The others nodded and got up.One after the other, they filed out of the office, and Ulric sidled up to him."How's he doing?"
Rourke was about to snarl how his mate was doing was none of his concern, but he caught himself in time and squashed the impulse.Ezra was his mate in name only, and Ulric was right to be worried.He'd seen him bleed."I got him some food, and he was washing up when I left him."
Ulric nodded."I don't think he's a spy or whatever.I know Farkas is right to be concerned, but I can't see it."
Rourke couldn't either, but you had to be cautious around witches."I'll have him add me to the ward tomorrow.It alerts us when witches cross over?"
"Humans too, I think.Not entirely sure."
He'd ask Ezra."Okay."He clapped Ulric's shoulder."See you tomorrow."
Ulric nodded and slipped into his room as Rourke headed for his door.The room was dark, but he could hear teeth chattering.What the fuck?He hurried forward and took in the quivering form on the bed.
"Ezra?"He placed his hand on Ezra's shoulder.No reaction.His eyes were closed, a frown marring his forehead, and his teeth kept chattering.It wasn't cold in here.
An invisible hand squeezed his heart.What was wrong?"Ezra!"He shook him and got a groan in return.
Rourke touched his forehead.He was burning up.Shit.What did you do when someone had a fever?Shifters didn't get fevers, not unless they were gravely injured.
He pulled off his clothes down to his underwear and climbed into bed.Ezra was fully clothed.He allowed a low grown and reached for the button in his jeans.It was not comfortable sleeping in jeans, and skin-to-skin would warm him better.
When he got them unzipped and tugged, Ezra flailed.A distressed sound built in his throat, and he tried to push Rourke's hands away only to hiss as his cut palms curled around Rourke's wrists.
"Hey.It's me."Not the reassurance he'd believed it would be.Ezra pushed harder, and wetness spread on Rourke's skin before the scent of blood filled the room.
"Ezra.Stop."
He froze.
"I'm removing your jeans, so you can sleep more comfortably.Don't you have some pajama bottoms?"If he feared being without his clothes in bed, pajamas would help.
A small head shake.Right.Rourke would have to get him some pajamas.He tugged at the jeans and made sure his trunks stayed in place.Once he got Ezra's feet free of the fabric, he pulled off his socks too.It was not comfortable to sleep in socks.
"Are you sick?"He crept up his body and gathered him in his arms, pressing Ezra's back to his chest and covering as much of his backside as he could.Ezra was stiff as a board, still shaking, but the teeth chattering had stopped.
"No."
"This isn't a fever?"He was way warmer than he should be.
"Drained."
"Drained of what?"If he was drained of magic, he should've tapped into Rourke's power.It was how matings worked.You were linked to your mate.
"Bigger area than I've done before."
Rourke nodded.He didn't think Ezra was faking.He'd set up a magic barrier, it had taken a lot of him to do it, and now he was suffering the consequences.But why hadn't he taken energy from Rourke?They were mated.
"Try to sleep."He tucked Ezra tighter against him, more or less covering his much smaller body with his own.
* * * *
Ezra woke to a loud bang, then he was pushed into the mattress and a growl filled the darkness.Every hair on his body stood on end.
The light clicked on, and Ulric hurried toward the bed dressed in nothing but underwear.Rourke flew to his knees, dark claws gleaming on his hands.
"Ezra."Ulric ground to a stop several steps from the bed, ignoring the snarling in-between monster crouched over Ezra."Look."He held his arms up and every hair stood on end, gooseflesh covering his entire body, and Ezra noticed he too had clawed hands.
"What's happening?"Ulric peeled his lips back and showed off sharp teeth.The breath stuttered in Ezra's chest, and a whimper escaped him.Monsters.He'd known, but they'd shown a civil side so far.He tried to scurry backward, tried to get away, but he was a powerless witch in a room full of nightmarish creatures.
