Page 32 of The Vampire's Receptionist
“I believe it’s best if everyone took a break. I’ll make sure Kian rests. I’m sure you have other patients to check on.”
With Kian outside of his line of sight, Doctor Chapman let go of his frustration long enough to speak to Dorian directly. “He must rest. It’s not just him that will suffer if he doesn’t.”
Dorian wasn’t concerned about his wellbeing. He was concerned about Kian. He felt the flex of magic behind him. Kian was fighting to keep himself under control and losing his temper was a sure way for him to overdo it. The doctor’s presence wasn’t at all helpful right now.
“I’ll handle it. Thank you for checking on him.”
He led the doctor out, shutting the door behind him so that Kian had more privacy. When he turned around, Kian was once again glaring at the wall and refused to look at him.
“I didn’t–”
Dorian interrupted before he could start ranting. “I couldn’t imagine someone telling me not to use something so intricately part of my being. I do not blame you for slipping up on something that is probably second nature to you. I do, however, worry about your health. You look pale. What do you need from me?”
Kian had jerked around, startled when Dorian took his side. Now he eyed him suspiciously, searching for the lie. He wouldn’t find it. While Dorian didn’t actively use his magic often, he understood that many races did and found it hard not to. Spellbound developed many devices to help with this so that supernaturals of every race could function without harming themselves or others. It was no different for Kian.
“What do you need, Kian?”
Swallowing hard, Kian frowned. “I don’t– I’m not sure…” he admitted softly.
Nodding, Dorian suggested, “How about we start with lunch? Are you hungry?”
When Kian shook his head, Dorian didn’t argue with him. Kian struck him as fiercely independent. Having Doctor Chapman scold him like he had probably put his back up, and he wasn’t yet ready to accept help. Dorian could be patient. He didn’t want to push Kian too far.
“Doctor Chapman mentioned something about plants. Do you enjoy them?” he asked.
Kian’s brows furrowed a little, but he nodded slightly. “Yes. My mother is a green witch. Our house was always full of plants. I do the same in my own apartment. It feels… sterile without them.”
Dorian pressed his lips together to hide his chagrin on the matter. His home had no plants, but he had a good reason for it.
Kian noticed his expression and narrowed his eyes. “You don’t have any plants either, do you?”
He winced. “I’ve tried in the past. They’ve never survived. My friends say I’m not to be trusted around plants. I believe Taron called me a plant murderer after I accidentally killed a housewarming plant he gave me.”
A smile tugged at Kian’s lips and his shoulders relaxed a little. “Are you a plant murderer?”
Dropping his chin, Dorian sighed. “I don’t intend to be. I either over water them or don’t water them enough. Ozen tried to get me a cactus once, but even that met its end when I forgot that it actually needed water some of the time.”
That made Kian crack up, and Dorian felt himself relax. Kian’s smile lit up his face, and his eyes brightened as they danced with mirth. He felt drawn to those eyes and foundhimself coming closer, sitting on the edge of the bed near Kian’s feet so he could be near the man.
“Does your magic respond well to plants? There’s a terrace on the roof if you’d be more comfortable resting there.”
Kian shook his head. “That’s where I was when the asshole druid started barking at me. He said if I get out of bed, he’ll move me to a hospital because I can’t be trusted to take care of myself,” he scoffed.
Dorian made a mental note to speak with Doctor Chapman about his bedside manner. He understood that Kian’s health directly affected his own, but it wasn’t going to make things easier if the doctor was too hard on Kian in response.
“Well, I’m sure he’ll get over it if I bring you up there myself. I’d rather you feel comfortable than force yourself to be unhappy just to help me.”
He got a small smile in return for the comment, and Kian waved him off. “I’ll stay here for now. The nurse will be by soon for another infusion. I think I’ll take a nap while that’s happening. You’ll wake me before your next feeding, right?”
“I believe I’m comfortable skipping the next one. I’ll confer with Doctor Chapman to be sure that it’s safe, but I haven’t felt any urge to take more than necessary since the incident. It should be safe to go a little longer between feedings, so long as someone is nearby to intervene if necessary.”
“I agree,” Kian said with a nod. “I haven’t noticed you losing a grip on yourself at all. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
The nurse arrived not long later and Dorian left them alone while she worked. Kian deserved his privacy. Meanwhile, Dorian had work to do. Kian had sacrificed a lot to care for him and would continue to do so until they figured out what was needed to fix him. He deserved the same dedication from Dorian. He would care for the man who held his survival in his hands if it was the last thing he did.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Kian had fallen asleep during the blood transfusion. He didn’t think he’d actually fall asleep, he wasn’t really a nap person, but apparently, he was more tired than he expected, and he woke up groggy a while later. The nurse was gone, as was the IV, and the room was dark, the curtains closed to block out the sun. The only reason he knew it was still daylight was the small amount of sun peeking out along the edges. Blackout curtains. Nice.
