by Kim Schubert
“The manor would be better,” Logan grunted, filling a duffel bag with all sorts of pretties.
“I’m not taking her around the children.”
“I’m more stable than you are around the children,” Lorraine declared, her head held high. It sure didn’t take her long to go back to being a stuck-up bitch.
“Can you get her into the SUV?” Logan asked, two full duffel bags hanging from his shoulders. Thank goodness I couldn’t see the outline of his bulging biceps or the strength in his shoulders. Ugh, damn him and his skintight undershirt.
“Yeah, I got it.” Turning to Lorraine I asked, “You going to walk, or do I have to carry you?”
“I can walk.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she proved she still had the ability to move one foot in front of another, getting into the back seat. I made quick work of enabling the childproof locks; I wasn’t about to put anything past this bitch.
Logan pulled me back to his storage room, picking me up and setting me on the table.
I raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing?”
“Your leg needs to be cleaned.”
I looked down at the wound on my leg. “Probably,” I agreed.
“Leathers off or you want me to cut them?”
I sighed, debating. “Just cut them, like you said they are already ruined from our adventures.”
Rubbing the back of my neck, I watched Logan work. He carefully pulled the fabric away from the scarlet wound, oozing puss. “Fucking zombies,” I hissed as Logan pushed on the wound, sending additional puss shooting out.
“It’s already infected.”
“Of course it is. Did you see how decrepit those assholes were?”
I paused at that statement. “They must be from the cemetery, but why didn’t they attack with all the other zombies, and how did a rogue shifter get a hold of them?”
“I don’t know. Hold still, this is going to hurt.”
“OWW!” I wiggled on the table, clenching my hands around a metal lip that cut into my fingers. Logan put a warm, strong hand on my hip, holding me still as he cleaned.
…
Finally, with my wounds cleaned, I hoisted myself into the SUV and called Becky while Logan piled the goodies into the back.
“Boss,” she answered.
“I have a new project for you.” I hated that she called me that, but I was having a hard time recalling why.
She grunted a reply.
“I need you to find a man named Eli, silver haired, wolf shifter, trying to kill Logan.”
She laughed, “You need to notify next of kin?”
I cut a glance to Logan buckling up in the passenger seat. “We will,” he confirmed.
“Oh hey there, Kitty, didn’t know you were with boss lady.”
I clamped a hand against my mouth, trying to fight the giggles. Logan leaned forward toward the center console. “Kitty?” he repeated in disbelief.
I could hear Becky’s gum chomping. “That’s what the boss calls you.”
He turned to me, shocked. “You call me Kitty?”
I smiled. “There are so many bad jokes to be had right now, but we’re up against the clock. Beck, I need you to find a pair of executioners who can stay in town for the next ten months.”
Clicking met my request. “Hmm, Blue asked for some time off, and I bet I could get Victoria on the assignment if Blue is around.”
“Do it. We will be there shortly.”
“Can do, Boss.” She hung up on me with a preoccupied click.
“Kitty?” Logan repeated, a smile tugging at his lips.
“I fail to see the problem.”
“Only one issue at a time, and we currently have two on our plate.”
Three if we tossed in Blake and Angelina, but who was counting?
…
Becky had printed out what she found on Eli and it wasn’t pretty. Logan skimmed the file after I was done with it. He gave a low whistle.
“Did you know your boyfriend has a history of mental illness?” Logan asked Lorraine.
“He said you would say that, you would try to discredit the true hero he is.”
“Let’s add expert manipulator to his list of things to keep the fuck away from,” I muttered.
Becky nodded, her fingers flying over the keyboard. “Not sure it would take an expert, though,” she added. Brutally honest, one of the many features I like about her.
I laughed, wincing at the throbbing it caused, rubbing the back of my head.
“You need to sleep, boss,” Becky informed me.
I groaned, “I look that bad?”
“Yep.”
I patted her back. “You got a plush holding cell for Lorraine?”
“Yep, complete with fresh towels.”
