A Killing Moon

by Alexis D Craig

  Eyes still closed, his lips curled as he hummed softly in response. “I had no idea the floor was so affectionate.”

  Finn’s laugh was a strangled wheeze, the joy and relief competing to steal his breath as the doctor walked in the room, led by Cora. “Dr. Moallem,” he acknowledged clambering to his feet.

  His father’s personal physician of many years, Dr. Mo, as he liked to be called, was the essence of no-nonsense. He was a tall, reed-thin Ibidine, who was damn good at the job and didn’t need to boast about it. “May I have the room please? Now that His Majesty is awake, I need to run some tests.”

  Cora slipped right up to his side, wrapping an arm around his waist. “We’re gonna go grab a cup of coffee, and we’ll be right back.”

  “Thank you, Miss.” The tall Ibis flashed her a quick grin as they ducked out the door.

  “But—” Finn protested on the way to the elevators to head down to the lobby.

  “They need a minute,” his raven informed him. “And so do you.” The doors slid shut behind them and she enveloped him in a tight hug. Even though she was shorter than him, it felt so restorative to have her arms around him his around her, like a piece of him he hadn't noticed had gone missing. Her hands were warm on his back, petting him and soothing his frayed nerves.

  They didn’t speak again until they both had a large mug of caffeinated lifeblood and a panini. It wasn’t much but it would get them through.

  “I heard the nurses talking, the human nurses,” she whispered as they took over a table in the private waiting room. Their associated Guards remained outside, but the potential for leaks was an ever-present thought. “They still don’t know what’s wrong with him. They’re treating symptoms because that’s all that’s left to them.”

  It wasn’t exactly news. His father’s sickness had been as elusive as it was effective, taking the man he loved and admired one bite at a time, but still it hurt to think about how close to the end they were. “He’ll get through this,” he replied with a great deal more conviction than he felt. They’d gotten lucky this time, but that would not always be the case.

  “Of course,” she reassured him. They finished their dinner in almost tense silence before returning to the room.

  King Niall was sitting up in the bed, his mask exchanged for a canula in his nose and with a bit more color in his cheeks. “Finn.” He waved him over to sit in the chair the doctor abandoned. “They tell me you’ve scarcely left my side.”

  “I didn’t like the idea of you waking up alone.” Not that he would have been alone, with his guards and personal nurse there, but still, family was paramount.

  The smile on his father’s face stretched wide and crinkled the edges of his eyes. “You’ve always been so compassionate. I have no idea how we managed to give you all of the heart of this family, but you use it with great skill and purpose.”

  And just like that, tears were rolling down his cheeks unabated. In the absence of his mother’s love, that was truly all he wanted was his father’s approval. “Thank you.” Cora’s hand appeared on his shoulder, a delicate tissue between her fingers, and his gratitude was amplified.

  “And you, Cora.” Their monarch took her hand in his and kissed the back of her fingers. “You take such good care of my Finnegan. Thank you. I see a lot of Angela in you.”

  “It’s no hardship, Your Majesty.” She smiled down at him fondly. “He brings joy to my life and that’s a gift.” Her reply did nothing to help him fix his face.

  The old man chuckled softly. “So it is.”

  “Da, the doctors told me you were awake?”

  Brendan didn’t wait to be bid to enter, coming through the hospital room door at a good clip, like he barely paused. Clearly this was a regular occurrence at the palace, irrespective of their father’s privacy. He was still trussed up in his suit, minus the jacket, looking flawless in his waistcoat with his long black curls gathered into a ponytail at the base of his neck. A line of Night Watch Guards crowded in behind him as well.

  “Father, have you seen—oh!” If he had brakes, they’d be smoking as fast as he came to a halt in the room. The moment his green eyes fell upon Cora, he dropped seamlessly into his most cloyingly solicitous and charming persona. “I beg your pardon. I had no idea you had visitors.”

