Robin opened his eyes.
Isellta sat beside him on the bed. He wore a tight black tank top with oversized arm holes. It flaunted so much skin. He might as well have been shirtless.
Robin was so distracted by all of that exposed skin he didn’t even notice what was covering the fey’s lower half. He could only assume that Isellta was wearing something. It was unlikely that he’d leave his southern borders unprotected.
“Robin.” Isellta leaned forward. “I need to tell you something important.”
“What is it?”
Raven appeared next to the bed. He was dressed like a stereotypical Old West sheriff. “You all don’t get to fin’ out none, pardner.” He pulled out a Taser gun and zapped him in the middle of his back.
****
Robin woke with a yelp.
Raven released his shoulders. “Ahh. Hello, sir.”
Robin snarled and punched him. “HOW DARE YOU TASER MY BACK!”
Maelin and LM quickly backed away from both of them.
“I beg your pardon, sir—-”
“And right you should. I mean, come on! In the back? Really?”
“Sir. I did not ‘Taser’ you anywhere. I do not even know what that word means.”
“Oh, come on. Get with the times. I swear you and Am’rose are like these old, old grandpas.”
Raven stiffened at the insult.
Robin got out of his seat. “But I ain’t here to pick no fight. You said Missy died and now she ain’t dead no more. So? What you wanna me do about it?”
“Fix her.”
“Fix her. What? Like she’s broken? Jeesh! Do I look like some freakin’ mechanic to you?”
“Sir—”
Robin narrowed his eyes. “Wait. Is this somethin’ you talked to her father—-”
“I just need you to do this for me. Please, sir. Please.”
Robin shrugged. “Ain’t so sure if—”
“I do not want her to slip away from me again. Please. Robin, please.”
He shrugged again. “If you’re gonna be that dang insistent.”
***
Robin walked past Maelin without acknowledging her. If she weren’t part peace dragon, she would have been deeply bent out of shape.
But she was part peace dragon. So, she didn’t take offense.
Maelin followed the two vampires over to the bed. “Let’s see what he can do.”
***
Jeff quickly joined them. “What are you guys up to?”
Raven spoke up, “I believe that Robin can help your daughter, sir.”
“How?”
“Vampire magic.” Robin said.
“Does it involve messing with her mind?”
Raven gave the other vampire a questioning look.
“No. It’s all—” He looked down at Missy. “Oh, dang.”
“What?” Raven and Jeff said in unison.
“I can’t do it.”
Raven’s pupils widened.
“I can’t. Look at all this IV stuff in her. What you think will happen if I heal her?”
“You can heal her?” Jeff asked.
“Yeah, but.” Robin flapped his hand. “I can’t do it. I can’t e’en try.”
“Robin.” Raven’s voice sounded dangerous.
“Don’t go givin’ me no death glares. Look. If I heal her, it will heal all of her injuries.”
“I fail to see how that could be a problem.”
“That’s because you’re tired and you ain’t thinkin’ right. Look at her arm. She’s got these needles stabbed into her skin. That counts as an injury, right? What you think’ll happen if I heal her injuries? Don’t bother answerin’ because I’ll just tell you what. If I heal her, her skin will close up around the needles. The needles will be buried inside her skin. Do you know how much trouble that would be to remove? How painful it would be?”
Jeff shook his head. “Don’t do it.”
Robin gave Raven an expectant look.
Raven grabbed the top of the bed rail. He looked down at her. “Missy. It hurts. It hurts so much.” He closed his eyes. “Robin. Do not do it.”
ambroseandelsie 