Heartburn. Was there something wrong with Daniel and me? Daniel, with the violent roars of Leo the lion, and me with indigestion from hell. I wondered if it was a virus that attacked Lycans.
“Daniel, are you feeling better?” I asked as I pounded my chest with my fist.
“Apparently better than you. I am fine now. I guess it was just something I ate this morning that did not agree with me.”
“I ate the same thing, and it didn"t affect me.” A gust of air escaped my mouth in a manly belch. “Excuse me,” I proclaimed as Daniel raised an inquisitive eyebrow.
“As you were saying?” He placed the pie in front of me.
“Oh, it"s just a little indigestion. I"ll be fine.” I picked the fork up and cut into my pie. “Jason and Heather will be here in the morning?”
“Yes, I will pick them up at the airport around eight. We are going from the airport to the clinic to analyze the blood sample.” He paused as he sat down across from me at the table. “Julie, do you realize the danger you were in this evening?”
In mid bite, I froze. “Daniel, nothing happened to me. Yes, I do realize it was a threat, not just to me, but also to all of us. What do you want me to do?”
“For one, don"t go out by yourself anymore. Do you know how this worries me?
How much I worry for you?”
The concern on his face showed there was more threat than what I actually feared. I understood the threat very well, but somehow I felt Daniel was not telling me everything. Did something happen in those woods last night he failed to mention? I wondered.
“Are you planning on going back out there tonight?” I asked as I shoved the last bite of pie in my mouth.
“No. I am going to stay here with you. Let the others nose around for a change. I cannot take the chance of leaving you alone.”
“Daniel, please don"t do this.” The last thing I wanted was for him to hold me captive in my own home. I wouldn"t be able to stand it.
“It is something I must do.” He said as he pushed his way back away from the table. It was the end of the conversation.
For the rest of the evening Daniel paced around the house, silently checking through the windows for any threats of danger. The only time we spoke was when I told him I was going to bed early and good night. He remained downstairs, patrolling the interior of the house.
As my indigestion lifted, I felt I could finally go to sleep. A couple of fluffs on the pillow and my head rested comfortably. Slowly, I drifted, allowing the night to consume my thoughts.
CHAPTER SEVEN
It was Tuesday morning, and I"d slept longer than usual. It was already 8:00 a.m.
My first guess was I would have probably slept longer, if the sound of a roaring lion hadn„t awakened me. The sound of Leo the Lion was roaring loudly from the bathroom, and then the phone started ringing. At this point, I was fully awake. I grabbed the phone from the cradle and placed it to my ear.
“Hello.” I stated as I moved out of the bedroom.
“Julie? Hey ya, lass! It"s Jason.” There was no doubt in mind it was Jason. The Irish accent immediately gave him away.
“Hey Jason! I hear you are going to be coming in this morning.” My voice was filled with excitement.
“Yeah well, Danny boy was supposed to pick us up at the airport at eight. Is he still there?”
“Oh Jason, I"m so sorry. Daniel is in the bathroom. Maybe you can take a look at him when you get here. He"s sick.”
“Sick? What on earth? Wee bit much to drink, did he?” Jason chuckled.
“No, nothing like that. This is the third time he„s been violently ill.”
“Well, I"ll take a look-see at „im when I get there.”
“I"ll send a limo over to pick up you and Heather. Hang tight, I can"t wait to see you both! Are you hungry?” I rambled on.
“Yeah, I would say we are. You know me, hungry as a wolf.” He chuckled.
“All right, see you in a few.” I said turning off the phone.
Immediately I dialed the limousine service. They would have Jason and Heather picked up within a few minutes. I returned to the bedroom. Daniel was lying in the bed again. He was very pale. With his pale lips, he looked as though he was turning into a vampire. I shuddered at the thought.
“I arranged a limo to pick up Jason and Heather.” I informed him as I walked over to his side.
“Thank you,” he replied weakly.