  “Brendan,” Cora murmured as she rose to her feet, a smile on her face that looked more like a warning to Finn than an expression of happiness as he followed her to his feet. She brushed kisses over both of his cheeks that he returned. “How wonderful to see you again. Would you join us?” She paused, blinking as if she’d just thought about it, then turned to their father. “With Your Majesty’s permission, of course.”

  King Niall’s smile, on anyone else, would look completely smitten. Finn could relate. “Of course, my dear.”

  Brendan’s thin lips approximated a grin, though his sudden pallor was a bit concerning. “Oh, but I couldn’t.”

  Their father, however, was having none of it. “Nonsense! Your brother and his lovely girlfriend were just entertaining me. This hospital stay has been dreadfully dull so far.” He signaled to one of the Guards. “Another chair, if you would.” The younger kestrel standing next to Finn, pulled up straight as a board and clicked his heels.

  “Oh! No, really. It’s not necessary.” Brendan was backing out of the room now, clearly not prepared for Cora’s lethally subtle frontal assault. “I am terribly sorry to have disturbed you. Father, I will speak with you later. Cora, a pleasure, as always.”

  His omission of Finn was quite telling.

  “Bye Brendan,” she purred as she resumed her seat. Turning to Finn with a wink, her grin could have slit throats. “Your Majesty, would you like me to get you some ice water?”

  Chapter Twenty

  BRENDAN

  “What do you mean ‘you don’t know’? What am I fucking paying you for?” he snarled into the burner phone as he stalked back to his suite of rooms. It was unconscionable that his brother would be in there with his little chippee, taking advantage of their poor father’s ailing health. He tugged on his tie as he entered his antechamber, snarling viciously as it went to tatters in his hands.

  “He’s been at the hospital almost every waking moment since the king’s collapse. I’m not sure what you were expecting otherwise.”

  “And you didn’t think to mention Cora was there with him?”

  “And seem unduly interested in the prince’s girlfriend? No, thank you. You want me around to report to you and creeping on her would likely land me a cushy desk job in northern Alaska.”

  He snarled in disgruntlement but couldn’t argue with the logic. So long as Brețcu was in charge, his second in command, while well placed, still answered to him. And if Cora complained about the Guard, Brendan had no doubt that Lt. Cmdr. Driscoll would be dealt with. Which would complicate his plans immensely. “Fine, but next time, think ahead and find a way to get me the information I need. I can’t keep track of him if I don’t know what he’s up to.”

  “Understood, Highness.”

  * * *

  FINN

  “I didn’t mean to frighten him off,” Cora observed once they were alone in the room again, sipping her coffee like the delicate flower she was not. He knew damn well she did, and it was a sight to behold, his brother on the run from a gorgeous woman.

  “Beautiful thing like you, I’m sure you didn’t scare him off. He’s a busy man, you know. Getting ready for his upcoming coronation.”

  Cora grinned triumphantly at Finn. “See? Someone appreciates my charms.”

  King Niall cackled, laughing himself into a cough that had Finn by his side in an instant. The deep wracking sound was excruciating to hear, and he could only imagine how painful it was to experience. When he finally caught his breath, he replied, “If I were a much younger man, this one here would have competition.” He made a point of looking her up and down with a cheeky grin as he dabbed his eyes, still watering from the cough. “Though in all honesty, I like how
happy you make my Finnegan.”

  “I’m glad. You raised a wonderful man. I’m very fond.” The soft, genuine curl to her lips made his breath catch in his chest as he took his seat again. When she blindly reached for his hand, he took it and laced their fingers without a single complaint.

  “I cannot tell you how much joy and peace comes from finding the one you love and spending the rest of your life with them. Especially once you have kids.” His misty blue eyes got a faraway look in them, seemingly lost in a memory that seemed to bring him a measure of peace and comfort.

  Shaking it off, he continued, looking at Cora directly. “So is there any chance I’ll get to see at least one of my sons married and settled before I pass? I mean, one on the throne and one happily married would be a wonderful legacy.” He wasn’t subtle, their king. Nope, not subtle at all.

