Page 65 of The Dawning
“Jordyn, this way,” Layla said.
Fuck! If she knew I couldn’t see, she would shit her pants. She couldn’t be in the room. This would be a boatload of stress she didn’t need.
“Someone make sure Layla doesn’t come in this room,” I bit out. “And get her out of the infirmary until we can fix this.”
“I’ll handle it,” Jo said with surety. Leave it to my sister to take charge.
A second later, the door clicked shut, and I heard Layla ask Jo, “Is Sam in there?”
“He is, but you can’t go in,” my sister said. “Peter and Dr. Vieira are running X-rays on Sam. You can’t be near the radiation. Why don’t we head to the cafeteria and grab something to eat? Sam will meet us there when he’s done.”
Silence ensued. I wasn’t sure if Layla would buy the white lie or not. But bravo to my sister for reacting fast.
“Okay.” Layla’s tone was suspicious. “Do you know anything about Kendra? Is she here?”
“She’s not,” Jo said. “I’ll fill you in on the way out.”
“Doc, please make sure they’re gone before you say a word to me,” I bit out.
My gut was one big-ass knot. If my blindness was permanent, it was my own fucking fault.
“I’ll check,” Peter said as the sound of the door handle clicked. “Coast is clear.”
Doc and I collectively sighed.
“Now fix me,” I growled out. “This cannot be permanent.”
“Sam, keep your head up.” Doc’s voice was laden with impatience. “I’m waving a penlight around your eyes. Tell me if you detect any light whatsoever.”
“That’s a negative.” I sat up straighter in the kneeling chair, pressing the heels of my palms into my thighs.
If I couldn’t see, then what the fuck would I do? It would be a struggle to learn how to help Layla raise our kids. I wouldn’t see her beautiful face anymore or look into her electric-blue eyes or see the curves of her gorgeous body. Fuck, I would never see what my kids looked like.
“I have an idea,” Dr. Vieira said. “I’ll be right back.”
I growled, shoving both hands through my hair. “I shouldn’t have done this. Doc was right—the chip is fried, so it wouldn’t have fucked with me again.”
Peter cleared his throat. “Maybe not, Sam. But it could potentially have moved again. I’m confident that this is only temporary.” I couldn’t see his body language, but he sounded sure of himself.
That loosened the humungous knot in my stomach.
Heavy footsteps clattered in. “I’m back,” Dr. Vieira said. “I made a mixture of leftover shifter blood and Abbey’s. It worked on Ben. Sam, lower your head, please. I need to inject this into the same spot Peter used for the chemical.”
I did as he instructed, praying, hoping, freaking the fuck out, actually. I needed to be whole, to be the man Layla knew me to be—strong and protective, and that required every one of my senses.
After Doc was done, I lifted my head. “I still can’t see.” Beads of sweat rolled down my temples.
Fuck!
My pulse was beating like the little drummer boy.
“Any signs of light?” Doc asked. “I’m waving a penlight around your eyes.”
I blinked several times, nodding. “It’s blurry, but you’re slowly coming into focus, Doc.” After another round of blinks, I reoriented my vision. “Wait, it’s dark again.” I closed my eyes, gritting my teeth.
“It might take a few more minutes,” Doc said. “But I’ll add another dose. It won’t hurt.”
I felt another sting in the base of my skull. I sat there, chewing on my lip, praying to the gods and fate not to fuck with me.
