The Hero and the Hidden Royal - Renae Kaye Page 0,8
your eyes.”
Sam cocked his head to the side, a slight frown coming over him. “Is there some reason you’re delaying my eyes until last? Is there something you’re afraid I will see?”
Jeez, Sam was perceptive.
Was there something Derek was afraid he would see? He gave a full laugh at that. “There’s something I’m afraid you won’t see.”
Becoming serious, Sam said, “I’ve told you that I’m taking that kiss no matter what.”
Derek sighed. He knew Sam wouldn’t stick around once he realized Derek was invisible. And Sam would definitely not be bestowing that kiss on Derek’s invisible lips. But what else was Derek meant to do? Sam was hurt and bloody. He couldn’t throw him out on the street in that condition. “Fine. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. The cut on your head doesn’t seem to be bleeding anymore, but I’ll clean and disinfect it for you. I can’t see how deep it is at the moment. Now hold still.”
He set about wiping the blood from around Sam’s eyes, taking care with his long eyelashes. He carefully wiped around the tear duct and the creases of Sam’s eyelid. The right side was easy, but the left side, bruised and continuing to swell, was harder. He had to rinse the cloth several times. Finally he decided that it was clean enough and moved to wipe at the cut on Sam’s forehead. Sam’s eyelids flickered.
“No,” Derek said, suddenly firm. “Keep them shut until I do this.” Sam froze and his lids shut again. Derek concentrated on the cut. The surrounding skin was bruised and grazed. The cut seemed to be from the blunt force of Sam’s face hitting the wall. It was ugly and crescent shaped.
“I think you may need this stitched.”
Sam’s shoulders hunched. A whining note entered his voice. “I hate hospitals. Can you just do something with it until tomorrow? I’ll go and see my doctor. He’s not in a hospital.”
“I don’t know….”
“Please?”
How could anyone resist a face like that, Derek thought. Sam had to be at least six-four, weighing more than two hundred pounds, and he was scared of the hospital? Derek was scared of hospitals too, but that was because he was unable to defend himself easily. Sam was big and had shown Derek he could defend himself against three men.
Pursing his lips together, Derek decided that Sam was old enough to make the decision for himself. “Fine. I’ll disinfect it and pull the edges back together with some sort of bandage. I’m not guaranteeing anything. I don’t have a medical degree. Let me get this stuff.”
He moved to his first aid box and Sam’s head turned to follow the sound. “Can I open my eyes now?”
Derek froze. “Um.” The moment of truth was upon him. What would Sam do? Run? Scream? Faint? No. Those would be Derek’s reactions. Sam would be brave, Derek was sure of it, but could Derek stand the fact that someone knew his secret? Maybe he should’ve called the Municipal and got them to help him out of trouble.
Again.
“Please?” Sam asked softly. “Whatever you’re hiding, I’m sure it will be fine.”
There was no way out of the situation. Sam would have to open his eyes sooner or later, and there was no way that Derek would have his emotions under control enough to appear visible. He was just going to have to own up to the fact that he spent most of his life out of sight. Literally. He backed up so that he was on the other side of the kitchen away from Sam. “Please don’t be scared.”
For Derek to say this was ironic. People had been telling him for twenty-four years to stop being scared. Simply saying those words didn’t make it happen. He looked down at himself and tried to calm his nerves. His clothes were in place but his body was invisible. And there was nothing he could do about it. His anxiety levels were fluctuating, although since he was here in his home, they were somewhat calmed. He needed to stay calm so at least his clothes remained. He tried to think calming thoughts. Sam was a nice guy. He had nothing to fear.
Sam’s eyelids flitted open and he blinked in the harsh glare of the overhead kitchen light. Derek watched carefully as Sam’s eyes scanned the room, skipping over the mysterious trousers and shirt standing by themselves in the corner while he probably tried to identify something that resembled a human.
Derek realized he was clutching his hands