Michael went still. Raising an eyebrow he warned, “Do I need to stop breathing, Siona? I came up to bring you to the lab. I want to get some bloodwork done while Valad’s sample is still viable.”
Bringing Michael’s thumb between her lips, Siona gave the finger a light suck. In response, Siona felt Michael’s body sway toward her and in turn, she moved toward him, reaching for his jeans button. “Are you sure that Valad’s blood won’t keep a little longer? Perhaps we have a few minutes to spare.”
Siona looked up at Michael to see if she was continuing to persuade him, but it was clear from his facial expression that while his body might want her, his mind did not. Michael’s face was devoid of emotion, a virtual mask of self-restraint. The final nail in the coffin was the fact that he was no longer breathing. Siona’s scent used to be Michael’s ultimate aphrodisiac.
Siona let Michael’s hand drop from her face and felt her shoulders slump. “All right, let’s go then.”
Giving a stiff nod, Michael helped her up from the chair, “I promise this will be quick and then we can move onto other things.”
Walking in front of him, Siona rolled her eyes. She knew he couldn’t see, and she didn’t want to insult him, but Siona couldn’t remember the last time Michael had just given in to sex with her. She wondered if maybe he was uncomfortable with her changing body.
Sitting in his lab, after a half an hour of “one-more-tests” later, Siona thought that perhaps she had turned into a science experiment for Michael. She had to bite her lip not to remind Michael that he wasn’t going to win a blue ribbon at the end of all this. This pregnancy was not a science fair experiment.
“You know, a preliminary flag in your blood signature makes me think that we might want to double check some of your…” Michael trailed off, reading a computer screen.
Siona looked at Michael’s oh-so-tempting backside and sighed, “Some of my what Michael?”
Siona had already given blood twice, saliva once, and a prick test of some kind that—thankfully—she had no reaction to. Siona wasn’t sure what else she had to give, and she was watching the idea of receiving an organ drift farther and farther into the abyss of impossibility.
“I think a skin sample is really what I need.”
“Skin?” Siona questioned, running her hands up and down her arms. “How exactly to you gather that?”
“I’ll just do a little scrape—” Michael turned in his white lab coat to prep a metal tray with a small razor, some numbing cream, and a small Band-Aid.
As Michael turned to her, Siona made a request, “I want a massage if you are about to do something that requires a Band-Aid.”
Michael’s eyes flicked to his computer screen, before returning to Siona’s body and Siona felt his rejection all over again.
It so wasn’t worth it. “Never mind. It’s fine. Just scrape me, or whatever and I can leave you to your work. I’m sure Valad will be back in a bit. I’ll just ask him.”
For the first time in an hour, Michael seemed to come out of his doctor trance. Moving to stand beside the table again, Michael placed one hand on the metal tray of instruments and one hand on Siona’s arm. It would have been a comforting gesture if Michael hadn’t looked so twitchy to pick up the numbing cream.
“No, I’m sorry. I know I got carried away—I led you to believe there was more at the end of all of this than a massage, but we can start there.”
Michael’s voice had deepened during the course of his statement and Siona felt the stirrings of hope. Maybe they would finally reconnect physically. She missed him…
Choosing a spot on her upper arm, Michael gently applied the numbing cream in a circular motion then sat down across from Siona to wait for it to take effect.
Siona looked dubiously at her arm, “Is this really the last test?”
Sucking in a deep breath Michael took a long look at Siona before blowing the air back out, “Yes, for now this is the last test.”
Shrugging, Siona apologized. “Sorry, it just feels like all we do together is medical tests. I thought the whole point of involving the human doctor was to take some of this pressure off your shoulders. I thought it meant you could back away from the process.”
Ignoring Siona’s searching statement, Michael leaned forward. “Can you feel this?” he asked tapping on Siona’s skin.
“Yes.”
Sitting back again, Michael considered. “Well, handing off the monitoring of the pregnancy was a huge relief to me. It’s not that I haven’t studied obstetrics, but I have no practical practice. I feel better continuing the research into why you and Valad are able to make a child rather than the actual pregnancy process.”
Tapping her arm again, Siona shook her head to confirm that she was officially numb. Well, it seemed as though Michael was completely divorced from the pregnancy process and from their romantic relationship as well.
As Michael employed the razor blade, he stared at Siona with detached medical efficiency. Siona was starting to believe that the moments of tenderness with Michael were the aberrations, not the times like this where he was coldly clinical with her. After Michael smoothed the Band-Aid on her and turned to clean up his medical supplies, Siona moved to hop off the table.
Suddenly, Valad was at her side helping her down. She stumbled back into the table in shock, but Valad kept her standing with a hand on her elbow.
Siona stood, hand to her chest gasping for air. Valad took the opportunity to yell at her for jumping the two feet from the medical table to the floor.
“Siona, why are you jumping from things? Would Michael not lift you to the floor?”
Valad turned his gaze on a still stunned Michael.
“I would have lifted her to the floor, Valad, had you not beaten me to the punch. Also, you know that the super speed freaks Siona out. You need to stop that as well, her heartbeat is currently erratic with a spike in the baby’s too.”
