With that, he took a few steps toward the front of the cave. I immediately sidestepped him and blocked his exit, even going so far as to push both of my palms against his chest to let him know he wasn’t going anywhere so soon. Not if I had anything to say about it.
“You … you’re leaving?” I asked, my tone of voice daring him to respond in the affirmative. He glanced down at my hands on his chest before looking back up at me and smiling knowingly. I cleared my throat and suddenly thought better of touching him, but I made no motion to release him because I was afraid he’d simply materialize right out of the cave.
“Although I must admit I quite enjoy your tender touch, my little imp, the time for me to leave is drawing nearer,” he announced as he brought his hands to my arms and began rubbing them up and down. I wasn’t sure if the goose bumps that suddenly sprung up all over my skin were due to his touch or the frigid cave.
“No!” I almost yelled at him. “You can’t go!” Without even realizing what I was doing, I wrapped my fingers around the line of his button-down shirt to ensure that he wouldn’t be able to go anywhere. “I need you!”
“Although I am marginally softened by your tantrum, pet, I am afraid I must go now, as in … posthaste,” Sinjin replied coolly. Then he made a big show of gripping both of my wrists and extricating my hands from his shirtfront. “I refuse to put our queen’s safety in any jeopardy.” Then he eyed me with furrowed brows. “Or yours, for that matter.”
“Oh my God,” I muttered while shaking my head. I crossed my arms over my chest and frowned at him. “What is it with you bloodsuckers? You’d think after a few thousand years you might have mastered the discipline of self-restraint.”
Sinjin chuckled and studied me pointedly as I felt myself gulp down my own words. “I do hate to disappoint you, my diminutive hellion, but alas sometimes I must accept my own disappointment …” He turned his back on me, which basically sent the same message as if he’d just flipped me the bird.
“Sinjin!” I yelled frantically as my only means of assistance was swiftly starting to retreat. Now I’d be on my own when it came to delivering Jolie’s baby and that was a future I wanted no part of … My heart pounded loudly and my stomach started to sour. “I’ve never even seen a newborn baby, let alone birthed one! I have no idea what to do! If you leave me here alone, you’re basically rolling the dice when it comes to Jolie’s and the baby’s safety!”
“You would have made a very good actress, pet,” the tall vampire responded even though he didn’t bother turning back around. Instead, he continued forward, toward the hole in the ceiling of the cave. “As I said, I will guide you through the process.” Then, before I could stop him, he disappeared in the ray of moonlight that streamed into the cave, as if he’d never been there at all.
I swallowed hard and faced my sister. “We’re going to get through this together, Jolie,” I said in an unconvincing tone, all the while hoping and praying I spoke the truth. “Just make sure you breathe,” I continued, mostly to remind myself of the same thing. I dropped down onto my knees beside her, trying to ignore the freezing cold sand that greeted my naked knees. I gripped Jolie’s hand, and squeezing it hard, I breathed in deeply and readied myself for the Herculean task that lay ahead.
“We can do this,” she said with a sincere smile that suggested she actually believed it.
“Yes, we can.”
Yes I can! I reiterated while trying to steel my courage. You can do this, Bryn. It’s just delivering a baby! It can’t be that hard, right? Of course not! I mean, come on! Being a midwife has got to be a lot easier than one-on-one combat, or training a bunch of new recruits …
That’s a good way to think of it, Jolie answered me via her thoughts. I glanced over at her and found her smiling at me.
“I don’t want you to worry, okay?” I said. I suddenly felt the urge to try to calm her fears because I knew it wouldn’t do her any good if she was as worried about my birthing skills as I was. “I mean, when you think about it, women have been giving birth for like … forever; and a long time ago, hospitals didn’t even exist, right?” I decided not to mention that childbirth was one of the top reasons why women died in those days. I figured it was probably better left unsaid. “That’s right,” I answered my own question.
“I’m okay, Bryn,” Jolie managed as another contraction rocked her body and she clenched her eyes shut tightly as she rode it out. Moments later, she dropped her head back, opened her mouth, and screamed so loud, my heart nearly stopped.
