Forgotten in Darkness Read Online Free

keeps picking fights with the other guys. Eric’s so worried about his family, now that he has a newborn, that he has trouble focusing on fights. So, that leaves Ashor and Christian as the only truly functional ones of the bunch. We need you.”
    That did sound desperate. There should be ten of them, well, eleven, but that last magus the gods would never resurrect. “I assume Ashor is still in charge.”
    She nodded.
    He sighed and shook his head. “They’d fare better without me.”
    “Is that your final decision?” She pressed the knife.
    His scrotum burned. Did she really think he’d be swayed by pain?
    “They would each give their life for you and you know it. If the goddess deceived you, then it was her fault or that of one of the other gods, not one of the guys. This is a difficult time. Please, come with me.”
    The healer’s bravado was little more than farce. Fear came off her in waves. Despite his threat, hurting her was against his code. He had never hurt a woman in all his centuries of existence, although this time, this life, he would make an exception for Shaiani. Or die trying. He stepped away from the healer. “You need to work on that recruitment speech.”
    Her face flushed. “It sucked, didn’t it?”
    He genuinely liked this healer. “Not very inspiring. I have received a lot of those speeches, but yours was by far the most entertaining.”
    “Sorry. I didn’t have time to prep it out in my mind, and then I rambled. So, you’ve been around a while?” She waved at his shirt. “That’s a style that went out over a hundred years ago.”
    His cheeks burned. At first opportunity, he would discard the clothes. “Please accept my apology if I harmed you. I will accompany you, but I would like to reclaim my blade, if possible. They confiscated it when I was incarcerated.”
    She knocked on the door. “We’re ready to leave.” She caught his wrist as he moved away and did a magical quick-heal on his scrotum.
    He swallowed a gasp. She’d shot a soothing sensation into him prior to healing. None of the previous akhrians had cared about comfort. None would’ve been concerned about that small abrasion she’d caused. He mumbled, “Thank you.” And followed her into the bright hallway.
    ****
    Accented voices gibbered around Shay. In Spanish. Her hazy mind couldn’t decide if it wanted to be awake or keep on dreaming. Fantasy was so much better, especially when the star turned her knees to jelly with his strong hard profile and glittering gold eyes. And that smile…
    “Some guy just dumped her off? And left thousands to cover the cost of her care?” a man asked disdainfully.
    A woman replied, “Sure did. Strangest thing. He ordered we give her the care she needed. Then disappeared. Never saw him again. No one has checked on her or ever come looking.”
    “She was left here? Don’t get me wrong, this is an okay facility. But why not transfer her to Cali or Bogota?”
    The woman snort-laughed. “Dr. Fernandez, you know this place would never let that kind of cash out of its sight.”
    “You’re spending this much on a coma patient that might never wake up? For cosmetic surgery?”
    “It’s but a drop in the hat cost-wise for what that guy paid.”
    “Is she ready?” Dr. Fernandez asked, using a super-shit-in-charge tone.
    Bright light pierced Shay’s retinas. Oh my God…she could see! Through a haze she identified people in doctor masks and blue head caps surrounded her.
    Pricking pain blasted through her head. Someone had pushed a stick through her eyeball! “Stop,” she rasped out. She pushed upwards. And screamed. She thrashed, connecting with a metal tray. A clatter of metal objects hit the floor.
    “Hold her down!” the doctor yelled. “Goddamned redheads and their resistance to anesthesia. I thought you said she was comatose.”
    Arms restrained her. She bucked and pushed at them. Someone vice-clamped her forearm while a burning pain traveled from her wrist to shoulder.