by Emily Bex
“Let me be clear. I want this coven gone at all costs! So, whatever it takes Shade, and the bloodier the better. That sends a message, if you know what I mean. So, keep me informed. I want to know what you see, what you hear. Don't think any detail is too small. There is too much at risk here. Okay, well I have a heavy calendar, and I was on my way home for the night so, I need to run. Talk again soon.”
“Keep me in the loop as well, Alec. Respect me. You need me to take this fucking bullshit coven out of here.”
Hanging up, he lays his head back against the chair and closes his eyes. Fuck, he will drive me mad! He has enough to worry about, but war and warriors is like breathing to him and until something happens, Alec’s ass can sit and wait! Getting up, he heads back upstairs to check on bel, this damn house is so quiet lately, he can’t stand it.
84
Rissa teleports to the Bel Rosso estate, and before walking to the door, she takes the pills out of her coat pocket and slides them into her purse. That damn manservant will take her coat and she wants these pills handy. And just as she predicted, he takes her coat and asks her to sit and wait for the master.
***
Shade is getting ready to go back upstairs and check on bel, when he picks up her scent long before she gets to the door, Rissa! Gi appears and announces he has left Miss Benneteau in the living room, waiting to see Kate. Taking a deep breath, he knows he should tell her ass to hit the road, but bel cannot handle any stress right now. Shade knows if he tells her to leave, Alec will throw a fucking fang and bel will not be happy either. Shade walks into the living room to see her sitting like a damn queen on her throne, with a basket of baby things. Maybe this is a good idea, perhaps it will cheer up Kate.
“Welcome back, Rissa.”
***
With the basket sitting by her feet, Rissa sees the warrior enter. He looks ravaged, like he hasn’t fed or rested in months. Wait until Alec hears this. As Shade welcomes her back, she stands and smiles timidly. It’s show time, Rissa!
“Shade, thank you. I know this is awkward, but I truly come with good intentions. I wanted to visit with Kate. I know she isn’t feeling well, but I brought her a small gift, hoping to cheer her up,” she smiles sweetly. “And of course, I insist on giving her a proper baby shower, so I hope planning that will lighten her mood.” While she is speaking, she hears Alec in her head, and he knows she is at Bel Rosso.
“My devious darling, I am so happy you have decided to speed along this process. It is quite possible the only person in this world more devious than me is you. I can't even tell you how happy that makes me. You are a woman after my own heart.”
Rissa responds to him, “Alec, always so charming! You should see your warrior. He looks a bit worse for wear, but I have the pills, and am about to see the mortal.”
Alec scoffs, “I don't need a warrior who is looking "worse for wear" my darling, so get this fucking thing over with, quickly.”
“Your wish is my command, daddy. There is nothing more I want than for this to be over, to spend some time with you. So, I will fill you in when I return home, my wicked vampire.”
***
Watching her closely, Shade thinks she seems quite tame tonight, almost sweet. Maybe he is just too damn tired, she is never this sweet.
“Rissa, let us get one thing clear before you see her. She is sick, weak, she does nothing but sleep, a lot. So, I want no trouble, I want her to relax, stay in that bed. If you are clear on that, I will take you up to her.”
As Rissa agrees, he leads her upstairs and opens the door gently, “Mi amore, you have some company, are you up for that?”
Kate hears his voice, and it pulls her up from the darkness. She sits up in bed as he enters.
“Company? Oh, Rissa. Yes, I remember you said you were coming, yes, come in.”
Walking in with Rissa trailing behind him, he leans down and kisses bel softly, whispering in her ear, “Ti amo, mi amore, I am right outside that damn door. I will know if you need me, don’t overdo it please.”
Lifting her gently, he fluffs up the pillows and leans her back against them, smiling down at her, tucking a stray strand of crimson behind her ear.
“Not too much fun, I am right outside this room.”
He makes this last comment more for Rissa’s benefit, making sure she knows he will remain very close.
He softly closes the door behind him and returns to his office, keeping his senses tuned to Kate. He will feel if she is becoming upset.