“Daniel, I"m going to have Jason look over you when he arrives. You look awful. I mean, really. I haven"t seen anything look so pale except those vampires.” I tried to joke with him. The frown on his black eyebrows let me know he was not in the mood.
“Not funny,” he said, holding his stomach.
“Can I get you something? The pink stuff?” I watched as he shook his head.
“Okay, I need to get cleaned up. Will you be okay for a few minutes? I"ll need to get breakfast started.” Daniel waved me off.
I turned and closed the blinds, allowing the room to darken a little. Maybe he would sleep it off. He did look very sick. In a way, I felt bad for leaving him in such a state.
I rushed through the shower, dressed, and then checked on Daniel one more time.
He was sleeping soundly, so I quietly padded down the stairs to start breakfast.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I felt like Charlotte in the kitchen. I wanted to cook everything in sight. I figured I would call Charlotte and invite them over for breakfast.
The thought faded, when I realized it was Monday. Thomas had already had breakfast.
He was probably on his way to the office. So much for inviting extra guests. The second thought ran through my mind, my culinary skill in the kitchen. Today would be the day I conquered all, at least I would give it my best try.
Within a few minutes, the bacon and ham were cooking nicely on the massive gas range. I prepared French toast, something even I couldn"t mess up, and coffee brewed as I prepared scrambled eggs. After I decided I needed something else, hash browns came to mind. I knew Daniel loved hash browns and fortunately for me there was a frozen package in the freezer. This one was the easiest. With the no fail microwave instructions, they would be ready in a few minutes. As I checked the refrigerator for anything else that appeared appetizing, I saw the pie again. My mouth watered. There were two slices left, and without hesitating, I grabbed the dish and a fork. Oh well, I would have room for just one slice.
I gobbled down a slice of pie, followed by a few sips of coffee. All while I watched the breakfast as it continued to cook. Soon the breakfast was ready, and this time I managed not to burn anything. Just then, the doorbell rang. I ran through the living room to find Jason and Heather standing at the front door.
“Well, where"s the ill laden lad?” Jason chuckled.
I pointed up the stairs. “Bedroom.”
“I"ll go and give him a once over,” he announced as he headed up the stairs.
Heather followed me to the kitchen. We chatted briefly about Daniel"s illness over a cup of coffee. Her face held more concern than I cared to see. We discussed the symptoms as she helped me arrange the breakfast items on the platter. Everything smelled wonderful and I was still starving. We both filled our plates and moved to the table.
Jason walked into the kitchen, and motioned for me. He had an odd expression on his face I couldn"t read. The anxious feelings swept over me again, strong enough to put a hold on my appetite.
“What"s wrong? Is he all right?” My heart tightened with fear. Could it be worse than I feared? Was something really wrong?
“Nope, he"s going to be fine. I gave him something for the nausea. But I need to check you out.” His voice sounded serious.
“What do you mean? What"s wrong?” My voice was a little louder, as the high-pitched tones tingled in my ears.
“Just a simple test Julie, nothing to worry about, I need a sample from you as well.”
He waved a plastic cup at me.
“A urine sample? For what?
”
“Just give me a sample and leave it in the bathroom. I"ll let you know in a few minutes. I"m looking for something specific, and it"s a lot easier this way. Unless you prefer a blood sample.” Jason waved the plastic cup to me again.
Since I was already a needle-phobic, I cringed and gladly accepted the offer as I moved slowly, taking the cup from his hands. There had to be some reason he was testing me. Maybe it was a virus. Fear shot through me. Daniel was so pale. Did this have something to do with the blood sample from the werewolf? And he didn"t tell me?
Could Daniel be turning into a vampire? My stomach knotted. My ears started to ring.
Once in the bathroom, I almost fainted at the thought. I left the sample on the counter as Jason requested, washed my hands and then headed back to the kitchen.
When I returned to the kitchen Jason was already eating from Heather"s plate. He rose to his feet without speaking. Chills ran down my spine as I watched him walk past me to the bathroom. I plopped down hard in my chair. My eyes firmly fixed on Heather as her lips curled into a smile.
