Laura’s shift started out normal.

It helped to keep busy and not think about the things — or dragons — she couldn’t control.

Asthma attack in Room 7 responding to oxygen, steroids, and a new inhaler. Probable broken foot in Room 8 waiting on X-rays. Septic scare not responding to rehydration in Room 9, transfer to the intensive care unit imminent. And she was tidying Room 10 from a pretty nasty norovirus with projectile vomiting and diarrhea — which she’d dodged, but the adolescent’s mother might never wear those jeans or shoes again — when Galina stopped by the room.

She did the 1000-yard stare of a nurse who had smelled worse but still reacted to the sour stink of a digestive mishap.

“Is this room clear of biohazards?”

“Yes, but to be safe, I called the team.”

She nodded and glanced down the hall. “Your transfer is here.”

“On my way.”

Galina fell into fast step beside her. Laura signed off on the transfer paperwork, Galina double-checked it, and her very sick patient headed off to the next stage of care.

“Two rooms clear. And the other two?”

“Waiting on X-rays and…” Laura checked her watch. “Five minutes on the asthma and that will also be good to go.”

“Tell Sabrina.”

“I already have.”

Galina allowed herself a brief smile. “You’re doing well. A few days off cleared your head.”

It was true. Not in the way Galina meant. But getting attacked, kidnapped, blown up, kidnapped again, and rescued had given her a new confidence. Here at Saint General Restoration, she knew what she needed to do. The guesswork was contained to making the best health decisions for her patients — not begging a furious military dragon to spare her planet.

Treating the simple maladies of his bridge crew hadn’t hurt her confidence either.

Kyan’s face when he’d rescued her meshed with his cold gaze when they were breaking up. Hurt panged her chest. She shook herself.

“We might turn you into an ER nurse yet.” Galina saw something over Laura’s shoulder. Her smile disappeared.

Laura turned.

Dr. Richard bore down on them, his symmetrical features tanned and a white smile Laura could just tell was going to irritate her.

“Looks like you ladies enjoyed my vacation if you have time for a gab-fest. Don’t gossip about me too hard.”

Laura had enjoyed his vacation.

She turned on her heel and headed to her next assignment.

“Hey, Blondie. Blondie, wait.” He grabbed her hand.

The X-rays were coming back so Galina continued to the exam room.

Laura spun to face Dr. Richard. “What?”

“Didn’t you miss me?”

“No.”

His brows rose.

The bustle crowded them. He pulled Laura to the side of the hallway between empty gurneys.

“With an uncollegial attitude like that, it sounds like someone doesn’t care about her recommendation.”

Her blood boiled. She channeled Whitney. “Was there any actual chance of me getting a recommendation?”

He blinked. “If you deserved one.”

“You’ve made no secret that I’m not fit for nursing. You can’t even remember my name.”

He looked non-plussed. “Blondie is a pet name.”

“Is that what I am? Your pet?”

“Well, no—”

“Because it’s disrespectful. And furthermore,” she lifted the hand that he was still holding, “you’re harassing me.”

He let go like it burned. “Just because I took your hand—”

“And also because you implied that you wanted to give me a physical, you held a conversation with me while I was in the women’s locker room, and you’ve cornered me multiple times to deliver comments that are not only inappropriate for a professional environment, they’re also creepy.”

His mouth flapped.

“I don’t want to report you for harassment.”

“Report!”

“I want to finish this clinical, get my degree, and become a travel nurse. The first intergalactic travel nurse, in fact. I’d appreciate support for my dreams.”

His mouth closed as though she’d finally said something reasonable. “You’re not going into the ED?”

“No. Valuable as I think it is, I have other plans.”

“Good.”

She braced for a jerk comment that proved he’d make the last month of her clinical even more miserable than the first months.

“You have a good bedside manner. It will get more exercise in a less hectic environment.”

He actually sounded normal. And he wasn’t giving her his usual smarmy grin.

She spoke cautiously. “Thank you.”

“Sure.” Worry darkened the wrinkles around his eyes. “Say. Can I talk to you after your shift?”

No. She’d had enough of him talking to her on her shifts. He could not talk to her after her shift.

“In the cafeteria.” He put his hands up. “Just a coffee. I’m not hitting on you, Laura. I want to explain something.”

So he actually did know her name. “…Okay.”

“Good.” He nodded at Galina exiting from the exam room. “I better let you get back to your preceptor.”

She escaped.

What the heck was going on? He was almost normal?

If he creeped on her in the cafeteria, she was out of there so fast the whole hospital would spin.

Their paths didn’t cross for the rest of her busy shift and, afterward, she landed at her car on autopilot.

Sigh.

She tossed her belongings into the repaired sedan with a groan and returned to the hospital. Was this a mistake? The dread in the pit of her stomach said so.

Dr. Richard was waiting for her in the cafeteria, both feet tapping nervously. When he saw her he stood and waved.

