Page 36 of A Dragon's Miracle (Fires of Fate)
Finn
The guysand I were back stage when someone from security came in saying there was a problem at the merchandise table. Where Ryan was. The security guy immediately had all my attention.
“What kind of problem?” Lowen asked before I could. A few seconds ago we'd been going around clapping each other on the back and enjoying the kind of adrenalin laden exhaustion that came after a show well done, but now the tension in the room was palpable.
“Some sort of medical emergency,” the man said. “Seems like one of the guys you had working there fainted.”
One of the guys... I looked to Zed. He met my gaze with a sympathetic expression. “It's not Roger,” he said. “I'd know.”
Right. But that meant...
Ryan!
Feeling all color leave my face, I rushed out into the hall. And was immediately crowded by people.Fans.
Shit.
I didn't havetimefor this. “Let me through!” I tried to push my way through to the table, until I felt Zed's hand on my shoulder, pulling me back. I very nearly slapped it away. How could he even think of holding me back now?
“Finn! Listen, he's not there anymore.”
I stopped walking and turned around to Zed when his words registered in my brain.
“Security got him out and they're taking him to the hospital.”
Shit, this was really happening.
Zed grabbed both my shoulders. “You've got to keep it together now, okay?”
I nodded, because, yeah, he was right. I couldn't freak out. “I'm going to the hospital.”
“Of course.”
Zed helped me get out of the hall without too much trouble from fans or other people. “Hey, Finn?” Zed started when we were almost to the doors.
I shot him a questioning look to show I was listening, if only with half my mind.
“Did Ryan ever mention to you that he wasn't feeling well or anything?”
I shook my head vehemently. “He was fine.” But that wasn't the whole truth, was it? Now that Zed mentioned it, Ryan hadn'tmentionedfeeling sick, but I had worried about him from time to time because he seemed tired. Maybe that was all that this was. Maybe he was just tired.
I raked a hand through my hair and inhaled as we stepped out of the hall.
“I'm coming to the hospital with you,” Zed said.
“Okay.” I gave him a nod and didn't waste any more time before changing into my dragon form. Times like these, I was really glad for my wings. How did humans ever get anywhere without them? Using cars seemed so inconvenient. And slow. I needed to be fast tonight.
Fortunately, the hospital wasn't far. We made it there within a few minutes. I was bent on seeing Ryan right away, but the hospital staff stopped me in the lobby. Ryan wasn't conscious yet and they couldn't let me go to him as I wasn't family.
What a load of shit.
I let myself fall into one of the chairs in the waiting room and scowled. The nurse had said she'd let me know if anything changed, so I kept watching her as if that would speed things up.
Zed sat next to me. “Should I get us some coffee?”
I shook my head without removing my eyes from the nurse. “I'm fine.” Iwasn'tfine, of course, but I also didn't want coffee. I wanted to be let in to see the man I loved. “How can they treat me like I'm just some stranger?”
“I know it sucks, but you're unmated,” Zed reminded me carefully. “They have to follow the rules.”
