Polar Heat

by Simone Beaudelaire

“Riley, this is Mrs. Forrest. She's the village's healer and midwife. Nasnanna mentioned she thought you might be expecting. Given everything… about me, I thought it might be a good idea for you to see the midwife here. I have no idea, if you are, whether there might be what look like abnormalities to a human, but that are normal to someone of mixed genetics….” He stammered to a halt.

  “I think we should have talked about this before you dragged me here,” Riley said in a dry voice, giving her boyfriend a sour look. “It's too soon to tell if I'm pregnant, and I think a pee stick would suffice to begin with.”

  “It might not be too soon,” the old woman said in a soft and carefully enunciated voice. “We have better tests than that stick. Will you let us find out? It is good to know.”

  Riley sighed. “Fine. What do you need to do?”

  “When was your last menstrual period?” Nasnanna asked.

  Riley thought back. Then she bit her lip. “It might not be as 'too soon' as I thought. I finished just before Thanksgiving.”

  Nasnanna smirked and made a note on the chart.

  “Well then,” Mrs. Forrest said, “the stick will work.”

  Riley couldn't really articulate why the sight of this traditional looking woman rummaging in a white cabinet and emerging with a sample cup and two disinfecting wipes struck her as odd. Guess my sheltered childhood is showing. Time to grow up, Riley. It did make her feel a bit better that modern medical techniques seemed to be the norm.

  Within minutes she had the cup prepared and left it in the bathroom, returning to Russ, who was sitting in the waiting area, leafing through a copy of Field and Stream.

  The two midwives moved to the back portion of the clinic, through a door with heavy wood grain.

  As Riley sank into her seat, Russell looked up, meeting her eyes.

  “It's probably positive,” she said, and despite the inevitability of it, her heart began to pound.

  “I know,” he replied.

  “The principals aren't going to like this.” Worry clamped down on Riley. “Do you think they'll fire me?”

  “For taking maternity leave in the fall? Nah.” He set the magazine aside and took her hand. “People who hire young women have to expect to deal with things like this. I promise, it won't be a big deal. Just be sure your lesson plans are ready, but you'll have the whole summer to work on them.”

  Riley nodded. “Do you know a good babysitter or anything? I'm not sure I can afford that on my salary.”

  “Riley, honey, you're not exactly a single mom,” Russell reminded her. “I'm in this for life, no matter what. Besides, my work schedule is flexible. I can watch the little one when you're at work. Even bring her to you at your lunch break to nurse, if you'd like.”

  Riley blinked away a sudden burn in her eyes. His talk of bringing a baby to her and nursing made the whole thing even more real. It was one thing intentionally to risk pregnancy by not using protection. It was another to know that the inevitable had already happened. Because it has. Everyone realizes it.

  “I'm scared,” she whispered.

  “I know, honey. I'm not surprised. But I'm here. I'll always be here. You're safe with me, Riley.”

  She leaned over the arms of their respective chairs, ignoring the metal that pressed uncomfortably into her hip, and rested her head on his shoulder. He wrapped one brawny arm around her back and stroked her. “It's okay, Riley,” he murmured.

  Nasnanna returned to the room a minute or so later and said tartly, “I don't need to tell you the results. You already know.”

  Riley nodded against Russ' sweater.

  “So, given everything, Mrs. Forrest and I think we should be your primary caregivers. We can handle all prenatal including ultrasounds, bloodwork, everything, as well as deliveries. And in case you were worried, I'm a registered nurse, so you'll be getting 'modern' medicine in addition to traditional wisdom.”

  “I never said otherwise,” Riley stated.

  “I saw your face,” the young nurse insisted.

  “Yes,” Riley admitted with a sigh. “Forgive me a moment of doubt, okay? This is all a bit overwhelming.”

  “Nasnanna,” Russell added in an ursine rumble. “I will not have Riley stressed during her pregnancy. If you pick on her, I will take her to someone else. She's had so many huge changes to her life lately. Don't push it.”

  Nasnanna took a deep breath. Under her unbuttoned lab coat, her own baby squirmed visibly through her scrubs, making the wolves and bears printed on the thin fabric seem to dance on a snowy background. Riley gulped. I'm in for it now.