  Finn flinched, sensing the precipice they’d reached. Her subtle nod was all the impetus he needed to go forward. “So… about that…” he trailed off, staring at Cora meaningfully.

  * * *

  CORA

  Sitting up straight with her hands folded in her lap, she took the hit. “We… kind of put the cart before the horse there.”

  Eyes narrowed in a shrewd glare, the king glanced between her and Finn and back. “You’re…”

  “Pregnant.” Finn’s voice was full of carefully banked apprehension, no doubt worried about how his father would take the news and if he’d managed to sell the lie.

  The leader of the whole shifter kingdom went deathly still. He didn’t even appear to be breathing, which was more than a little concerning. Especially when he dropped his chin to his chest and curled in on himself. Finn knelt next to him, calling his name but to no avail.

  She was halfway out of the room to summon a nurse when the king barked a single command from his sickbed. “Wait.”

  When she turned around, the look on the old man’s face was a mix of joy, awe, and strangely enough, gratitude. “Your Majesty?”

  He reached old, beckoning her to his bedside next to Finn. Holding both of their hands, his blue eyes shone bright with unshed tears. “I’ve wished for this day, waited for this day. Hoped…” he trailed off with a sad tremulous smile. “Your mother was amazing, and the joy and fulfillment she brought to my life was incalculable. I cannot tell you how it does my heart good to see you so happy.”

  Finn’s free hand wrapped around her waist like it was a perfectly normal thing for them to do. “Da, your blessing means everything to me, to us.”

  Running his thumb across her knuckles, he paused when he passed over her ring finger, frowning. “You appear to be missing some hardware, Miss,” he teased looking from her to his son expectantly.

  Finn’s bright blue eyes were wide with alarm as they cut to hers. “I… we… that is…”

  “We wanted to wait for your approval,” she filled in smoothly. “It’s a lot to take in, and we didn’t want to presume anything.” Finn practically melted in relief at her quick save.

  “The royal jeweler, you’ll see him in the morning to select a ring. And then my son will propose to you properly,” he promised her. To his son, he chided, “She’s the mother of your child and you didn’t get her a ring? Who raised you?”

  His cheeks above his beard were apple red as he grinned wryly. “It will be fixed in the morning.”

  “Damn right it will.” The old man nodded decisively, looking even more alive than he had just a few minutes prior. “I’m gonna be a grampa!” If her heart hurt a little bit at the elation on his face, well, that was between her and the Goddess. Morrigan would appreciate her motivations if not the methods.

  Cora and Finn remained at his bedside well into the night until finally, King Niall was too tired to continue. With promises to return the following day, they rode the private elevator down to the waiting SUV.

  “We’re out of options. It’s the right play,” she assured him as the doors opened in front of them.

  “I hope you know what you’re doing,” Finn murmured as he helped her into the back of the vehicle.

  “That makes two of us.”

  * * *

  FINN

  He’d gone to work the next morning, checking in on the office before heading to the royal jeweler, as per his father’s demand. She’d left him with her ring size and the assurance that he’d make a good decision. It was an impressive level of trust on her part, even if this was just an elaborate ruse for the most part.

  From there he went to the hospital. They’d gone their separate ways where he attended to his father and Cora… well, he wasn’t quite clear on what she planned to do. She’d told them, when they’d initially discuss the nuclear option, the doctor stuff was handled, but the vague possibilities of what she meant by that were scary as hell.

  Not that he didn’t trust her, by any means. Between her and Vasily, there was no one he trusted more. He just wished he knew what she was planning to do or that he could help her in some way. The idea of her doing even more heavy lifting for him on this case did not sit well, at all. Finn appreciated it was her job to keep him safe, but the risks were so much greater now...

  * * *

  CORA

  It was hard not to squirm as she sat across the desk from Dr. Bauer. He looked over her charts and was preparing to aid and abet her in committing treason. That’s the kind of thing you’d want to double-check the paperwork, a couple times. Not that he wouldn’t do it, she was paying a lot, whole-house-and-a-boat money if she was being honest, to set up this ruse. This was for all the marbles and would either result in a resounding success or her death.

