Sebastian’s body was transitioning through animals the way a corporate executive would flick through PowerPoint slides. One right after another.
“Okay, ostrich is new. Has he been watching Animal Planet again? I told him he wasn’t allowed to watch that anymore,” Liam said, then yelped when a fifteen-foot python appeared on the bed. After three minutes of changing, Sebastian finally settled into the tiny cat form everyone in town was familiar with. Liam and Kent exhaled.
“Doc? The baby?” they asked together. Claybourne listened in, looking more like a vet that a human doctor. He looked up, smiling.
“One healthy baby,” he confirmed. Kent sagged against the bed before Liam pulled his lover over for a passionate kiss.
Claybourne immediately went to Ashby next. He looked at the prince.
“Doesn’t being mated to you negate the effects of your blood in Ashby?” Claybourne asked. Gabriel nodded, frowning fiercely.
“My Prince, I know that you wish Mikhail were here to perform this honor, but he is out serving you in tracking down the drug ring. I freely offer up my blood so that Prince Ashby will live,” Roman said, stepping forward nervously. Gabriel looked at one of his oldest friends.
“It would make me very happy to know that your blood saved my mate.” Gabriel inclined his head. Roman bowed then straightened, wiping away his tears. He took a wobbly step forward. He had to clear his throat a few times before he was able to speak.
“I would give my life for your mate, my prince,” Roman said, rolling up his sleeve. Felix sniffled. He felt like he had been transported back in time. The way the vampires regarded one another with knightly and princely honor made his modern heart ache at their beauty.
Claybourne administered the infusion and stepped back. Ashby thrashed around as a small cry escaped his lips. Frowning, Gabriel unconsciously took a step forward. Then Ashby disappeared and a tiny lump was left in the middle of the cot.
Gabriel jumped forward and dug through the blankets, pulling out a tiny white bundle. The tiny fennec fox flicked one large ear and then the other. Tears streamed unchecked down the prince’s face. The other vampires turned away as if the sight of their prince so undone was too beautiful to behold.
“There he is! The little runt. Thank goodness he is okay,” Nic said, sagging down and sitting on the now empty cot.
Gabriel looked over to Claybourne and held his mate as if he were the most precious thing in the whole world.
“I will never forget what you and your mate have done for me and mine. If you ever need anything, do not hesitate to ask. As I have offered my blood to Felix, I now consider you part of my coven,” Gabriel announced. Roman, Baptista, and the twins broke out into smiles.
“It’s been a long time since we had new members! Doc, you and Felix will have to eat with us on Sundays when the other coven members from Purgatory come visit for dinner. Ashby is introducing us to new foods,” Daniel said excitedly.
“It will be an honor,” Claybourne said with a half bow. Felix smiled. Of course his mate would know the proper response. He just wanted to hug the prince and Ashby, but somehow he didn’t think that would be the proper thing to do.
Felix watched as Claybourne raced around treating everyone. Nearly everyone in the gym had been given the treatment, except for two people. Felix looked across the gym to see that Aleks and Rebecca were waiting for them. Only he and Rebecca were left.
“Claybourne, how are we going to cure Rebecca’s baby? It’s still in utero. We can’t give it an injection,” Felix said. The jubilant atmosphere evaporated.
“Doc, can’t we just give Rebecca my blood?” Gabriel asked. Claybourne shook his head.
“Your blood would affect Rebecca’s body, not her unborn. She’s not infected, he is,” Claybourne clarified.
“Doc, how are we going to save Rebecca’s baby?” Liam asked. Claybourne looked at Felix.
“I don’t know,” his mate replied.
Would Fate grant them just one more miracle? Just one more.
* * * *
“Hey, Doc, my turn now?” Rebecca asked, smiling up at him.
“Hey, how’s my favorite pint-sized patient?” Claybourne asked. Rebecca gave him a weak smile.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, cutting through the niceties.
“The treatment we have accelerates the shifter’s body to force them into a shift so that the process will burn off the virus,” Claybourne explained.
Rebecca paled. “I don’t have an animal,” she said softly.
