Page 12

“Okay, roll over, Kent,” Slade ordered as he cleaned off the scalpel. Dawn moved around to the other side of the table so she could get a better view, remaining quiet so she didn't distract him. She'd learned more during her residency in the ER by watching than she ever had from a textbook, and she soaked it all in like a sponge.

Slade repeated the procedure on Kent's shoulder. Two fading wounds sat about four inches apart, already trying to disappear.

“This one's deep, Kent. This is going to suck,” Slade warned as he worked the hemostat into the wound.

Kent answered with nothing more than a low grunt, but when Dawn glanced down at him, she found him staring back at her. Her heart gave an unexpected little flutter.

“You good?” she asked, not really sure why. Maybe it was the doctor in her. Maybe she just needed to know he was okay.

“Yeah,” he replied, his voice low and deep, the single word rumbling from his chest and sending warmth through her body. Seriously, what in the hell was happening to her? She was a doctor, for shit's sake, not some love-starved woman slobbering over a sexy Warrior.

Nodding, she forced her attention back to Slade and was surprised to see him already placing the Steri-Strips over the second incision. His eyes lifted to meet hers.

“You ever dig a bullet out of anyone?” he asked.

“No, but I observed a few during my residency in the ER,” she replied, then frowned when he and Angelina shared a grin. “What?”

“No better time to give it a go.” Slade held out the scalpel.

“Uh...I don't think your patient would appreciate being a guinea pig,” Dawn said, though if she were being honest, she really wanted to do it. She'd wanted the chance during her ER rotation, but they'd never let a resident take the lead.

“Go ahead, Doc,” Kent said from the table. “I know you thought about it before Slade got here. Now's your chance.”

“Did you not hear that I've never done this before?” Dawn looked down to find him still staring at her.

“I did, but I also know anyone who delivers babies has to be more gentle than Buchanan, who only deals with pain in the ass Warriors.” Kent grinned. “Sorry, Slade, but you ain't exactly known for your gentle touch.”

“I know.” Slade's grin turned downright evil, making Dawn smile.

“Okay, I'll do it.” She took the scalpel, then looked back at Kent. “If you're sure.”

“Go for it,” Kent said with a wink before closing his eyes.

Her heart fluttered again, but this time she chalked it up to excitement. Walking around the table, she waited until Angelina lowered it to a better working height. Taking the scalpel, it still felt strange not putting on gloves first, but she'd already learned vampires couldn't catch anything from her, and she couldn't catch anything from them.

“Once you make the incision, Angelina's going to use the thumb forceps to spread it a little for you,” Slade instructed, watching her every move. “If you do good, you can start helping me while I'm out of the office. I'll make sure Sloan compensates you for the extra work.”

Dawn only nodded. She heard every word he said and was excited by the opportunity, but right now all of her concentration was on the Warrior lying on the table trusting her enough to put a scalpel to his back.

Once she'd made the incision and Angelina had the thumb forceps in place, Dawn carefully probed for the bullet. She smiled the second she felt metal.

“Found it.” She never looked away from the wound. “It feels loose.”

“Good,” Slade said, leaning in a little closer. “Can you get hold of it?”

“Got it.” Dawn frowned when she felt resistance. “It's healed around it. I don't want to tear the tissue by just yanking.”

“It's the only way it's coming out,” Slade said. “If you don't get it by the third try, I'll take over. Sometimes the tissue heals around the bullet so quickly it makes extraction difficult.”

Dawn nodded. She tried once, but the bullet slipped free of the hemostat.

“Shit,” she hissed under her breath before going back in. “You good, Kent?”

“Don't even feel you in there,” Kent answered in that same calm, deep voice.

“I appreciate the lie,” Dawn snorted.

This time she got a solid grip. Taking a slow breath, she gave one firm, controlled pull. The resistance suddenly gave way, and the bullet came free.