The nurse peeked in the room, “Hello you two. The doctor would like to see Onyx now. There’s also a gentleman by the name of Trevor here for you.” She looked at Sasha and smiled warmly, “I'll let you have a few minutes to straighten up before we come back to get her.”
Sasha nodded, grateful for the interruption. She handed Onyx to Jeremy. “Wrap her in a blanket, please.” She pulled the hospital gown back on and reached behind her to tie the ties.
“This isn't over, Sasha. We will discuss this later.” His eyes searched hers.
She smiled sadly. “It’s over for me, Jeremy.”
Jeremy looked up at Sasha from where he wrapped their daughter in the soft flannel blanket. “What?”
She smiled again, but it didn’t reach her eyes as she took Onyx from him, pressing her full lips to the newborn's head in a soft kiss. “Let's go.” She moved awkwardly around him to the door, where the nurse had a wheelchair ready for her. He tucked a blanket around her legs and watched her face in panic. Something was wrong, really wrong, because she wouldn't meet his eyes.
There’d have to be time later to figure out exactly what was going on, because this was something he refused to let go. Okay, she was right, I should've been up here with her and the baby, or at least sent Francois, I fell down on the job. Anything could have happened, but nothing did, so she's getting bent out of shape over something that didn't even happen. Maybe I should chalk this up to hormones. At least Trevor is here and we can see what's going on with Onyx, which will relieve a lot of tension between us.
They rolled down the hallway and Jeremy continued to brood. If she thinks this is over then she's lost her mind.
His normally dapper best friend stood at the end of the hallway with a goofy grin on his face and a loose tie. What the hell? He spotted Sasha's mother at the same time she spotted him.
Amy Jones was drying her hands on a sanitary towel to hold the baby and Jeremy winced as she growled softly and pointed at him with a visceral gleam in her dark eyes. “You better be damn glad my hands are sanitized to see my grandbaby, or you'd be singing soprano.”
Trevor guffawed. “Amy, you don't need hands to do that.”
Jeremy looked at him wide-eyed and clutched his crotch. “Don't give her ideas, man!”
Sasha seemed to watch the exchange between them with cool quiet. Amy came to her daughter. “Baby, let me see her.” A wide grin split Sasha's face and she handed her daughter to her mother, who cuddled her tight.
Jeremy shot a quick look at Trevor, who had this shit-faced lovesick look on his face. He tapped his arm quickly and nodded his head down the corridor. “Let's go talk while they do their womanly thing,” he whispered softly.
Trevor nodded, shooting another look at the Jones women. They turned and stepped down the corridor. “Man, Amy is something else.”
Jeremy looked at him curiously. “Seriously, man? What happened? Are you trying to screw my girlfriend's mother?” He sneered and crossed his arms.
Trevor rolled his eyes. “Worry about your own love life. Is she even still your girlfriend?”
He glared at him. “Of course.”
Trevor shrugged. “She might not be for long.”
“What the hell do you mean?” Jeremy growled softly.
He sighed and rubbed his forehead. “The problem is, someone ratted you out to the cops. They know you killed that coffee boy in Chicago. I have a damn good idea who gave the police the tip.” He paused and shook his head. “The only one I can think of would be Claudio, because he knows you won't be able to go back to the US, being a wanted man. It keeps you in his grasp. You'll have to go to a country where you can’t be extradited for murder.”
“Shit,” Jeremy whispered, pinching the bridge of his nose. “What the hell are we going to do?”
Trevor blew out a breath. “To be honest, I don't know. The companies are suffering with this taint on them. You could silently back out of them—you know I'll take care of them and you'd always be welcome back once this clears—take the money and put it in some off-shore account; take your girls and live on a sunny beach somewhere.”
“Fuck me,” he growled again. “What about her restaurant?”
Trevor shrugged callously. “Restaurants close all the time.”
Jeremy pursed his lips. “Bullshit, man. That’s her dream, I can't take it away from her. I think I took quite enough away.”
Trevor glared at him. “So, what? Send her back to the US by herself with the baby and run the risk of Claudio getting her? No, you need to keep her with you. She’d at least be safe. Plus, it would give you time to get clean again.”
He frowned. “I'm clean enough.”
