Madison's Life Lessons

by Gracen Miller

  Elias pinched her chin and tilted her head back. She hadn’t realized he’d moved away from the stove until he touched her. Just about to take his head off for manhandling her, he said, “Something wrong? You look a little fatigued.”

  “I’m fine.” She jerked her chin from his hold.

  “What goody-two-shoes functions have you been up to this week?”

  “They’re called fundraisers and they’re for good causes.”

  “Riiight. Thanks for reminding me.” He winked at her and strode to the refrigerator to help himself to a bottle of beer. “What ‘fundraisers’ have you devoted all your time to this week instead of giving Micah your attention?”

  “Micah encourages my community involvement.” She sounded defensive and that annoyed her. She answered to no one but Micah. And damn sure not to Elias.

  He laughed a dark, abrasive sound. She stared at him, knowing him too well. He wasn’t finished taunting her. “I’m sure he’d encourage you to suck his cock more.” Her jaw dropped. “Not that you’d care though, huh, princess?”

  “You’re disgusting!” Her teeth snapped together with an audible click. For a moment, she contemplated dashing her scalding tea in his face. Her hands trembled as she set her cup on the island countertop.

  Elias watched her as he took several swigs of the beer. “Disgusting?” Madison refused to look at him, but he leaned across the island to her right, crowding her space. “You should try it, princess. You might discover it’s fun being wicked. Or…maybe you need someone other than my dear brother to initiate you in the oral exploit.”

  “Shut up,” she whispered.

  “I’d sacrifice myself.”

  She wrenched her head to glare at him. “You’re sick! I’m your brother’s wife and—”

  “I’d peel your clothes off slowly; caress your body with my hands and tongue. I bet you’d like for me to pinch and lick your nipples—”

  Madison swung her arm to slap him. He caught her wrist just before her palm cracked against his cheek. A twisted grin contorted his devilishly good-looking features and she knew—knew—he’d provoked her on purpose. “Did that make you wet, princess?”

  “You’re a bastard!” She jerked her arm. He held tight.

  “Technically speaking, no.” He pressed a moist kiss to the back of her hand and released her.

  Madison childishly wiped his kiss off on her slacks.

  “Torturing my wife again, brother?” Micah slipped into the kitchen on silent tread.

  “Nope.” As Elias drained his beer, he strode to the table and pulled out a chair. “Just teasing her.” He sat in the chair and stretched his long legs out in front of him. He smirked at her and she predicted he dared her to tattle on him to Micah.

  Madison thought all sorts of vile things she would enjoy doing to him. Maybe not all that vile, but they were the worst she could come up with.

  “You’re flush,” Micah said, brushing the back of his fingers across her cheek, drawing her attention off his deplorable brother.

  “I might have gone a little too far with her.” Elias surprised her by admitting that.

  “You’ll behave yourself in the future with her, Elias.” She caught Elias’s nod from the corner of her eye. Micah kissed her and whispered against her ear. “Tonight.”

  The solitary word would’ve buckled her knees had she been standing. “I’m exhausted, Micah, and I don’t feel well.” She kept her voice low so it would not carry to Elias.

  “You’ve used that excuse four nights in a row.” He met her eyes. “You’ve never been sick a day in your life.” How’d he know that? “I’m not gullible enough to believe the same pretext repeatedly.”

  Madison ran her fingertips against her left temple. “I’m not lying, Micah. I might avoid the bedroom on occasion, but I’ve never lied to you.”

  “Tonight.” He chucked her chin and faced his brother before she could respond.

  Maybe she’d find a way to endure it. She wouldn’t eat. If she ate, she’d definitely lose her stomach.

  Micah crossed the room to join his brother at the table. Standing slowly, her belly pitched with the violence of a rollercoaster out of control. Or as if two dragons battled it out inside her. Elias criticized her community functions, but she’d participated seldom in them this week. Today, she’d gotten little accomplished and spent most of it reclining on the sofa staring at the walls or deep asleep in bed.

  “You sure you’re okay, Madison?” She ignored Elias’s question. “She looks a touch pale, Micah.”

