want me to stay with you?"
She opened her eyes. He hated the dull look in them. "No, this happens. Honestly, I'm all right. I just need to sleep it off."
Rhage stayed with her awhile longer and then pulled on some black nylon warm-ups and a T-shirt. Before he left, he stared at her. He could barely stand her having a slight fever. What the hell was it going to be like when she got really sick?
Havers. He hadn't heard back from Havers yet, and the doctor should have had access to her files for long enough. Rhage picked up his cell phone and went out in the hall.
The conversation with the doctor didn't last long, because there was nothing the male could do for her. As vampires did not get cancer, he hadn't focused on the disease and neither had any of his colleagues.
Rhage was about to hang up when the other male said, "Forgive me, sire, as I do not wish to pry. But have you... are you aware of how extensive her treatments were?"
"I know there were a lot of them."
"Do you realize how intense they were, though? If the leukemia has returned, her options may well be limited - "
"Thanks for looking at her records. I appreciate it." Like he needed confirmation of how serious the situation was?
"Wait... Please know that I am here to help in any way I can. Even though I cannot be of aid with regard to the chemotherapy, we have the drug formularies for a lot of the pain medications and various other things she was on before. I can help ease her and watch over her, even though she will receive her treatments in a human hospital. You must call me."
"I will. And... thanks, Havers."
After he hung up, he went to Wrath's study, but the room was empty so he turned to go downstairs. Maybe Wrath and Beth were grabbing something to eat.
From out of thin air, a wall of leather topped with a head of long black hair materialized in front of him. Wrath's sunglasses were silver wraparounds today.
"Looking for me?" the king said.
"Hey. Yeah. Mary's moved in. Permanently."
"So I heard. Fritz said she brought some stuff with her."
"Uh-huh. Listen, do you mind if I have a little shindig here tonight? I want Mary to see her friend Bella, and I was thinking the Brotherhood could play nice. You know, suit up and all. Maybe Wellsie could come, too. Mary has me, but she needs to be around some other folks. I don't want her feeling like she's isolated."
"Damn good idea. Beth wanted us to go to the city tonight, but - "
"Don't change your plans. This is just real casual."
"Well, my shellan was looking forward to getting away. She kind of likes having me to herself. And I, ah, I really like it when she has me that way, you feel me?"
Rhage smiled a little as Wrath's body released a blast of heat. "Yeah. I do."
There was a pause. The king said, "My brother, is there something else?"
"Ah, yeah. Mary's going to be very ill soon. I'll go out nightly with the brothers for as long as I can, but when things get hard - "
"Of course. You do what you have to do."
"Thanks, man."
Wrath shook his head. "You know something - you're a male of worth. You really are."
"Yeah, well, just keep it to yourself. I've got a reputation as an egocentric asshole to protect."
"Tohr, I could see doing this. Phury, absolutely. Maybe V."
Rhage frowned. "You make it sound like it's a sacrifice, for chrissakes. I love her."
"That is the sacrifice. You love her even though you know she's leaving unto the Fade."
"She's not going anywhere." Rhage bit down on his molars. "She'll be fine. It'll be rough, but she will be fine."
"Forgive me." Wrath bowed his head. "Of course she will."
Rhage looked down. He didn't know what to do with the apology because he only had experience in offering them. And besides, anytime he thought about Mary dying, he felt like he had a blowtorch in his chest cavity.
"Later, my lord," he said, wanting to leave before he disgraced himself by becoming emotional.
Except as he glanced up, it was into Wrath's eyes for the very first time. The king never took his sunglasses off. Ever.
Rhage stopped breathing, focusing on the iridescent, silver-green irises staring back at him. There were no pupils really, just two little dots of black. And the warmth in those blind, glowing circles was