“What?! What’s wrong?!” I cried, utterly panicked as I jumped to my knees and tried to decide what the hell I should do next. “Sinjin!” I yelled in despair as I turned to face the empty cave and narrowed my attention to the hole in the roof. I prayed he hadn’t gone too far away and could still hear me, especially over the pounding rain. “Are you still there?”
“Yes, pet,” he replied, his voice not sounding as far away as it should have. I guessed it was just another form of his vampiric powers, although I couldn’t be sure.
“She’s screaming!” I called out. “I don’t know what’s wrong with her!”
“Of course, she is,” Sinjin called back, sounding completely unconcerned. “Need I remind you that she is having a baby?” I didn’t say anything in response to him, but looked back at Jolie. She was no longer screaming, but there was sweat still pouring off her forehead.
“Okay, well tell me what I’m supposed to do!” I called back up to Sinjin. “I have no idea what to do next!”
“Has the baby crowned yet?” came his calm response.
“I don’t know what that means!” I answered, feeling completely useless. I wasn’t used to feeling this way at all and could honestly say I hoped never to experience it again. Ordinarily I was the one barking orders at people. Ordinarily I was the one who was in control of the situation as well as in control of myself.
Clearly, not any longer.
“Can you see the baby’s head?” Sinjin responded patiently. Well, good thing one of us was seemingly unconcerned, because I felt like I was going to have a mental breakdown at any minute. My skin was clammy with sweat even though it was freezing in the cave and I didn’t imagine my nerves could be on higher alert. I was a heart attack just waiting to happen.
“Do I see the baby’s head?” I repeated his words to myself and brought my attention back to Jolie. After taking a deep breath and talking myself off the ledge, I tried to figure out what I was supposed to be looking for. “Maybe?” I called back with a frown. “I’m not really sure.” Of one thing I was certain, though; there was no way in hell I would ever have sex if it could result in this!
Hands down. One hundred percent. No freaking way in hell.
“I feel … like I need to … push,” Jolie announced. Lifting her head, she struggled with another contraction while I prayed she wouldn’t feel the need to roar like she had earlier. I doubted if my nerves could handle it.
“Okay,” I said, imagining that she should go with whatever her body told her to do. “Push; that sounds like a good idea, I guess.” Then, thinking better of it, I eyed the hole in the cave roof. “She says she wants to push!” I yelled out to Sinjin. “Is that good or bad?”
“Good!” he replied immediately. “Encourage her to push between the contractions!”
“Okay!”
“And tell her to exhale through her mouth when the contraction reaches its peak, and then push when the contraction eases,” Sinjin finished, sounding like he’d been through this birthing stuff a thousand times over. Damn him.
“It really sounds like he used to be a doctor, but whatever,” I muttered to myself as I faced my sister again and wondered about the enigma that was Sinjin Sinclair. “Did you hear everything he just said?”
She nodded and opened her mouth, exhaling. Then she clenched her eyes shut tightly in what I assumed was another painful contraction. She opened her eyes a few seconds later and inhaled again before breathing out for a count of three. ?
??The contraction is on its way out so I’m going to push now,” she informed me.
“Okay.” It sounded like she was following Sinjin’s instructions to the letter. “Once the next contraction comes, stop pushing,” I coached her, remembering Sinjin’s instructions. Surprisingly, I actually sounded like I knew what I was talking about.
“Do you see the baby’s head yet?” Sinjin called.
I glanced back down at Jolie just as she started pushing again. And that was when I saw my niece or nephew’s head. A huge smile immediately spread on my face as a mixture of relief and joy overcame me. “Jolie! I can see her head!” I said gleefully as I squeezed my sister’s leg encouragingly. A rush of euphoria overcame me because this had to mean my role of midwife was nearing its end. “She’s coming!”
“Has the baby’s head crowned?” Sinjin called out again.
