Hauk calmed as soon as he heard her voice and saw her whole and unscathed. While he trusted his friends, he also knew how protective they were. And given Jayne’s actions to Zarya over what her men had done to Darling, he didn’t want to chance a similar occurrence with Sumi. “I wanted to make sure you were all right.”

Her eyes tender, she cupped his cheek and rubbed noses with him. “I will be, if you let Syn treat you without fighting him. Now be a good boy and I’ll give you a reward later.”

He grinned at her teasing. Holding her hand, he allowed Syn to put the monitors back on him. “By the way, Syn, Sumi has a League tag we need you to remove.”

“Okay. You’re not going to punch me for cutting into her to get to it, are you?”

“Don’t you hurt her,” he growled in earnest.

Syn rolled his eyes then looked to Sumi. “Gah, are all Andarions this ridiculous? Oh wait… Nyk and Kiara. Got it. Never mind.” His gaze dropped down to Sumi’s abdomen and he scowled. “Is that your blood on you?”

She glanced at it. “I was attacked by a tourah a couple of days ago, but it’s a flesh wound. I’m fine.”

“She’s not fine. She also has a blast wound to her arm.”

“Flesh wound,” she repeated. “I’m really not hurt.”

Hauk gave her a droll stare. “Now who’s being unreasonable?”

“Still all you, baby.”

Gods, how he loved her teasing. Only she could get away with being this flippant with him. I am a sick bastard.

Syn moved to put a mask over Hauk’s face. “If he pulls this off,” he said to Sumi, “beat him.”

Hauk made an obscene Ritadarion gesture to Syn.

“Not on your best day, Andarion. I don’t care how much you look like a woman.” Syn tilted Hauk’s head to one side so that he could examine the bruise above and below his eye.

Hauk focused on Sumi as his vision blurred. He didn’t want to be unconscious until he was sure she was safe from the reach of Dariana and The League.

His mother.

There was no telling what any of them would do to her. It was his job to protect her, but as he felt the medicine kicking in again, he knew Syn wouldn’t leave him awake much longer.

“Mia?”

She took his outstretched hand. “Right here.”

Panic set in as he struggled against the drugs. He tried to take his mask off, but neither of them would accommodate him. “Stay safe.” He wasn’t sure if she understood those badly slurred words as everything turned black.

Syn scowled at Sumi. “Why the hell is he so afraid of letting you out of his sight? He has to know we’re not going to hurt you.”