“Ginnungagap?” he asked, voice coming out raspy.
Jono ran his hand through Patrick’s hair. “Yeah, Pat. Had to go to ground.”
Patrick remembered the fight at the beach with a clarity that made him wince. As much as his aching head and body and drained soul made him want to pass out again, he didn’t have that option.
“I need a sitrep,” Patrick said.
“In a minute,” an unfamiliar voice that brooked no argument said. “Let me check your vitals first.”
A pretty face came into his line of sight. Thick black hair was tied back in a functional braid, her medium brown skin offset by pale blue scrubs with a pink-and-yellow flower pattern printed on them. The woman was very obviously a nurse and not one to give in to patients.
She gave him a friendly smile though, resting her hand on his forehead. “I’m Victoria Alvarez. I’m an RN witch at Mount Sinai.”
Delicate magic scraped through Patrick’s aura. He instinctively tried to raise his shields, but the absence of power made his stomach roil. Clenching his teeth, he breathed through his nose as he tried to get his stomach to settle.
“I have a tincture that will help get rid of the nausea and headache. I need you to sit up though,” Victoria said.
Jono sat up, then helped Patrick to sit up. He hunched forward, the blanket pooling around his waist. “Didn’t think Lucien had beds available here.”
“He didn’t,” Nadine said as she approached. “Jono had Emma haul furniture here for you to sleep in.”
Patrick lifted his head, watching as Nadine settled herself at the foot of the queen-sized bed. Victoria came back with a plastic bottle full of a dark green liquid. The drink looked like something sold in a health-nut smoothie store that only served organic everything and where a six-ounce glass cost twelve dollars.
“I know it doesn’t taste great, but it’ll help with your physical symptoms.” Victoria quirked a tired, sad smile at him as she passed the bottle over. “I can’t do anything about your soul.”
“Didn’t ask you to,” Patrick muttered.
“Drink up.”
Patrick made a face. In his experience, tinctures always tasted disgusting. He still chugged it down as fast as he could, coughing after the last mouthful was swallowed, hoping his stomach wouldn’t rebel.
He handed the empty bottle back to Victoria before meeting Nadine’s gaze. “Sitrep. And clothes. I need clothes.”
“I’ll get the bag,” Jono said.
He got out of the bed, and Patrick couldn’t stop himself from staring. Jono was naked, utterly unselfconscious about his body being on display. Patrick distantly felt it was unfair he couldn’t really enjoy the sight, not with an audience. Exhibitionism had never been his thing even if werecreatures had no qualms about nudity within their packs.
Jono bent down and picked up a black duffel bag from the ground. Unzipping it, he pulled out a stack of clothes that he set beside Patrick before pulling out a set for himself. Patrick made a questioning sound in the back of his throat.
“I went back to your apartment and picked up some supplies. Emma and Leon brought stuff for Jono and the others staying here,” Nadine explained.
“Who else is here?” Patrick asked.
Jono pulled on a pair of underwear, then yanked on his jeans, zipping them up. “Marek and Emma. Sage had to work today, and so did Leon.”
Patrick rubbed gingerly at his face. “What day is it?”
“Monday. You were unconscious for almost twenty-four hours.” Nadine shifted on the bed, digging into her front pocket and coming up with a familiar handful of gold. She poured the remaining Greek coins on the blanket between them. “I brought you these.”
Patrick stared at the coins, not realizing he was grinding his teeth until Jono stroked his fingers against his jaw. Patrick blinked, gaze sliding toward Jono.
“You’ll give yourself a headache that way,” Jono said.
His words were enough to distract Patrick from trying to break his own teeth. Jono placed Patrick’s dagger, still in its sheath and attached to its field straps, in his left hand. Patrick curled his fingers around the leather-encased weapon and took a shuddering breath. He looked up, meeting Jono’s gaze, before turning his attention to Nadine.
“Tell me,” he said.
Nadine settled her hands on her knees. “We’re FUBAR. Ethan is definitely leading the charge, and he brought Zachary into the field with him. You know what that means.”
