Diamond (Rare Gems #2)(19)

“I’m fine.” She snarled at him, and he leaned away from her when she got closer. “I was sick for a few days. I’m better now.”

You’re not. You smell like you’re still very sick and should be in a hospital. He didn’t move, but she did until she could put her nose on his bare arm. You come in here acting like you can take on the world and…what if I had attacked you? How the hell would you have defended yourself against me?

Then it occurred to her that he didn’t care if she killed him or not. When she whimpered at him, he put his hand on her head and rubbed against her fur. Leaning into him, she let him continue touching her; the wolf in her was happy with him all of a sudden.

“I’m going to have to go soon. I’m flying out tonight.” Thad started to stand but fell back in the chair. “I’m glad that you’re going to be well from now on. I’m not sure why Blair let me in the house, but I guess he figured that having me dead and you alive was a better tradeoff for all of you. And I’m not going to fight the…did you know Jane was a vampire?”

He was burning up, and she could feel his heat. Diamond had to shift back to help him, but was afraid to leave him. She reached for Blair. He would help her.

Come to my room quickly. Thad is sick and I’m worried about him. Diamond heard him running to her and when the door burst open, he was standing there. He’s ill. He came in here to piss me off and you let him, knowing he was this sick.

Blair picked him up and put him on her bed. She didn’t care right now where he was so long as he was put somewhere she could help him. Diamond went to the bathroom and shifted. This time it was much easier on her, and quicker. She pulled on the first things she could find and went back to her room. Blair was taking off his pants, having already pulled off his shoes and socks.

“He’s burning up.” Blair nodded at her. “I need you to find my bag please, the one that I have down in the kitchen.”

While he was gone, Diamond tore Thad’s shirt and realized how much weight he’d lost…a great deal more than what was healthy. When Blair returned, she pulled out what she could and dumped the rest on the floor. Setting him up with an IV turned out to be harder than she’d thought it would be because she was shaking so hard. When a hand lay across her hand, she looked up at her grandmother.

“Take a deep breath and steady yourself. The way you’re going right now, you’re going to harm him more than help him. Breathe, Diamond, he needs you.” Nodding, Diamond closed her eyes and listened to her grandmother’s soothing voice. “That’s it, just in and out like you know how to do.”

As calmness settled over her, Diamond looked down at his arm. The veins were sunken and his skin dry. He’d been ill for more than a day, she’d bet, and looked at Blair when he came into the room. She asked him what he knew.

“He said he had food poisoning and that he’d been in the hospital. He didn’t say how long, but I would think for a few days.” Blair handed her a strip of tape before she’d asked for it. “I think he looks worse now than when he was in my office.”

“I think him pissing me off took its toll on him. I didn’t even realize how sick he was until he pissed me off.” She glanced up at Blair. “You told him to do that knowing how sick he was? What if I had hurt him or, worse yet, killed him?”

“You’re right. It was a chance I was willing to take to get you better. I was also hoping that as your mate you’d not be able to harm him.” Blair picked up her things as she hung an IV bag from her canopy as he continued. “He gave me a book.”

“Good for you. Now will you please get out? I have things to take care of in here and you’re too much male for my wolf. She wants to hurt you right now for harming what she thinks of as hers.”

“And what do you think of him?” Diamond didn’t answer him because she wasn’t sure what she thought. The man had rejected her, and not only that but had shamed her as well. “Diamond?”

“He’s going to get better. Then I’m sending him on his way. Thad Galloway no more wants me than I do him.” Lie, her wolf snarled at her. “Now please see if you can get some supplies from your clinic for me. I’ll need whatever you can put your hands on in the form of antibiotics for a human.”

He nodded and left her sitting on the edge of the bed. Diamond looked down at Thad and wondered if he’d die. It was just about what she deserved for taking on a human mate. When Thad started to toss and turn, she moved over him, pressing him down with her body, and he stilled.

Every time she started to move off the bed, he’d moan and start to toss off the covers. Diamond finally gave up and lay down beside him, holding him in her arms throughout the night. And just as the sun was blazing over the room, Thad’s fever broke and she fell asleep, holding him to her.





Chapter 7



Thad woke feeling heavy and hot. He tried to move away from the source of heat, but every time he was inches away, he’d be pulled back quickly and held tighter. Using what very little strength he had, he looked down at the inferno in his arms.

Diamond was lying with her head over his chest and both her arms wrapped tightly around him. Even her leg was over his, her weight making it so that he couldn’t move even if he wanted to. She turned her head over so that he could see her face when she spoke.