Thirty minutes later, Toni's wound was continuing to heal but her vital signs were still problematic. The transfusion had left Ian weak and hungry, so he rested on the gurney while he drank several pints of synthetic blood. AB positive, just in case Toni needed some more.
A loud cheer erupted from the waiting room. Connor's announcement about Toni's recovery had been well received.
Shanna shook her head. "We shouldn't celebrate just yet. She's running a fever."
Ian said a silent prayer for Toni as he slipped off the gurney. Connor had brought him a navy polo shirt from the security office. He put it on and peeked out the door to see who was in the waiting room.
His mouth fell open. Everyone was there. Jean-Luc and Heather from Texas. Angus, Emma, and Robby. Zoltan and Jack were there. Their burned wrists had been bandaged by Laszlo. Dougal was there, unharmed.
Phineas's shoulder was bandaged.
Ian walked up to him. "Ye were injured?"
"It's nothing." Phineas waved a dismissive hand. "Stan managed to poke me a little, that's all."
"Did ye finish him off?"
"I wish." Phineas made a face. "When Carlos shifted into a panther, Stan freaked out and ran. Ran straight into the parking lot, and the women out there nearly tore him to shreds before he managed to teleport away."
"So he's still alive."
"Yeah." Phineas shrugged and winced. "I'll have to watch my back from now on."
"Doona fash," Dougal said. "We'll watch yer back."
Ian spotted Carlos sitting between Sabrina and Teddy. Carlos must have called them about Toni.
Teddy grinned as he approached. "Hey, man, I heard you guys defeated the evil forces."
"Toni killed Jedrek," Ian said. "She was amazing."
Sabrina snorted. "She could have gotten herself killed. I told her to stay away from you…Vamps. It's not safe to be around you."
"The mortal world is dangerous, too," Carlos told her.
"But Toni has no business trying to fight evil vampires," Sabrina insisted. She glared at Ian. "I swear, if something happens to her, I'll sue your ass. I'll—"
She paused when Constantine climbed up on the chair next to her. "My gosh, little boy, how did you get in here? What are you doing with these…people?"
"These are my friends," Constantine said. "I'm worried about Toni."
"Toni's going to be all right," Ian told the little boy. He just hoped it was the truth.
Constantine gave Ian one of his bright, angelic smiles. "Good. I like Toni."
"Who are you?" Sabrina whispered.
"I'm Constantine. My mommy is like you, and my daddy is a vampire."
Sabrina's eyes widened with horror. "Oh my God." She flinched when Tino touched her arm.
Constantine gazed at her with his wide blue eyes. "It's going to be all right."
Sabrina's horrified expression slowly melted away. She glanced down at Constantine's hand. "What did you do?"
"You were hurting," Tino said. "Do you feel better now?"
"Yes." Sabrina's eyes widened with wonder. "I do."
This gave Ian an idea. "Tino, would ye like to see Toni?"
Constantine jumped in his seat. "Yes! I like Toni."
Ian picked the boy up in his arms. "She's still hurting. Do ye think ye can make her feel better?"
"I'll try."
In just the short amount of time it took to carry Constantine into the operating room, Ian noticed that the pain from his burns had lessened.
"Hi, Mommy! Hi, Daddy!" Constantine grinned at his parents.
"Goodness." Shanna took him from Ian. "I thought you'd be asleep by now."
"I want to see Toni," Tino announced.
Shanna hesitated. "She's not feeling well, sweetie."
Constantine stuck out his bottom lip. "I want to help her. I like Toni."
"All right, sweetie." Shanna set him on the gurney next to Toni.
He reached out to touch her, then withdrew his hand. "She's hurt bad." He stretched out beside her and wrapped his little fingers around her hand.
"Look at this." Roman motioned at the vital signs monitor.
"Her fever's going down," Shanna whispered.
Constantine yawned as he gazed at Toni. "She's going to be like me." His eyelids shut, and he drifted off to sleep.
"Thank you, Tino." Ian smoothed a hand over the little boy's blonde curls.
Toni was going to be all right.
Toni woke slowly as if she were climbing out of a deep, dark hole.
"Look. She's coming to."
"Oh, thank God."
She heard Carlos's voice, followed by Sabrina's. Her eyes flickered open. Their faces hovered over her, their features fuzzy and unclear. She spotted another person at the foot of the bed. Ian? She blinked, trying to focus. What was wrong with her eyes?
"Hi, Toni," the third person said.
"Oh." She swallowed her disappointment. "Hi, Teddy."
"How do you feel, menina?" Carlos asked.
"I'm fine, I think." She lifted a hand to rub her eyes. "My eyes are burning."
"I was afraid of that," Sabrina said. "They didn't realize you wear contacts." She fumbled in her handbag and pulled out a compact mirror.
Toni sat up.
"Careful." Carlos grabbed the bed's control device. "Let me adjust the bed for you." With a humming noise, the back of the bed rose up to support her back.
"I'm in a hospital?" Toni asked.
"No, this is the operating room at Romatech," Carlos explained. "Ian brought you here."
Toni tried to focus on the compact mirror. She removed one contact and passed it to Sabrina. "Where's Ian? What time is it?" She removed the other contact.
"It's just after five." Sabrina tossed the contacts in the trash.
"In the morning?" Toni blinked.
"Evening," Teddy said. "You slept all day."
Toni looked at him. Then at Carlos and Sabrina. Then around the room. "Oh my gosh."
"What's wrong?" Sabrina rushed back to her side.
"My eyesight. It—it's perfect. Without contacts." She handed the compact back to Sabrina and looked around the room once more. Her sight was more than perfect. She could read the fine print on a poster across the room above the sink. It described the proper procedure for washing hands.
She caught Carlos and Sabrina exchanging a worried look. Something was wrong. She lifted the sheet and blanket to look at her side. The last time she'd looked, there'd been a dagger stuck in her. She touched the area gingerly, expecting to feel some pain. Nothing.
Underneath the sheet, she pulled up her hospital gown. She peeked at her side. There was a faint scar, barely noticeable. She touched the scar. No pain or tenderness. And all the bite marks that had dotted her torso were gone.
Alarm crept into her. She must have slept for weeks to be this healed. "How long was I out? Was I in a coma?"
"Menina." Carlos touched her arm. "You were wounded last night."
"Last…but that doesn't make sense." She grabbed his hand. "Tell me what happened."
He winced. "Toni, lighten up. You're about to crush my bones."
She released his hand. Her sense of alarm grew into full-fledged panic. "I hurt you?"
Carlos flexed his fingers. "You seem a lot stronger."
"Oh my God." Sabrina stepped back, her eyes widening.
"Will someone please tell me what happened?" Toni grasped the railing beside her so she could lower it and get out of bed. She gave it a little push, and it broke completely off.
Sabrina gasped.
"She's Superwoman!" Teddy announced, grinning.
"What?" Toni dropped the bed railing, and it clattered on the floor. "Oh no." Great eyesight, super strength. Was she still alive? She touched her teeth to see if she'd acquired any pointed fangs.
"Relax, menina." Carlos patted her arm. "You're not a Vamp."
She exhaled with relief. "Oh, thank goodness. Not that I have anything against them. I'm really fond of them, and I love Ian. But I'd really hate to die and miss it. I mean, I'm glad I'm still alive. I really like to eat." Good grief, she was babbling like an idiot. "I'm just so confused. How did I heal so fast?"