Trevor raised a well-shaped eyebrow. “Really? That's funny, because I know the look you get after taking blood. You've had some very recently. I know you too well.”
Shit, Jeremy thought. Trevor had been with him for years, being a friend and a mentor. When he'd caught Jeremy sucking a rabbit dry on the full moon a couple of years after they had become friends, he’d freaked out much like Sasha had, but helped him anyway, learning all he could about paranormals. Trevor was one of the most level-headed guys Jeremy had ever known and he trusted him with everything. “Trevor, we need to know what signs Onyx may be exhibiting. The doctor said she had some vampirism traits visible in her blood. Something about the way her red blood cells were shaped? I need to know what we’re facing before we run.”
Trevor nodded. “We don't really have long, Jeremy. You need to get out of here soon. It's a good thing the baby isn't on any machines. I know what the doctor is talking about with her red blood cells. They have a funny shape to them that normal human blood cells do not.”
“What will that mean? Will she need blood like me?”
Trevor shrugged. “I doubt it. She may be an anomaly like you, only requiring it at certain times, but, then again, we may be able to just give her certain vitamins and keep her from needing blood at all. We need to know how much werewolf she has as well. I doubt she’ll turn into a fur ball on the full moon, especially since you don’t, but I'd be prepared for a hell of a temper with this girl.”
Jeremy nodded. “Especially with her mom being who she is.”
Trevor coughed delicately. “And her father.”
He smirked. “Yeah, I know. This isn't going to go down easy with Sasha. You do know that, right?” He stuck his hands in his pockets and scuffed the toe of his boot on the floor.
Trevor ran a hand through his slicked-back hair, mussing it. “Yeah, I know. If I can just convince Amy that her daughter needs a holiday, maybe she’ll help us.”
“I don't want her to know about the mess with the coffee guy.”
Trevor's blue eyes pierced him. “Um…it's never good policy to keep secrets, man. I highly recommend you don't do that. Sasha isn't stupid. Are you going to hide her in a closet somewhere and make sure she never sees CNN? What about Amy? She’ll find out eventually.”
He waved his hand. “Keep her busy. You seem to enjoy a cougar.”
Trevor winced. “She's fascinating, but I can't keep her busy all the time, Jeremy, you know that's impossible.”
He sighed. “Fuck. I know, man. I just need time. I think it’d be better coming from me, you know? I can gloss over the worst of it. I need time to make her want to stay. I need time to make her see that we’re a family. I just need time.” He looked at Trevor, pleading silently with his best friend.
“Shit. I'll do what I can. Let's go see the baby.” They walked back toward the women, who were cooing at Onyx.
Jeremy put a hand on Trevor's arm. “Wait. Does her mom know…?”
Trevor shook his head quickly. “No.”
He gritted his teeth. Great…just great.
***
Sasha kept one eye on her daughter and the other on the man who had a hold on her heart at the other end of the hall. Something was wrong; really, really wrong, she realized quickly. The doctor was coming down the hall, his kind face brightening with a smile. “Sas
ha, it is wonderful to see you again. Is this your sister?” He held a hand out to Amy and grinned brilliantly. “Bonjour, Madame.”
“Hello,” Amy replied, her cheeks going pink. Sasha looked at her incredulously. She smirked and looked back down at the baby before shooting a look through her lashes at the doctor. “I think Onyx looks remarkably like her mama, what do you think?”
The doctor smiled softly and nodded. “She really does. She will be a great beauty like her mother, and her aunt.”
“Oh, no! I'm Sasha’s mother!” Amy giggled.
“Well, Madame, you certainly don't look like a grandmother.” Trevor frowned as Amy chortled and giggled with the doctor like a lovesick teen. Sasha felt like she was going to throw up.
Jeremy touched her shoulder. “You okay, cupcake?”
Everyone looked at her, which broke up the flirtation between Amy and the doctor, much to Trevor's obvious relief and Sasha's own chagrin. She nodded. “Yeah, I'm fine.” She held herself taut, and knew Jeremy could feel the stress in her shoulders.
He leaned down and brushed his mouth against her ear. Her body reacted and she shivered. He murmured, “Everything is okay, cupcake. Breathe. Smile. I’ll handle everything.” She turned slightly and looked at him.
“You can't fix everything. Sometimes things are broken beyond repair.”
