Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 93267 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93267 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
“Sure. You know modern medicine, but magical medicine isn’t something you grew up learning.”
“No. No, it wasn’t. It wasn’t something the Hunters knew. Shit, I’m…I’m both vexed that this information has already been out here for hundreds of years without my knowing, and excited at the possibility I really could use magic to help my patients.” Salem frowned before asking, “Wait, how does one have a medical license to practice if you’re using magic?”
“Sora question.” Gregori had no clue. “I heard he traveled the world as a nonprofit doctor before meeting Ravi. If anyone could answer the question, it’d be him.”
It didn’t take two seconds for Salem to make a decision. “I want to talk to them.”
“Sure. I’ll text them both, see who’s got time to chat and when. Amaru’s up to his neck in projects, so it might not be him. Honestly, Sora’s not much better, as he’s juggling projects, twins, and Ravi, but I have more faith in him finding an hour to talk to you than Amaru.”
“Because he can stay on topic?”
Gregori snorted a laugh. “Pretty much. Amaru’s excitement runs away with him.”
“Got it. Well, regardless, I have a lot of questions. In fact, I might have triple the questions once I sit and think on this for a second.”
“That’s fine.”
In a rare moment, Salem tilted his head back to look at him, gaze almost penetrating. “And what’s wrong with you?”
Gregori’s dragon sat up and did a little happy dance at this question. Such a lovely moment, having his mate focused and worried about him. He felt like throwing a party.
“Homesick,” Gregori admitted. He didn’t want to worry Salem or give him any grounds to argue with Gregori about returning to Brazil, but he did want to be honest with him. It was something of a fine balancing act. “I’m just really missing everyone. Plus, I’ve been feeling a little off.”
Salem’s face said I knew it, but he didn’t look happy or vindicated with this answer. Quite the opposite, like it worried him more. “Are you coming down with something?”
“No, I don’t think so. No sore throat or fever or anything. Just really tired and not feeling myself.”
Salem lowered his hand to Gregori’s forehead and the unhappiness increased. “You’re running a low-grade temp.”
“Oh. Makes sense, I had some minor smoke inhalation today. I bet that’s why.”
“Hmm. It could be part of it.” Salem didn’t look sold, though. “All right, the second you start having any symptoms, tell me.”
He really was worried. It touched Gregori deeply, but he also couldn’t help but tease Salem to ease his worries.
“Does that mean we can play doctor?”
“Do not make me tranq your ass.”
“I’ll take that as a no.”
“When you are well”—Salem gave him the stink eye, but there was a twitch to his lips like he was laughing on the inside—“we will come back to the topic of playing doctor.”
He didn’t. Oh my god, he did. He was playing right along. Delighted, Gregori tried to snuggle in more, batting his eyelashes at Salem in a really ridiculous way.
“Can’t we negotiate this?”
“No. We cannot.” Salem rolled his eyes. “You’re like that camel in the story. I give you an inch, you take a mile.”
“Guilty.”
And if Salem kept being sweet like this, Gregori would continue to take advantage. It was how he rolled.
“Zhizn’ ebet meya!”
Salem paused in adjusting the tie around his neck. That was one of the first times he’d heard Gregori use Russian. In this case, it didn’t sound like a good thing.
“My Russian is a bit rusty.” He resumed tying his necktie as he got ready to leave for the hospital. Gregori poked around the kitchen, slamming the refrigerator door closed and then hunting through the cabinets, but his head snapped around at Salem’s words.
“You speak Russian?”
Salem rolled his eyes. “I was being sarcastic. Is something wrong?”
Gregori grunted and returned his attention to the kitchen. “I forgot to make a run to the grocery yesterday. We’re out of…fuck…everything. I can’t make you lunch today.”
Gregori had still cooked regularly during the past week, which amazed Salem—he wasn’t sure how the man found the spoons. Not only did he have obligations at the hospital with the kids and volunteering with the fire department, he now had a couple of universities demanding his time, wanting to learn more about the Valerii Clan, the Dragon War, and what had happened with the dragons over the past five hundred years. Honestly, Salem expected things to have blown up from stress by this point. They usually had at roughly this junction whenever someone tried to stay with him. But ever since their blowout argument, Salem and Gregori had steadied. Salem kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. For Gregori to lose patience. SOMETHING.
Only it just never materialized?
He put the question mark on it because surely even Gregori’s patience would run out soon. Salem knew full well he wasn’t easy to live with. Within the confines of his own head, he could admit he wasn’t looking forward to their inevitable ending. He kind of liked cuddling Gregori’s great big body each night and feeling those strong arms wrapped around him from behind. He maaaay have found Gregori’s deep, steady breathing in his ear to be the best white noise. It wasn’t like he was jealous, per se, of the kids who got to spend the afternoon listening to Gregori tell stories and do magic tricks. It was just a smidgeon of fear of missing out. Or something.