Don’t panic. Don’t panic, she thought to herself. Maybe lie down?
She excused herself for the night and made her way up to her bedroom, assuring both PJ and Alan that she was fine. She sat on the edge of her bed and held the front of her belly, blinking the sweat away. The nausea which had subsided earlier was now coming back in ever-increasing waves.
She couldn’t sleep, she couldn’t rest. Something was wrong, she knew it. Why didn’t I just tell Alan the truth at dinner? She’d long had a habit of not ever revealing her problems to others and now it had come back to bite her. She had to get to a hospital now. As she pressed her legs to the floor to stand, the sensation of a hot knife slicing through her belly caused her to keel over onto the floor. A whimper escaped her, and she could only lie there, the pain was so intense. It felt like she had no air in her lungs to breathe, let alone to holler for help. Fear and panic struck her like a slap to the face.
When she could finally take a breath, she screamed for her housemates. Within seconds she heard their frantic movements up the steps. They barged in, saw her on the floor and they took immediate action. Alan pulled out his phone to dial for an ambulance and PJ knelt beside her. He tried to help her up, when another jolt from within rocked her. It can’t be be labour, can it? Not this early? She felt a recognisable warm wetness between her legs as they helped her to her feet and out of the room.
Nicole didn’t want to look, didn’t dare, but as they carefully turned her sideways to get all three of them down the stairs together, she glanced back at the bedroom carpet. There, where she’d been lying, was a bright, gleaming patch of blood.
*
Alicia lay on the bonnet of her car, staring up at the sparkling sky. It was with all her love and hope that she was somehow looking up at Nick. Or that he was looking down upon her. She found herself talking to the sky a lot these days. Asking for guidance, support. Also questioning it. Where to from here? She had lost her husband and son. The only home she had known for twenty years had been taken over, and because she was a werewolf, she was not welcome in her birth country. Admittedly, it wasn’t under Vincent’s rule anymore. Delavega had taken over as king, so it might be possible to live there now, but something told her there would be conditions. And even if there weren’t, something would come up. Some obstacle, some challenge. Some new fight.
Fuck. That. She had given the best part of her life to fighting battles. Both personal and political. Wilson’s pack, Delavega’s resistance to the invasion, and all to keep her family safe. Now, she was all that was left. Any desire she had to restore her family name, to take back her home, was gone. She felt it, the need, the hunger, oh yes. But a feeling of hopelessness had weighed her down since that fateful night. She was tired. She wanted to be left alone. And as much as Talia impressed her, Alicia would not be drawn into the same type of petty wars that had threatened to tear the packs apart during Wilson’s tenure.
It was when the full moons came that things could get dangerous. Alicia travelled to the outskirts, large open spaces. She would strip and walk through the cool high grass, waiting for the change she could not control. When the wolf took over she would be free to run, away from any potential victims, and she had been lucky so far.
She had no Alpha for the first time since being turned, no one to follow. A lone wolf was said to be a dead wolf. Yet she’d found it oddly freeing. Loyal to none except herself. She felt like a relic in a world that had passed her by. Even Talia did not need her; the girl would need to find her own way. Everything Alicia had worked for, fought for, was gone. Everything seemed to be slipping away if it hadn’t already.
Suddenly, Alicia let out a roar, rolling off the car and onto the ground. She held her stomach and screamed so hard, all four of her fangs snapped out. She tried to pull herself up, but she fell back down in a coughing fit, blood splattering the gravel underneath her. Her nose burned as it flooded out.
Alicia’s chest felt tight, but not as tight as her belly. She felt something pull her stomach inwards. The nose bleed was more than just a sudden inconvenience. She knew that the first time it had happened a few months ago when she was with Talia. Alicia was being called to something and she was resisting. But what? I have no family left. I have no pack. She didn’t want to face this, whatever it was. I don’t care, goddammit.
She just wanted to be left alone for once.
