Sing for the Dead (London Undead) Read Online Free

companion, he tucked his more heated thoughts away. He allowed himself a grin though, because he always could appreciate a lovely woman even in the worst of circumstances. And this one, this lady, was worth appreciation.
    The streets were nearly deserted. The moon had risen to its zenith in the dark sky and most clinics would have been closed.
    Not this clinic, though. It had been open late nights since midwinter.
    The human, Brian, had begun living out of his clinic rather than his flat once the werewolves had bought the building.
    As they approached, the lass called out to him. “What is this place?”
    “It’s become a sort of triage location for the local shape-shifters.” The sign still said veterinary clinic. “I’m guessing your friend would have too many questions to answer in a human emergency room. This place is safer for him and the doctor here has a steadier hand around the supernaturals.”
    “Is he dual-natured?”
    Coming from her, the phrase held a sophisticated lilt. Fancy that. Dual-natured. Shape-shifters didn’t often call themselves such but the label fit. Fae changed form as well—some of them. They changed or they used glamour to hide their true appearance. He’d encountered one or two of the lesser fae in his travels around Europe. He’d not ever run into the likes of this fae and his grandam’s stories were all he had to guess at what she was. Ah well, where his grandam’s stories fell short in the past, he’d relied on his wit to fill in the blanks and he’d do it again.
    “Not a shape-shifter, no. Human.” And a good man, a gentle man. Kayden hoped he wasn’t bringing ill luck to Brian.
    They’d cross that bridge when they came to it. A life hung in jeopardy. Kayden exchanged nods with a werewolf in human form, standing guard across the street. Then he pulled the door to the clinic open.
    “Please enter.” He’d been there several times before to get a wound cleaned out after a fight. He guessed he had the right to invite a fae in and the fae were looser about their interpretations of an invitation in any case. Vampires had much more stringent requirements.
    She raised an eyebrow in eloquent surprise as she stepped past him into the warmth of the clinic.
    “Oy. Brian! Emergency!” Kayden gestured for her to continue through the waiting area and into an empty examination room.
    She wasted no time easing her burden onto the hospital bed. Blood covered her entire front and she kept pressure on the side of the little man’s neck. He’d gone paler under his brown skin and his eyes barely fluttered in response to being laid down.
    Quick footsteps came from upstairs. Brian ran in a few moments later, his sandy-brown hair standing on end in several different directions. They’d waken him right out of sleep.
    Light sleeper for a human.
    “What have we got?” Brian rolled up his sleeves, then began washing his hands in the room’s sink, all business and no wasting time.
    “Well, and I don’t exactly know.” Kayden looked to his new...friend?
    “My...companion is a brownie.” The woman made the statement in a quiet voice, wary.
    Brian halted. “I’ve never treated one of the fae.”
    Her shoulders stiffened. “But will you?”
    Brian waved off the challenge. “Of course, I’ll try. Let me see his injuries.”
    The woman turned to allow Brian to approach and inspect the wounds. The human was thorough, only touching the brownie as necessary, and with gentle hands. “I’ll need you to let off the pressure so I can see the extent of the wound on his neck.”
    When she did, his brows drew together as he studied the damage.
    “You’re doing something to slow the bleeding?”
    She frowned, but gave him a slow nod. “I haven’t the power to stop it completely, only slow it.”
    Brian moved swiftly around the room, gathering a tray with supplies. When he returned, he paused, hands hovering over his instruments. “Fae are sensitive to iron and some iron alloys, aren’t