***
Rissa can see things are worse than she thought, and it could not make her happier. It won’t be long now. She watches the warrior kiss Kate, whisper and act so tender, it almost makes her sick. This only serves to convince Rissa that the thing growing inside Kate has to go, and fast. She takes a good look at Kate and knows it won’t be long, she looks like death warmed over and Rissa has to bite her lip to keep from laughing.
“Oh, my dear Kate, you look so ill. Good heavens, I had no idea it was this serious with you.”
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Rissa softly rubs Kate’s arm as she looks so intently concerned.
“Rissa, I'm glad you stopped by. I'm afraid I won't be much company though, I feel even weaker since our phone call. All I do is sleep, if you can call it sleep. I'm really not eating much. I have downplayed that with Shade, he is already so worried.”
“Oh Kate, he loves you so much, he is so caring and loving. You are such a lucky lady to have such a strong, caring vampire. And you should keep downplaying it with him, he will be so worried. I mean just look at him, already in such a state of concern for you and the baby, but don’t you worry, sweetheart.”
Letting her hand slide down Kate’s cheek, Rissa feels how cold her face is, how sunken her eyes appear, and it almost makes her grin thinking about what is hers to come once that dead thing flushes from her.
Rissa lowers her voice to a whisper, “I have brought you some more pills.”
Rissa puts her finger to her pursed lips, “Shhhhh, he will hear your thoughts, don’t think about it.”
Slipping her hand into her purse, she quickly presses the bottle of extra pills into Kate’s hand.
“Hide them Kate, hide them and make sure you take them in between your current dosage. We want that baby strong, just like his daddy.”
Rissa lets her hand slide across Kate’s stomach and lay there for a few moments, pretending to care.
“Such a strong warrior inside you, you can take this illness Kate, for the baby.”
As her hand lay there, Rissa can feel the baby’s dying energy, its small body ravaged from the drug, there is very little heartbeat and she knows, within a few days, this will all be over. Standing, she gets the gift basket.
“I have brought you a little gift. I know you will give Shade a strong warrior boy.”
***
Kate seems surprised when Rissa pushes the bottle into her hand.
“Rissa, do you think I should? This whole pregnancy, I just don't know what to expect. But if you think it will help. If it will help the baby then by all means, I will take them. Put them in the drawer of the nightstand please, and I will take them in between meals when no one is here. They can't hurt, right? I mean, they’re only supplements, I'm already sleeping most of the time anyway.”
Rissa reassures her, “Oh they are supplements Kate, nothing harmful for you or the baby, and they promote good things for the vampire in the baby and the mortal in you. You must take them!”
Taking the pills from her, Rissa opens the bottle and takes two out, grabbing a small carafe of juice from the nightstand. She pours a glass and holds the pills out to her.
“Now come, take them, and besides, I do believe you should be sleeping more. We don’t want you to do anything strenuous in these critical stages of your pregnancy. Come on now and take them for the baby, for Shade.” Yes, you stupid naive mouse, take some more, so Alec can have his warrior back, and I can have my Alec.
Kate swallows down
the pills. “Please fight, little warrior. Your daddy is waiting for you.”
“Thank you, Rissa, for the pills, and the doctor, and the baby gifts. Yes, it is a boy. I haven't had a scan, but I have felt it all along it is a boy. I could feel the male energy. No question.”
Rissa softly strokes her hair as she smiles at her. Ah, that’s what you think. Dead boy!
“Oh Kate, I am so sure you can tell, I wish Alec would want children, I can only hope. So jealous of you! Now lie back, you look so exhausted. I won’t stay longer, I can tell you are tired, and besides, I don’t want to keep you up. I have put together a portfolio of different ideas for a baby shower. I will leave it with you, and you look them over only when you feel up to it my sweet girl. I will call you in a few days, and if you are not up to seeing me, then we can just talk on the phone, and besides, with the extra dosage, you should be feeling better very soon.”