But as the pain surged and rose within her once more, doubling her over, making her retch more blood, she couldn’t ignore it. She fumbled for the door handle and heaved herself into the car. She hoped instinct would lead her to whatever it was.
Chapter 45
Battle Plan
Dante felt himself shimmer back into the bathroom and collapsed onto his knees. Michelle rushed over to him, helping him keep balance. “Are you all right? What happened? What is that?”
Dante looked down to see the chain wrapped around his hand. He launched into a rough explanation and the plan for going ahead. Koha listened intently. When Dante got to the part of him joining the fight, he hesitated for a moment, but then shrugged his shoulders and proceeded to clean and sharpen his boomerang.
“What about the medallion is going to help Alex? That’s insane. And how the hell did you manage to bring it back here when it was only your consciousness that travelled there?”
Dante didn’t have an answer. “I don’t know. The hand I used in the bowl came out with it. Koha,” Dante said, looking up at the young man. “I’ll need you to make yourself known to my crew. I give you my word as king no harm will come to you, but it is best to be prudent to make sure a quick introduction is in order.”
“Word of a vamp means shit to me, king or not. Night Mother has asked, so I do. Any of your people get too close,” Koha ran the tip of the weapon across his neck. “If you get that, we’re good.”
“I suppose we are.” Dante could not deny the young man’s mettle. He turned to Michelle. “There is no time to be lost. Contact Clive. I need Lauren and Melina. And any of the Keep the Heart Beat Beating Foundation willing to fight. Anyone.”
“Me too!” Nathaniel zipped over to him, his tiny fists on his hips, puffing his chest out.
“No, honey—”
“Yes.” Dante interrupted.
Nathaniel beamed as Michelle snapped her head toward the Dante. “What? Really?”
“I need anyone. Nathaniel is very brave and very capable. And very likely to be underestimated.”
Michelle nodded, albeit reluctantly. “Even with Nathaniel, you’re facing over one hundred of these zombie-ghoul things against four or five people. It’s suicide.”
“It is only to keep the entryway protected while I do...what I need to do.”
“And what is that?”
“Save Alex.”
“With what, the necklace? You don’t even know where she is.”
“I do. The Night Mother told me. The demon is at the place which brings Alex so much joy. Her job. The school. Bastardising her love of the place to build its resurrection spell. Alex is still somewhere inside that thing, and watching everything she loves be turned to shit and unable to do anything about it would be hell. The demon feeds off misery and pain. Just standing in her classroom would increase its drain on Alex. I need to go now.”
“With me,” Matt called, breaking his silence.
“No.”
“I wasn’t asking.”
Dante clenched his jaw. “I can’t use you, Matt. You’re a liability.”
“Fuck you, you piece of shit. I loved her before you did. I have as much right to protect her as you do.”
Dante reached out and slammed Matt to the floor, causing Koha to leap up, judging whether to strike. Dante leaned in, the hand that held Matt’s neck shaking with rage. “You never loved her. You were always too busy thinking about yourself. That’s what you’re doing even now. You think you have a right? You have no right. The most useful thing you could do is die.”
“Whoa, whoa!” Michelle tried to ge
t between them. “Seriously? Let’s calm down here. We need to do what’s right for Alex now. That doesn’t involve killing each other.”
Dante released him and stormed off, leaving Matt spluttering on the floor. He sensed Michelle rushing after him.
“I’m going alone.”
“Like hell you are.”
“I don’t have time to argue with you.”
“It’s true, you don’t. Let’s go.”
Chapter 46
Tell Me The Truth
“I need you to breathe for me, miss. Slowly, calmly. We need you to try to help us out here.”
Nicole nodded and took a few deep but shaky breaths before she tried again. “I just need you to tell me. Is my baby ok? Can you please just give me a straight answer?”