Frowning at Michael, Valad turned back to Siona. “I apologize for the speed, my love, I just hate to risk you falling. Your balance is not what it used to be.”
Valad looked at Siona appraisingly and considered. “In fact, I don’t think you should be on your feet at all. Let me take care of that.” Valad leaned forward and scooped Siona up in the air. Siona landed against his chest smoothly with a laugh. She could feel the strength in his arms holding her. It felt like love.
“Michael, are you finished with Siona? I have some scaring to make up for.”
Michael stood with his mouth slightly open, “Actually we aren’t done yet.”
“I thought you said this was the last test!” Siona exclaimed. Seriously, there couldn’t be anything more on her body to collect or monitor.
“It was, but I thought you wanted a massage,” Michael said dumbly.
“Oh, I think I can take care of that and much more,” Valad responded with a wink.
Siona snuggled deeper into Valad’s strong arms, just ready to get out of the lab.
Offering Michael a weak smile, Siona declared her exit strategy, “It’s ok, Michael, you wanted to work with the data more, anyway. I’m sure Valad is more than capable of giving me a rub down.”
Jumping when she felt Valad pinch her butt, Siona let out a giggle. Nudging Valad for teasing her, she received a kiss in return. Finally happy, Siona let Valad carry her out of the lab. Looking back once over Valad’s shoulder, Siona paused when she saw that Michael wasn’t hurrying back to work. Instead, he was looking at their retreating forms with a sort of longing that touched Siona’s heart.
She almost stopped Valad’s progress but Michael turned away from them again—getting intimate with the new data. Siona knew that somehow, she had lost touch with this man she loved and she didn’t know how to bridge the distance between them.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
How had he let it happen again? When he had woken up that evening, Michael had been a man with a plan. He was going to do one vial of blood work and then seduce Siona. One vial. And it wasn’t as if she needed a
lot of seduction nowadays. For the first time in his life, Michael was fending off a woman at every turn. It seemed that he couldn’t look in Siona’s direction lately without her scent turning erotic. It was difficult to concentrate when all Michael could think about was taking her to bed.
Staring at a computer screen illuminating the spreadsheet of data that followed the progression of change in Siona’s blood, Michael couldn’t concentrate. Valad and Siona didn’t understand how important his work was. Not just for the medical breakthrough, but for Siona’s condition. Her blood was, well, it was changing. Michael wasn’t sure what the markers meant, and lately, he was utterly distracted with them.
When he was presented with new data, Michael couldn’t seem to stop himself from following their teasing directions—it seemed like the answer to the puzzle was on the tip of his tongue; just out of reach. It was as if Michael simply had to write the right algorithm or take the correct sample to break the case.
For a man of science, the problem was obsessive. However, as a man in love, Michael could see that his work was taking him farther and farther away from the very people he was hoping to protect. Michael blinked one more time at the sleek Mac reflecting back all of the raw data. Graphs had automatically been generated with various blood markers over time and arranged comparatively to Valad’s unchanged control blood. Michael knew if he could just concentrate it would be clear, but his heart and mind were following Valad and Siona upstairs for a little evening delight.
The screen in front of him blurred as Michael imagined Valad’s lean muscles exposed under the soft lighting of their bedroom. How Valad’s body would move over Siona’s; giving her pleasure with its touch. A clear image of Valad’s hand moving up Siona’s thigh came to Michael. Followed by the vision of Siona’s neck elongated in a soft feminine moan as Valad’s hand reached its destination. The tableau made Michael grow hard. The idea of sorting through the blood work became more and more taxing the longer he thought about it.
Scrubbing a hand across his face, Michael decided it was time. For months he had been ignoring invitations to be a part of the relationship and all of a sudden Michael realized that the issue was all his. Michael had been staying true to his work first and those he loved second. Like any man with a mistress, Michael was finding his central relationships decaying. He couldn’t even fault Valad and Siona—they had constantly invited him into their love and it was Michael who pushed them away. It was Michael who was always telling them to wait, to hold on; that he would be there in another minute, after one more test. It was he who got himself into this mess, and now it was time for him to take control and leap back into the fray.
If Valad and Siona would have him back, that was.
Shrugging off his lab coat, Michael stood and ran through the manor as fast as his vampire body would allow him to go. Michael flew through the halls at a speed that turned the painting and portraits to virtual blurs of color. He checked himself at the staircase and flew up the rich carpeting, barely making a sound on the thick floor.
Slowing his speed at the door to the bedroom, Michael paused to take a deep breath. Not only was he going to be interrupting something he knew Siona had been longing for for hours, Michael was going to have to explain himself before they would let him in on the act. Preparing himself for the task, Michael lifted one hand and knocked on the solid wood. Motions ceased on the other side of the door and Michael could hear the smooth footsteps of Valad coming to answer his call.
As the dark wood opened inward, Valad appeared, naked from the waist up. The vampire’s hair was tousled and his eyes were wary. Michael hadn’t realized how unpredictable he must seem to the two of them until this very moment. It was the first time he hadn’t simply been invited into the room.
Leaning against the doorframe, Valad gave an opening statement. “Michael, what’s up?”