  “All right,” Nasnanna said with a sigh. “I get it. We'll consider this a non-event, shall we? And move forward as we would with any other person?”

  Russ started to growl, but Riley held up a hand. “I agree.”

  “Well then, we'll start by assuming you're approximately eight weeks. An ultrasound next month will help with that determination. We'll need to do bloodwork and eventually discuss a birth plan. If you don't have any complications, we'd suggest you deliver here. Golden doesn't have anything like our centuries of accumulated experience. Plus, their doctor knows nothing of shape shifters, of course, and if the baby shows any exceptionalities, they might think it's an emergency and off you'd go. Having to be transported to Fairbanks because of a non-existent emergency wouldn't be fun.”

  “I think here would be fine,” Riley replied.

  Mrs. Forrest opened the door to the back room. “Please come, Riley,” she intoned. “We need to draw blood.”

  Riley rolled her eyes. I hate needles. “Okay, I'm coming.”

  * * *

  That night, her arm bandaged and her mind swirling, Riley sat out another dance. As she watched her beloved's clan chant and stomp, she tried to focus her thoughts. It was no use. Feeling overwhelmed by life, she rested her forehead in her hand and closed her eyes.

  “Riley?” a female voice drew her back to reality.

  “Nasnanna,” Riley replied a bit coolly, not sure where she stood with the Den'a woman.

  “I'm sorry I got snippy earlier,” she said, eyes downcast. “I didn't mean to be so touchy. It's just… you know…”

  “I know,” Riley replied. “There are rednecks in the world. And maybe my reaction was a bit… unflattering. Not to mention unfounded. After all, midwives have been delivering healthy babies for millennia, way before modern medicine. It just took me a minute to remember. I swear I wasn't trying to put down you, Mrs. Forrest, or this community in any way. I just got a bit… nervous.”

  “First pregnancies are scary,” Nasnanna agreed, patting her own belly. “I can certainly relate. So are we good?”

  Riley nodded. “I think we can chalk it all up to a miscommunication.”

  “Sounds good.” Nasnanna grinned, showing straight white teeth. Then she let out a little squeak. “Stop that, you,” she addressed her belly, shoving at a limb that pressed her belly out in what looked like a painful move.

  “Does that hurt?” Riley asked, alarmed at the young woman's rapidly changing shape.

  “Yes,” Nasnanna replied bluntly. “It hurts every day. I can't sleep and I can hardly hold my pee. This is natural, though. It helps overcome any fear of delivery. I'm so ready, I don't care if it hurts to give birth. That's nature's way.”

  “I see,” Riley replied.

  “I know it's a lot to take in,” the young woman added, “but you'll get through. It'll be fine. And soon I'll have my little boy in my arms, and it will all be worthwhile. You will too.”

  Riley smiled. “Where's his father? I'd like to meet a few more people here.”

  Nasnanna scowled. “Afghanistan,” she replied, pouting. “Can you imagine? He's a Marine. I told him he would melt like a snowman in the Middle East, but he didn't listen. So he's going to miss his son's birth. Thank goodness for Skype.”

  Yikes, Riley thought. No wonder she's a little grumpy.

  “Do you have anyone to help you after the delivery?” she asked. If Russ wa
sn't here, I'd be completely alone.

  “Yes. My mother lives next door to me, and Mrs. Forrest is my aunt, so we should be fine.”

  “I'm glad to hear that.”

  “Say,” Nasnanna said, suddenly changing the subject, “would you like to know more about the dance they're doing right now?”

  “Yes,” Riley agreed immediately. “I'd like that very much.”

  Chapter 11

  “Work tomorrow,” Riley thought, stretching out in the bed she now thought of as hers. Her body still tingled in the aftermath of her welcome home celebration with Russell. He'd made sure she knew how much he'd missed her, even though she'd slept beside him every night.

  Riley shivered. Every inch of her skin had been marked with gentle bites and burning kisses. Her lips felt swollen and inside… sore was only the beginning. And yet, the pleasure had been intense, and she hadn't held back from screaming her ecstasy to the rafters. I've been ridden hard, she thought, enjoying the afterglow.

