Free Mate Healer by Amber Kell Page B

mix.
    Lian blinked, forcing his focus to return to surface. Still trying to regain his proper sight, he turned to face the new voice. He sank into the newcomer with his magic.
    "You have it, too. Something you both consumed," Lian said, pondering the different things that could carry the same poison.
    A hard hand gripped Lian's shoulder and shook him.
    Lian snapped back to the present. "Oh, hi!"
    "Blaine, did you bring me a pretty present?" The newcomer asked.
    "What?" Blaine's voice sounded as confused as Lian felt. "No, Uncle Milot. Yuck! I brought him home because he needed a place to stay and he saved my friends' lives." The complete horror in the teen's voice almost had Lian laughing.
    Uncle Milot had pitch black hair and snapping blue eyes. If he'd been on the cover of a magazine Lian would've grabbed it in a second.
    "Explain!" Uncle Milot snapped, keeping his grip on Lian.
    Blaine's interpretation of Lian's actions made him sound like more of a hero than he felt at the time but he let it slide. It wasn't his place to correct him.
    Blaine's uncle released his hold. "I thank you, sir," he said formally. "Those kids are reckless, but they're good boys. I would've been devastated if any of them died in that accident."
    "If you put me up for a few days I'd call us even and if you told me what you've eaten in the past twenty-four hours that would help even more," Lian replied.
    "Why?" Milot's eyes narrowed.
    "Because I think whatever you and your guard ate is part of the reason fertility rates have dropped for the dragonkin." Lian needed more input to test his theory but his gut told him he was on the right path.
    "I'm Milot Stivy, you can call me Milot. Nice to meet you, friend." Milot held out his hand as they officially met.
    Lian shook the hand held out to him. "Dr Lian Blythorpe. Nice to meet you."
    "Explain what you said before," Milot demanded.
    Lian hid his amusement. Milot apparently barked a lot of commands. In as succinct a manner as he could, Lian told him his purpose here on Dragait and even told Milot about his altercation with Bourne. Not that he'd injured the man but that Lian needed to hide out.
    "So you need a place to stay until your team shows up?" Milot asked.
    Lian nodded. "I hate to put you out. We did just meet, but Blaine said you might have a spare bedroom."
    Uncle Milot sent Blaine an amused look. "Yeah, I'm sure we've got something. Is this poison going to kill us?"
    "I don't think so. It looks like it's bioengineered to destroy your sperm. How it does that, I'm not sure, but it appears to be working."
    "Huh. Well, doc, I'd be happy to help you out as you are trying to help my people. In fact, if you tell me what you need I can find you some lab space."
    "Oh, that isn't necessary. I wouldn't want to put you to so much trouble." Lian barely knew the man and anyone with that many bodyguards probably didn't have a legally legitimate company.
    "Nonsense. I own a lot of stuff. I'm pretty sure I recently bought a pharmaceutical company. I bet they have a lab you can use." Milot waved his objections away.
    Lian opened his mouth to answer when his communicator went off. Pulling it out of his pocket his heart pounded at the sight of Nevair's name.
    "A problem, doc?" Milot asked.
    Lian sighed. "I hope not."
    He pushed the button to accept the call.
    "You'd best be on your way back to the cathedral!" Nevair snapped
    "Hi, hon. Um no, I'm staying with some friends for a few days." Lian knew Nevair wouldn't take that excuse but he had to try.
    "You don't have any friends. You just got here. Where are you? I'm going to send Shean to pick you up," Nevair said.
    "No. I'm fine, Nevair. I'll see you in a few days." He didn't need to get Nevair mixed up in his problems.
    "You tell me where you are right now!" Nevair roared.
    Lian disconnected.
    "Are we going to be having your partner join us soon?" Milot nodded towards Lian's communicator.
    Lian promptly shoved back into his pocket. "Not if he has any sense," Lian