  The world rotated and she crashed with it.

  ***

  Micah peered at Madison when Elias asked his question. Her face had gone white, even her lips had lost their color. He jumped to his feet as she went down. Elias was closer and managed to catch her before she hit the floor. Micah ran around the table and snatched her out of his brother’s arms.

  Micah adjusted her in his arms, worried over her lack of alertness. He’d brushed her off when she’d been telling him the truth. What type of husband did that? Easy answer. The type that grew desperate for the affection of his wife. “Her keys will be in her purse on the table beside the garage door. You drive us to the emergency room.”

  “Are you sure that’s a wise idea, Micah? There’s no telling what her blood work will show.”

  “She’s vulnerable to human problems until...” Fuck! What a nightmare situation. But his brother spoke true. They had no idea what her DNA would reveal. “We’ll deal with the ramifications afterward if required.” They needed to determine what was wrong with her first. He strode out of the kitchen toward the door that led to the garage, hoping something minor plagued her rather than something major. “You can make a call on the way to get the help we need to head off any problems.”

  “Good idea.” Elias dumped the contents of Madison’s purse on the floor. That would piss her off if she knew. “That was faster than digging around in this sack she calls a handbag.” He explained as he snatched up the keys off the Italian tile. “After you,” he said as he twisted the handle and jerked the door open.

  The lights on the Land Rover flashed, indicating Elias had hit the button to unlock the vehicle. Somehow he managed to get himself and Madison into the backseat without releasing her. Micah cradled her against his chest and buried his face against her neck. Her scent grounded him, erasing some of his fear. He would not lose her. Resisting the rash urge to pray to the Father that ignored his pleas, he whispered against her ear. “I love you, kitten. Love you so fucking much.” The garage door squeaked and clanged as it elevated. “My life was an agony of lonely years before you entered my world and gave me a new reason to exist. I survive on your smiles, soft skin, and your very breath. You are my world, Madison.” Elias slowly backed out of the garage. Micah lifted his head long enough to snarl, “Speed, goddamnit!”

  Life Lesson Thirty-Three

  Roughly two hours later he waited for the results while Madison remained unconscious. The medical personnel had hooked an I.V. to her, feeding her liquids. He comprehended it was standard procedure, but that contraption piercing his woman’s hand taunted his failure to protect her. It was an attack from those who were against him. Logically, it had to be an assault. Otherwise, it made no sense when she’d never been sick a day in her life.

  A knock sounded at the door moments before the emergency room doctors entered the room. “Mr. Dominus, I’m the physician treating your wife. Doctor Joella Janicke.” She shot a quick glance in the other doctor’s direction and executed a negligible head shake. Micah understood. The other professional wasn’t one of theirs. “This is Doctor Andrea Ferenc. She specializes in blood disorders.”

  “Get to the point.” Micah rose from his chair beside Madison and leaned his hip against the bed. He picked up her hand, finding a fraction of solace in touching her. “What’s wrong with Madison?”

  Dr. Janicke reviewed Madison’s chart. “Congratulations, Mr. Dominus, your wife is pregnant.” Micah knew his feat
ures slipped with his surprise when Dr. Janicke smiled. Dr. Ferenc remained expressionless. “She’s also dehydrated and anemic. I suspect she’s not been eating, or she’s throwing anything she eats back up, because she has all the markers of malnourishment.”

  Pregnant? He fingered his hair off his forehead. He’d never suspected pregnancy because…well, because he had no experience with expecting mothers. The purity of his joy throbbed in his temples.

  Micah jerked the covers aside and pushed his hand under her shirt, so he could place his palm on her stomach. Over their child. “My kitten’s going to be a momma.”

  Elias laid his hand over Micah’s. His focus shifted off Madison to his brother. “I’m going to be an uncle again.” Elias smiled and he returned it. “Congratulations, brother.”

