Page 162 of The Satyr's Guilt
When the door whooshed open, a healer poppedher head into the room. “He needs to feed. I’ll close the door fora spell.” Her eyes locked on Denim.
“Okay. Um … you mean?”
“Yes. I mean.” The healer tapped the toe ofa soft-soled shoe on the floor.
“He can’t. He’s injured.”
She shook her head before stepping out.“Newbies. When he wakes up, you can either be his food source, orI’ll hunt down a volunteer.”
Hell no.
Denim fell asleep until the tap, tap, tap ofshoes on the floor woke her. Jonquil rushed into the room, comingto an abrupt stop when she spied her father, his exposed skinsallow, his breath halting. Mara was behind her.
Denim wiped the sleep from her eyes as shekneeled in front of the girl. “He’ll be fine.”
“He needs to feed.”
Denim clasped both of her small hands. “Hewill when he wakes. It’s handled.”
****
Tired of on-again-off-againnaps, Ram steadied his breathing but clamped his lids tight.Soft-soled shoes padded on the floor. Machines beeped. Antisepticscented the air.Damn.The whole rescue scene had been ahoax. His arms and legs scissored, tangling in the covers.
“Hey. Calm down, man. All’s good.”
A meaty, warm hand rested on Ram’s leg, itsowner’s voice familiar. When the satyr popped his lids open, hestared into Brak’s face.
Denim and Jonquil floated into his line ofsight. Ram struggled to smile, but his lips were dry andcracked.
Jonquil’s fingers touched his arm. “Is itokay if I do this?”
Denim answered when he couldn’t. “Sure itis,cher.”
Ram’s gaze swung around the room. Firebrandscrowded the space, some on the floor, some leaning against walls,some sprawled in chairs. They sprang to their feet.
“Satyr. Welcome back.” Rein high-fived Ramas he passed the bed.
His fellow warriors tossed nods, shakes, andgrins at him as they trekked alongside one-by-one, chattering abouthow they had hung around to make sure he was still kicking.
Kole rested a calloused palm on Denim’s arm.“We’ll leave now. Needless to say, Ram, you’re off rotation for aspell.”
“I’ll be good to go by tomorrow.”
“Idiot. Only you would say that. Gonna go.Got a human to check on down the hall.” Jeweled-up and grinning,Tyr man-fisted Ram’s shoulder before he followed the otherFirebrands.
“Great idea. Leave me alone with myladies.”
“I should go, too.” Denim pivoted toward thedoor.
Both Jonquil and Ram together said,“No.”
The satyr stretched out his arms, pullinghis daughter into one and Denim into the other. Jonquilsquealed.
Ram loosened his hold. “How long have I beenout?”
“The rescue mission wound up late yesterday.We brought you here, kicking and screaming. Okay. That’s a lie. Youwere asleep, couldn’t scream or kick. You’ve been out about eighthours.” Denim flipped her wrist to check her D-chip.
“You don’t look so good, Daddy.”
