One Second (Seven Series Book 7) (11 page)

Once my blood filled the vial, he removed the tube and expertly pulled out the needle. He replaced it with a cotton ball and bent my arm. I watched with curiosity as he cleared off the table next to me and placed three small bottles of clear liquid on the felt cloth. Then he opened a case and set a rectangular glass plate down, smearing a sample of my blood in three rows. Edward carefully removed the caps from each bottle, one at a time, and replaced them with a top that allowed him to squeeze a drop onto each blood smear. He watched it for a moment and then began humming.

“Are you new?” I asked.

He gave a lackluster reply. “I’ve been in practice for thirteen years.”

“Why did you come here?”

“Hard to find clientele in England. There are more Relics than you can imagine, and we tend to hand down clients through the family.”

“So you left all your clients behind?”

“Actually, my parents spent a great deal of time procreating, so after they retired, my older siblings took all their clients. Sometimes it’s not advantageous to be the youngest in a large family of Relics. That left me with plenty of opportunities,” he said, adding something blue to my vial of blood and then giving it a shake.

I’d never really given it much thought. Relics inherit knowledge from their ancestors who often specialize in different Breeds, but without clients, their skills go to waste. They worked as doctors, therapists, and even advisors. Immortals and other Breeds liked to keep their secrets within the same family, so they usually formed a close relationship with only one.

“Is this kind of thing normal?” I asked. “I mean, a sick Shifter.”

Edward rolled the vial between his fingers and then looked at the glass plate. One of the streaks turned orange. “I’ve seen all kinds of afflictions in my time, and there are a number of defects that can pass down genetically. Is there anything I should know about your parents?”

I laughed and snorted hard enough that it broke his concentration. He gave me a bemused look.

“Sorry, it’s not you. I don’t know who my parents are. My mother was killed, and my father was a drifter.”

“How very tragic for you.”

“Not as tragic as your cable-knit sweater.”

Edward didn’t bat an eyelash as he cleared off the table and wiped down his glass plate. “I don’t mean that offensively, only that Shifters and Relics are similar in that we cherish family. Not all Breeds have the luxury of having children.”

“Family isn’t who you share blood with but who will bleed for you. It’s the people who love you through your tragedies and stick around.”

“We must move forward,” he agreed. “If you ever want to speak with someone privately, my services are reasonable. Sometimes we can’t say everything to those we’re close to, and it helps to have an unbiased person to listen.”

“I’ll think about it,” I said, wondering if I’d just agreed to see a shrink.

“How’s your mate been feeling?”

My stomach dropped, hoping this wasn’t something contagious. “Fine, as far as I know.”

Edward smiled, snapping his bag shut. “No strange behavior? Trying to feed you, sexually satisfy you without intercourse, standing closer to you than normal in the company of strangers?”

Well,
that
seemed a little personal.

“Now that you mention it, we were at the bar the other night and he kept putting his arm around my waist. Austin sometimes gets jealous, but he’s not an insecure man. So it seemed a little weird when he escorted me into the bathroom. Call me old-fashioned, but this girl likes to pee alone.”

“Perfectly normal,” he said. “I’d like to extend my congratulations.”

“For what?”

He tipped his head to the side. “Well, it appears this is nothing more than the usual symptoms associated with pregnancy.”

I pulled my legs up, and his brows knitted.

“Is something wrong?”

“Um, are you sure I’m pregnant?”

He laughed brightly and studied a photograph on the wall. “Even if I didn’t have my test kit, I’d suspect it based on both of your symptoms. His wolf’s probably sensed it by now, but Austin hasn’t. I suspect in another week he would have figured it out on his own.”

“Why did you have to draw all that blood?” I complained, removing the cotton ball from my arm and tossing it into the wastebasket. “I could have bought one of those tests at the store and saved everyone some time.”

“I’m afraid those aren’t terribly accurate where Shifters are concerned. I hope you haven’t relied on them in the past. Sometimes it gives false positives because your chemistry is different. Is this not good news?”

“I’ve had… miscarriages in the past. The other Relic said she thought it might have something to do with me going through my first change so late.”

“How many have you had?” he asked, lowering his voice to a whisper.

“Five.”

A grim look crossed his expression. “How regretful. Which trimester?”

“The first. I was usually sick; everything feels totally different now.”