“Yes!” I responded, with a sense of triumph in my tone. “I see her head!” I wasn’t sure why I kept referring to the baby as a girl, but figured since Sinjin had, maybe he knew something I didn’t. Well, clearly, that went without saying …
“Very good, Bête Noire! Your job is nearing its end, thankfully,” he started with a chuckle that I didn’t find very amusing. “Now support the baby’s head as it begins to emerge,” he continued. “Whatever you do, do not pull on the baby’s head! Let your sister do all the work!”
“Okay!” I called back, feeling inordinately proud of myself. Taking another deep breath, I faced Jolie and smiled. “I see your baby, Jolie,” I said softly, attempting to sound encouraging. I only hoped I was doing a good job because I was more than aware that I wasn’t exactly good when it came to emotional support. “She’s almost here so just keep on doing whatever it is that you’re doing!”
Jolie didn’t respond, but took another deep breath and pushed. I put my hands underneath the baby’s head as soon as it appeared fully. “The baby’s head is out!” I yelled to Sinjin.
“Very good!” he responded. “Now guide the baby’s head and turn it to the side so her body can slide out more easily.”
“Okay!” I yelled back as I continued to support the baby’s head. Jolie ground down and pushed again, this time allowing the baby’s entire body to emerge. I felt like I wanted to cry as I glanced down and saw my niece for the very first time. She was so tiny and helpless, and so perfectly beautiful. She had an exact replica of Jolie’s rosebud mouth with Rand’s big eyes and long lashes. “She’s beautiful!” I said in awe as my voice caught. I bit my lip and forced the tears to subside. Luckily, Jolie’s daughter, who did turn out to be just that, opened her mouth and released a loud cry, sparing me from doing so myself.
“She’s really … a she?” Jolie asked. She sounded completely exhausted, but at the same time, thoroughly overjoyed. I could feel as much through our bond.
“Yes, you have a lovely, little girl,” I answered in an awestruck voice. I lifted the baby, being careful to support her head and neck, and felt completely awkward doing so. She was just such a tiny and fragile little thing, I was scared of hurting her. I placed her on Jolie’s chest and watched as Jolie leaned over and kissed her forehead, grinning from ear to ear. She didn’t say anything for a few seconds, but just studied her baby as her eyes filled with tears.
“She’s so perfect,” Jolie finally said.
“Yes,” I answered. It was all I could say because it felt like there was a frog the size of my fist currently residing in my throat. Needing to find something to focus on so I wouldn’t become a blubbering mess, I closed my eyes and centered myself so I could hone my powers around Jolie and her daughter. Once focused, I cocooned them in an envelope of heat, preventing either of them from feeling the icy cold of the cave. I, however, could feel the burn of the frigid air, but it didn’t bother me. At that very moment, I seriously doubted if there was anything that could have.
I watched Jolie close her eyes and it almost looked like she was asleep. Moments later, though, a large pink blanket appeared out of thin air. It wafted down on top of them both, tucking itself underneath both sides of Jolie’s waist. Seconds later, a little, pink beanie appeared on top of the baby’s head.
“Impressive,” I said with a smile.
Jolie shrugged as she lifted the blanket and encouraged her baby to start suckling on her right breast. “Just another day as a witch,” she answered. The baby struggled. “Come on, little doe,” Jolie crooned at her. “You need to eat if you want to grow up and be big and strong like your daddy.”
At the mention of the baby’s “daddy,” I felt an inordinate sense of sorrow descending on me and knew I must have been channeling Jolie’s feelings. “He’s going to be fine, Jolie,” I whispered. I reached out and patted one of her swollen ankles. “Please trust that he will be fine,” I finished but couldn’t help doubting my own words because I had no idea what was going on back at Kinloch Kirk. All I could rely on was my knowledge that Rand was a truly gifted and powerful warlock.
I refused to allow myself to ponder Luce and his abilities. Some things were better left unthought.
Jolie didn’t respond but just nodded sadly. She held her baby closer and shut her eyes as tears rolled down her cheeks. I felt my heart constricting as I wrapped my arms around my sister. I didn’t know what to say so I let the quiet speak for me. I just held Jolie and allowed her to cry, figuring she probably needed it.
