And now, thanks to his having turned himself into a pincushion, Tohr and No'One were having sex.
So all had not been lost. He was, however, seriously thinking of punching that Brother in the balls as payback. For one, that shit had stung like a motherfucker. For another, if this had been December? He might not have made it -
The sound of the heavy front door swinging open brought his head up and around. Doc Jane, that fantastic healer of theirs, burst out like she'd planned on having to run some distance.
She skidded to a halt so she didn't trip over him. "There you are!"
Oh, look, she'd brought her fun box with her, the little red cross denoting emergency supplies.
"Helluva time to get a tan," she murmured.
He rested his head back down, his cheek lying flat on all that warm rock. "Just takin' my medicine like a good little patient. "
"Mind if I examine you?"
"Will your mate kill me if you see me naked?"
"You are naked. "
"You're not looking at my business side. " When she just loomed over him without further comment, he muttered, "Fine. Whatever - but don't stand in my sun. I need it more than I need you. "
She put the box down next to his ear and got on her knees. "Yeah, V told me a little about how you work. "
"I'll bet. You know, he and I have had our go-arounds. " The SOB had even saved him once - which had been a miracle given how much they hated each other. "We've got history. "
"He mentioned that. " Her words were spoken with distraction, as if she were checking his holes out. "You might have some lead left in you - do you mind my rolling you over?"
"The lead doesn't matter. My body will consume it - provided I get enough sunshine on my shoulders. "
"You're bleeding badly still. "
"It's going to be okay. "
And he was beginning to think that wasn't a lie. After it had all happened, he'd kept himself invisi and had hidden in the passenger seat of the Mercedes that had taken Tohr back to the clinic. Minute he'd arrived at medical central, he'd stolen some bandages and gone mummy on his own ass so he didn't bleed all over the place. There'd been no reason to hurry outdoors - there had been no sunlight available at that point - or at least not enough to make a difference. Besides, he'd thought he'd just walk it off.
Nope. It was shortly after he'd gone up to that bedroom with Tohr that he'd recognized he was in trouble. Breathing got harder. Pain got hotter. Vision started to fritz out. Fortunately, the sun had fully risen by then.
And he would have had to leave about the time No'One showed up anyway -
"Lassiter. I want to see the front of you. "
"That's what all the girls say. "
"Do you expect me to roll you over? 'Cuz I will. "
"Your mate's not going to like this. "
"As if that's going to bother you?"
"True. It actually makes it worth the effort. "
With a groan, he shoved his palms into the shimmering silver pool of blood beneath him, and flopped over like the side of beef he was.
"Wow," she breathed.
"I know, right? Hung like a horse. "
"If you're really nice - and you live through this - I'll promise not to tell V. "