I didn't mind. I let it all hang out in the comfort of my own home. Work was all business mode.
Except theOmegas Illustratedmagazine.
My pager beeped loudly. I tossed the magazine down and checked the message. A new patient had just come in and one of my nurses was asking for me.
I stood up, made sure my demonic extremities were still tucked away, then dashed into the hall. Despite my cool attitude, I took my job seriously.
"What's the situation?" I asked my nurse, Deb, when I caught up with her.
Deb pulled out a clipboard. "A group of passersby found this man on the sidewalk. According to his ID, he's Miguel Sanchez, age 32."
"Was he taking a nap on the sidewalk, or...?"
Deb rolled her eyes. I could tell by her tone of voice that the patient's situation wasn't serious, so I felt comfortable making a little joke, but she was always the straight man. Or woman.
"Very funny, doctor. According to the people who brought him in, he slipped and fell on ice."
I frowned. For humans, slipping during the cold months was a quick way to end up injured.
That made things more complicated. I felt both exasperation and sympathy. Why couldn't humans take better care of themselves? They were already so delicate.
I put my hand to the door. "All right, let's see what we have here..."
Miguel was asleep. His tousled black hair hadn't seen a haircut in a while, and his long black lashes lay against his chubby cheeks. His gorgeous brown skin contrasted with the stark white of the hospital bed. Thick hair dusted his arms, and I was sure that a similar coat of hair trailed on other parts of his body. On top of all that, he was utterly adorable.
And unimaginably sexy in a way no other patient had been to me before.
I couldn't breathe while looking at him.
Uh oh.
To try and shake the feeling, I shut my eyes tightly, then opened them again.
The same thing happened.
It was official: Miguel took my breath away.
My heart fluttered strangely, like a worm was crawling around in my chest.
"Dr. Daemen?"
Deb's voice yanked me back to reality. I was a doctor and Miguel was my patient.
I wondered briefly is Miguelwashuman because I'd never had a reaction like this to a patient before. Ever. Was he some kind of angel? Or another demon in disguise?
Oh hell, was he here to challenge me to ritual combat for healing humans instead of torturing them?
Okay, now I'm being ridiculous.
I strode towards Miguel's bedside. He was fast asleep, and adorable as he did so. My hand twitched, wanting to stroke his soft-looking, peach-fuzz covered cheek. But I didn't. Because petting a patient's cheek in front of my nurse would be fucking weird.
I put on the most professional face I could muster and glanced at Miguel's chart. Cuteness aside, Miguel needed help, and I would administer that help to the best of my ability.
"Deb, can you run these tests for me, please?" I asked.
"Right away, doctor."
I smiled down at Miguel's slumbering form. That fluttering sensation in my chest never faded. It was no use denying it. I knew there was only one explanation for this feeling.
