Free Magpie by Kim Dare

him. His whole body pulsated with need. The inner part of his elbows itched with the desire for a nice, sharp moment of pain that would lead to such perfect bliss.
    “Are you up to eating anything?”
    “No.” If he put anything in his stomach, he’d have just thrown it up. The only thing Kane needed went straight into his veins.
    Everet fell silent.
    Kane tried to turn his back on him. He failed.
    “Do you need help to get comfortable?” Everet asked.
    Kane ignored him and settled on turning his head away from him.
    His forehead tingled. Kane frowned, wondering why some random little part of his body should expect a gentle touch from the other man at that particular moment.
    It seemed to take an age for the doctor to arrive but finally, a stranger walked into the room as if he had every right to be there. He had a doctor’s bag with him—a bag that was easily big enough to carry more drugs than an avian body could handle in one sitting.
    Kane managed a small smile, but it died as Everet greeted the doctor and completely failed to leave the room.
    “Private,” Kane whispered.
    “No.”
    Kane tried to frown. Everet showed no facial reaction whatsoever. “You belong to me, Kane. I’m responsible for you. Whatever is said between you and the doctor, I need to hear it too.”
    There would be no moving him. He had that look in his eyes. With a grunt of displeasure, Kane turned his head toward the doctor. “I need something for the pain.”
    “Anything I give you will only prolong your pain in the long run,” the doctor began.
    Kane shook his head. “Before, when I felt like this, a doctor gave me an injection. It helped a lot.”
    “Let me guess. An injection of a sparkly, silver substance, right?” the doctor asked.
    “Yes!”
    “No.” That was Everet.
    Pointedly ignoring him, Kane kept his eyes on the doctor.
    “It would hurt you more in the long run,” he repeated.
    “No, it wouldn’t. It helps,” Kane snapped, anger bubbling up inside him, demanding to be released, even when he felt as if he could barely lift his head from his pillow.
    “It’s not going to happen, Kane.” Everet sounded so bloody certain about that.
    Kane dragged himself up into a sitting position through sheer force of will. Everet’s hand came to rest on his shoulder, but pure fury and desperation fueled Kane now. “If you won’t help me, I’ll find someone who will!”
    Catching Everet off guard, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and lurched to his feet. Pushing past the doctor, Kane staggered toward the door, his blankets trailing behind him.
    He managed to get halfway across the room before Everet caught hold of both his arms, pulling him back toward the bed.
    “No!”
    The next moment, Everet’s arms encircled Kane, trapping his arms against his body.
    Kane screamed. He had no idea what he yelled out. Words were complicated things. There was no room for them in his head. There was just need. He needed his fix. The sound he made was wild, feral, unlike anything Kane ever remembered hearing, let alone making himself.
    Kicking out at Everet’s legs, Kane felt himself deliver several good blows to the other man’s knees and shins. His arms were trapped and useless, but that didn’t stop him. He flung back his head, aiming for Everet’s nose.
    No curses filled the air. Everet didn’t let go. His arms remained around Kane as if he intended to keep hold of him no matter what he did.
    Kane struggled on, now completely demented with need. Thoughts, even those that were all about getting free, or why he needed to do that, began to fade away, lost in the confusion. No other thoughts arose to take their place. Kane couldn’t think about anything anymore, all he could do was panic.
     
    Everet twisted and stretched his neck as Kane jerked his head again and, unless Everet was very much mistaken, tried to break his nose for at least the third time. Pain shot through his knee as Kane kicked him.
    Just a moment later,