Michael tried to look into the room beyond Valad. He had a fleeting impression of a still-clothed Siona leaning against the bedpost, but nothing more due to Valad shifting slightly to block his view. The action seemed casual, but Michael knew it was intentional; Valad was protecting his woman. Michael began to perceive that his battle was even more steeply uphill than he had anticipated.
“I promised Siona a massage and a continuation of an earlier foreplay started before I took her to the lab. I realize that lately I’ve been deferring on a lot of my romantic duties and I wanted to start to remedy that.”
Valad blinked, “How... professional of you. I’m sure she’s swooning from desire behind me.”
Michael sighed. “Do you mind if I come in?”
Valad shifted again, looking over his shoulder for Siona’s reaction. Michael couldn’t see what gesture she made, but her voice remained silent. Valad turned back to Michael and stared at him a few seconds longer before nudging the door wide. Apparently, her answer had been some version of yes.
Michael nodded at Valad and stood just inside the doorway, taking in the scene. The room was low lit and the scent of Valad and Siona’s joint desire was in the air. Michael had to force himself to concentrate if he was going to do this right. Focusing on the figures of Valad and Siona standing at the foot of the bed, Michael took a few slow steps forward and spoke.
“I was wondering if you would let me join you this evening?” Michael asked, his arms open and outstretched. “I know Siona made the offer earlier and I bumbled it. I didn’t know if there was still a chance of joining the two of you.”
Siona looked at Valad whose face was currently devoid of emotion. Michael didn’t even detect a flicker of a reaction to go off of and he knew if he couldn’t see it, neither could Siona.
Siona shrugged, but remained glued to Valad’s side, “Michael, I’ve been trying to get you to have a relationship with me for weeks—months even. I don’t think the problem is with us, you’re always welcome to be a part of this relationship.”
Michael’s heart leapt at her words, maybe he was imagining it all in his head. Perhaps he hadn't been as distant as he believed.
But Siona continued, “I just don’t want you to be a part of this if you feel forced or if you feel jealous.” Her eyes flicked to Valad and her hand drifted over the bump of their child. “I know you don’t necessarily find me attractive anymore, but the last thing I want is for your role in this relationship to be forced because of how you think you should be acting rather than how you feel.”
Michael felt the relief drain away from him and the cold shock of Siona’s words took their place. He watched as Valad’s arm snaked around Siona’s shoulders, pulling her close and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
“Michael, we don’t want to upset Siona. Maybe this conversation is best left for another time…”
Valad began his pitch but the fear in Michael’s gut had solidified. It was already almost too late to act. “No,” Michael shouted. It was with more emotion than he was used to using, the raw panic audible in his tone. Both Valad and Siona’s eyes went wide with the revelation of it.
“No,” Michael started again more softly, “I don’t want to leave this another minute, much less another hour or another day. I can see it has gone too far already.”
He began to walk toward his lovers. “I allowed my emotions to overtake my work and my work to overtake our relationship.”
He stopped in front of Siona, his eyes pleading. “In all of this, I only wanted to protect you—to provide the best care in the unknown of this pregnancy. When it threatened to overtake me and you two convinced me to let some of your care go into the arms of the human doctor I allowed it. I thought it would be a way for me to distance myself from your condition—to give me the space to come back to you as a lover, but the opposite happened.”
Michael slapped his hands against his jean-clad ; the frustration he was feeling internally threatening to shut him down again. Valad reached out and placed a calming hand on his shoulder and Michael reached up and covered the grip with his own. It was time for Michael to rely on his loves ag
ain.
“I just didn’t want to make the same mistake again. I thought that if I remained scientific about the whole process, I could do better. I could be better. But it just led me to one more question, the need for one more sample took over. I kept thinking that if only I could figure it out, if only I could collect the data, then I would finally be ready to be with you guys again. Only after I had paid my penance through science could I let my guard down to love you both freely. I’m just beginning to realize that there is no end in sight to science.”
Michael let out a little laugh and Valad rolled his eyes, “Michael, you would think that after a few centuries of studying medicine you would have realized that all of your questions will never be answered. I thought long ago we worked out how you need... What do they call it nowadays?”
Valad turned to Siona and she provided the current buzzword, “Work-life balance.”
Valad gave both of his arms a squeeze hugging both Siona and Michael at the same time. “Yes, you need balance.”
Exhaling a pent up breath Michael smiled and agreed, “I do.”
Placing a hand on Siona’s arm he addressed her directly, “I also owe you an apology. There is nothing about your body I don’t love. Every day I see a new curve that only enhances your beauty—all the more because I know you’re creating something brilliant and beautiful within you and you’ve allowed me to be a part of it. A part of something I thought a bite had long ago taken away my opportunity to be a part of.”
Tears filled Siona’s eyes and Michael continued, “If you knew how tempting you were to me—how difficult it was for me to focus only on the science you would have tackled me to the floor long ago. It’s why I started cutting your advances off early! My resolve was beginning to falter.”
“And why are you giving in now?” Siona asked, she needed to know.
“It’s because I finally realized that I wasn’t just hurting myself, I was hurting all of us with my actions. With my misplaced priorities... And also because, dear lord, I want you both so badly.”
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