He patted my knee. “That’s a good sign. Also, your changed behavior indicates the pregnancy has taken hold. Those urges increase as the weeks and months go by. Eat a lot of protein. I’m guessing your mate has been trying to feed you a lot of meat lately, but that’s what you need. I’ll write you an easy recipe for a morning drink—just natural herbs. We’ll keep in close touch, and I’ll pop in once a week for the first two months if that eases your mind.”

I released a breath. “That would be great. Do you think… do you think this one might keep?”

“Don’t overwork yourself,” he said, wagging his finger. “Don’t stand for long periods of time without either sitting down or walking. You should remain as active as you normally were, but keep the blood moving. The fainting spells aren’t uncommon.” He cleared his throat, and I noticed what an agreeable voice he had. Sharp and clear—very polite. “How do you wish to break the news to your mate?”

Damn, this was the part I was dreading. I wanted to throw up just thinking about it. I couldn’t keep this a secret—not with the Relic stopping by every week. Austin had said he wanted kids when we were at the cabin, but men say stupid things when women are in heat. He wouldn’t want to worry about a baby with all this pack-war stuff going on. The timing couldn’t have been worse.

“Would you mind telling him?”

Edward nodded respectfully. “Of course. Nothing to worry about, Lexi. If everything’s copacetic, I’ll be on my way. Rest easy tonight, and remember what I said about standing too long. If you work outside the house, take frequent breaks and walk around.” He winked and strolled toward the door. “I’ll see you next week.”

When he closed the door behind him, I sat Indian style and clasped my hands together. It was silent in the hall, and that knot in my stomach got even tighter as I tried to imagine what was being said on the other side of the door… and the crushed expression on Austin’s face.

The silence ruptured when a shout exploded into a howl.

A
joyous
howl.

The door swung open, and Austin’s bright eyes glittered with all the happiness a woman yearns to see in her life mate. It made me tear up, and he rushed to the bed and sat down, kissing my neck and face until I giggled and pushed him away.

His hands moved across my breasts and down to my flat stomach. He lifted the hem of my shirt and placed a gentle kiss against my skin. I feathered my fingers through his hair, daring to hope for the first time.

A few inquisitive faces appeared at the door.

“Do they know?” I whispered.

He glanced up and smiled. “I cleared their asses from the hall when the exam started.”

“What’s going on?” William asked, drifting closer to the bed. “I heard a shout.”

Austin rose to his feet and strutted toward them.

Yeah,
strutted.

He had his swagger going on and the cockiest look I’d ever seen. “Anyone feel like going out for beers tonight? We have some celebrating to do.”

“What’s the occasion?” Denver asked. “Did you set an orgasm record?” He popped a few peanuts into his mouth. It looked like he’d made a pouch using the bottom of his shirt and had filled it with nuts.

“I hope the celebrating involves a bed for the guest room,” Wheeler grumbled, squeezing past Denver and into the room.

“I’m going to be a father,” Austin announced.

Denver dropped his peanuts all over the floor.

After a few beats, the smiles changed to laughter, howling, and dancing.

Yeah,
dancing.

The pack didn’t know anything about my past miscarriages, but on that day, they danced in my bedroom.

I spent the next three days resting in bed.
After my dizzy spell, Austin urged me to stay home for a day before returning to work. When he started bringing me my favorite barbecue from The Pit (even though his mother had cooked stew with deer meat) and giving me foot massages, it was hard to say no. Normally a little pampering wasn’t something I’d complain about, but I’d grown tired of appearing weak in front of the pack.

“Knock, knock,” my mom said, opening the door. She glanced at the windows on my left. “It’s a pretty day outside. You should sit on the porch with me.”

I tossed the magazines aside to give her a place to sit, slightly embarrassed that all I had on was an oversized biker tank top with skulls, roses, and motorcycles. “I think I’m ready to come out of quarantine. The Relic didn’t recommend bed rest—that was all Austin.”

She sat beside me and fixed my hair so it wasn’t in my face. “My little girl is going to be a mommy.” Tears were shining in her eyes—the good kind.

“I hope so.”

“What do you mean? Of course you will be.”

I studied the tiny white flowers in her black blouse and admired the butterfly necklace I’d given her years ago for Christmas. Her dark roots with silver hairs needed a touch-up, and the signs of age were carved into her features like hairline fractures on a sidewalk. Thinking about children made me reflect more on my relationship with my own mother.

“Mom, I don’t want you to die.”

Just as soon as the words left my mouth, my heart constricted.

“I’m not going anywhere.” She smoothed her hand over my arm.

