Chapter 14
“Sit while I run the taps. Maybe we should rinse you off with the spray before you take your bath.”
“Good idea, then the water won’t be so dirty.” Donal undressed and Alexei helped him from the toilet and stood him up in the bath. He took the sprayer and rinsed Donal, holding him up with one hand and spraying him with the other.
“Now sit and we’ll run the water.” Alexei filled the deep tub so the water came up to Donal’s chin pouring in some bath salts Vasily had found to ease his own aches before he could make the change and heal. Alexei took out his sandalwood soap and helped Donal wash.
Alexei examined Donal’s legs. There were burns on the soles of his feet and between his toes. But they only went up to his knees where the hair on his legs would hide the scars and on his feet in places that a customer from the street would never see. Some of the scars were very old, some fairly new. In some places, Apuso had burned over already scarred tissue. Alexei washed Donal’s hair. It wasn’t dirty blond. It was bright blond with a hint of red, like a new penny.
As Alexei washed his Mate, he realized Donal was crying.
“He wanted to make sure I couldn’t run,” Donal said softly, appearing to be in shock. “It’s over. It’s really over.”
“Yes, my little mouse, it is. You never have to be afraid again. I will protect you.” Alexei was fierce in his determination.
He lifted him from the tub and stood him up, drying him gently with a fluffy white towel. Alexei took a wide-tooth comb and combed his hair. It was choppy and uneven. It fell to his shoulders in ragged ends. Alexei raised his brow.
“He used a knife to cut it.” Donal said in resignation. “He wanted me just ugly enough so no one would offer to take me away.”
“Would you like me to have a barber come in tomorrow and give you a haircut and a shave?” Alexei asked doing a slow burn.
“Could you? I haven’t had my hair cut right for seven years. I have very little beard. He waxed my face to keep me looking young.” Donal whimpered.
“I’ll have someone here for your hair in the morning. No matter what Apuso did, Donal, you’re not ugly. Now let’s get you back to bed. The nurse has changed the sheets. Nurse, hook him back up to his IV line. Donal, are you still anxious?”
“No, I seem to be getting better.”
It’s a combination of Sean, Kane, and the pheromones.
Donal yawned. “I am tired, though.”
“Let’s get you hooked back up to the IV, and you can go to sleep. I’ll be here in the chair in case you need me. I left the candy on the bed stand.”
“No, go to your own bed. You need your sleep too. I can’t be that selfish.”
“Yes, you can, little mouse. You’re due a whole world of selfish. Nurse, you may go to sleep across the hall in the smaller bedroom.”
* * * *
Alexei’s suite
Monday, dawn
Donal woke three times during the night. At around ten, Katya brought him some hot chicken soup with something that looked like a dumpling she called pelmeniand some brown bread loaded with butter. He was surprised he finished it all. The second time, he cried out at midnight and Alexei held his hand until he fell back asleep. The third time, Katya tiptoed in so as not to wake Alexei. She had cream cakes, and she handed him a book.
“Mr. Colin, he write wolf stories.” Katya fixed the lamp. “You can read. Not wake up Alexei,” she whispered.
Donal was halfway through the book and all of the cakes when Alexei woke at seven.
“Didn’t you sleep well, little mouse?”
“I slept better than I have in years. I’m just not used to sleeping so long at once or at night. I woke up a few times. It was fine. Katya fed me soup at ten, you held my hand at midnight, and when I woke up at four, Katya gave me the book and cream cakes. I finished all the cream cakes.” The tips of Donal’s ears heated.
“If Katya gave the cream cakes to you, she meant for you to eat them,” Alexei said in a firm voice. “How are you doing with the book?” Alexei seemed anxious for him to finish.