“Because Dash said it would help you heal if I lay down with you. I didn’t realise he meant your body would draw strength from mine, though. That shit is insane.”
It felt so good to hear Zio curse. To see him scowl. To see the sparks fly from his dark gaze. Devan lost himself for a moment before the entirety of what Zio had said hit him. “...Dash said...” What on earth?
Zio frowned. “What’s the matter?”
“Hmm?”
“You look like you’re in pain.”
Devanwasin pain, but he could live with that as long as Zio was close. The gaps in his head bothered him more. “Dash.”
“Do you want me to get him? He’s outside.”
“What? How?”
“Your clan came to our rescue. Stormed the compound and took it back. Luca led them. Dash helped me find you. I didn’t know it was him, though.”
“He’s good at the... incognito.”
Zio cringed. “Yeah, I thought he was a kid. You could’ve told me the most powerful shifter on the planet looks like a twelve-year-old.”
Devan almost laughed, but it hurt too much. “Tell me the rest.”
“What do you mean?”
“All of it. Last I knew we were at the waterfall, or did I dream that?”
“Nah, that was real.” Zio lay down on what Devan suddenly realised was his bed in the bungalow he’d shared with Emma. “And I’m kind of glad it’s the last thing you remember. I was scared you’d die with only war on your mind.”
“You look older.”
“I am older... by a week, at least.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I know.”
“Who died?”
“What?”
Devan flailed his heavy arm around until it landed on Zio. He made a feeble attempt to draw Zio closer. “If Dash and Luca felt the need to intervene, I’m guessing it was bad.”
Zio’s gaze flickered. “It was... so fucking bad. Tomas, Vic, all of Gale’s unit.”
“No.”
“Yeah. Gale’s unit was ambushed at the hospital when they figured out what was going on there. Only Gale survived, but we didn’t know until yesterday when Luca secured the hospital. Tomas was killed when he put himself between Varian and a gun. Vic was shot too... like you were.”
Devan’s head swam. “What?”
“They shot you, Devan. Dash said the bullet went straight through your liver and punctured your spleen. If you’d been human, you’d have died in minutes.”
“I’m not human.”
“No, you’re not. But I wish you were. I wish we both were.”
“Why?”