Chapter 33
Jericho could smell something mouthwatering, it was familiar and loved, but he couldn't place it. He breathed in again, flaring his nostrils, trying to pull in more of the delicious scent, but his nose was hit with something else: human. He felt rage, hurt, confusion, where was the human?
His eyes shot open and he sat up, hissing and snarling, his fangs exposed in warning.
May was reaching for him, "Jericho," she reassured him, "You're okay. You're in the hospital, but you're okay."
"May," he croaked, reaching forward and pulling her up and over the bed rail until he could cradle her in his arms. He pulled his head back so he could look her over, his hand running over her head, through her hair, checking for wounds.
"Has anyone seen you yet?" he asked, his voice harsh and broken.
May shook her head, "Later," she answered, "I didn't want to leave you."
Jericho looked around the bed, and pressed the "call" button, "They'll see you now," he commanded.
May laid her head on his chest, "Whatever you want," she said "I'm just glad you can tell me what to do again."
Jericho husked a laugh and felt May's body tremble. The healing drugs were making him anxious and possessive. The tremble made him remember other times he'd felt his mate shiver, and he felt himself harden beneath the sheet.
"Later," he whispered in her ear, "I need you."
May looked up, "I need you too," she answered as the door opened and Trisha entered.
"Hi Doc," Jericho said, looking up.
"Hey Jericho," Trisha answered, moving her stethoscope around so she could listen to his chest.
"Wait," he told her, just as she was about to lay it against his chest, "I want you to look May over."
Trisha smiled and put her stethoscope back around her neck, "Sure," she answered, "feeling worried?"
He nodded, worry didn't touch the level of emotion he felt when he thought of May being injured.
"You going to let me look at that foot?" Trisha asked May.
Jericho saw her blush and nod. He sat up on the bed, helping May, as she turned and let her feet swing over the side.
He situated all of the wires and tubes attached to him before peering over the side to see what Trisha was doing. He hissed when he got a look at May. Her leg was swollen, from the heel of her foot to her knee. It was bruised and ugly, and he could see a protrusion against the inside of skin.
"I'll take an x-ray," Trisha said sighing, "but I can tell you right now, it's broken. How did you walk on this?" She asked, staring at May in disbelief.
"I had some incentive," she replied drily, sucking in a breath when Trisha lightly laid her fingers on the skin.
"Yeah," Trisha said, "I need you in the radiography and then we need to set that."
"I don't want to leave Jericho," she said in a tiny voice, "It can wait. It's not going to kill me."
"I thought you said you were a doctor," Trisha said, all amusement gone from her voice, "if the bone is pressing on an artery or blood vessel you're in danger of bleeding. You could get an infection and lose your foot."
Jericho started pulling out the tubes and wires attached to his body. May spun around, "What are you doing?" she asked horrified, trying to stop his hands, "You can't move! Stay still!"
"If you're not going to get an x-ray because you don't want to leave me, then I'll just come with you," he told her, yanking out the IV with a wince.
"NO!" May said loudly, "Trisha," she looked at the doctor for help.
"He's gonna do what he wants," Trisha said loyally, "You might as well come with me."
May put her hand over Jericho's, "Fine!" she grumbled, "I'll go. But you stay here," she said, pointing at him, "And you," she narrowed her eyes at the doctor, "I'm probably going to need a wheelchair so could you please get me one of those?"
Trisha smiled sweetly and pulled a wheelchair from the corner, wheeling it close to the bed and helping May get in.
"Promise not to go anywhere?" May asked him.
Jericho laid his hand over his heart, "Promise," he said, "make sure you do whatever they want."
May sighed, "I'll be back as soon as I can," she said, "I love you."
Jericho smiled, "I love you too."
He watched her get wheeled out the door. Trisha turned around just before they exited and said, "Don't move, I'm sending in Destiny to fix your IV."
Jericho nodded and let his head fall back to rest on his pillow.
"I'm sorry" a female voice said from the doorway, "I should never have forced her to leave with me."
Jericho closed his eyes, "It's okay, Hope. I let her go."
He heard her come closer to the bed and sit heavily in the chair beside him, "I just wanted to protect her."
Jericho smiled, turning his head to look over at her, "Me, too," he answered.
"I didn't do a very good job of it," Hope replied morosely, "We didn't even get Werner. He sent those men in to die, but they nearly killed my sister first."
Jericho hissed, "I would feel better knowing we were both protecting her."
Hope looked up at him, "I want to be part of her life."
"You're her sister, Hope," Jericho said, "of course you will be."
Hope mashed her lips together in way that screamed of May and Jericho smiled, "You are my family, too now."
"This world is overwhelming," Hope replied tiredly.
"I know," Jericho sympathized, "but anything is possible. Look at me. I have scared off females all my life, and then the tiniest, bravest human in the world took me on, fell in love with me, and became my mate. Imagine what lies in your future."
Hope smiled, "Yes," she answered, "just imagine."