***
Rissa leaves the folder on the nightstand and leans in, kissing her cheek.
“Rest Kate, I will see myself out, no worries. Alec and I are supporting you both 100%, now sleep.”
Picking up her purse, she quietly leaves the room, smiling at she desends the stairs and Shade meets her at the bottom, escorting her back to the front door. She has to control herself from skipping with joy as she leaves the house and teleports back to G-town.
***
Shade steps back in to check on her, and re-adjust her pillows so she can lie down and within minutes, she feels herself falling back asleep. She has no concept of time passing, no sense of day or night. The only breaks in her sleep come when Gi enters to bring her food. Either he or Theresa is now staying to watch her eat, so she is no longer able to discard the food. No one mentions anything about discovering her rouse, but somehow, she thinks they have figured it out. There is no way to eat all that they bring, so she picks at it, and eats what little she can. As soon as they take the tray away, she takes the extra pills from Rissa.
She can always feel when Shade enters the room. Sometimes he speaks to her, sometimes he just touches her cheek, and other times she feels him lay down beside her. He is her only comfort in this darkness.
***
Rissa quickly arrives back at her home office and kicks off her heels. She has a few hours of work to catch up on since she spent so much of the evening in Virginia. She feels the anger roll through Alec. Hell! Someone is not having a good night. She never pays much attention to his mood swings when he works, there is always something that gets him riled up at least once a day, but this feels much more intense and she begins to realize this is not just a typical flare up of his temper, but something much deeper. It is probably something to do with this damn warrior.
Checking the clock, not sure of his evening appointments and what they entail, she decides, perhaps, her wicked vampire needs a bit of good news. Sliding out of her business dress, she snuggles down on the chaise lounge in her dressing room and decides to let him know how her visit went with the mortal. She wishes she could lure him home for a sweet snack, she is feeling her hunger rise rapidly and she aches to taste him. She needs him, and he knows it. He always makes the wait such sweet torture, something she has become accustomed to, but still struggles to manage.
“My wicked vampire is not having a good night, but his devious darling has some wonderful news about that pesky mortal... Busy?”
***
Alec has had a rough day, and the evening isn’t going any better when he hears her speak to him in his head. He stands still and listens, then responds.
“I am never too busy for you, my devious darling, especially if you have something to brighten my day. What's up?”
***
Rissa smiles, glad to have his attention.
“Oh my wicked vampire, I decided to call on the mortal, and she had such good news to tell me. Alec, the pills have begun the process. She is weak, tired and her bones are aching, it won’t be long. She insists on taking them, but there is more!”
***
Alec chuckles wickedly, as much at Rissa and the joy she is taking in this plan as this news itself.
“What do you have up your sleeve, my darling?”
“You know me too well! I went for a visit. Oh Alec, I have planted such a devious idea into the mortal's weak mind. I came bearing gifts and more pills. I have already convinced her she should sneak in more pills between the doses they give her. She is sleeping a lot Alec, that thing inside her is already dying and dragging her down with it.”
Alec grins, “What a brilliant idea my darling! Anything we can do to speed up the process. I had a good talk with Shade today. He seems on top of this rival coven, but I can't afford for him to get off track, so the sooner the better, darling. Maybe this warrior will tire of all the drama of sick mates and dead babies and get back to doing what he does best. Push her, Rissa, push hard, my darling. I know I can count on you.”
Rissa rolls around on the chaise lounge seductively, hoping he gets the visual.
“Have I ever let daddy down? And just for good measure, I inquired again about the feeder, apparently, he already has one. I could not get her to tell me who, but I will work on it. Not that it matters, she did clarify he is not feeding from her. Will you be home later this evening, daddy? Your baby girl misses you.”
Alec looks at his watch. “I have a few things to wrap up here, but I should be home before too long. Have a drink and cigarette waiting, and you, of course, my darling. We will be celebrating soon, it sounds like.”
“Baby girl is already waiting for her daddy, so wet, so hungry, and all yours.”
Alec laughs, “Rissa, when are you not waiting all wet and hungry?”