“Perfect,” Logan growled.
…
We took the file back to Logan’s place and had it spread out between us on his bed, working until the words blurred and my stomach clenched from lack of sleep.
“Take my bed. I can’t sleep there tonight,” Logan told me, standing and stretching hard-packed muscles.
I lay back. “Ugh, can you look at my leg? It isn’t throbbing, but better safe than sorry.”
“Sure.”
He leaned over, crumpling the paperwork as he peeled back his carefully applied bandages. “You’ll last for a few more hours.”
I grunted a response, already slipping off to sleep.
“Night, Olie.”
…
My phone was vibrating in my pocket, and while I knew I should answer it, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.
Logan’s phone rang next and he groaned before answering it. Squinting my dry eyes at him, I jerked when he sprang from the bed.
“What hospital? … Okay, we’re on our way.” Wasn’t he supposed to be in a guest bed somewhere?
“Yeah,” he said, turning to look at me. “Olie is here.”
Shoving myself into a sitting position, I cringed at the tightness in my thigh. The zombie wound was still healing. As I swung my legs down I rubbed at the back of my neck, knotted up from the awkward position I had slept in.
“Let’s go. Kass is having the baby.”
Rubbing my eyes, I looked over at him. “Logan, we need to shower the dried blood and zombie gunk off.”
He nodded, his hands fiddling with the phone. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
I stood and moved around the bed, shoving him towards the shower. “Go. I have to grab my bag from the SUV.”
He nodded absentmindedly, chucking his clothing on his walk to the bathroom. I averted my eyes from the golden, firm-skinned man. Sleeping with Logan would complicate everything. Not that he wanted to, although he had been nicer lately.
I shook my head, letting myself out the front door and pulling open the back door of my SUV to get the trusty military surplus duffel bag there, hoisting it over my shoulder. At least my head felt better.
Instead of showering in Logan’s room—why I had decided to review the files in his room was also beyond me—I opted for the guest room on the first floor. Pushing open the door, I tried not to dwell on memories of what had transpired between Blake and me. It felt like a lifetime ago that I was helping manage Mark’s pain in a hospital and having healing sex with Blake to recover.
Now I was going to a hospital for a different reason, a better reason, but I probably wasn’t as excited as I should be. Kass giving birth to a child only made my own lack of fertility weigh heavier on me. I was jealous of my friend and I shouldn’t be. I should be happy.
I should have been a lot of things that I wasn’t. I was just a broken succubus with an unhinged need to kill.
…
Logan was waiting for me in the front room, freshly showered in navy blue jeans that highlighted his firm thighs, paired with a gray shirt hugging those pecs and biceps. I was not looking, at all, not even a peek. Yeah, I’m not buying it either.
In my own jeans and royal blue t-shirt, I watched him busily texting.
He grunted what I assumed was an affirmative. I listened to him lock up and set his alarm as I loaded my bag back into my SUV.
Kass was having the baby. Excitement was beginning to wedge its annoying way through my exhaustion and worry. Checking my industrial watch, I saw we had lost eight hours between dealing with Lorraine and sleeping.
“I’ll drive,” Logan demanded, snagging the keys out of my back pocket hurriedly.
“She’s only in labor, it can take hours.” He wasn’t listening. “I’m not even sure why we are going.”
Logan stomped on the gas, skidding out of his driveway. “Because we have been asked to. It’s called support.”
…
Logan steered us within the hospital much the same way he had in the car, recklessly pushing forward. I followed along through long hallways, the sterile walls occasionally interrupted by drab artwork.
As we waited to get buzzed through the locked doors, a small voice screamed my name.
“Hannah,” I whispered, turning around and running. I recognized the tendrils of pain, fear, and loneliness in her call, but more than that, as I rounded a corner, I could feel it.
Lee and Jane were in the hallway with her as she screamed my name again, fists tightly balled at her sides, eyes closed, head tipped back. The hallway was crowded. At the busy nurses’ station all eyes were trained on her breakdown. More importantly, she was influencing those around her, pushing her own tiny but intense emotions into those nearby.