“Love, don"t look so grim. It"s really not all that bad. Daniel"s going to be fine.” She smiled.
My gaze met hers. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I wondered. My stomach growled again.
“You"d better eat. I heard that growl.” She chuckled softly.
I shoved a forkful of food in my mouth. Yes, I was starving. In between bites, I tried to talk. I wanted to know what they thought was wrong with Daniel. Fate knows I couldn"t lose him. Heather shushed me and motioned me to continuing eating. We ate our food in silence as we both waited for Jason to return.
A few moments later Jason appeared in the doorway, wearing a huge grin on his face. Heather"s face suddenly brightened. My face, of course was grim. I couldn"t imagine what he was thinking; apparently, it wasn"t as bad as I had thought.
“Well, congratulations lass. You"re pregnant!” He announced.
For some reason, the words didn"t register. My fork dropped to my plate. I froze.
Wait. Daniel was fine. I was . . the three words didn"t register clearly.
“I’m what?” I whispered.
“With child! Julie! I"m so excited! You and Daniel are going to have a baby!”
Heather squealed. “I had my suspicions, when you told me Daniel"s symptoms. My suspicions were correct. Daniel is having your morning sickness.”
I still remained in a frozen state of shock. With child? Pregnant? Those words were foreign to me. Daniel and I never discussed having a family. I couldn"t be. Not at a time like this! Not when we were in the middle of a war.
“Julie? Are you all right?” Jason added. The concern was evident on his face.
„Yes, I guess I"m a little shocked. Worried mostly.” I spoke softly.
At the same time, I was becoming a little excited. A child was inside of me, one that Daniel and I created. How wonderful would it be to bring a little Daniel or Danielle into the world? Martin Knight would have been elated to have a grandson or granddaughter.
A smile crossed my lips at the thought.
“Ah-h there it is.” Heather smiled broadly. “The glow. It has just settled in.”
Yes, she was right. After the initial shock wore off, I realized the gift inside of me.
No wonder my appetite was tremendous, I was eating for two.
“I guess I need to call Charlotte. I"m sure she will be excited.” I spoke out.
“I already called Mom.” Daniel said standing in the doorway.
The warm color of his skin had returned. The smile on his face broke rivers of emotions in my heart.
“We are going to have a child.” He smiled broadly.
The tears finally fell from my eyes. I pushed away from the table and moved to Daniel. The strong arms folded around me tightly as I rested my head on his chest. His joyous thoughts were not hidden from me as I could hear them clearly. Daniel was truly happy.
“She is on her way over. AND yes, she is bringing you some blueberry muffins. It was the first thing she asked.” He chuckled softly.
“How did she know?” I stepped back from him.
“Well, she asked me what you had been craving. I told her blueberries. It seems I have had the same craving because of you. Apparently, I am going to be going through this pregnancy with you.” He rolled his eyes as a soft smile crossed his lips.
Jason laughed and nodded his head. “You most definitely are my friend.”
Daniel rolled his eyes again. “Well, now I am hungry. I hate to ask, but is there any pie left?” I couldn"t help laughing with him as I motioned for him to sit down at the table.
A few minutes later, Charlotte arrived with a dozen freshly baked blueberry muffins. The basket was still warm when she sat them down on the table. Thomas already knew the good news via Charlotte. Good news travels fast among Lycans.
Charlotte and Thomas were ecstatic that they were going to have a grandchild.
Plans were already being discussed between Charlotte and Heather for a baby shower. Here we go again. Casey was the only one absent from the celebration. We had always shared our life"s events, no matter how good or bad they were. I wondered how much things would change between Casey and me now that she has gone vamp. Would she be the same Casey?
“Julie?” Charlotte broke my thoughts. “Thomas says he will be here in about an hour. He is leaving work early to come and celebrate with us. I hope you don"t mind. I will plan a little dinner party tomorrow evening. I am just so excited.”
I had a feeling the word “little” meant around a hundred people. However, it didn"t even occur to anyone that Daniel and I still had to confront the Council. Well, we were only a few weeks away from our wedding date.