She laughs wickedly, “Just get that sweet ass home to me and who knows, daddy... baby girl may be involved in her own little fun activities when you arrive.”
Alec shakes his head. “Of that, my darling, I have no doubt. Now let me get back to work. I'll see you when I get home.”
85
It has been almost a week since Kate started taking the pills and Shade keeps checking on her as she just lays there like the dead. She eats, takes pills and sleeps, and this house feels like a morgue. He can barely take it any longer. As he leaves their bedroom, he closes the door softly behind him. Despite their blood bond, she doesn’t respond to him. As he makes his way downstairs, he knows he must look a mess. This is taking a toll on him as well, with Alec and the rogues, and these fucking pills and his bel sleeping like the dead, he is beside himself with worry.
He flops down on the couch and sits staring, wondering what the hell he will do. He can feel her slipping away, but the doctor said she would be ill. Before he can finish his thoughts, Gi appears before him, looking a bit nervous.
“Master, I know it is not my place to come between matters of you and your lady, but I feel there is something you should know.”
Shade looks up at him. Getting a feeling in his gut this isn’t going to be good news. “Go on, Gi...”
“Master, Theresa has been cleaning my lady’s room every day, keeping everything as clean as possible. She has noticed that there are food bits floating in the toilet. I do not wish in any way to tell on her ladyship, for we love her dearly, but I fear something is amiss with these findings.”
“Gi, has she been sick? Throwing up? Perhaps that is what Theresa is seeing?”
“Oh no, master, these are un-eaten food pieces, as though she is,” he clears his throat, “depositing the plates of food down the toilet. So we started staying while she eats. For a few days, she picked at her food, but now she is not eating anything. The trays remain untouched, but she continues taking the pills on a regular basis. I speak openly, master, but she has become quite peaked and weak very quickly.”
Shade absorbs everything Gi reports to him, and he knows suddenly, deep in his soul, that these pills are not helping her. They will kill her long before they help the baby and he stands and paces. His heart is at a crossroads, and he feels he must choose
between his bel, or the baby. In a quiet voice, he speaks to Gi.
“I have to make a decision, Gi. And I am torn beyond words. This may be devious, but I cannot let her go on like this. I just can’t. I can’t take losing her, and that is my fear. There will be other bambinos, once I turn her. What can I do, Gi? I do not want her to suffer any longer and I don’t want her to think it is her fault if she loses the bambino because I demanded she stop taking the pills.”
He feels Gi’s hand on his shoulder, “Master Shade, in life, we must sometimes make decisions that alter our course. We have all lost our bel rosso. You must help her. And we will help you if you need us.”
Shade’s heart feels as though it will break, but he makes the choice for her. It is selfish of him, but he cannot lose her.
“Gi, take the pills, remove the medicine within them, fill them with something else, powdered sugar or something, and keep giving them to her, perhaps we will see some change. I have no damn choice!”
“Master Shade, it will be done, we will see then how it works. Do not riddle your soul with guilt. You are saving her master, for all of us.”
***
Kate doesn't know how many pills Rissa brought, or how many days have passed, but she has taken all of Rissa’s pills now, so the only pills she takes are those brought to her by Gi.
As she moves into the second day of just taking the original dosage, she starts to sleep a little less, and to actually feel hungry again. Not enough to eat everything that is brought, but at least she is craving food, and Shade's blood, and that has to be a good sign. So maybe Rissa's pills gave her the jump start her body needed after all.
***
Gi reports to Shade, "Master, we have been giving my lady the placebo pills for three days now. The first day, I didn't see any difference, but on the second day, she was eating a little, and now today, she was already awake when we took in her food tray, and she is regaining her appetite, eating a little more. It is still small, but I can tell she wants the food she is eating and is not picking at her food because she is being supervised. I think your decision to switch out the pills was a wise one, master. I think you will have my lady back as soon as this medicine is all flushed from her system. Theresa and I will continue to watch her closely, and if there is any change, we will let you know immediately."