An incessant beeping drilled into Rhet's consciousness, which sucked because he was floating along all nice and comfy. That all ended the moment he had the fleeting realization that he was waking up. He snapped his eyes open to find himself staring at the fluorescent light inset into the ceiling and immediately regretted it as pain pierced into his brain.
He groaned and raised a hand to rub his temples but felt an unusual tug on his forearm. He saw the IV, then followed it up to find himself surrounded by medical equipment, including the one that had just about reached the end of its beep-beep-beeping life if he had any say.
"You're awake!" a soft female voice off to his right proclaimed. He looked in her direction and saw Nayah, one of Hatrhed's bonded mates, set her book aside as she stood from the chair she'd occupied.
He squinted. "Where am I?"
"At Vicktor's clinic. Do you remember anything?"
He closed his eyes and laid his head back on the pillow. "Hatrhed invited me over to dinner." He scowled. "I got there okay, so I didn't have a wreck." He looked at the IV again. "Why am I here?"
Nayah stopped at his bedside. "You had a... reaction. From a great shock." She was hesitant to simply blurt out what had happened. "Let me call in a nurse now that you're awake." She pushed the call button, and, almost immediately, a female in scrubs with a stethoscope came in the door.
"Awake, huh? We thought you might be out a little longer."
Nayah moved to the foot of the bed while the nurse checked him over, asking him questions to check his lucidity. He wasn't entirely tracking everything, but he knew his name and the date, so there was that.
"The last thing I remember is climbing the stairs of the farmhouse. What happened after that?"
"You went inside," Nayah explained, "You saw someone you hadn't seen in a long time. Someone from your past."
Rhet scowled, straining to remember. A face flashed in his mind, and his heart skipped a beat, literally, before taking off. "My father. Night. Son of a bitch."
"Take some deep breaths for me, Rhet," the nurse ordered. "Let's get that heart rate down."
"Fuck that," he swore and tried to sit up. "I want out of here." Dizziness washed over him, and he collapsed with a groan.
"Yeah, your blood pressure is wanky, too. So, be prepared to be here for as long as it takes to get you more stable. Then, we'll talk about discharge papers," the nurse explained.
Rhet knew that he had no choice. Even sitting up was a no-go. "Fine. Just don't let him come in here."
"Got it," she said as she adjusted the IV drip. "We've got some good meds for your system. Should get you straightened out."
He gave in, sinking into the pillow. "Okay. Whatever."
"In the meantime, that IV should help with the BP and dizziness. We need to get you up and moving when you feel up to it."
He nodded.
"Do you need anything?" Nayah asked. "Some water or something?"
The nurse finished her check and adjustments of all the machines, noting the readings in his chart. "He can have some ice chips. I'll send some in for him." She looked at him. "You behave. I don't want any trouble from you!"
He grunted at her humor and listened to her shoes as they squeaked when she left.
He stole a look at Nayah. "Why are you here?"
She grabbed the chair and dragged it to the side of the bed. "Hatrhed told me to stay with you. She said she'd come by once they were back."
"Back from where?"
"Well, she, V, Phury, and Lassiter, took Night and his second son to see Wrath."
Rhet tugged his head around to her. "Son? He has another son?"
"Umm... yes. I think his name was Mehnace."
"I have a brother?"
"It would seem so."
"Huh. Well, nice of him to let me know."
Nayah shifted uncomfortably. "I'm sure there's a reason why he didn't."
Rhet turned away and lapsed into silence.
"I don't think going to see him is a wise move," Nayah interjected into the conversation over First Meal. "I don't think the clinic will allow Night to visit anyway since Rhet has put him on the do-not-admit list."
Hatrhed, Night, Ace, and the rest of Hatrhed's immediate crew filled in part of the long dining table. It wasn't nearly as big or as hefty as the one in the Brother's mansion, but it held its own. Nayah, Tristan, Wilhem and his hellren, Vicktor sat to Hatrhed's right. Night, Ace, Tarra, Kyle, and his shellan, Nivian, sat to her left and everyone worked on a hearty southern meal of biscuits and gravy, complete with bacon.
"No, we won't," Vicktor affirmed. "But, he's champing at the bit to be gone, and we can't do anything after that."
"I still don't think you should push it. Let Tarra approach him," Nayah urged.
"Do you think he'll talk to her any more than he'll talk to him?" Tristan asked.
"Well, he'll talk to either or both of them if he wants to be a part of the training program," Wilhelm pointed out.