“You’ve saved all of us, Doc, you can save her and my grandbaby,” a female voice said from the door. Ma stood there, her pink flannel robe fastened tightly.
“Margaret, you are a sight for sore eyes,” Claybourne said.
“I hear you have been achieving the impossible while I have been asleep. What can we do for my daughter?” Ma asked, walking straight to Aleks, who shamelessly wrapped his arms around his ma’s waist and buried his face in her midsection.
“There, there, baby boy. It will be okay. We’ll figure this out,” Ma said, patting Aleks’s head.
“We almost lost you, Ma!” Rebecca cried, holding up her arms. Aleks peeked out from his ma’s stomach, and without looking back, reached behind him to pull Rebecca into his embrace so she could also wrap herself around Ma.
Ma looked at Claybourne expectantly. Felix hobbled over to his mate’s side.
“Why is he still sick?” Ma asked. Claybourne scowled down at his mate.
“He is refusing treatment until everyone is well.”
“I was the last infected so I’m not as critical. Plus, you need me, if I get treated now, no telling how long I’ll be out.” Felix stared down at Rebecca who had pulled back from Ma to lie back down on the bed. Aleks too had regained his composure and was sitting a little straighter in his chair. He looked a lot better now that his ma wasn’t minutes from death.
“Okay, so we can’t give anything directly to the baby, and we can’t give the blood directly to Rebecca. How do we get the treatment to the baby?” Felix asked, thinking out loud.
“It has to go through Rebecca,” Claybourne said.
“But her body will react to the vampire blood as a human, not as a shifter,” Felix countered.
“But Rebecca doesn’t have an animal,” Claybourne continued.
“But Aleks does,” Felix offered.
“But he wasn’t infected,” Claybourne said, bringing up a valid point.
“No, but Ma was,” Felix said, smiling wide.
“Damn.”
“Admit it,” Felix sang in a trilling voice.
“You’re right.”
“What was that? I’m still infected and my hearing is a bit off?” Felix said, cupping his ear. Claybourne grinned before snatching up Felix.
“You are always right,” he said and kissed Felix senseless.
“Wow, Felix, you have him trained to say those magic words already. I’m impressed,” Rebecca said, grinning.
“Now, let me check one thing.” Claybourne picked up the clipboard at the foot of the bed.
“Ma, your blood type is A positive right?” he asked. She nodded.
“Okay, so we have a plan. Ma donates blood and we transfer to Rebecca. Ma’s blood still has Gabriel’s blood in it. It will also have the chemicals released from her shift, which will enter Rebecca’s bloodstream and transfer to the baby, helping him burn off the virus. Any questions? No? Good.” Claybourne moved right along.
“Benedict, if you would be so good as to move an empty bed next to Rebecca, I want to start treatment on my mate,” Claybourne said while he was setting up Ma on the bed on the other side of Rebecca. Benedict nodded and wheeled an empty bed over for Felix. When the bed was locked down he hopped on and watched Claybourne get Ma hooked up.
“Will she be okay?” a female voice asked. Felix looked over to see Kate and Ashby in the arms of their mates. Damian was leaning heavily on Rian.
“We’re working on it,” Felix
said.
“Are we too late for the show?” Liam asked, holding a small kitten.
“Sebastian! Oh, give him here!” Rebecca said, reaching for the tiny cat. Liam, grinning, set the kitten down gently next to Rebecca.
“We think he’s one of the last ones to shift back since he had to go through so many forms. I really didn’t want to miss Felix’s shifts,” Liam said. Claybourne grunted.
Felix watched as Rebecca rubbed her face against Sebastian as if she were part cat herself. Sebastian stretched all four legs, flexing his paws. Seconds later everyone heard the faint sound of purring.
“I’ve missed my Sebastian,” Rebecca cooed. She looked over to Kate and Liam.
“Your baby?” she asked.
“Evidentially, I’m having twins! According to Doc both are fine,” Kate shared excitedly.
“Oh my gosh, that’s so amazing. Rian, we have to like do twice as much shopping now,” Rebecca gushed.
“Y’all don’t hate me?” he asked quietly. Everyone turned to stare at the normally vibrant lion.