She had woken in a daze, her surroundings blurry. Yet it only took roughly ten seconds for her wits to come back, and her memory. The hospital room—and why she was there—quickly dawned on her. A nurse had come in and greeted her as she looked at her chart. The first words out of Nicole were frantic questions about her child, and it was almost like the nurse didn’t hear her, almost deliberately so. Nicole asked again, more insistent this time, and was told to “just rest”. Wide eyed, Nicole repeated her questions, louder still.
“The doctor is on his way. He’ll explain what’s happening…”
“Tell me now, goddammit! Is the baby ok?”
The heartrate monitor started beeping an alarm, and the nurse had begun directing her breathing then. Nicole was about to ask again when she heard footsteps, heading into the room. A tall man entered, white coat flaring out behind him as he walked briskly forward.
“Please tell me you’re the doctor.”
“I am. My name is Dr Daniels.” His voice and mannerisms seemed careful, delicate. “I understand you’re confused and upset, but I do need you to try and relax before I can explain everything. It’s for your health.”
Nicole gave a quick attempt at a deep breath. “I’m calm.”
He gave a small nod with his head that told her he didn’t believe it, but would proceed nevertheless. He pulled over the rolling stool and sat beside the bed. “You were brought in because of excessive bleeding, which I suspect you know. Your baby’s heartbeat was erratic, in distress. We examined you and found a uterine rupture—”
Nicole let out a gasp before her question was spat out. Something about his tone, the way he seemed to be digging down to a safe way to drop the bomb on her. “Is my baby dead?” She felt her lips barely move, the words came through a frozen jaw, the chill emanating from her heart.
“No…” He held up a hand. “But you lost a lot of blood. We’ve given you transfusions, and you’re stable now, but the damage to your uterus is too severe. Without an emergency hysterectomy, chances of survival are minimal.”
Nicole swallowed. “What are you saying?”
“We’ve booked you in for surgery within the hour. We will have to…terminate your pregnancy. I’m very sorry.”
The news didn’t hit Nicole like a sledgehammer. It struck like a swift kick in the stomach. Then again. Harder. And again harder still. Not only was she losing her child, but any chance of more. She knew what the doctor was telling her, but she also knew more than he did. Her child was a wolf. The damage inside her was probably caused by its kicking. Nick had told her about that. It was why human women who decided to mate with Alphas almost always chose to be bitten before conceiving or giving birth. But her Alpha, the love of her life, was dead—before the realisation of pregnancy, before the chance to even discuss such a bite, had ever arisen. She was alone. The only thing that connected her to Nick was now killing her from the inside. But it wasn’t at fault. How could she blame something that had no idea what it was doing? Instead, she was filled with dread. Her chest quivered, her lip curled and lowered as she clenched her eyes.
“Don’t… Please…don’t kill my son…”
“There is nothing we can do—”
“Please! Do a C-section. Take him out! I’ve seen things…where… Where babies are premmie and they live. Please!”
“It’s too late for that. You could die.”
“I don’t care about me! Please…” Her voice broke and the words were meek. “Save him instead.”
“I can’t do that. You, as the mother are the priority. And if you die, the child won’t have a mother.”
Nicole covered her face and sobbed, for all the good it would do. The doctor rose and moved past the nurse.
“Prep her for surgery, please.”
*
Dr Daniels moved casually through the hall toward the changing room. Once inside, he removed the white coat, tossed it on a bench, and started pulling on scrubs for surgery. Remembering his phone in the coat pocket, he pulled it out and dialled.
After only two rings, someone answered.
“Tell Radha she won’t have to worry about the kid.”
“Is it dead?”
“No. It’s fine. Tearing the shit out of her, though. It would’ve been a sight to see on the full moon.”
“How will you kill it?”
“Easy. The damage it’s done is good enough to justify a hysterectomy. I stitch her up, she has a cry and gets over it eventually. But you know, accidents happen. Reports get fudged. Shit happens, right? No one will be the wiser.”
“How will you kill the foetus? There can be no mishaps.”