Hatrhed nodded. "I don't think he's as dumb as to refuse to be in the program because he doesn't want to talk to someone. But," she looked at Night, "we don't need the interruption and interference."
"I understand," Night said. "I will leave him alone and let him come to me."
"I will offer to answer any questions he has," Tarra added. "I was going to go and try to talk to him after First Meal."
"Okay. Make it clear that being civil, at a minimum, is a requirement for being in the program. And," Hatrhed looked at Night and Ace, "that goes for y'all, too. No pushing. Let him work his thing out. He's a good male, and we need him. Now, what other business do we have?"
Night cleared his throat. "Cathy is arriving in the morning. I've booked her a suite at the Marriott. She'll be staying there until we find a place. Shouldn't take long since we're paying cash."
Nivian piped up. "I can help with that. I have a friend who is a realtor. I'll give you her number."
"Speaking of, what're your numbers? We'll all add you to our phones," Kyle requested, to which Night and Ace answered, and everyone complied.
They went around the table, and each person checked in with their plans for the day. Once the meal was over, Tarra got Night's attention.
He attempted to ignore the butterflies he felt standing next to her.
"I'd like to have your permission to share your story with Rhet. Reading about what happened might better explain part of what's going on. I'm also going to be adding in Fleur's dilemma she faced with Hatrhed being in hiding."
He closed his eyes. The idea that his son would be reading about his great shame was devastating. He said as much. "But, I am willing to allow it if it will mend our fences. Do whatever you feel is best. I trust you."
She nodded and hesitated. Night's stomach flip-flopped, but it seemed that she changed her mind about saying something. He shifted his weight. Being this close to her was intoxicating.
"Thank you. I will do my best."
Tarra had wanted to ask Night about Cathy and his arrangements for her but decided against it. It wasn't her place to interfere with whatever plans he had made for himself, but the impulse to offer sustenance was a built-in instinct for a Chosen. It was hard to resist, but she managed.
She went to the Great Library and swelled with pride to see Night's books properly shelved. It's about damned time. She chose one of his first volumes, the one with the lesser attack and his subsequent decision to be Forgotten. She also chose one of Aghony's books, the one where Hatrhed had been forced to leave because of her movement skill. This would help explain why she had to hide.
Getting Rhet to read their histories would be a matter that was out of her control. Still, she had a job to do, and she would do it to the best of her abilities. She portalled back to the farm and requested a ride to the clinic.
Once there, she made her way to Rhet's room. His door was open, so she knocked on the jamb.
"Hi. I'm Tarra, remember? Can I talk to you for a few minutes?"
She could see him stiffen. "Depends on what you want."
"Well," she said as she entered the room, not wanting to let the opportunity of giving him the volumes slip away. "I'm the Chosen who has been recording your sire's life. I brought you some of your family's history to read to help you better understand why your sire and mahmen kept who they are from you." She set the books on the table beside the bed.
His eyes narrowed. "They lied. What more is there to know?"
"Yes, they lied, but they did so with cause. Please, read their stories?"
He sat up, swinging his feet to the floor. "I'm not much interested." He pushed the call button. "Leave."
She included her head but left the books behind. She'd done the best she could.
Rhet was ready to go home, which was exactly what he intended to do when the Chosen left. He eyed the leather-bound books she'd left behind and refused to admit he was curious.
When the nurse entered the room, he demanded, "I'm going home. Take this IV out."
"I can't do that until you're discharged," the nurse protested.
He sighed and did it himself, closing the wound with a lick.
"I don't recommend leaving just yet," she urged.
"I don't care." He pulled on his clothes and slipped his dead phone into his pocket.
"Fine. Will you at least sign the paperwork refusing care?"
"Fuck that." He scowled, pulling on his motorcycle boots before he gave a sound of frustration and grabbed the books before walking out. He had to walk some distance before he was calm enough to dematerialize back to the garage.
It was the first time since Chester's death that he'd been there. He stood in the cold, looking up at Chester's apartment door, before shoving his grief aside and entering the garage proper.
"Hey! Rhet! We didn't know you were coming by," Dillon, one of the mechanics, said. "You working today?"
"Nah. I just came to let you all know that I will be gone for a while. Hatrhed has tapped me for the training program."
"Congratulations! Don't worry about the shop. We got it covered." The other nodded.
He was grateful for his team. They were good males and female.
He ghosted and headed home to change into his spare winter gear so he could pick up his bike from the farm. The only problem was that Ace was admiring his ride when he arrived.
Fuck.