As if she could overlook him.

The morning coffee vendor had set up so she ordered a double. It wasn’t a Cinnamon Gold Car Bomb, but it would keep her awake through the next few minutes.

“What’s that?” Dr. Richard asked, making small talk as she sat down.

She channeled Kyan. They might be broken up, but he was still useful. “Coffee.”

“Black coffee?”

She stared at Dr. Richard over the rim of her white cup.

He looked down at his nervously tangling hands. “I, uh, asked you here because I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable. I’m playing a role.” His expression twisted into that weird grin she knew and hated. “Dr. McDreamy is an ER stereotype.”

“You’re not dreamy.”

“Hah!” He coughed as though she had surprised him. “I didn’t start out this way. The problem was my residency.”

She raised one brow.

“In the last weeks, a supervisor discovered my orientation.” He picked at his clipped nails. “In her mind, a gay man couldn’t become a doctor. She made false reports. I barely got my degree.”

So he was gay? And a bad residency caused him to make life hard for all new nurses?

“My partner thinks I overcompensate.” He chuckled dryly. It tapered to an unhappy sigh. “I guess he’s right.”

“You made my predecessor quit.”

He looked up. “She stole opioids.”

“I stole opioids.”

“You returned them.”

“So you didn’t harass her into quitting?”

“No.” He raked a hand through his sandy hair. “I told her she could leave or I’d report her. She chose to leave.”

And so Galina had assumed the reason was his attitude.

“Please don’t report me,” he pleaded. “I can’t afford more marks on my record. This hospital, this ED has been my home. I can’t start over.”

Maybe it was the double hitting her veins, but she felt confident and clear-headed. She knew exactly what needed to be said.

“Don’t harass any more nurses. And give new ones a chance. We don’t get much choice over where we do our clinicals. You should guide instead of criticize.”

He nodded.

“And stop being creepy. You’re the supervisor. Don’t perpetuate the abuse.”

He rubbed his hair again. “I’ll tone it down.”

“Turn it off.”

“I’ll … do that.” The lines around his eyes, which she’d never noticed, were honest too. He was probably exhausting himself from trying to play that stupid role. “Then, you won’t report me for harassment? Or the other things I told you?”

“We have four more weeks.” She did not promise anything. “Let’s make them collegial.”

He blinked and frowned pensively, twisting his hands again. “What happened to you? I heard about the stabbing.”

“That was nothing.” She sipped her coffee. “Cultists vandalized my apartment and cut the brakes on my car.”

He sucked in a breath through his teeth. “That’s what happened?”

“And then, in the middle of setting a double shoulder dislocation, my safe house got blown up and I was held hostage at gunpoint.”

His brows rose.

“It was all a misunderstanding.”

“That’s a heck of a misunderstanding.”

“So, that’s what happened to me.” She rose. “I just want to pass this clinical.”

He rose too. “I’ll see what I can do.”

They didn’t shake hands, but they’d passed a normal half hour. Maybe it was possible to get along.

She couldn’t reach out to Kyan, but she could reach out to Dr. Richard, fix his mistakes, and they could end the clinical with a new understanding.

And she was finally coming into her own.

Leaving the hospital once more, less than an hour after her shift ended, she exited the ED and ran into Chrysoberyl.

Wearing a fancy black suit with silver and red embroidery, the multi-pierced, bald dragon was unmistakable.

The shock was so great that she actually said aloud, “What are you doing here?”

And then it occurred to her that he wasn’t her patient, so it was none of her business.

But he oriented on her and set his shoulders. “I need your assistance.”

“I’m not allowed to treat you.”

He frowned. “I mean, Kyanite needs your assistance.”

Her heart dropped to the concrete and soared above her head. She flushed hot and cold.

Crossing her arms, she lifted her chin. “Oh yeah? With what?”

“An important matter. At his office.”

“Yeah? That’s nice.” She started for her car, patting her pockets for her keys.

He hurried after her. “You will not assist him?”

“He wants something, he can come here and ask me.”

“But he is here.”

She stopped abruptly. “Where?”

“This way.” Chrysoberyl headed back to the hospital. “The place where you found the medkits.”

“What, the basement?”

“Yes. The basement.” He puffed his chest. “Take me there.”

Ugh. Seriously? She was no longer on shift. But she could just imagine bringing him to the day charge nurse.

That nurse would call the Director. The Director would want to know what Laura was doing talking with dragon aliens in the hospital again.

What a headache.

“Come on, human. I have limited time. You are wasting it.”

It was so tempting to snap at him like she’d just snapped at Dr. Richard. But she wasn’t mad at Chrysoberyl. She was mad at Kyan for sending a representative and not having the balls to face her himself.

She headed back inside and led him to the basement organ transport shelves. It was eerie in a way she hadn’t noticed when she’d been here with Kyan.

“Here’s where we found the missing medkit.”

“Where is it?”

