Wincing, Cole rolled over and reached blindly for his ringing cell phone. Hospital beds weren’t made for comfort and he hadn’t gotten much sleep last night.

As soon as he was released this morning, he had come home, tended to his dragons and then fallen into his own bed, refusing to let himself worry about the fact he would have to pull double shifts this weekend to make up for the lost work.

Blearily, Cole looked at the caller ID, and then swiped to answer.

“Trent?”

“Cole.”

One word and Cole knew something was terribly awry. Trent’s normally deep voice was scratchy.

“Trent, what’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry.” There was a catch to his voice as if Trent were trying, and failing, to hold back emotion.

Cole sat up in bed, ignoring his still throbbing head. “Trent?” he asked again, stupidly. “What’s wrong?”

“She’s gone. Someone broke into my house and took her. Cole, I’m so… so sorry.”

There was no doubt which “she” Trent meant. Cole felt the blood drain from his face.

“Have you called the police?”

“I… yes. First thing. They’re sending an officer to take a report.” He laughed sourly. “They’re treating it as a non-emergency call.”

“Stay there.” Cole tossed back his blankets and looked around for his shoes. Pulling the phone away from his ear, he glanced to the screen to check the time. Wow. He had slept through the entire afternoon. “It’ll take me twenty minutes to get across town. I’ll be right there, honey.”

The endearment slipped out before he could take it back. He heard Trent catch his breath and inwardly winced, wondering if he had gone too far. But Trent’s objection was for something else.

“No, you need to rest.” And there was the Trent he knew. The certainty was back in his voice. “You just got out of the hospital.”

“I was under observation.” Cradling the phone between his unbruised cheek and shoulder, Cole easily slipped his shoes on. “And I haven’t had so much as an aspirin in, like, eight hours. I’m good to drive. Stay there.”

“But—”

“Trent, I know who took her.”

He heard Trent’s breath catch again. The doctor was smart, but he was in shock and hadn’t put the puzzle pieces together. “Raul? But, you reported him for assault, right?”

“He was interviewed and let go. The DA is deciding if there’s enough evidence to charge him. It’ll take a few days.” Cole had received that tidbit of info from the police officer who first interviewed him right before he was discharged from the hospital. Another reason why Cole had fallen into bed as soon as he got home. Why couldn’t these things be as easy as they were in TV law shows?

“And so he thought, what, he should finish what he started and take my dragon?” Trent demanded, indignant.

“I don’t know. Let’s ask him.”

There was a pause. “Okay,” Trent said. “Drive safe.”

“I will.”

Cole hit the end button gently, cradling the phone for a moment as if he could transmit tenderness through the line.

Then he shook his head and started hunting around for a decent shirt to wear.

The dragons in the aviary called excitedly to him as they noticed he was awake and at home for once, instead of at work. Cole checked to make sure they had food and water and muttered apologies for running out on them.

He did feel a touch light-headed, but that had more to do with eating nothing but one hospital meal in twenty-four hours than the head injury. He would be fine to drive.

He pulled out of the driveway faster than he normally did, but then stopped, biting his lip when he noticed that the mailbox had been visited by the postman today.

It will only take a second, he promised himself and opened the door to check the mailbox.