Free Dark Warrior Untamed by Alexis Morgan Page A

kept it short. “Someone sent a bomb to the house. Grey Danby was seriously hurt and has been taken to the hospital. Hughes was a bit shaken up, but everyone else is all right. Sandor and the kids were inside with Kerry and Ranulf when the explosion went off, and the house wasn’t damaged.”
    Lena seemed to take it all in stride, although her relief that the kids and Sandor were all right was palpable. “Where are you off to now?”
    “We thought someone should go to the hospital with Grey. Sandor loaned me his car so he could stay with Kerry and the kids.”
    Lena was already hurrying away. “Check in when you know something.”
    “Will do,” she promised before running to the car.
    •   •   •
    Did he really want to open his eyes when he knew a world of pain was waiting for him? Where the hell was he anyway? The last thing he could remember was running … somewhere? But he couldn’t remember being late for anything.
    Grey was pretty damn sure that wherever he was smelled suspiciously like a hospital. Then there were all those annoying beeps.
    Bracing himself for the worst, Grey gathered up his strength and attempted to open his eyes. He was right. This was definitely a hospital, and unfortunately he was the one hooked up to all those bloody beeping machines.
    A feminine silhouette rose into view, blocking out the rest of the room. “Grey? Are you awake?”
    He managed a small nod as he tried to focus on the face. Was she a nurse? Squinting, he could make out dark hair with streaks of pink and purple. Her eyes were dark, her expression worried, and her face familiar. Slowly the fog in his mind lifted. Ah, yes, he knew her. Not a nurse after all.
    “Grey, it’s me, Piper.”
    “I know. What the hell happened?” His words came out in a harsh whisper.
    “First, let me tell the nurses you’re awake. Once they’ve checked you over, I’ll fill you in.”
    When she walked away, his wrist felt cold. Why had Piper been holding his hand? He missed the soothing warmth of her touch now as pain washed over him in cold waves. His eyes drifted closed again.
    “Mr. Danby, can you hear me?”
    A disturbingly young man with a stethoscope around his neck smiled down at him. “Glad you could join the party, Mr. Danby. I’m Dr. Gregory. Your friend here has been pretty worried about you.”
    Grey sought out Piper, who hovered in the far corner of the small room. He’d rather have her fussing over him than the cheerful but impersonal medical staff crowded around him. He wasn’t up to ordering them to leave him alone, though. Besides, they’d never believe that he didn’t need their help. As a Talion, he’d heal from anything short of a mortal wound, especially if Kerry lent a hand.
    The doctor poked and prodded and generally made a pest of himself. He kept referring to Grey’s chart with a puzzled look.
    “Is something wrong, Doctor?” Piper asked.
    The doctor flipped back and forth between a couple of pages in the chart before answering. “No, not at all. In fact, Mr. Danby here is in far better shape than I expected, especially considering the severity of his injuries.”
    His smile was meant to be reassuring. “You have a broken clavicle and a hairline fracture in your right humerus, not to mention some cracked ribs. The impact also cause multiple contusions and lacerations. Our main concern was the length of time you were unconscious, indicative of a pretty severe concussion. Bottom line, you’re going to hurt for a while, but there’s no permanent damage.”
    Then he frowned. “The bruising doesn’t seem to be as extensive as the ER doc noted.”
    Grey wasn’t thinking clearly enough yet to deflect this line of inquiry. Luckily Piper stepped in.
    She maneuvered around the nurse and stood at the head of the bed. “Maybe they overestimated his injuries because he was covered with so much dirt and blood when they brought him in. That always makes things look worse.”
    Piper’s dark eyes pooled up