“Why on earth would we hate you?” Rebecca asked. Rian looked up, crying.
“Because I gave away all the chocolate.” He bowed his head in shame.
“Rian Stafford, you hold your head up high. There is nothing for you to feel bad about. The only one to blame is that bastard Gilberton and his hateful ways,” Ma said in a firm voice.
“Really?” Rian asked. Everyone nodded.
“In that case. Kate are you going to find out the sexes of your babies in advance? Rebecca’s is right, we have a lot of shopping to do!” Rian exclaimed.
“We’ll see. I’m just glad they are okay. Oh god, Rebecca, I’m so sorry, I didn’t think,” Kate said, paling when she realized Rebecca’s baby wasn’t out of the woods yet.
“Don’t ever be sorry your babies are healthy. Claybourne and Felix have saved us all. We just have one more little one to go,” she said, patting her belly.
“Okay, I’m starting the transfusion now. Rebecca, you need to tell me if you feel anything. Anything at all,” Claybourne explained.
“Kay-O, Doc. I’m hungry, does that count?” Rebecca asked and Claybourne groaned.
“We’ll get you something to eat after the transfusion,” he promised. He walked over to Felix with a syringe.
“Ready, my love?” he asked.
“No, let’s do it tomorrow,” Felix said nonchalantly. Claybourne’s mouth dropped. Rebecca giggled in the background.
“I should inject you in your buttock,” Claybourne joked.
“You just love giving it to me in the ass,” Felix quipped. Claybourne palmed his face and he looked over to Ma.
“We have this lot, then four more just like them on the way?” he asked, exasperated. Ma raised her head, smiling.
“You wouldn’t want it any other way,” she said and Claybourne nodded.
“Okay trouble, you want it in the ass, you’ll get it in the ass. Roll over,” Claybourne ordered. Felix’s eyes went wide.
“I was just kidding, um how about my leg? Nice leg right here,” Felix said, pointing to his thigh.
“Now.” Claybourne’s quiet order had Felix grumbling and turning over. He pulled down one side of his pajama bottoms, revealing one cheek. The next thing he knew his mate jabbed him as hard as he could.
“Owwwwwww! Dammit! Owww! Bastard!” Felix yelled.
“Okay turn back over and calm down, baby,” Claybourne said, sitting on the edge of the bed.
Felix turned over and felt fire race through his veins.
“I feel funny,” Felix said, his mouth feeling like it was moving too slow. He waved his hands in front of his face.
“Wow.” Felix laughed, but then the fire in his body turned to molten lava. He felt his animal look up and come roaring to the surface.
“You better get off the bed, Doc,” Felix heard Liam warn and then there was darkness.
Chapter 12
“Sebastian does this every night?” Felix heard Claybourne ask. There was deep male laughter.
“Only when he’s stressed. I’ve woken up next to a porcupine and an alligator before. Not fun,” Liam confided.
“Hey Doc, the butterfly feeling is gone. Is my baby okay?” He heard Rebecca’s voice loudly, coming from directly above his head. He opened one eye and looked around. He opened a second eye and stood. He shook his head and saw that he was standing on the hospital bed next to Rebecca.
“He is so damn adorable. Can’t I keep them?” Rebecca asked. Felix felt himself get scooped up. He tensed for a moment before he was cuddled next to a warm body. When he looked to his left, he saw Sebastian’s cat form staring at him. He saw one eye wink at him as Sebastian began to purr.
Felix looked around the room and saw that everyone was looking at them smiling, including his mate.
“I’m afraid that I would miss him too much, Rebecca,” Claybourne said, watching the fetal monitors. Felix gave a peppy bark. Claybourne smiled.
“Looks like your baby is doing just fine. I would like to do daily checkups on all three of you for the next week or so, just to be on the safe side.” Claybourne looked at Rebecca and Kate, who nodded. Sebastian rubbed his head against Felix, purring.
“Liam, I think it’s safe to say you can invite your grandfather into Arkadia now,” Claybourne said, leaning over to take Felix. Liam grinned, reaching for his phone. He walked a few steps away, but seconds later Felix could hear the older man’s relieved cries.
