Evans, Gabrielle - From This Moment [The Moonlight Breed 7] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic Ma by Gabrielle Evans (ebook reader with highlight function .TXT) 📗

trust was implicit, but right then, he really didn’t have any other choice. Apparently, Demitrius realized it as well, because he finally stepped aside to allow Destin access to  Oscar’s bed. The poor guy looked like he was going to wet himself as he slipped past Demitrius and pulled a syringe from his pocket. Still, his hands were steady when he administered the drug.

“A couple of days tops,” he said, repeating the information he’d given Cian. “He’ll be good as new, I promise.”

“You better hope so,” Demitrius responded threateningly as he eased onto the edge of Oscar’s bed and took his small, pale hand.  Just before they exited the room, however, Cian was pretty sure he heard  a mumbled word of gratitude.

* * * *

While his recovery had been swift thanks  to  the drug Destin had given him, along with his own magic that governed all paranormals, it apparently wasn’t quick enough for Cian. Zavion had awoken with a headache that first morning after the antidote was administered, and he’d been weak for a few days afterward.

Other than that, and the occasional bouts of nausea that had

plagued him those first couple of days, he’d healed with no  complications. Cian, however, was having a hard time letting go of  his anxiety, and he practically jumped out of his skin every time  Zavion so much as cleared his throat.

It was sweet in the beginning, and he appreciated how Cian doted on him, but he’d been out of the hospital for over a week and  really just wanted things to go back to normal.

92                        Gabrielle Evans

“What are you doin’?”

“Cooking,” Zavion responded with a bright smile, ignoring the  warning edge to his lover’s tone . “I don’t know how to make much,  but I can make a mean grilled cheese sandwich. Do you want one?”

“You need to be restin’. I’ll do that.” Cian crossed the kitchen of

the dorm and tried to take the spatula from his hand, but Zavion

danced out of his reach.

“Stop it. I’m a hundred percent better, and I don’t need you to do  everything for me. I appreciate that you want to take care of me, but  I’m not a child, and I don’t need it. Now, sit down and let me make

you lunch.”

“I just worry about ya,  a ghrá.” His arms encircled Zavion’s waist

from behind, and Cian nuzzled against his nape. “I almost lost  you.”

Zavion had been unconscious for most of it, but he understood

that it must have been hell for his lover. When Logan told him that  he’d stopped breathing and  had technically died, it had been scary as  fuck. Watching the pain play through Cian’s eyes as though he was  reliving it all over again had nearly broken his heart, though.

“But you saved me,” he said in a soft, calm  tone.  It was true. He  wouldn’t be alive if not for his mate’s determination to keep his heart  beating. “You didn’t give up on me.”

“How could I?” Cian asked, his  voice  thick with emotions while

his arms tightened around Zavion’s midsection. “My heart doesn’t  beat unless yours does.”

Gods, the man was going to make him melt into a big pile of goo  right there in the kitchen. Turning to face his lover, Zavion curled his  arms around Cian’s neck and pulled the big shifter into a tender kiss.  “I couldn’t live without you, either.”

“Good, because I love you, and I’m never lettin’ ya go.”

Zavion opened his mouth to respond but snapped it closed just as  quickly. Surely he hadn’t heard that correctly. “I’m sorry. Can you  say that again?”

“I’m not lettin’ ya go,” Cian repeated with a knowing smirk.

From This Moment                       93

“No, not that. The first part.”

Cian pressed their lips together again, dipping his tongue into  Zavion’s mouth in a kiss that curled his toes. “I love you, Zavion  Dobbs. Ya might as well get used to it.”

“Yeah,” Zavion said dazedly as he tried to make his head stop  spinning and his swelling cock behave. “I think I can live with that.”  Some of the fog cleared, and a bright smile stretched his lips from ear  to ear. “I love you, too, Cian. I loved you before you even decided  you wanted me.”

“Ah, that’s where you’re wrong, darlin’. I’ve always wanted ya.  From the moment I met ya, I wanted nothin’ else. I was just too much  of a fool to do anything about it, but no more. From this moment, I’ll  spend every day showin’ ya just how much you mean to me.”

“Stop that.” Zavion sniffled and wiped roughly at his misty eyes.  “You’re going to make me burn the sandwiches.” He pulled away  from his mate’s searching hands and turned back to the stove. “So,  what’s been going on with Dr. Woods?” It was hard to carry on a  casual conversation when he was so deliriously happy, but he was  kind of curious about what the Enforcers had found.

“Destin has been cooperative. Unfortunately, he wasn’t entrusted  with much information. The Enforcers boxed up all kinds of  equipment, computers, and paperwork, though. Cole and Jackson are  goin’ through it, but there’s a lot.”

“What about Bridgemont?”

“Technically, it’s a human facility,” Cian answered with a  disgruntled sigh. “We have no jurisdiction there.”

Zavion placed the sandwiches on two plates and cut them in half.  “They just get away with it? That’s not fair!”

“No, it’s not,” Cian agreed. “We’re lookin’ for a way around the  law, but right now, we’ve got nothin’.” He picked at the toasted bread  on his plate without much interest. “Thanks, Zavion.”

Settling into the chair across from his mate, Zavion wished there  was something he could do  to  bring that smile back to Cian’s

94                        Gabrielle Evans

handsome face. Unfortunately, bad shit just kept piling up no matter  how hard they tried to combat it. “What about Xander?”

Cian scrubbed at his face wearily as he slumped back in his seat.  “Still no feelin’ or mobility in his right arm. He’s a right mean bastard  these days, too.”

“Mean? Shouldn’t he just be happy to be alive?”

“You’d think so, but you’d be wrong. Braxton says he barely  leaves his room, and he won’t talk