  “We’ll need to keep her until she shows signs of improvement.” Micah whipped his head about to glare at the doctor. Elias shifted toward the end of the bed, his arms crossed over his chest. Madison would be unable to receive what she needed in the hospital. As if Dr. Janicke read his thoughts, she explained, “It’s standard procedure, for the health and safety of her and the baby.”

  “There’s an oddity with her blood.” Dr. Andrea Ferenc spoke tight-lipped. “That’s why I’m here. I’ll need to run more tests to rule out any other complicating factors.”

  “No.” Micah recognized the darkness in his tone. For Dr. Ferenc to pursue this route, she invited terrible trouble. He would allow no one to jeopardize his wife or his unborn child. Not even the good intentions of a physician. Further testing would do just that.

  “Mr. Dominus, refusing additional analysis could be endangering not only your wife, but your unborn child.”

  All Micah could perceive was a very real threat to his wife in the guise of medical intervention. Struggling to maintain his composure, he snarled, “Do not harass me on this, woman!”

  Dr. Ferenc squealed and took several steps backward as if Satan himself stood before her. Maybe he hadn’t been successful in maintaining his composure.

  “I’ll take care of it,” Elias said as he studied the dark haired hematologist.

  Good.

  “You’ll have all the privacy you need in the room, Mr. Dominus.” Dr. Janicke placed Madison’s chart on the table and tapped it, drawing Micah’s attention. “If you need anything, depress the nurse button or call my personal cell number, which is written on the chart.”

  There was something else in that chart the doctor wanted him to see. “Thanks.”

  The medical personnel exited—Dr. Ferenc bolted from the room. Elias tossed him a grin and prowled after them. His brother would enjoy the cat and mouse game he would instigate with Dr. Andrea Ferenc.

  Micah picked up the chart and scanned through it. High levels of sulfur in her blood. Iron at dangerously low levels. Off the chart levels of calcite, silicate, mica, lapis lazuli, and hauyne. All minerals no human should have in their blood system. Suspicion barreled through his nervous system and a tinge of blue shaded his skin before he reined his emotions under control. Minerals not standard to a human beings genetic makeup…but what markers did they point to?

  Lynx...the word flitted through his head, but he dismissed the idea. She’d displayed no tendencies to that end.

  He flipped the page. Nine weeks pregnant. His heart fluttered rapidly at the thought and he bit the inside of his cheek to stifle the shout of elation that barraged the back of his throat. They’d talked of having children and while they shunned contraceptives, he hadn’t expected a baby to happen this soon. Overjoyed by the outcome, he wanted to squeeze her and thank her for this wonderful gift of a child.

  Final notation by the physician, “Mother and child appear healthy, however, the mother requires specific needs the medical profession cannot provide her.”

  Micah smiled. That notation was obviously intended for him and would be redacted before hitting the computers. Or maybe he’d make sure the chart mysteriously disappeared.

  Madison moaned and shifted. He dropped the chart and dashed to her side. “Kitten?” Her lids fluttered open, before focusing confused blue eyes on him. “How are you feeling?”

  An adorable frown creased her forehead. “Where am I?”

  “Hospital. You collapsed.”

  She lifted her hand and brought it to her forehead. A small flinch when she realized the plastic tubing of the I.V. was attached to her hand. “I want this off. It burns.” Her voice shook and Micah ran his knuckles along her cheek.

  “The doctors would be very sore with me if I removed it.”

  Baby blues shifted back to him. “What’s wrong with me?”

  “You’re pregnant, kitten.”

  Her eyes widened. “Seriously?”

  He smiled. “Yes. We’re going to be parents in just under seven months.”

  Tears glistened in her eyes before falling from the corners and trailing into her hair.

  “You’re anemic.” I’ll start to fix that in just a moment. “The doc says your malnourished from…not eating?”

  “I was throwing everything up.” She swiped at the tears with the back of her free hand. “The smell of food made me so sick to my stomach the last two days, it was easier not to eat. And I was so exhausted it took too much energy to fix something.”

  “Yet you had a meal cooked for me every night.”

  “That’s my job as your wife.”

