Page 27 of Wolves' Midlife Reunion
“They hit me,” the man groaned.
“Looks like you were wearing your helmet, at least.” Dex grabbed his penlight and checked the man’s eyes. No sign of a concussion, but with the bicycle being that mangled, he knew there had to be injuries somewhere. “Can you tell me where it hurts?”
“Here.” His hands had been flung over his head, but now he brought one down and touched his side.
The fabric of his shirt was soaked with blood, and when Dex lifted it, he could see why. The soft flesh of the man’s belly had been ripped open. Whether it was from the initial impactor falling, he couldn’t tell. Either way, the injury was near some major arteries.
“Can you tell me your name?” Dex quickly began taking his other vitals. The heartbeat was light and thready.
“Wayne. Wayne Cunningham.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Wayne.” Dex opened his bag to take a few other vitals. “Did you have anything to drink tonight?”
“No,” he gasped. “I was on my way home from work. This time of year, I don’t bother driving. You can’t get through with all the damn tourists.”
Dex snorted. “That’s for damn sure.”
“I had the right of way, but that car just came out of nowhere and hit me.”
“Must’ve been pretty hard, too.” Dex went back to examining the wound. It was deep, ragged, and bleeding profusely.
“I feel dizzy. I’m scared,” Wayne said.
He had every right to be. “Don’t worry. We’re going to get you to the hospital and get you fixed up. I’m just going to put some bandages on to stop the bleeding. You might feel some pressure, okay?”
“Okay.” His voice sounded even more feeble.
Dex knew what he had to do. This wasn’t the first time, but he had to be careful. If he used his talent too much, someone would figure it out. Well, they’d figure out something was weird, anyway. Dex took several big gauze bandages from his bag and laid them gently over the wound. He put his gloved hand over them, pulled in a deep breath, and closed his eyes.
This was the one bit of magic he’d allowed himself in all these years. Nothing else. Dex pushed healing energy out of his hand, imagining a cool blue light enveloping the wound. He thought about platelets clotting the blood, about new skin growing together, about keeping Wayne alive. Not too much.Just enough. Just enough to get him to the hospital, where the pros could work the real magic.
He pulled his hand back as he heard the rattling wheels of the gurney on the brick streets.
“Police are here,” Adrian informed him. “They’re handling the rest of the mess, but it looked like you could use this.”
“Thanks. Abdominal wound with severe bleeding. Says the car hit him.”
“You don’t believe me?” Wayne asked pitifully.
He was old enough that he could be Dex’s father, and Dex truly felt sorry for him. “I believe you, sir. I was just reporting to my colleague here.” It wasn’t his job to make judgments on who was at fault or who hit who, but Wayne didn’t need that kind of explanation right now.
They got him safely onto the gurney and into the ambulance.
“Will you stay with me?” Wayne asked him.
Adrian heard the request and instantly went to get behind the wheel.
“I’m right here, Wayne. Don’t worry. We’ve got the best driver in the business getting you to the hospital.” The sirens went on just then, and the ambulance moved beneath them.
Wayne smiled at Dex. His eyes were pale and watery, and Dex realized he might have been even older than he’d initially thought. “You remind me of my son, you know.”
“Tell me about him.” Dex continued to monitor the man’s vitals. He was in poor condition, but he was going to make it.
“He lives all the way in California. Went out there just for college, but he never came back. You know how it is. He met a girl, got married. They’ve got kids now and a new life. I miss them, but I’m proud. How about you? Do you have any kids?”
Talking usually comforted the patients, even if it was only because it was such a good distraction. “A little girl. She’s seven.”
“How darling.” Apparently, Wayne didn’t need to see her to think so. He was old enough to feel that any child was adorable and precious. “You and your wife are very lucky.”
