word yet whether the crash was drug or alcohol related.” That last line made Trey’s blood pressure rise.
“Don’t worry,” Jonas said to him. “I’m sure the doctors ran drug tests as part of procedure.”
“They better have,” Trey said. “They took about a gallon of blood from my arm.”
“They’ll release the results when they have them,” Karen offered. “That’ll clear things up.” Trey put his head in his hand, sighing. “Hey, don’t worry,” Karen said to him. “Confidentiality or not, I would never go out and talk about this with anyone.”
“Screw confidentiality,” Trey said. “I’d prefer people hear the story from someone who knows rather than to speculate.”
“That’s true,” Neon added. “It would be just fine with me if you posted that picture you were taking when I walked in on Twitter and Facebook.”
“Even if it’s not my best shot,” Trey teased with a straight face, making me smile.
“Our fans know better than to believe you’d be reckless enough to endanger yourself and Aurora like that, anyway,” O’Shea said. “Who cares what anyone else thinks.”
Trey nodded, but he didn’t look completely satisfied.
“I’m going to get out of here,” Karen said. She turned to Trey again and said, “I’m really glad you’re okay.”
“Neon’s going to put your name on the list for our shows. If you feel like coming out, you’ll be in the front row,” he said.
“Consider it done,” Neon chimed in, typing adamantly on his phone.
“Thanks,” she said, and the guys all said goodbye before she let herself out.
I pulled my phone from my pocket and sent Antonio a text, updating him on Trey’s condition. “Looks like we’re going to be moving back the video shoot,” Neon said, more to himself than anyone.
“No,” Trey said quickly.
Neon’s eyebrows shot up as he looked at him. “What? You think you’re going to be shooting a video in four nights in this condition?”
“Yes,” Trey said defiantly. “And more. Nothing has to change.” Then he paused, like he’d just realized how crazy he must sound. “I mean, I’ll make it work.”
“Trey,” O’Shea cut in. “No one expects you-”
“I do,” Trey interrupted. “We’ve worked too hard to screw up our whole schedule now. Besides, the fans are counting on us.”
“Shoulder injuries can take a while to heal,” Chase piped in. “When I messed mine up playing football in high school it took like ten weeks and lots of physical therapy to feel better. It’s still not a hundred percent some
days. You know that.”
Trey sighed, but he couldn’t explain what he was thinking. Not really. He knew that he’d be completely fine in a few days once I changed him, but he couldn’t just say that.
“Promise me you won’t cancel the shoot,” he said to Neon, his voice practically pleading. “Nothing changes.” Then Trey turned to look at O’Shea. “Promise me. Everything we had planned for this week stays on the calendar. Everything.”
O’Shea looked at him long and hard. I was tempted to give a little mental poke to see what the silent communication between them was, but I was trying to establish some boundaries with the whole mind-reading thing. Man, I had really picked a bad time to start that. O’Shea finally gave a slight nod, and Trey looked at Neon. Neon studied him carefully, seeing the raw determination in his eyes. The video shoot was scheduled before the full moon, which meant that Trey would still be human for it. That also meant his shoulder would still be messed up. I wasn’t sure how he expected to pull it off, but he’d obviously made up his mind about going through with it anyway.
“I have a friend who is a doctor at this hospital,” I added in Trey’s defense. “He’s just out of town today, but I’ll have him clear Trey to do the video before you shoot it.”
Neon didn’t look convinced, but he apparently couldn’t come up with a good argument to my reasoning. “Okay,” he agreed. “I’ll leave it alone for now.”
“Maybe we should let you get some rest,” O’Shea said to Trey. “I’ll swing by and take Cowboy back to my place for the night. Do you need anything?”
Trey shook his head. “Thanks, man.”
O’Shea turned his gaze on me. “What about you? Kacie and I could make a trip to your place and grab whatever you need.”
“Thanks,” I said to him, smiling. “I think I’m okay for the night.” I had a vivid mental image of O’Shea raiding my refrigerator and finding a blood bag.
“If you’re sure,” he said, coming over to give me another hug. This time I didn’t hesitate, finding comfort in his touch. I could definitely get used to this hugging thing. “If you think of anything, just call, okay?”
“I promise,” I said.
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” O’Shea said to Trey. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
“That’s a lot to ask,” Trey said. “There’s a rumor floating around about a wicked wheel chair race in the halls.”
O’Shea rolled his eyes and headed out the door to find Kacie. Everyone else said their goodbyes, and soon, Trey and I were alone in the room.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked him as I sat on the edge of the hospital bed.
He squeezed my hand, his blue eyes staring into mine. “I’m sure,” he said. “It could have been worse.” He glanced down at his arm resting in a sling and then looked back up at me, raising his eyebrows. “At least I know I’ll get to bypass the lengthy and painful recovery,” he said, grinning. “No physical therapy for me.” I couldn’t help but smile back at him. “Everyone seems to be buying our story,” he said after a moment.
“You’re a better actor than you give yourself credit for.”
“I hate lying to them, but it’s the only way to keep them safe.” He was right. No one could understand it better than me. I’d spent most of our relationship lying to Trey to try to protect him. “Are you okay?” he asked, lifting my chin so I had to meet his gaze.
I nodded. “Don’t worry about me.”
“I’ll decide,” he said, but his eyes were smiling. “I’m sorry you had to do that today,” he said softly. “Kill another vampire.”
