Chapter Nine
Waking up in the hospital, Tank blinked his eyes several times, trying to focus. He glanced around the room and found Niles at the side of this bed watching him intently. He smiled and leaned forward, his fingers gently touching his forehead.
Tank winced, the pain radiating from the area and Nile snatched his hand away, grimacing.
"Hey, you're awake. How are you feeling?"
Tank swallowed, his mouth and throat dry, and coughed to clear it. "Good," he croaked out.
Niles leaned over, a plastic cup with a bendy straw held in his hand. "Here, drink this. You'll feel better when once you get rid of that dry mouth."
Tank greedily sipped cold water, not even bothered by the plastic aftertaste. God, it felt good. His throat was so dry and his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth, so the water tasted like it had been sent from heaven.
When he'd finished drinking, Tank pulled away and nodded to Niles, thanking him. "When do you think I can leave?" He was desperate to get out of the hospital go back home.
"You had an infection in your thigh that we've been treating with antibiotics. Your temperature spiked, but it has remained within the normal range for the past twelve hours. We missed a small piece of wood when we initially cleaned your wound. I'd prefer to keep you in for another twenty-four hours at least and then send you home. Don't want to risk another spiking in your temp."
"The branch?" Niles nodded. "I knew there was a risk when I felt it going in, but getting those kids to safety was more important."
"I knew something had happened. I felt a spike in your levels."
Tank smiled. "Sorry, I don't how to switch it off."
Niles shook his head. "No, I'm glad I did. And I was able to be here for you."
Tank nodded as he gingerly felt around the wound in his leg, wincing when he touched a tender spot. "Shit, it still hurts."
"It will for a few more days. You were lucky, Targon. It could have been so much worse."
"Really?" It could have been much worse than what it felt like right now? Because right now it felt like his leg was on fire.
"Yes, if it hit the bone itself, caused an infection in the bone, then the recovery phase would be much longer and more intense."
"Shit, I didn't know."
"And now onto more positive things. The teacher and children have all been discharged and are in good health."
"That's good. I vaguely remember Hunter saying something. Dodge?"
"With Troy."
Tank yawned and relaxed back against the pillow. "Sorry, I'm still tired."
"You’re tired from all the drugs in your body helping you to recover. You should get some more sleep."
"I think I've—”
Tank was interrupted by the door to his room opening and his parents walking in. They glanced at Niles, looking him up and down, then dismissed him.
Niles raised an eyebrow at Tank, who shook his head.
"Mom, Dad. What you are doing here?" He quickly looked over at Niles then back at his parents.
"Where do you think we would be?" his mother, Evelyn, asked.
Tank furrowed his brow. "At home?"
Evelyn shook her head, staring down at Tank in the bed. "Seriously, son. You've been injured. Of course, we came. Now, we can talk about you finding a proper job."
Tank rolled his eyes. This wasn't the first time they'd talked about him leaving his job. "Mom, I'm not giving up my job."
His dad, Acton, said, "Now, son. We let you carry on with this foolishness, but it's time for you to accept your responsibility and join the family business."
"Dad—"
When are you going to tell them who I am? Niles asked.
"What, son?"
I can't, Niles. Tank looked over at him, pleading with him silently to understand the situation he was in.
He rubbed his head. "I like what I do, Dad, and I'm not quitting my job."
When, Targon? We've been mated for over a month. You practically live with me and I've even let Dodge stay.
Acton turned to Niles. "I don't know who you are, but you need to leave."
Tank saw Niles staring at him from the corner of his eyes, but didn't say anything, avoiding looking in his direction.
"I guess I am leaving." Niles stood and stared at Targon, the anger and hurt showing on his face. "You need to collect all your belongings as soon as you’re discharged from the hospital."
Acton turned to Tank, a frown on appearing on his face. "Your things? What's he talking about? Why are your belongings at his home?"
Glancing back at Niles, Acton looked him up and down and then dismissed him.
Niles crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at Acton. "Yes, Targon. Why don't you tell them?"
Evelyn stared between the two of them, her mouth falling open. "You and him?" She spat the word him out, causing Tank to wince.
"Mom, it's not what you think."
Niles raised an eyebrow at him. "Really, Targon. How is it not what they think?"
"Niles, you're not helping."
Acton turned to him and pointed at the door. "No, you're not helping at all. This is a private conversation, and it doesn't include the likes of you."
"Likes of me," Niles murmured. Targon. Are you going to let this happen?
Niles, please.
Niles smiled grimly at him, his shoulders slumping. "Goodbye, Targon. Don't forget to collect your things."
Tank watched Niles leave the room, closing the door quietly behind him. He heard the movements of his parents as they sat down and ignored them. He couldn't concentrate on them right now. The heaviness in his chest was almost too much to take, the hurt and anger he could feel from Niles. The pain it caused him by Tank not admitting their relationship.
"Who is that man?"
He closed his eyes, wishing that he was anywhere but in that room with his parents. "His name is Niles."
Acton waved dismissively. "I got that. He's a vampire, isn't he? It's bad enough you have to work with them, but to have them as friends as well, and why were you staying at his?"
