Page 29 of The Nephilim's Touch
12
VAN
“What do I do?”I say to no one since Gabe is passed out in my arms. He’s overly hot, and that’s me saying it. I rush him to his bedroom and strip him of his shoes and clothes, leaving him in his underwear. “What do I do?” His hair’s a black mess around his head and he looks peaceful. But why the fuck did he pass out on me?
I race to the bathroom and start a bath of room temperature water, that should help. Hopefully. But by the time I get back to his room, Gabe’s sitting on his bed with his knees pulled to his chest.
“Sorry,” he whispers as he rocks back and forth. “Over did it too fast.” He groans before pressing a hand to his mouth and rushing to the bathroom.
I follow and hold his hair back as he vomits into the toilet. “What’s wrong? What’s wrong? Tell me.” I run a hand down his back as he settles on the floor.
“I’m a dummy and shouldn’t have used that much magic with no preparation.” He pushes up to spit into the toilet.
He hadn’t used much magic at all, but I don’t tell him. “That’s why we need to teach you proper magic skills. What you didshouldn’t have done…” I wave a hand over him. “Shouldn’t have made you pass out or made you sick.”
HellFire why was I so scared he’d hurt himself more?
He just nods and lays back down. I’d forgotten the bath and turn off the faucet.
“I think the floor has claimed me as its own. I’m its brother now.” Gabe gestures towards the door.
The snort comes without permission, but Gabe cracks a smile with his eyes closed.
“I’m gonna be down for a bit. But I should be okay to go into work tonight.”
“Fuck no. Gabe, you need rest after a magical blowout. You’re not going in tonight.” I’ll fight Pike if I have to, just to make sure Gabe gets the rest he needs.
“No, I have to go in. Sparkle needed tonight off and I switched with him because no one else could. I can’t?—”
I already have Pike on speed dial, and he picks up on the second ring.
“You’re on speaker phone, P. I have Gabe sick here after a magical blowout because of me.”
“Shit. What’d you do this time?” Pike asks and I grind my teeth.
“It wasn’t his fault,” Gabe says from the floor. “I chose to use magic unprepared and?—”
“He fucking passed out and now he’s throwing up his guts in the toilet. He needs tonight off.”
“No! I’ll be fine. Please?—”
“Gabe—” I say.
“I promise I’ll be fine before my shift. I can’t let Sparkle down.” Gabe grips the toilet bowl. “Please. I’m not sick sick, I’ll be fine.”
Pike sighs on the other end. “Okay, but if you start to go downhill, I’m sending your ass back home. Got it?”
Gabe nods before he remembers Pike can’t see him. “Thank you.” He slumps against the counter and glares at me as I hang up and pocket my phone.
I squat to meet him at eye-level. “If you’re going to be stubborn, I’m taking care of you. What do you need?”
Gabe sighs. “A cup of water to rinse out my mouth and time. It never lasts more than a few hours.” He groans and pushes back to his knees to vomit again.
I can’t leave him like this and rummage through the mirrored cabinet to find a hair elastic to tie back his hair when he’s done heaving out the contents of his stomach this round.
Tears trail down his eyes when he leans against the wall, no doubt from the effort of throwing up. “Sorry. I hate you seeing me like this.”
“No. It’s my fault. If I hadn’t?—”