  Half-drowsing, she scarcely registered movement beside her until the cold crept through the now half-empty bed and nipped at her.

  Riley's eyes snapped open. It's late. The bathroom light is still off. Where on earth did Russ go? Rising from the bed, she trailed to the window and looked outside. A huge full moon hung low above the trees and cast golden light like spilled honey across the night-dark snow. Movement to the left drew her gaze. Russell stood outside, wearing only his jeans and sweater. The sight of his bare feet sinking into the snow made Riley's toes ache in sympathy. From the trees a massive white shape lumbered into the clearing heading straight for her beloved. While she knew he should be safe from bears, it still made her stomach knot. She laid a hand over the secret place where their baby rested.

  The bear rose to its hind legs, towering over Russ' human form. A roar set the treetops shuddering. He responded. As long as I live, I will never get used to that sound coming from his human throat.

  The bear shook, became hazy, and seemed to shrink in on itself. In the blink of an eye, a man with white hair and golden skin stood naked before Russell. The two men stood staring at each other for a moment. From her angle, she could only see her beloved's back, but he seemed to be gesturing. Then he half-turned, indicating the window in which she stood. Riley sank back into the shadows, but continued to watch.

  The strange shifter froze, then clapped Russell on the shoulder so hard he staggered. Laughing roars rolled across the meadow. The men stayed together another minute before the stranger shimmered back into a bear and loped away into the trees. Russell turned to the window and waved. Then he stripped off his clothes and before she could draw a breath, a second bear ran into the woods.

  Blushing at having been caught, Riley slunk back into bed, pulled the covers up to her chin and closed her eyes.

  * * *

  Home feels strange. Why? I grew up here. What's so strange about this? She scanned the walls of her father's study. Perhaps the mess. Her father's beloved books had been knocked from the shelves and strewn around the room. His desk sported deep gouges and cuts she'd never seen before. One of the diamond shaped panes was cracked and the door hung crooked, its upper hinges disconnected. Anxiety knotted her belly as the reason for the disarray hit home.

  She stepped away from the desk and into the shadow of a bookshelf, hoping to become invisible to anyone who might come into the room. Too late. A hand thick with scars clamped down on her wrist, and at the sight of the tattooed knuckles, she felt a strong urge to vomit. It's a dream, Riley. He can't hurt you in a dream. But she didn't know, determined as Danny was to control her, whether any damage might turn out to be real.

  “Little sister,” a cold, expressionless voice hissed in her ear, “where is it?”

  Riley ground her teeth. “Where's what?” she asked, yanking at his arm and trying to get her wrist free.

  “You know,” he replied. “You tried to cheat me, little girl. I won't stand for it.”

  Riley's whole body felt icy cold. “Cheat you how? I gave you my entire inheritance. What more can you possibly want? You can't have my paychecks. I earn those, and I need them.”

  “Liar,” he roared, and she flinched, inching as far away from him as his bruising grip would allow. “You know what I want. You give it to me now!”

  “I have no idea what you're talking about,” she insisted. “I'm not lying, I swear. There's nothing left. He wasn't even your father, and you have it all.”

  In a heartbeat his face transformed from rage to calm, but the glitter in his eyes caused a thrill of terror to shoot through her. He slowly closed his free hand into a fist and let her get a good look at it. “Are you sure you don't want to reconsider that position?” He drew his arm back.

  “There's nothing to tell,” she insisted, nearly shrieking.

  The fist flew, but Riley, for the first time in her life, dodged. The blow hit her hip, bruising deep into the soft flesh, but protecting her vulnerable belly from his rage. You'll never touch me there again. I have something to protect now. While he stared, startled by her unexpected resistance, she jerked her wrist in the direction of his fingertips and managed to break his hold. Stomping down hard on his foot, she made a run for it, racing past him and through the broken door of the study. His pounding footsteps demonstrated how quickly he'd recovered. Riley's feet seemed to grow wings as she put on an extra burst of speed, desperate to put space between her dangerous half-brother and her unborn baby. “Wake up, Riley,” she begged herself. “Wake up and you'll be safe.”

  “You'll never be safe from me,” he laughed, and she could feel his hot breath on her neck. “I'll find you no matter where you hide. I'll get what's mine.”