Daniels lit a cigarette, waving the match like a whip in frustration. Who gives a shit how? ”I’ll put the thing in the fuckin’ blender! Leave it to me. You just make sure to have my half a mil’.”
“Notify us when it’s done.”
*
Nicole had begged, pleaded with the nurse. But all for nothing. Even now she could feel the drugs kicking in. The room blurring in and out of focus. Yet with all her strength, all her remaining faculties, she still managed to press her hands gently on her swollen belly. Her eyes would not leak the tears, but her throat clenched as if they ran free. She said as loudly as she could, repeating it over and over, yet it was only a meek whimper. “Please don’t take him…. Please don’t take him.”
It was all she could do. Whispering to who? No one. But with the last breath in her body she would try, she would do anything against the wave of dreaded inevitability crashing over her. She heard footsteps coming closer, fighting to keep her eyes open, her breathing rapid. Stay awake! Stay awake!
She flung her arm out, frantically searching for her bag, and what was in it. Her phone. But also something she had received some months ago from a vampire. A card with a number. She had no idea if this would help. But she had to try something. What time was it over there? Who knew. She tapped the numbers as quickly as she could and dropped the phone on to her face, before adjusting it to her ear. The call pinged into a voicemail.
“Dante, it’s Nicole. I’m really…sorry to…” Her thoughts were a jumble. What could she say? What could he do? Would he even care? The last time she had spoken to him, he had wanted her to kill Nick. Alex had told her it was all a ruse, but it still left a bad taste in her mouth. “I’m… I’m in trouble. Please. I’m pregnant. Don’t let them kill Nick’s baby… Please…help me.”
The phone dropped to the floor after sliding off her face and the bed. The lights above her were going in and out of focus.
“Nurse…” she croaked, looking up at ceiling. Her eyes were so heavy.
“Oh you don’t have to worry about her anymore, child. You’ll never get a signal out, though. You wasted your call.”
Nicole tried to make sense of things. Am I dreaming all of this? It was a masculine voice. He moved so she could see him and he put a finger to his lips. A finger and hand that was drenched in blood. He shushed her, using his other hand, clean and strong, yet gentle when it stroked the top of her head.
“I’ve come to help you. Rest now. Tynan is here…”
Nicole had no idea who or what Tynan was before her battle against unconsciousness was lost, and all
went dark.
Chapter 47
Where Do You Think You Are Going?
Alicia stumbled into the Accident & Emergency of St. Bart’s hospital, the ringing in her ears grinding into her skull. She pressed a palm to her temple and hunched over as blood seeped from her mouth. Jesus…what the hell is going on?
She barely registered the opening of the main doors, but when she passed through them, all her pain instantly dissipated. Perhaps it was that which caught her attention. Whatever it was—the sound that approached her, or the scent, she wasn’t sure—made her turn.
Tynan Ross stepped out, boldly carrying a young girl in his arms, her dark hair dangling down over his arm. Alicia steadied herself, looking him over just as he noticed her and stopped. Then the scent hit Alicia again and she recognised it, but how?
He was carrying Nicole. The girl she had never seen, only heard—and apparently, smelt. Nick’s first and only love. Just as the question of what was going on was about to escape her, Alicia spotted the girl’s swollen belly underneath her hospital gown. Her mind did a quick calculation without her even meaning to. Nick hadn’t been gone six months, so the belly…meant pregnant. The scent she recognised, the thing that had been calling to her: Nick’s baby.
“Well, hello there, Grandma,” Tynan said.
Alicia pulled the pistol from the back waistband of her jeans so fast she almost forgot to switch the safety off. “Tynan. Always a pleasure. What the hell are you doing here?”
“Cruisin’ for chicks. And boy did I find a doozy.”
“Take one fuckin’ step and they’ll be finding bits of your head in the carpet for days.”
Tynan took a step forward. “You think I’ll believe you’d run the risk of killing her and the baby? And in public, no less? I don’t think so.”
Shadow Chaser (Undeadly Secrets Book 3) Page 26