“I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe,” I said, resting my hand on his chest and feeling the monitor electrodes and the wires there. “Besides, he had it coming.” I didn’t have to say it for him to know what I was thinking. Those vampires had broken Wes’s neck, and I had broken one of theirs in return. We were on the same page about that.
Chapter 12
Trey
I SHIFTED MY WEIGHT on the hospital bed, trying to lean closer to Aurora. She looked really shaken up, and who could blame her?
“You don’t have to be okay, you know?” I said, watching as she bit her bottom lip. “No one expects you to be.”
“I wasn’t,” she admitted at last. She still wasn’t used to being so open, even with me, but I was patient. “For a while there, I thought I might actually lose you.” Her piercing green eyes met mine and the worry in them was heartbreaking.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I assured her for the second time tonight. “I’m not letting a few blood-thirsty vamps stop me from making a music video this week, let alone take me out for good.” I smiled, trying to lighten the mood.
She sniffled and her lips curved into a knock-out smile, despite everything. “You need to call your mom,” she urged. “She’ll freak out if she sees this on TV.”
“You’re right,” I said, hoping it wasn’t too late. Aurora handed me my phone and I dialed my mom’s number. She answered on the fourth ring, and I tried to sound as normal and nonchalant as possible. “Hey mom, it’s me. I know it’s getting late. Sorry if I woke you.”
“Trey,” Mom said. “I was just getting ready for bed. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, mom. I’m fine, really. I have something to tell you, though. I just didn’t want you to see it on E! News first.”
“Oh, no ... What happened?”
“Aurora and I were in a little accident, but we’re both okay.”
“An accident? What kind of accident?”
I don’t know why I thought I could minimize the situation. That never works with moms. “I crashed my car,” I said, rubbing my face with my hand. “But I’m fine, really.”
“A car crash? Oh, honey! Have you seen a doctor?”
“Yeah, mom. I’m at the hospital right now. I sort of dislocated my shoulder in the accident. They already popped it back in for me. I’ll be good as new in no time.”
“Oh, my goodness,” she said softly. “Are you really okay?”
“I’m fine,” I assured her.
“What about Aurora? Is she hurt?”
“She walked away without a scratch.”
“Is she right there? Can I talk to her?”
“Yeah. Hold on.” I offered the phone to Aurora, knowing she’d heard both sides of the entire conversation and there was no need to explain.
Aurora smiled and took the phone, holding it to her ear. “Hi, Kate,” she said, making her voice light and casual. “Yes, I’m fine.... Trey’s going to be fine, too. We were lucky ... The doctors here are taking great care of him ... He’s getting the celebrity treatment, so we’re going to spend the night just as a precaution ... Yes, I promise we’ll call you again tomorrow and let you know what’s going on ... I’ll let you talk to him again. Here he is.”
She handed me back the phone, and I was hoping Mom would hear the smile in my tone when I spoke. “I told you everything is okay,” I said.
“I just worry about you,” Mom replied. “Just because you’re all grown up doesn’t mean I don’t get to worry.”
“I know, Mom. I’ll be fine, though. I’ve got Aurora here and the rest of the guys. Get some sleep, and we’ll talk again tomorrow.”
“Okay,” she said. “You get some rest now. Take care of yourself. I love you.”
“I love you, too, Mom.” Mom hung up, and I set my phone down on the bed. Just then the hospital room door opened, and a nurse came inside.
“How are you feeling, Mr. Decker?” she asked as she approached.
“It’s just Trey,” I said to her. “And I’m doing okay. Thanks.”
“I just need to check your vitals and get them in the chart,” she said.
Aurora slid off the edge of the bed, and I reacted by reaching for her. “I’m just going to clean up a little,” she said, gesturing to the bathroom. “Be right back.”
I nodded and let my head fall back against the pillow, taking a deep breath. The nurse pushed a few buttons
on the monitor at my bedside, and the cuff on my arm inflated again. She took some notes on my chart and asked about the pain in my shoulder.
“It’s bearable,” I told her, giving her my most convincing million-dollar smile.
She grinned at me and wrote something else down. Then she said, “You’re really causing a scene here at the hospital.” I was pretty sure it was amusement I detected in her tone.
“What do you mean?”
“There are several news crews outside, and the paparazzi are snapping shots and bothering every doctor that walks through the front doors.”
I sighed. “I’m really sorry about that. The photogs can be a big pain in the-”
“No need to apologize to me.” She cut me off, smiling. “I’ll be the favorite aunt when my niece hears that I met you. She’s a big fan of your music.”
I couldn’t help but grin at her. “I’d be happy to sign something for her.”
“Oh no, I couldn’t ask you to do that.”
I raised an eyebrow at her. “You’re not asking. I’m offering. Besides, it’s the least I can do to repay you for taking such excellent care of me. And you’re in luck, my writing hand is still in working order.”
She almost blushed and then shrugged. “Well, okay then. I guess you could sign my scrub top.” She dug in her pocket and pulled out a marker, pulling the lid off and leaning down for me to reach her sleeve. I signed my name in big letters across it and gave the marker back to her.
“She’ll probably sleep in it every night,” she said as she eyed the signature. “You have no idea what this will mean to her.”
Aurora came out of the bathroom then, her hands washed clean of my drying blood. You’d never have known by looking at her that she’d just been in a car accident. She always looked perfectly put together. I still wasn’t sure if that was purely a vamp quality or if it was just another one of those Aurora things.
Immortals And Melodies (Blood And Guitars #2) Page 6