“Oh, we moved it upstairs.” She gestured at the shelves, extremely not reliving her first fantasies with Kyan. “It was moved here by mistake. Nobody comes down here.”

“Perfect. I prepared for this possibility. Take this end.” Chrysoberyl handed her a glowing string. Neon, like a bracelet someone would wear to a rave. “Drape it over your wrists.”

She did so. “Why?”

The string cinched around her wrists like a too-tight snap-bracelet.

“Now you cannot transform,” he said.

“Oookay. You know I can’t transform anyway. I’m a human.”

“Of … of course I know that.” He pulled the other end of the string around the column. It hugged her to the cold concrete and locked.

She struggled. “What are you doing?”

“Making myself a galactic ruler. I had intended to destroy the Onyx Corporation. But, that will have to wait.” He activated his cell phone device. “Uncle? I am being detained and injured by humans!”

“Chrysoberyl?” The captain’s voice panicked. “Where are you?”

“Destroy this enclave of filth that dared to harm my illustrious person.”

“We are moving to your coordinates now.”

“W-wait until I am free! Then, destroy this refuse pile.”

“Contact me when you have found your freedom. Hold strong, my dragonlet!”

Laura screamed. “It’s a lie! He’s not being hurt. He’s trying to hurt us!”

He showed her the blank device. “Interrupting private conversations is rude. Does your species know nothing of propriety?”

“Does dragon ‘propriety’ include lying and murdering innocent people?”

“Nothing on this planet is proper.” He sniffed. “Low caste dragons receive marriage proposals from the Empress. Turn them down. Merge and rule over aristocrats. Lord their positions over me.”

“God forbid,” she muttered.

“Clearly it is the fault of your planet’s hedonistic pursuit of pleasure. The concepts of marriage for ‘love’ and the ready availability of that sinfully delicious coffee have given willfulness to dragons who no longer know their place. This planet must be wiped clean. Correct, utilitarian, aristocratic rule will teach you what is proper.”

“And that teacher would be you.” She struggled. “Why tie me up? What did I ever do to you?”

“I have been trying to eliminate you since the moment you found my remote detonator.”

“Your what?”

He knelt down to her level and produced the mini Magic 8 Ball keychain.

“That’s a detonator? How would I know?”

“You were going to show it to Kyanite.”

“But you took it away. I forgot I even saw it.” What the heck? “So you left the banana slicer bomb too? The one that only activated near dragons? That makes no sense. It would never have gotten me.”

“That was my most brilliant move.” He messed with the remote detonator. “It almost removed Kyanite’s disgusting visage from my sight.”

She gritted her teeth. A nurse swore to do no harm but if she could get free of the column Chrysoberyl would find out exactly what happened when she got off duty.

“Brilliant,” he repeated.

“Not really,” she snapped. “It could have gone off on any dragon. I might not even have been in the room.”

He shrugged. “No aristocrats would have been harmed.”

“I almost carried it out to ask if it was yours.”

His eyes widened. “Human, how dare you? That would have been truly stupid.”

“You’re the stupid one.”

His yellow-green eyes narrowed. He rose and slid the detonator into his pocket. “Soon you will be dead and this entire block destroyed. I only have to go outside and tell my uncle I’m out of the way. He will unleash the wrath of the Gnashing Teeth.”

“You can’t do that.” She struggled. “This is a hospital. It’s filled with innocent people!”

“But no aristocrats.” He turned away and glanced over his shoulder in triumph. “So nobody important.”

“Your uncle and I are friends!” She shouted at his receding back. “Hey!”

Not that his uncle would know. She’d seen the smoking crater left of Kyan’s fortress. If the same happened to this hospital, no remains would be found.

And her tracker must say she was still in the hospital so there would be no reason for Kyan to notice anything was wrong. How long had it been since she’d gotten off? An hour?

That assumed he was even still paying attention to her.

Her heart sank, and a lump formed in her throat.

She had tried to love him. Starting a relationship required two people. He wasn’t ready.

But she was.

She wanted to commit. She wanted marriage. She wanted kids.

She wanted Kyan.

Maybe it was okay to rent. She could be flexible on the house thing.

Most importantly, she had been honest. She didn’t second-guess her decision to love him. She was proud of herself for that much. He had pushed her away, and she hadn’t taken her declaration back. She hadn’t apologized for her feelings.

If someday he decided to open his “team of one” to others, she would be right there, first in line, offering to join.

Supposing she was still alive.

Footsteps sounded on the concrete and she perked up. Kyan! He’d found her already?

Chrysoberyl reappeared in a cloud of villainy. “I cannot operate your elevator.”

Oh. Right. She had the badge with the security clearance.

“Untie me and I’ll operate it for you,” she said.

“No.”

“Then I guess neither of us are going anywhere.”

“Hmm.” He pulled out what was unmistakably, even though it was advanced dragon technology, a gun. “Then I guess I’ll have to kill you now.”