“But someday you will. It’s not fair that I get to live hundreds of years without you.”

She took my hand in hers and studied me closely with her blue eyes. “Hon, I don’t need to live more than one lifetime. I’m just glad that you’ll have a long life—both you and Maizy. Maybe you can get things right the way I never did. Do I like getting old? No. I hate that my lips are disappearing, and I have to comb my hair a certain way because it’s thinning on top. And no matter how much walking I do, I can’t get rid of these bingo wings.”

I busted out laughing. “You don’t have bingo wings,” I said, pinching her upper arm.

She smiled, a small dimple appearing on her cheek. “I hate the idea of aging. But I don’t mind the idea of dying. It’s a natural part of life and something everyone will have to face sooner or later, even you. So there’s no sense in being afraid of something you have no control over.”

“Maddox doesn’t mind?”

I’d never really pressed on their personal arrangement, because I was afraid my mother might think I had doubts about it.

“Maddox loves me, sweetie. We had a long discussion about this and decided that we have to do what makes us happy. Love isn’t conventional.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Someday I’ll be gone, but I’ll still be here every time you look into your children’s eyes. We don’t have to be related for you to see that. Every time you teach them the things I taught you, I’ll be there. Whenever you see the color blue and want to roll your eyes because of how much I loved it, you’ll remember me, and remembering means I’m never really gone.”

Without a word, I gave her a hug and wept against her shoulder. She stroked my back, assuring me it would be okay.

I leaned back and took a shaky breath. “I’ve had several miscarriages.”

Her lips parted in surprise. “You didn’t tell me that! I feel just awful you had to go through that alone.”

“It’s private. Please don’t tell the pack. That’s why I’m scared to be excited over this pregnancy. I’m afraid to fall in love with the idea of it.”

She wiped the tears off my cheeks. “This baby needs you to love it no matter what your fears are. I wish you would have told me about all this.”

“I had my reasons.”

“Maybe this one will feel all the love and support from the family. Where’s that brave girl I raised?”

“She’s feeling like a chickenshit.”

Her gaze drifted. “When your father—”

“He wasn’t my father.”

“Well, when
Nelson
brought you home, I didn’t know if I’d be able to keep you. You weren’t ours. He took you away from someone, but I couldn’t let the impermanence of how long we might have together stop me from loving you. Things will work out one way or the other—the way they’re meant to. Love takes courage. Why don’t you come outside and get some fresh air? I think that’s what you need instead of staying cooped up in here all day like a hen.”

Wheeler poked his head in the room. “Is she coming out, or am I dragging her by the heels?”

“You just try it,” I said. “Because I have a waxing kit that would love to meet your face and chest.”

He frowned but not at me. A long black tail that kinked at the end moved past him, but I couldn’t see anything more. Spartacus leapt onto the bed and sat down, staring at me with his freakish yellow eyes.

Mom stood up and fixed her hair. “We’re going to have to do something about that cat. When the baby comes, he’s not allowed in the nursery.”

“Nursery?” Wheeler opened the door all the way and leaned on the doorjamb, dressed no better than I was in a sleeveless shirt with a black panther on the front. “We’re Shifters, Lynn. Babies belong in the bedroom with the parents. Like over there.” He motioned toward an empty spot on the left side of the room with a window on each wall.

My mom put her hands on her hips. “And how is Lexi supposed to get any sleep with the baby fussing every two hours? Sometimes they cry for a little while, and you have to let them go back to sleep on their own or else they become dependent on you picking them up at every whimper.”

He chuckled darkly. “That’s why I suggested Austin’s side of the bed. It’ll do him some good.”

Mom lifted the cat off the bed and gave Wheeler a peevish glance when she passed by him. “Maybe we should rotate diaper duty.”

When Mom moved out of sight, he scraped his teeth across his lower lip. “I need to learn when to keep my mouth shut.”

“You haven’t been able to do that for decades. Why start now?” I swung my legs off the bed and stood up.

Wheeler charged forward and slipped his arm around me. “You okay, sweetheart?”

“I’m not an invalid.”

“No, you’re just the Packmaster’s pregnant mate. It’s a big fucking deal, just so you know. Not everyone who has kids has an alpha, and if you don’t have one the first time, well… that’s probably the only shot you get. Alphas have better odds of having an alpha son the first time around.”

“So? Jericho has two alphas, in case you forgot.”

