Free The Faerie's Honeymoon by Emma Holly

as if he’d created an instant portal in mid air. He was on his back. Her weight hit him with the force of a speeding car, and even his resilient lungs temporarily collapsed. Using his magic to absorb it, he’d taken all the damage he could on himself.
    “Medic,” he croaked the instant he was able.
    Belle wasn’t breathing. He didn’t know about her heart. He only knew his own didn’t want to break forever.
    A weretiger in a flowered bikini top and blue scrub pants rushed to them and knelt. “Sir,” she said. “Are you all right?”
    “Her,” he corrected. “Help my wife.”
    Strange white spots danced before his eyes, the pain of impact beginning to kick in. He was going to pass out. He must have hit his skull hard.
    “Give me a shot,” he ordered the nearby tigers, most of whom were EMTs. They were checking Belle over, seeing if she was safe to move. “I need adrenaline.”
    “Sir ...”
    “Someone attacked her. Vampire. Could still be hunting her.”
    A male EMT met his eyes, decided he was more useful conscious, and moved immediately at were speed. Metal pricked him between his ribs, the angle odd but what was available. Duvall gasped as the drug hit his heart.
    “Breathe,” said the paramedic. “Let the first rush pass.”
    He tried to breathe, but they were rolling Belle off his body onto a stretcher. They’d put a collar around her neck, though he saw her spinal energy flowing as it should.
    Watch for danger , he reminded himself. He looked up the building, murmuring a quick spell to enhance vision. Up on the terrace, the demon Darius struggled with the fang who’d attacked Belle. It was a kids’ debate come to life. Who was stronger: Superdemon or Supervamp? He tried to send Darius power, but for the moment and despite the shot of adrenaline, his magic wouldn’t stop healing him. The fight blurred in and out of his view of the building’s edge. Sensibly, if frustratingly, the combatants’ audience didn’t intervene. The vamp was faster, which spurred alarm, but Darius got him in a chokehold. Given how much bigger the Spink was, that meant the battle was over. Darius forced the vamp to his knees, holding him immobilized from behind.
    Don’t kill him , Duvall thought as hard as he could. I need to know what this is about. And you don’t want to violate your parole.
    He didn’t know if the demon heard. The effort of sending the thought was too much for him. A migraine spiked through his brain as badly as if he’d told a whopper of a lie. The EMT who’d given him the shot rolled him onto his side when he moaned. It was close, but Duvall managed not to throw up.
    “Hold still,” the tiger said. “If you look this pale after half a minute, I’m putting you in your own ambulance, instead of with your sweetheart.”
    “Is she -”
    “She’s breathing on her own, sir. Only broke a couple ribs. If you let yourself recover, you’ll be able to heal them.”
    It wasn’t in his nature to take orders, but Duvall lay where he was until he felt able to sit up. He didn’t even complain when the medic had the temerity to stroke his wings soothingly.
    ~
    “Belle,” someone said. “Time to open your eyes.”
    Belle didn’t want to. She ached all over and also felt strangely buzzed. Whatever she’d been drinking, she was certain she ought to sleep it off.
    “Belle,” the voice repeated. This time, she recognized it as her husband’s. Groaning, she opened her eyes.
    She was in a private hospital room - a nice one, with soft blue walls. Duvall sat beside her, hunched forward in an uncomfortable looking chair. Darius’s giant form blocked the doorway, his expression so steely it seemed angry. Blood spotted the front of his ruffled tuxedo shirt, his bow tie hanging bedraggled around his immense neck. When she looked back at Duvall, his outfit was pristine.
    This struck her as wrong. Hadn’t she seen it in tatters not long ago?
    “I feel terrible,” she croaked.
    Duvall covered her hand and