“I’m … okay now,” she said after a few minutes. Nodding, she wiped the tears from her cheeks and steeled any remaining strength she could muster.
“Are you warm enough?” I asked, not exactly sure what to do with myself now that the hard part was behind us. “I could make it warmer in here if you aren’t.”
“We’re fine,” Jolie answered with a sad, little smile. “Sinjin can come back in now if he wants.”
I stood up and walked toward the hole in the ceiling of the cave as I continued to receive Jolie’s melancholic feelings. I had to forcibly turn off our connection because I couldn’t think straight with all the worry that was passing from her into me. Once I could think clearly, I noticed the rain had stopped. When I looked at the sky, though, I found the moonlight still obscured by dark grey storm clouds that appeared ominous and threatening. I stood directly underneath the hole in the cave’s ceiling and called out to Sinjin. “Did you hear that? You can come back now!”
“Of course I heard it,” Sinjin responded before appearing directly in front of me a split second later. “As you are well aware, I can hear everything,” he finished with a cheeky grin. His self-adoration knew no bounds.
I rolled my eyes but didn’t say anything as I watched him approaching Jolie. “How are you faring, my queen?”
“I’m fine,” Jolie answered and then nodded with a big smile.
“And the royal sprog?” Sinjin continued with a boyish grin that immediately melted my sister’s heart. Apparently I wasn’t doing a great job of deadening the bond between us …
“We’re both just fine,” she answered as she gently pulled the corner of the blanket down to reveal her little daughter.
“Ah, she is quite lovely, just like her mother,” Sinjin said as he brought his eyes from the baby back to Jolie. “Randall will be very proud.”
“Thank you, Sinjin,” Jolie said, obviously ignoring Sinjin’s play on Rand’s name. I could hear the adoration in her voice and it made me half wonder if maybe Jolie hadn’t loved Sinjin at one time, or possibly still did. Of course, her love for him couldn’t compare to her love for Rand, but there was definitely a connection that my sister and Sinjin had, which ran deep.
I wasn’t sure why, but their closeness bothered me. Or maybe it wasn’t that it bothered me as much as it made me feel things I wasn’t used to—like jealousy. I didn’t really understand the feelings of pain and longing that manifested inside of me whenever I was around Sinjin, so I angrily pushed them away. I had to keep reminding myself that I had no business feeling emotions because I couldn’t process them. I didn’t understand them. They were li
ke another language to which I wasn’t privy.
“No need to thank me,” Sinjin said, his voice soft and caring. “I am and always will remain your loyal guardian, my queen.”
I felt like an eavesdropper—like I shouldn’t have been witnessing the exchange between them. I faced the other side of the cave and took a few steps away from them, feigning extreme interest in the stalagmites that grew out of the cave’s floor.
“You did well,” Sinjin said, his voice right beside my right ear. My breath rode up into my throat as my heartbeat started to pound.
“Was that really necessary?” I barked, taking deep breaths to calm my fight or flight response. I just hated it when he crept up on me, and he knew it. That was why he did it so much. Pain in the ass …
Sinjin chuckled from where he stood right beside me. I took another few steps and turned to face him, not at all comfortable at finding him so close. Especially given the completely bizarre and uncomfortable feelings I’d experienced earlier with regard to his relationship with my sister. I had no business being jealous because, in general, I wasn’t a jealous person. No, instead my temperament was calm and collected. Or at least that’s what I had to keep reminding myself.
“I do enjoy keeping you on your toes, my paramour,” Sinjin said and his eyes seemed to sparkle in the moonlight.
“So are you going to come clean about how you know so much about childbirth?” I demanded, changing the subject, because I started feeling anxious under his scrutiny. “I refuse to believe that you just happened to know all those things …”
Sinjin chuckled as he studied me before opening his mouth to answer. “What is my position at Kinloch Kirk, little tempest?”
“What does that have to do with anything?” I spat back, throwing my hands on my hips to show him that I wasn’t amused.