“Some of these assholes who have alpha kids don’t raise them right, and the kids grow up to be rogues. Lennon and Hendrix are good kids, but if Jericho fucks it up and doesn’t teach them how to be leaders, then they might end up delivering pizza for a living. If you’re looking at a Packmaster’s son, you’re pretty much looking at a future Packmaster in the making.”

He walked me into the hall, and then I created distance between us. The last thing I needed was the pack seeing me as a weak link. We entered the game room where Maizy and Denver were playing a game of pool. By the intense look on Denver’s face, Maizy was clearly winning.

“Well, look who decided to join the living,” Denver said, taking his shot. The ball cracked against the other and bounced around the table. “Did you get bored with all the sponge baths or did Aus finally get tired of being emasculated?”

I sat on the barstool to the left and tossed a peanut at him. “So what’s been going on around here lately? I feel out of the loop.”

Maizy put her pool stick in the cue rack. “Katharine’s been teaching Mel how to shoot with an arrow. She’s pretty good at it, but I don’t think she has the heart to kill an animal. Meanwhile, poor April hasn’t been able to eat anything Katharine’s cooked. She goes to her room during dinner so she doesn’t offend anyone. She’s afraid the main course will be one of the critters that hangs out at the squirrel feeder.”

Wheeler poured himself a glass of whiskey in front of me. “Reno should take her out to a restaurant instead of sneaking food to the bedroom.”

I rolled my eyes. “You know April doesn’t like eating out.”

Denver leaned between us and grabbed a bowl of honey-roasted almonds. “Yeah, she’s afraid someone’s going to hock a loogie in her food.”

Wheeler knocked back his drink. “I don’t see what’s wrong with Ma’s food. She cooks a mean venison chili. You could use some of that meat on your bones, Lexi. You have two to feed now.”

I shrank in disgust. “I’ll be the first to admit I’m spoiled with prepackaged food. Why hunt if you can buy it at the grocery store?”

“Because one day there might not be a grocery store. You might be in a situation where you have no choice.”

“Well, if there’s a food apocalypse, then my wolf will hunt and eat for both… oh wait.”

Wheeler licked the rim of his glass with the tip of his tongue. “See? It’s all dandy when it’s just you, but you can’t shift anymore until that baby’s born. It’s too dangerous, and your wolf won’t let you anyway.”

Every hair stood on end when a faint scream cut through the chatter.

We sprang from our chairs and hurried through the hall and down the stairs. The scream intensified, becoming recognizable as one of the children. Wheeler shot ahead of us and flew out the front door, jumping off the porch and moving on instinct. It took me a minute to get my bearings and find out which direction it was coming from.

My blood ran cold when I saw Hope, Lorenzo and Ivy’s only child, emerging from the high grass on the left. Melody was two steps behind, looking over her shoulder as if someone was following them. Hope’s face was stained with crimson, and Wheeler almost stumbled backward when he saw her. After he glanced at Melody to be sure she was all right, he lifted Hope into his strong arms.

“Call a Relic!” he bellowed, sprinting toward the house.

“On it!” Denver disappeared behind me, bumping into Maizy and my mother, who were both coming outside.

They rushed toward the blue-haired teenager. Mel carried a look of horror on her face as she stumbled into my mother’s arms. Uncertain of the danger, they led her back to the house as quickly as possible.

Wheeler hurried past me, and I caught a glimpse of blood as he went inside.

Melody ascended the steps, but her eyes were fixed on the grassy field. A gust of wind blew her razor-cut hair in front of her face. “It happened so fast,” she said, her breath shaky. Melody gulped some air and took a step away from my mom. “One second we were playing down by the oak tree, and the next… he attacked her.”

“Who?” I asked, rage heating my veins like lava.

Her large green eyes glittered with memories. “A wolf. A Shifter. I could sense him, and he went right for her. I grabbed a stick to beat him off, and when she screamed, I guess it startled him, and he ran away. Shifters aren’t supposed to attack girls, are they?”

No, they weren’t. Even in animal form, Shifters were reluctant to turn on women or children, not unless they perceived them as an enemy.

“Everyone inside,” I growled.

***

Only a few minutes had elapsed since the rogue had attacked the girls. Wheeler placed Hope on a sofa in our downstairs study so Katharine could assess her injuries.

Melody peered into the room. “How is she?”

“Come with me, sweetie.” Maizy led her out of the room and closed the door behind them. I turned my attention back to Hope, who was lying unconscious on the small sofa. She was the embodiment of innocence and wisdom, and it tore me up to see that someone had hurt her.