“I can try,” he whispered softly. She shook her head and turned back to the rest of the group.
The doctor smiled at Trevor and shook his hand. “Son, nice to meet you in person. How about you and I go back to the exam room and, after I check over Onyx, we’ll talk. I'm interested in your research.” he said casually.
“Yeah, I could go for that,” Trevor replied before following the doctor down the hall.
Jeremy nodded. “I'll go to give them a hand.”
Amy sighed and handed the baby to the nurse, who was waiting patiently, and hugged Sasha. “She's perfect.” The nurse smiled gently and followed the doctor down the hall, leaving Amy and Sasha alone. Amy pierced her with a look that could have melted steel. “Now, sweetness, what the fuck is going on?”
Sasha swallowed. “How much do you know?”
Amy sniffed and crossed her arms. “I'm piecing it together. Trevor put a kiss on me on the plane, and damn, is that man fine. But, Jeremy…something is…off about him. It puts me on edge; like he wants to eat me, and not in a fun way.”
Sasha covered her eyes and grimaced. “Mom, I really don't need to think about that.”
Amy laughed heartily. “Honey, I may be sick and I may be in my forties, but haven't you heard women don't hit their peak ‘til now? I could use Trevor diving in my cookie jar and not coming up for air.” She grinned wickedly.
“Oh, dear Jesus,” Sasha groaned. “Mom, that's just more than I can think about. Ever.”
“Hah!” She snorted. “Okay, down to business before those asses get back.” She leveled Sasha with a no-nonsense look and crossed her arms.
Sasha swallowed. “Jeremy probably would eat you if you weren't my mom.”
Amy raised her eyebrow. “Has he been doing bath salts? That shit is no joke, Sasha. You know you hear about people eating faces off after doing that shit. Is Onyx safe? What the hell?”
Sasha laughed and held a hand up. “Mom…Mom. No, it's not bath salts.”
“Oh, thank God,” she murmured, putting her hand over her heart. “The last thing we need in the family is an addict.”
Sasha's laugh died in her throat. “What if he's addicted to something that isn't drugs?”
“Like?”
“Blood.” She swallowed as her mother's eyes went wide and she put pieces together.
“Hah…don't screw with me. That…that shit isn't real.” The older woman shook her head and paced the pistachio-colored floor.
“Yeah, Mom, it is. He's part vampire and part werewolf.” She twisted her fingers together in panic. “And, he, apparently, had a big vampire put some kind of hex or something on our family, but especially me, to make me forget him…to keep me safe, according to him. And, while we were apart, he kind of went off the deep end and started drinking a lot of blood. Now, he has to wean himself off. There’s more, but I can't tell you, I just want to go home as soon as Onyx is cleared for travel.”
“Shit,” Amy murmured, her eyes wide and face pale. She reached for the wall and leaned against it, her body shaking. “You aren't kidding me?” Her eyes begged Sasha to be lying.
“No, Mom. I'm not kidding you. Trevor is in there with the doctor to see just what Onyx is.” She twisted her fingers together tighter in her lap, trying to do anything to quell the panic rising in her throat.
“She's a baby. That's all.” Amy shook her head in denial.
“No, Mom. She's more. Please promise me we can go home as soon as she's cleared for travel. Please.”
“Why? Has he hurt you?” Her mother stood up fast, fists clenched. “If that bastard has laid one finger on you, I'll rip him a new asshole. I swear to God. He hasn't seen fangs or claws until he's run into someone like me. I'll show him a damn vampire.”
“Mom, no. Mom, calm down. He hasn't hurt me, or the baby. I don't believe he would. He's hiding something from me and I can't place just what it is, but I know he's hiding something.” Her voice died as she saw the doctor coming back down the hall toward them, his brow slightly furrowed. Jeremy followed, cooing to his daughter, and her chest tightened at the sight of him with their daughter. Trevor and the nurse were behind all of them.
The doctor smiled at them. “Why don't we go into a room and have a chat?”
“What's wrong?” Sasha squeaked as he patted her shoulder.
“Let's get somewhere private, please; this isn't exactly appropriate for the hallway.” He smiled and walked toward the glass doors. Amy squeezed Sasha's shoulder and the nurse began pushing her down the hall. She turned and looked at Jeremy, who smiled tightly. Trevor wouldn't meet her eyes.