“Hannah!” I yelled, still running at her.
Lee and Jane turned, their faces tear-stained, eyes wild, inner beasts slamming against their tight control. Dropping down on a knee, I slid between them, wrapping my arms around Hannah and throwing up shields around us.
“Easy, baby girl, I’m here.”
“Olie, they won’t let me see Kass, and Daddy went in the room with her. What if she dies like my mommy?” Her small voice cracked, tears spilling down her face.
Her emotions slammed into my barriers. I focused on calming my breathing and holding her delicate body in my arms, her head snuggled into my neck. Logan touched my back before also placing a hand on Hannah’s.
I was impressed that he could stand the emotional assault. Then again, he had also been unafraid to touch me when I was pumping Morgan full of anger.
This close, he could surely feel the emotion she was pushing out, yet he didn’t seem bothered.
“Hey peanut,” he said, gently stroking her back.
“Uncle Logan, I’m scared.” Her voice was soft in my ear as I tightened my arms around her and swayed.
Logan squatted down and wrapped his arms around both of us, dropping a kiss against Hannah’s hair.
I wanted to promise her everything would be okay, that I wouldn’t allow anything to happen to Kass, but those were promises I couldn’t make.
The future is promised to no one.
I kept pushing out tranquility and peacefulness to Hannah and the surrounding area. Slowly, the tension dimmed and the probing eyes relented.
“Hannah, sweetie, can you control your emotions now?” I asked gently as she pulled back to look at me. Logan was a warm safety blanket, his distracting chest pushing against us.
Slowly, she nodded. “Sorry.”
“Its okay, sweetheart,” Logan comforted her, stroking her hair.
“Uncle Logan and Olivia, you go fix Kass NOW!”
“Okay sweetie,” Logan agreed, taking her from me before going over to his parents.
Jane wiped her brow of sweat. “So you deal with that all the time?”
I smiled, tucking a lock of hair behind Hannah’s ear. “We struggle with our emotions constantly, to not influence those around us. It’s a never ending battle.”
Logan handed Hannah to Lee. “Glad you showed up when you did,” Lee said, nodding his approval. “But I do think Kass needs you. She has been in labor for ten hours.”
“Ten hours!” Logan bellowed.
My hand shot out a warning, prickling against his skin.
“I mean, only ten hours? I guess we might go peak our heads in,” he amended.
I smirked, kissing Hannah. “I’ll be back, sweet pea. Can you go find me something to eat?”
She nodded and hung her head over Lee’s shoulder. I may not be able to have children, but I would always enjoy them.
Blowing out a breath, Logan and I turned to go back down the hallway. Our steps echoed on the industrial laminate, my fists clenching and releasing at my sides without my conscious knowledge.
Logan picked up the tan phone in front of the locked maternity ward. “We are here to see Kass Moore.
“…Yes, I am aware she is in labor … Kass requested Olivia … Yes, she is with me … We are a package deal.”
The door finally buzzed as I peered at him with a raised eyebrow. “Apparently, only you are allowed to pass,” he intoned with sarcastic solemnity.
“Come on, you overgrown kitty,” I teased, pulling him along behind me. “Do you know what room?”
“Three sixteen.”
Skirting the nurses’ station, I landed a soft knock. “Kass?” I called out tentatively.
“GET YOUR ASS IN HERE!” came the screaming reply.
As we slipped into the room, Logan pulled on my hand. “Can Logan come in?” I called, before breaching the flimsy privacy curtain.
Darren slipped around the peach fabric, his face pale and haggard. “Let’s get food,” he said, pulling Logan behind him.
He and Logan made their way down the hallway, Logan sending me an uncertain gaze. I tried giving him a reassuring smile, but based on his frown, I wasn’t succeeding.
Passing the curtain, I plastered on a smile for the sweat-soaked Kass. She lay curled on her side, tears leaking down her face.