  “You know,” he rumbled as he read over the chart, not looking up at her, “I always pegged you for a little reckless, maybe a little crazy, but I never would have thought you were suicidal.”

  “I’m not.”

  The older man looked up at her over his glasses, not raising his head. “Really.”

  “You said you could do this.”

  “I can do this,” he scoffed, clearly offended at the insinuation to the contrary.

  “Then, with all the love in my heart for you and Miss Annie, I’m not paying you to care.”

  He hummed his disapproval but didn’t comment further. Not that she needed him to. She was getting ready to submit to some heavy medical shit, both magical and not, to facilitate this plan. ‘In too deep’ was miles in her rearview, and she had nowhere to go but forward.

  Finally, after what seemed like forever, he signed the affidavit attesting to her pregnancy as well as the associated and accompanying DNA test she knew would be the very next question on their lips. Between her and Vasi, this was run down to the tiniest detail, because that’s where you got fucked up, more often than not.

  “Okay, so the shots I’m going to give you are going to mimic pregnancy in every meaningful way. And I do mean every.”

  “Shots, plural? And what sort of ways are we talking about? Morning sickness? Cravings? Tears at the drop of a hat?”

  He nodded as he herded her over to the examination table and had her put her generous cowl neck sweater to good use, baring one shoulder. “Among others. This is not going to be a walk in the park for you, but it will absolutely pass even the most stringent scrutiny they throw at you.”

  “Even a sniff test?” Because, really, she had no doubt in her mind that the moment they announced her pregnancy his aunt and her uptight snout would be all up in her business.

  “But of course. You pay for top notch, and that is what you get.” The doctor nodded and pushed up his glasses, pulling out a zipped case with a set of prepared syringes in it. The material inside was a disconcertingly iridescent pink.

  “Whatcha got there, Doc?” she eyed him warily as he prepped her arm with an alcohol swab and grabbed the first syringe.

  “This,” he exhaled, and the ultrafine need slipped into her skin with little more than a hiss from her. “Is a cocktail that Annie and I cooked up. We went to work right after you reached out. She’s got
magic older than this country in her books and she knew exactly what we needed on that end. My science side was making sure the DNA matched up and that it was safe for a Corvid.”

  “Thanks for thinking of me, Doc.” She smiled as he prepped her arm again and grabbed a second syringe.

  Eight shots in all, and after about the fourth or fifth one, the whole room began to feel unbearably hot and smell of burning rosemary.

  “I smell fire,” she murmured as she closed her eyes against a wave of vertigo and nausea.

  Seeming to sense her wooziness, he helped her recline on the exam table while he finished the shots in both arms and applied a hormone patch. “That’s the lupus mithridatus. That’s what the wolves will be looking for when you give them the good news. The patch is to help everything blend better with your own makeup. If anyone asks, it’s to help with the nausea.”

  “Speaking of,” she leaned over the side of the bed and was barely able to grab the nearest trash can before she lost her breakfast. Wiping her lips with the back of her hand, she frowned. “Sorry about that.”

  He waved away her apology and tied off the trash back. “To be expected. Now, lay there for the next half an hour. By then the worst of the nausea should be past and you can leave. See Annie on your way out. She has things for you. Vitamins and such.”

  Cora appreciated how well he looked after her. “Thank you, for all of this.”

  “You know, if I have to live out the rest of my life on a tropical island with no extradition, I’ll likely blame you.” At her startled expression, he winked with a broad grin. “From my hammock while drinking a pina colada.”

  “Jesus, man.” She chuckled weakly and breathed a sigh of relief just as another wave of nausea hit her.

  Dr. Bauer’s hand was cool on her forehead and then on her wrist checking her pulse. When he looked back at her from his watch, his expression was very serious. “I know you’re doing this for very good reasons, but have you thought about what happens if this fails? I mean, besides us fleeing the country and you getting hung for treason with your co-conspirators.”