  A vicious cramp tightened down in Riley's flank, but she dared not slow down. Sobbing with pain and fear, she clutched at it.

  A familiar, full-throated roar rattled the bungalow from foundation to ridgepole.

  “What the hell?” Danny demanded no one in particular, stopping to stare at the enormous white creature galloping their direction on pigeon-toed paws the size of his face. “You have weird dreams, Riley.”

  She laughed hysterically. Part of Danny's danger was that he genuinely didn't realize how scary he was… except when he was trying to be. It was as though more than one person lived inside his oversized thug body.

  “That's not all I have,” she snarled. This time her own fist flew, connecting solidly with Danny's throat.

  He croaked like a frog and staggered to the side. Riley ran straight toward the bear. “I can't wake up, Russ. Help me!”

  She could have sworn he nodded a moment before those huge paws wrapped around her body. Fur faded to flesh and she opened her eyes to find herself in bed with Russell holding her in his arms. Her side ached and her hip throbbed. She clung to her lover, heart pounding, as terror slowly released her from its grip. Tears streaked down her cheeks and she sobbed against his bare shoulder.

  Russell held her while she cried, making wordless rumbling noises that almost sounded like purring. When at last her adrenaline had been shed and she lay in a trembling, boneless heap under the heavy quilt, he spoke. “You didn't tell me Danny was a dreamwalker too.”

  “I didn't know,” she mumbled. “I've had nightmares about him my whole life, but until tonight, I never knew they were real.”

  “Too real,” he replied, tossing back the covers to reveal her hip, where a huge red mark was slowly turning purple. “If he had hit…” Russell's big hand splayed on her belly. She could hear his teeth grinding. His fingers dug into her skin.

  “I wouldn't let that happen,” she insisted, drawing away from his too-intense touch. “I know what's at stake. I know how Danny moves, what he does.”

  “Not good enough,” Russell said darkly. “If you die in the dream, you die for real. Where do you think those legends come from? If anything happened to you, Riley, it would be the end of me. You have to protect yourself. You have to block him from entering your dreams.”

  Riley's labored
breathing was beginning to slow, as was her heartbeat. Snuggled safe in the arms of her bear, she had to acknowledge the truth of what he was saying.

  “You're right.” The fragrance of Russell – of fresh cold air and warm, vital man filled her. “How do I prevent it from happening? I didn't mean to let him at all. I just wanted to sleep. I'm so tired all the time, you know? I need a good night's sleep.”

  “You're going to be tired tomorrow,” he said. “Nightmares are no more restful than being awake.”

  “I know.” The clock on the bedside table read 2:00 am. Riley yawned. “How do I make sure he can't find me? This was too close.” She trailed her fingertips over her hip.

  “For tonight, let me watch over you. I can protect you awake or asleep. Later, when you're rested, we'll figure out a way to guard your dreams. Let's plan that for the weekend, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Warmed and soothed by Russell's powerful presence, and reassured by the knowledge that he could guard her dreams as well as her waking moments, Riley succumbed to fatigue and fell into a dead sleep.

  * * *

  “Are you kidding me?” Riley asked, staring at a building that in no way resembled the rest of Golden. The small, single-story space stood out sharply against the gray plastic siding and red brick buildings on its sides. This place seemed to have been constructed out of decommissioned ship's hull boards. The front of the building curved like the bottom of a ship too. Each individual board had been painted a different color. Starting at the ground, a band of purple lightened to blue, then green, orange, yellow, and the roof had been shingled in red. Two huge display windows were framed in multicolored shutters that mirrored the pattern of the structure. Inside the windows to the left of the bright green front door, three ancient and dusty books reclined on a purple velvet cloth. On the right, the entire display had been converted into a planter and filled with green sprouts. A heating lamp hung above. A sign in the window advertised wheat grass shots for $1 each.

  “Yeah, why not?” Russell asked. “I told you people in Alaska were different. Now, listen. Before you get any funny ideas, Samantha is trained as a physicist. If you want to get dizzy, forget her herbal concoctions and just ask her to explain the quantum nature of the empath phenomenon. She really knows her stuff.”