Felix felt a soft kiss on the back of his head. He turned around, and feeling mischievous, licked Rebecca from the bottom of her chin to her hairline. She burst into peals of laughter.
“Ewww, Felix. That was gross.” She giggled. Aleks lay his head down on the arm that was stretched out next to his mate.
“The answer is no,” he said and yawned. She pouted and looked down at her mate.
“But…”
“No.”
“Please?”
“No. Having a baby will have to be enough,” Aleks said and closed his eyes. Rebecca passed Felix to Claybourne, who immediately brought him to his chest. Felix looked out at the room. Everyone was shifting back to human.
Claybourne leaned down to whisper into Felix’s ear.
“I’ve always wanted a dog. You have got to be the most adorable husky puppy I have ever seen. My tiger is purring, wanting to play.” Claybourne rubbed his cheek against the back of Felix’s head. Felix had the urge to mark Claybourne too, but as fastidious as the man was, he knew that he would lose his shit if he peed on him.
“Doc, Benedict and I destroyed all the samples that we had left. We’re also going to arrange for the entire shop to get emptied just in case Gilberton left any more surprises,” Duncan said, walking up.
“That was a good idea, Claybourne. We do not want this virus getting into the wrong hands,” Liam said, ending the call with Lachlan.
“What will the council do now?” Claybourne lightly pet Felix, who ate up the attention.
“They are bringing in the supplies to replenish your clinic and then heading out. Grandfather has decided to stay for a little while. I can appreciate how helpless he must have felt. You and Felix were the only ones who were able to do anything,” Liam said, looking over to where Sebastian batted at Rebecca’s fingers playfully. Liam yawned wide.
“I think everyone should take their loved ones home and get some rest. I’ll be available for follow-ups starting tomorrow.” Claybourne yawned.
“Good idea, Doc,” Liam said, picking up his mate from Rebecca’s lap before dropping a kiss on the top of her head.
“Consider it doctor’s orders,” Claybourne said as he waved good-bye to everyone. Feeling that all was finally safe in his world, Felix closed his eyes and lay his head on his mate’s forearm and fell asleep.
* * * *
Over the next few days, Felix and Claybourne kept a close eye on Rebecca, Kate, and Sebastian to make sure there were no lingering side effects that could harm their
unborn children. Felix could tell that even though she was smiling and joking around, Rebecca was still worried about her son.
“Are you sure he’s okay, Doc?” Rebecca asked again when Felix and Claybourne joined everyone for dinner at the diner. Everyone had agreed to meet at the diner after Ms. Brayburn’s funeral service. The mood in the diner was a somber one as everyone sat close to their loved ones in dark colors.
“Yes, Rebecca, he is perfectly fine,” Claybourne reassured her. Nodding quietly, she snuggled down in Aleks’s arms, unusually subdued. Felix watched her frown and rub her belly, and the hairs on the back of his neck started to rise. He would bet his next microwavable pizza that she was up to something. Felix looked around the diner. Everyone was too busy with their own mates and friends to notice Rebecca’s strange behavior. He sighed. He would have to keep an eye on her. They had worked too damn hard to save her for her to get into trouble now.
“I thought the service was just lovely. Edith would have loved all of those handsome men gathered in one place, looking so dashing in their suits,” Ms. Tully said, smiling.
“She would have fainted away at Prince Gabriel giving her eulogy.” Ms. Anderson fanned herself.
“Such a good boy,” Ms. Martin agreed.
Felix looked over to see Gabriel hiding a smile. Ever since receiving the Prince’s blood, Felix had felt a connection to the vampire. It was a strong connection, like the one he had with his mate. However, unlike the bond with Claybourne, there were no emotions involved, just a sense of being part of something more. Gabriel looked over to him and gave a slow wink. Felix grinned back.
“Quit flirting with the mated prince,” Claybourne whispered in his ear. Felix, without even looking to aim, elbowed his mated solidly in the stomach.
“Oh I’m sorry, baby cakes, I didn’t see you there.” Felix looked up at his mate, making sure his eyes were wide and full of surprise. Claybourne grunted and rubbed his stomach.