“Ira, hop out,” Storm said. “Let’s lay him out. Someone will have to dig the bullet out.”
That didn’t sound good. Nathan tried to open his mouth and speak, but nothing came out. He wasn’t sure he even moved. A car door opened, and a cool breeze touched his skin. Hands tugged him to lay flat, and the movement sent pain up his abdomen and all the way down to his knee. He groaned.
“I know, baby, I know. Just hang on.”
“God, that’s a lot of blood.” He recognized that voice, too. It was Luke.
“Luke, go around and hold his arms down. This is going to hurt, and he might react.”
“Are you sure you want to be the one to do this?” Ira asked.
“Yeah. I’ll make it as quick and painless as I can.”
“St…”Storm, he tried to say. “P…”Please.
“I’m here, sunshine. Here we go. Try to hold still.”
Pain lit up his side. There was a weight on his legs, hands on his arms. He tensed, but he couldn’t shake any of it. A choked sound left him. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t unlock his body enough to expand his lungs. He was dying, this was what dying felt like, and it hurt hurthurt.
It seemed to go on forever, until his head swirled and everything faded. And then…
“I’ve got it!”
Some of the pain faded—enough that he was able to breathe—and he blinked his eyes open, panting.
“Storm,” he breathed. “Storm.”
“Here, sunshine.” Storm leaned over him, a knee wedged between Nathan’s legs.
“Give him your blood now, hurry,” Ira said. “And be prepared for him to pass out. He lost a lot of blood, but if you give him yours it’ll help him recover.”
Storm’s hands guided his fuzzy gaze to his. His jaw flexed, and then he sealed their lips together, pressing his tongue inside Nathan’s mouth. A strangely sweet liquid filled his mouth, and he swallowed reflexively. Incrementally, his mind began to clear, the darkness around the edges of his vision faded, and he felt more grounded in reality. He raised a hand to cup the back of Storm’s head, kissing him back properly.
When Storm parted, he studied Nathan’s face intently for a moment, and then smiled. He glanced down at the bullet wound and hummed.
“Wonderful. It’s closing up.”
“It is?” Nathan asked, letting his head fall back onto the seat.
“Yeah. Think you can sit up? We need to get you home. We’re still too close to the guild.”
“They won’t come after us right now.” His tongue felt too large, causing him to slur. “Too many dead. Too much damage. They have to pick up the pieces.”
“Still. I’d rather you pass out in a bed.”
“Bed would be nice,” Luke added from the backseat.
Nathan sighed. Sitting up would take monumental effort. He held out his hands. “Help.”
Storm pulled him upright, and he sagged, his head swirling.
“Scoot into the middle. You can lean over on me.”
Nathan glanced around the truck as he scooted over. Malachi, Luke, and Wolf sat in the backseat. Ira climbed into the passenger seat, offering him a reassuring smile, and Storm took the wheel once more. His beefy shoulder looked far too inviting to resist. He leaned over—and knew no more.
Chapter23
Storm
