Page 46 of The Vampire's Receptionist
Dorian’s head throbbed as he slowly regained consciousness. He wasn’t sure what happened. His mind felt fuzzy. He remembered finishing his meeting with Ozen and going to check on Kian but not much else.
“He threatened you,” Maverick snarled. The temperature in the room rose with the dragon’s anger, and Dorian could smell smoke and flame. That wasn’t good.
“He was posturing,” Kian snapped back. “They both were. Like idiots. I hope you don’t automatically go full battle mage mode every time someone irritates you. Innocents are going to get hurt if you do shit like that.”
The conversation made no sense to Dorian. He tried to pry his eyes open so he could get a better idea of what was happening, but it felt as though his lids were glued together.
“He threatened the nurse,” Isaac argued, the scowl in his voice. “And then he hissed at me. Am I supposed to just ignore a threat?”
“Yes!” Kian demanded, exasperated. “He was obviously acting like an idiot, and you decided to meet him on his level! I’ve lost track of the number of out-of-control supernaturals I’ve met in my life. You never acknowledge their tantrums unless you’re looking to start a fight!”
“Alright, enough.” Ozen’s voice joined the conversation, firm and calm despite the tension in the air. “Kian, will he be alright?”
“He’s fine. It was a minor sleeping spell. He’ll wake up in a few minutes.”
Sleeping spell? Was that why he couldn’t fully wake?
“Good. Then I’ll leave him in your care for now. Doctor Chapman will want to check on you since you used so much magic. I’ll call him after I speak with Isaac and Maverick.”
The order was clear in that comment, and he heard shuffling as Maverick and Isaac were ushered from the room.
“You should go, too, in case he wakes up in a mood,” Kian suggested.
An unfamiliar female voice answered. “Probably. I’m already late as it is. The plants are fine, just thirsty. I’m going to have Avery bring you a watering can so you can water them yourself. Even if you can’t use your magic, interacting with them will feed the urge a little. I checked the rest of the house earlier. They’re all fine.”
“Thank you. I appreciate your help.”
The voice was tinged with amusement as she replied. “I can’t believe you knocked him out because they were upsetting the plants. That’s true dedication.”
He assumed Kian responded with a shrug, because he didn’t say anything aloud. The scent of the female left the room, andthe door closed quietly behind her. Only once she was gone did Kian speak again.
“So. Are you going to tell me what the hell that was all about?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Kian felt earlier when Dorian had woken up. He kept just enough of his magic flowing in Dorian’s direction to keep him from fully rousing. Mostly to protect him from the seething mated pair in the room with them. When Maverick had found out that Dorian had threatened his mate, he almost went on a rampage.
It surprised Kian that it was Isaac who talked him down. He looked annoyed that Maverick was trying to protect him when he was fully capable of protecting himself, and he didn’t bother hiding it. Thankfully, Ozen joined them a second later and helped them settle. Kian could admit that while he had been feeling a little better, he didn't have the energy to put a battle mage and an angry dragon in their place. He used a lot of magic to put Dorian to sleep, the vampire’s magic wasn’t weak, and he couldn’t spare much more without passing out again.
Now that they were alone, he felt comfortable releasing the spell completely, and he let out a sigh of relief when he did. He was going to be pissed if that interaction set him back in his recovery. He did not want to spend another day on bed rest. He’d lose his mind.
Dorian sat up once the spell was broken, looking around with a confused frown. That was normal, that kind of spell made people feel fuzzy for a while, but it’d come back to him eventually. And then he better damn well explain himself. They had sex one time. That did not give Dorian the right to act all macho and possessive.
“You know, I was in a really good mood when I woke up. It really feels like the universe is punishing me with how quickly things went downhill,” he griped.
“I…” Dorian’s brows pulled together tightly. “I apologize. I don’t know what happened.”
“You don’t know because you still can’t remember or you don’t know why you were acting like that.”
Dorian shook his head. “The second one. I was annoyed with her, but it felt like I acted without any forethought on my part. And Isaac–” He grimaced. “I’ve never treated my friends like that before. I’m horrified I did today.”
He sounded honest and appropriately remorseful. Kian decided to let it go. They still didn’t know what was going on with Dorian. They’d need to tell Doctor Chapman about the new development, but Kian felt like the vampire deserved a little leeway with his odd reactions, at least until they figured out what was wrong.
“Are you alright?” he asked, looking Dorian over. He’d fallen pretty hard after Kian knocked him out. Kian managed to stop him from cracking his head, but not much else, and Isaac was no help whatsoever. Kian had had to threaten to knock him out too to keep him from hurting Dorian with his out of control magic. The dragon wasn’t any better. He was breathing fire after he heard what happened, and the poor plants in the room practically withered in front of him. He was seriously tired of this place and these people. He needed a break.
Dorian rubbed at his forehead, but nodded slowly. “I think so. What magic did you use? I don’t even remember you saying any spells.”
Kian tipped his head back and forth. “My magic is kind of weird. Half spell work, half wish fulfillment. It’s complicated, and it makes using it really difficult at times. When I was younger, the two sides often conflicted with each other and backfired. It took a long time to be able to use it like I do now.”