  Micah kissed her, a soft kiss filled with so much sentiment he couldn’t have explained how he felt if he tried. Ill and fatigued, she took care of him at the expense of her own health. Fuck, he loved this woman.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” She turned her head away and closed her eyes. “Yeah, you tried. I wasn’t listening.” He pinched her chin and twisted her head back toward him. Her lids lifted. “Next time make me listen, kitten. Your health and safety takes priority over any of my needs.”

  She nodded.

  Micah crawled up onto the bed with her and pulled her back against his chest. “Kajh, kitten. Uqqif pa hi hura yuka iw cio.” Rest, kitten. Allow me to take care of you.

  “You always take care of me,” she said in a sleepy voice.

  Not expecting her to understand him, Micah stiffened. “Yes.” I try. She snuggled a little closer, turning to face him and using his chest as her pillow. He draped his arm around her shoulders, enjoying the feel of her body against his. “Jqaam ulx kapapzak lihtelv pika.” Sleep and remember nothing more, he said as he swirled his finger against her temple.

  A nod of acquiescence. Her eyes flitted closed and in moments her breathing grew even.

  “This is unexpected.” Unannounced, Elias reentered the room and indicated their reclined position with a wave of his hand.

  “She woke long enough for me to explain what was going on.”

  “Ah…”

  “Did you solve our hematologist problem?”

  “Of course. She’s ours now.”

  “Good. How much did you frighten her before you got what you wanted?” Micah stuffed his hand into his pocket and dug out his pocketknife.

  “She took the fun out of it and fainted.” Elias sulked.

  Micah laughed and offered his knife to his brother. “She needs blood. I find I’m one-handed and unable to wield the knife properly thanks to my pregnant wife.” He rubbed his cheek against her silky hair.

  Elias grinned and walked across the room, then shocked him with his statement, “The way you hold her, look at her, makes me envious at times.”

  Micah had no idea what to say as Elias accepted the pocketknife from his palm. His brother flicked the blade out of its slot and slashed it across Micah’s wrist. Blood welled immediately and he placed the wound against Madison’s mouth. A small protested whimper emerged from her. Instinct took over and she began to suckle. Not only vampires dined on blood.

  Micah clenched his teeth together to resist the instantaneous arousal that surfaced. Watching her feast on his healing life force, did nothing to help his untimely lust.
r />   He focused on Elias, anything to shift his concentration off Madison’s tugs against his wrist.

  His brother observed her. “She’ll make a good mother.”

  That comment came from nowhere and Micah was momentarily stunned into silence. “She will.”

  “A better mother than she has a wife.” Elias’s cool gaze elevated to his.

  “Don’t start, Elias.” He ground his molars together, surprised when they weren’t pulverized to ash in seconds. “She’s an excellent wife.”

  “Except where it counts.”

  “Doesn’t it all count?” Her suckling against his wrist slowed. “That part will come when she accepts her destiny.” It will be worth the wait.

  He’d been patient for a long, long time. What were a few more years when they were dealing with an eternity?

  Life Lesson Thirty-Four

  A son! She had a son. Labor had been long and she’d denied an epidural. Nothing unnatural would be put into her system to affect her child. Every second of the pain was worth the perfect little creature nestled in her arms, nursing at her breast. Amos Royce Dominus…the single most wonderful thing that happened in her life.

  All the godawful sex was worth getting him too. But she wouldn’t think of that now. Not when her joy was too great. And Micah was pleased, he couldn’t stop smiling. He’d kissed her a dozen times, told her how much he loved her and their son at least two dozen times.

  She just wished things could go back to the days before their marriage, when they’d been comfortable with one another. Now every time he touched her, hugged or kissed her, she worried he’d want sex. Too bad she wasn’t the whore her father said she would be. She displeased Micah and she desperately wanted to make him happy, but she couldn’t even bring herself to pretend she enjoyed making love with him.

  ***

  Two years later

  Micah stared at the Azura stones, an ancient prophetic device used by his Father. Please her or leave her. Displeased with the prophecy, he disliked the actions he would be forced to take. He tucked the stones away and was placing them into his bedside table when Madison entered their bedroom.