“Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” Damon nodded. “I only got a few scrapes.”
“What about Rory? Is your mate…is he…”
“He’s fine. We’re both fine.”
Nicholas tightened his grip. “I was so fuckin’ scared.”
“I know,” Damon murmured. “Me, too.”
“I can’t lose you.”
“You never will. I swear, Nicky.”
“I love you, brother.” His words came out slurred, tumbling together, barely distinguishable.
“I love you, too.”
Nicholas’s muscles went limp, all the strength vanishing. His eyes closed of their own volition, and everything went dark.
Chapter Five
Damon barely caught Nicholas as he collapsed against him. “Nicky?” He shook his brother, uncertain about what had just happened. One minute Nicholas was talking, and in the next, his entire body went limp as he fell into Damon. “Nicholas!”
“Damon, we need to get him to an ambulance,” Sam said.
“What are you talking about?” Damon asked, glancing at the other man. “We’re shifters. He should be healing. Why isn’t he healing?”
“Jesus,” Rory breathed out.
“While they were evacuating the building, I found Nicholas wandering around the club looking for you. I don’t know what’s wrong with him.”
“I’ll get him to an ambulance.” Damon carefully lifted Nicholas up off his feet, cradling his twin in his arms. “Thank you for helping my brother.”
“No problem.”
“You should find your mate, Sam. I’m sure Charles is around here looking for you.”
He nodded. “I’m sure he is.”
Damon hustled off, jogging toward the nearest ambulance. He laid Nicholas on the gurney, and a paramedic got to work.
Why isn’t he healing? That one question kept running through Damon’s mind. He couldn’t figure it out. Nicholas should be healing. They were shifters.
“We need to take him in now,” the paramedic announced. He lifted the gurney, pushing it inside the ambulance.
Damon nodded. “I’ll go with you.”
“There isn’t any room. I’ve got other victims to transport.” He slammed the rear door. “Meet us at the hospital.”
Damon stood stock-still. He watched as the ambulance took off, sirens blaring and lights flashing.
“Damon?” Rory said his name. “Come on, love.” He gently tugged on his arm. “I’ll drive you to the hospital.”
“Nicky?” he whispered, watching as the ambulance disappeared from sight.
“He’s going to be okay,” Rory insisted.
Rory wrapped an arm around Damon’s waist, leading him toward the parking lot. Damon moved as if he were in a dream, sluggish and uncoordinated as he scanned his surroundings. Pieces of the brick and mortar building were spread out along the street and down the city block. He couldn’t believe how much damage had been done.
Why would someone do this? Who would blow up the club?
Damon and Rory both had walked away with minor injuries, their shifter genes healing them. Once outside, Damon had started searching for Nicholas when his brother found him. Relief quickly turned to gut-wrenching fear when Nicky collapsed.
“Damon?”
“Huh?” He jerked his head toward Rory.
“We’re here,” he said, pointing out the windshield.
Damon turned his head and looked out the window. He’d been so deep in thought that he’d missed the entire drive. Opening the passenger side door, Damon stepped out, shutting the door behind him. Rory joined him, grasping his hand. They strode toward the emergency room doors.
When they stepped inside, Damon paused. The emergency room was filled with people, mostly human, covered in gray ash.
Making his way to the nurses’ station, Damon waited in a short line. Several minutes ticked by before it was finally his turn to step up to the desk.
“Can I help you?”
“My brother, Nicholas Sabbath, he was brought in by ambulance a little while ago.”
“As you can see, everything is a bit chaotic right now. I don’t have an update for you at this time. If you could just wait in the sitting area, someone will be with you soon.”
He nodded. “Okay, thanks.”
Damon led Rory to the waiting area. He found an empty chair and helped his mate into the seat.
“Do you want to sit down?”
“No.” Damon shook his head, crouching down. “I can’t…I just…”
“He’s going to be okay, love.” Rory cupped his cheeks and pulled Damon in close. He pressed their lips together, kissing him sweetly.