"I'd be better if we were having sex," he admitted, pouting.
Gavriel's eyes widened, then he saw the state her mate was in and winced. "Poor lad."
"We are not having sex! Your intestines are falling out!" Kari objected, her cheeks heated.
Declan smiled. "Take a picture?"
"No!" called nearly every voice in the room. Kari heard the sound of a click and saw that Grant had pulled down the sheet and used his phone to take a picture. She stared at him, and he shrugged. "I'd want one too, if it were me."
Declan tried leaning up to look, and she pushed him back down. "I do not feel the wound yet. I do, however, feel..." He leered up at her.
Kari placed her free hand over his mouth. She yelped when he licked it and wiped her hand on her pants. He licked his lips. "You even taste good."
She looked around the room. "Please tell me this is a side effect of the pain killers."
Adriel shrugged, and Micah wouldn't meet her eyes. Finally, Grant took pity on her. He walked up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "He is usually a perfect gentleman. I think the combination of the drugs and finally meeting his mate is what you are witnessing."
A low growl had them both looking down. Declan's eyes had shifted to a dark, honeyed brown. "Get your hand off my mate! I licked her. She's mine!"
Avery lost all semblance of control and began to giggle uncontrollably behind them. Grant's mouth twitched as he lifted his hand. "I would never poach on your mate, brother; we all know she is yours."
"Prince Magnus, how far out is that healer?" Micah asked in a weak voice.
All attention was now on the witch who began to sway. Instantly, Adriel was at his side, holding him up.
"You can stop, Micah," Adriel said, sounding concerned.
Micah shook his head. "I can't, not until the doc gets here."
"I'm here, I'm here," a tenor voice called out as a man rushed forward. Frowning, he looked around the room. "Everyone except for the witch and the vampire holding him up needs to leave. Clear the room! Gods only know what debris has found its way into this open wound."
Kari felt her heart stutter. She didn't want to let go; she felt like if she let go, she'd lose him.
"Young lady, did you hear me?" the doctor demanded.
"Yes, sorry." She let go of Declan's hand and patted it gently, placing it on his chest. "You better not die," she tried to joke, wincing when her voice cracked.
Declan looked past her to Grant, who immediately wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Go with my brother; I'll see you later. We have unfinished business." He wagged his eyebrows, looking down at his groin.
She chuckled, leaned down, and kissed him on the forehead. "I will hold you to that."
He winked, then yawned. Seconds later, his eyes were closed, and he was breathing deeply.
Kari looked over in time to see the doctor drop the IV line. He met her eyes. "He should be fine. Shifters as strong as the Lionharts would never succumb to a small gash like this." Even his comfort sounded condescending.
"You need to work on your bedside manner, Doc." She stepped back with Grant.
He shrugged, turning his attention to Declan. "It's usually not an issue. Dealing with shifters and vampires, I don't get called on much." He shooed them away, turning to Micah. "Can you slowly pull your magic back? I'll let you know when to withdraw completely."
Grant steered her outside the lab, and the door closed behind them.
"I have to do something," she whispered.
"Uh oh," Avery said.
"What? What's wrong?" Grant asked, tucking her closer against him.
"She's about to go ballistic," Avery informed them.