“Charlotte, don"t you think we should wait until after Daniel and I are married to announce this? What about the Council?”
“Absolutely not! Besides Daniel is the Council now. You do not understand Julie.
When one of us is with child, the entire clan becomes a part of it. It is a grand event. A new birth is shared with everyone. I remember when your mother was pregnant with you and I was pregnant with Casey. It was wonderful!” She voiced out in a chipper tone.
“Yes, I guess I"m still learning.” I said softly.
My handsome man, the man who stood so tall and elegant, gleamed with joy. I felt the joy in his heart. He didn"t mind if his child were a boy or a girl, as long as it was healthy, Daniel was happy.
“Oh!” Charlotte started. “Julie, I must warn you of a few things. Just in case.
Actually, you and Daniel both. While you are pregnant, you will go through a few more changes. You will become more protective. Daniel will as well. It is a natural instinct with us.”
“You will find that you and Daniel will become more of a „pack" so to speak.”
Charlotte spoke softly. “Everything about you will increase: your strength, your senses and especially your instincts. You will even have a greater connection with Daniel. If you are ever in trouble, he will be the first to know.” She paused and glanced to Daniel.
“Daniel, you will feel her in a way you have never felt before. The connection will be stronger. You will be linked in a way like no-other. You will hear her clearly in your mind, no matter where she is.” She finished.
“What about the werewolves? I can"t just let Daniel go out there alone.” I was now worried about him.
“Lass, we will have Daniel covered. Right now, we all feel the same way. Keeping you safe. I can speak for Heather when I tell you we are both excited for you and Danny boy. Our instincts are high at this point as well.” Jason chimed in.
Yes, I did feel the protection they were offering. It was an odd sort of feeling. We were all behaving like a true pack. However, my soothing thoughts soon turned to the blueberry muffins. Laughter filled the kitchen as they watched Daniel and me devour them.
“Jason,” Daniel began. “You feel up to coming over and seeing the clinic I set up? I need to check out the bloo
d sample.”
Jason"s eyebrows rose. “Of course, I"m up for it. I want to see what you"ve put together. Have you hired an assistant yet?”
Daniel glanced to me then back to Jason. “Well, my assistant is currently handling something more important.” He smiled broadly, his attention now on me.
“Well, you two have a great time. I"m going to take Heather into town and pick out a dress for the wedding.” I returned his smile.
Daniel showered and dressed, then returned downstairs to steal another muffin before he left with Jason. Heather and I took my dad"s Jag to Nancy"s Boutique. A small store centered outside of the Atlanta city limits, the quaint little store where Charlotte purchased all of her formal attire was a specialty boutique that catered to and fared well among the wealthy.
I chose a medium blue floor length dress for the evening. The long sleeve dress was very elegant, straight and form fitting. The silver embroidery down the right side gave it the shimmering effect.
Nancy and I picked out an elegant gown for Heather. I was surprised how sexy it looked on her petite figure. The full-length black evening gown fit her perfectly. And, based on Nancy"s recommendations, we chose a loose gold belt to accentuate her waist with gold jewelry. The dress was plain, but when Nancy was finished adorning it with gold accents, it was beautiful and Heather was gorgeous. I was sure Jason would appreciate how the dress flattered her. We roamed the boxes of shoes for the perfect match, and Nancy made the adjustments for both gowns and sent us on our way.
Tomorrow morning they would be ready to be picked up. Even though Heather insisted on paying for her dress, I further insisted I would take care of the bill. It was a gift, one of which I owed to them. Besides, I knew she could not afford the dress considering that Nancy"s dresses were all designer originals. The bill was well over what Heather would consider paying for a car! I put it on my tab. It was a way of life for my family.
We returned to the house. Heather was exhausted and went straight to her room for a nap. I was still running on adrenaline. There had to be something in this house to entertain myself. The thought of the Dark Wolves crept back into my mind. This was something I could do. I wanted to see if there was any information on the Dark Wolves.
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