Fuck me. Something is wrong. Her heart trilled in her throat like a hummingbird and she felt like she was choking.
“Doctor, we’re losing her, I think she's going to pass out.”
Sasha clawed at her throat, willing air to squeeze through. Darkness enveloped her vision and the last thing she saw was Jeremy's face.
“God damn it!” Amy yelled as Sasha slumped in the wheelchair. “This is all your fault, you bastard. You filthy blood-sucking cockface!” She pointed at Trevor. “Take the baby. Now.” Trevor's eyes went wide and he quickly took the baby from Jeremy, backing up slightly. He knew her fist was dangerous as hell.
Jeremy braced himself. “What the hell do you mean, this is my fault?” He growled low, his fangs throbbing.
“You’re the one who fucked with her mind; you got her all messed up, taking her all over the world, buying her shit. She always had a level head before you. I hope and pray she gets it back. She knows all about your addiction,” Amy yelled, throwing up air quotes. “She's not stupid, Jeremy. I don't know what you and your pals did to her, but my girl is back to herself now, and if I have anything to say about it, you won't have anything to do with her or this baby.”
“Is that so?” he murmured silkily. “Well, I’m afraid you’re horribly mistaken. They’re both mine.” He grinned wickedly, his canines glinting in the light of the hallway.
Amy smirked and her fingers twitched like she longed to slap the grin off his arrogant face. “You’re wrong, asshole. Sasha isn't yours, and this baby is only half yours. I can promise I'll do everything in my power to keep you away from her. I'm taking them home as soon as they’re able to travel.”
He stepped forward, a growl ripping from his throat, his dark eyes flashing and hackles raising. “Like fucking hell you are. They are mine.”
She smiled slowly. “I know your buttons, little boy. You don't scare me. Want a sip?” She threw her neck back, her jugular pumping with her fury. “Then fucking get a drink. I dare you.” She leveled him with a blistering look then spat on his shoe. “You disgust
me, you egg-sucking dog.”
He blinked and looked at the spit shining on his shoe. “Did you just spit on me?”
She shrugged and raised a brow. “Yeah, and? You aren't going to mess with my daughter's head anymore. I promise that.”
“It's her choice, isn't it?” Trevor piped up. She turned to him, her eyes flashing.
“Best thing I can tell you is to keep your mouth shut unless you want to sing soprano the rest of your life.” He swallowed quickly.
Jeremy folded his arms. “This is causing a scene. It needs to stop. We can discuss this later, when Sasha isn't incapacitated.”
She frowned. “You didn't give her that option before. You left her. You can't pick up what you shattered, honey.” The fight obviously left her sails. “You didn't watch her drag through life. I did. I knew something was wrong. I couldn't place it. You weren't there when she saw Onyx on the ultrasound. You missed it all. You have no rights in my opinion.”
The doctor grabbed her arm. “That's enough. Both of you. I'll not put up with this in my hospital. It’s bad enough she was under stress the whole pregnancy; I'll not have her getting sick now, nor you, Madame. Now, let's go to a private room and revive her.”
Sasha woke up violently, a chemical scent in her nose, and she gagged. An IV was in her arm, dripping saline. “Onyx,” she murmured groggily, trying to wave away the acrid smell permeating her nostrils. She took a choking breath.
“She's fine, baby.” Amy squeezed her hand. “Take a few slow breaths; let's ease you up nice and slow.” The nurse took the smelling salts away, and she sucked in air that didn't make her lungs hurt. Slowly, the spinning in her head stopped. She saw Jeremy sitting in a chair, holding Onyx, his jaw tense. Trevor stood beside him, his face pinched, and the doctor was writing on a chart.
“What…what's going on?” She pushed herself to a sitting position before the spinning started again in her head and she flopped back on the pillows. Jeremy looked away, the muscles in his jaw working. He's angry.
The doctor smiled. “Welcome back, Sasha. We lost you for a few minutes. We started an IV of saline to give you some extra fluids; you've had a little too much excitement for one day. I've got everyone under control with the promise if they misbehave again, they’ll be escorted from the premises. Now,” he smiled gently and touched her arm. “Shall we discuss what Trevor and I found in Onyx?”
Once Bitten, Twice Shy Page 6