“Hey sweetie,” I began, softening my voice.
“This is terrible,” she hissed, not turning toward me.
Resting my hand on her forearm, I slowly trickled out peacefulness.
“I got pain meds, they’re helping. Darren leave?”
“He went to get food with Logan.”
“Figures, I can’t even eat, I throw everything up.” Rolling over slowly to look at me, she whispered, “I’m scared.”
“Of what?”
“Of the pain, of taking care of a little baby. What if I’m terrible at it? My own mother left me.” Her drawn brows pulled lower, fear and worry pulsing from her body.
“That is exactly the reason you will excel at being a mom. Look at Hannah, she already adores you.” I gave her a small smile.
“I had to send her out,” she whimpered. “I couldn’t let her see me like this.”
“That’s okay.”
“Hi Kass, it’s time to check on the baby’s heartbeat,” a chipper brown-haired nurse announced, laying a monitor low on Kass’ swollen stomach.
“Are you getting any rest?” she asked, watching the numbers intently.
“A little.”
“Heartbeat looks great, do you need anything?”
Kass shook her head and the nurse made her way out.
A new emotion pricked at my awareness, a deep set contentment. Tilting my head, I looked down at Kass’ belly.
“Do you feel that?” she asked in a hushed whisper.
I couldn’t help the grin stretching my lips. “I do.”
“Oh GOD! Get Darren! He is coming!”
Thankfully, Darren must have been close by. He burst into the room, flinging the peach curtain aside and clasping Kass’s other hand.
“Logan’s getting the nurse, sweetie,” Darren comforted, stroking her forehead.
“Easy, Darren,” I whispered. “Calm down, the baby can feel you.”
His startled gaze and open mouth had a million questions, but he was stalled when Kass cried out again.
“Focus on your breathing, Kass,” he soothed.
The new awareness was readying, strengt
hened by Darren’s presence. I kept the calm energy flowing through my fingers to Kass. Her breathing, while labored, evened out.
The nurse came back, shifting Kass to her back and checking her.
“Great news, it’s almost time to push. I’ll get the doctor.”
…
Three hours later, I was holding Harrison in my arms, swaying and humming to him while Kass and Darren slept.
“You have to share him,” Logan reminded me, drumming his hands on his thighs. He made the hospital chairs look dainty.
“Pfft, nope.”
Hannah had been relieved and exhausted once Kass and her new brother were safe; her grandparents had carted her home for some much needed sleep. I gave them the manor’s number and told them to call if Hannah struggled with her emotions again.
Pressing a light kiss against his swaddled hand, I passed the tiny bundle to Logan, who looked both awkward and handsome holding the small tyke.
“We still have to get Jerry,” Logan reminded me.
“We will,” I agreed, calmed by Harrison’s arrival and strengthening resolve.
I checked my almost indestructible watch. “We have time.”
Harrison gave a squawk, one little fist reaching out of his swaddle. “He’s strong,” Logan breathed, as he smiled down at his nephew.
“He is loved,” I answered, enjoying the quiet moment.
…
Logan carefully lowered the sleeping Harrison into the bassinet next to the sleeping parents, briefly resting his enormous hand on the baby’s small body.
His lip ticked up a small smirk, probably envisioning his own little tyke being grown in the belly of the wannabe queen bitch. At least one good thing would come out of it. I was officially off the hook for planning their wedding. Thank you, cheating bitch. Although I’m not sure we had decided the child was Logan’s, we had certainly made assumptions to that effect.
Quietly leaving the room behind us, we spent the walk to the car in silent retrospection.
“You driving?” Logan asked.
I chewed my thumbnail, squinting in the settling daylight, finally shaking my head. “Let’s go to the manor. Tommy should be home and I need his help to pinpoint where The Oracle showed me.”
He grunted and we slid into the SUV together.
“So she didn’t show you an address?”
“It doesn’t work that way. She showed me the location of where we can find Jerry and when, but it wasn’t an address, just an intersection.”