"It's complicated."
Evelyn stared at the door that Niles had left through, then glanced back at Tank. "Are you two...? God, no." She raised a shaky hand to her mouth, staring at Tank.
"Mom—”
"No! Absolutely not!" Acton shouted. "I forbid it. Once you're out of here you will move back in with us and get your life straightened out. You will quit that job and join the family business where you belong. Clearly working with people like them has lowered your standards in life." Acton leaned forward, glaring at Tank. "When did you become gay, and interested in both vampires and black men?"
"His gender, his species, or his skin color has nothing to do with it. Niles is a caring man and thinks of others before himself."
"Oh, how your standards have fallen." Evelyn shook her head. "Your dad is right. You need to come home as soon as you leave this hospital."
"I'm not coming home, no matter what you say. I'm a grown man! As soon as I leave this hospital, I'm going home — my home — and then I'm getting straight back to work."
"And what about this Niles character?"
"There’s nothing going on there, Mom. You don't have to worry about anything." Even as Tank said the words, he felt his stomach drop, his body become cold, and his eyes began to itch and burn.
The door opened again. Fortunately for Tank, it was Ale and Troy. Troy glanced around the room then sat on the bed and looked him up and down. "Hi Tank. You don't look too bad. When are you getting out?"
"Hi Troy, thanks for coming. Let me introduce my parents to you. Acton and Evelyn."
Troy turned them and smiled. "Hi," he said, waving at them.
Ale walked further into the room, his hand coming to rest on Troy's back. Troy smiled at him, leaving no doubt about the nature of their relationship.
Ale smiled at Tank’s parents. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Evans. How are you?"
"We're good, thank you, Mr. Martin," Evelyn said, her eyes flickering between Troy and Ale.
"That's good to hear. Was Tank able to tell you about the teacher and two young children he rescued? Without him, they may well have died." Tank closed his eyes, silently thanking Ale. Ale was well aware of what his parents were like.
"We're aware of how good Targon is at his job. But now it's time to him to join the family business, so unfortunately he will be leaving Rescue Inc," Acton said.
"Let's not get into this here please, Dad," Tank murmured.
"So, you're leaving us, are you, Tank?" Ale asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Nothing's been decided yet, Ale. My parents are just worried after what happened."
"Of course, they are. You're their son, it's only natural for them to worry."
"Hey, you get some time off. You can come over and hang out at Ale's cabin," Troy said, smiling at everyone in the room.
"You don't really want me to come, do you, Troy? You just want to keep Dodge."
"What?" Troy put a hand to his chest. "I think I’m insulted."
"No, Troy. Tank knows exactly where he stands." Ale grinned at his mate. "You'd take Dodge over him any time."
Troy shrugged. "Well, you won't let me have a dog, so I have to take Dodge, don't I?"
"Who's going to look after the dog when you're at college and I'm out working?"
"Pops can. Please," Troy looked imploringly at Ale, who rolled his eyes.
"We'll talk about this later."
"Are you two together?" Evelyn asked.
Troy grinned. "Ale's my mate. He's stuck with me."
"I see," Acton murmured. Glaring at Tank, he said, "You’re surrounded by them, aren't you? No wonder you've become... Infected."
"Infected?" Troy said, shoulders slamming back. Troy stood, glared at Tank’s parents before glancing at Ale, who nodded, then left the room, slamming the door behind him.
"Well, I can see you haven't changed one little bit, have you, Acton," Ale said, glaring at Tank's dad. "I have no problems if you insult me in any way, shape or form, but you will not insult my mate."
"And just how old is he, your mate?" Evelyn asked. "He appears a little too young for you. Is that what you're into now, Alejandro? Little boys your thing now?"
Ale inhaled sharply. "Think whatever you want to, Evelyn. My friends and my family know the truth. And to be honest I really couldn't give a shit what you think. It's about time you left the nineteenth century and moved with the times." Turning to Tank, Ale said, "I'll see you when you get back to work."
Without saying a word to Tank’s parents, Ale left the room and Tank glared at him. "How could you be so rude to my friends? Don't you care?"
"We care about the people you are associating with. Don't you realize the shame you bring on us hanging out with blacks, vampires and gay men? When you get out of this hospital, you're coming home, son, and we'll find a nice woman for you to settle down with." Acton stood and held a hand out to Evelyn. "I won't repeat myself. Come home where you belong or face the consequences."
Tank's mouth dropped open, but he never said a word, merely watching his parents leave the room. He slumped back into the pillow and stared up at the ceiling, his mind in turmoil. He'd never been given an ultimatum by his family before. They'd always made it known, made it clear what they wanted, but he'd always had some leeway being the eldest. It looked like now they had changed their minds.
He needed to speak to Niles, and he reached out to him. Niles.
He waited a few seconds, and when there was no response, he tried again. Niles, please.
Again, there was no response, and he bit his lip, closing his eyes against the sting he felt there. Niles, please, I'm sorry.
When there was still no response, he gripped the sheets in his hands, his breath shuddering in and out of his body. Was this it? Had he pushed Niles too far? Was their relationship over before it had really started?