Theo raised his gaze to meet hers briefly and nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He was beyond furious that this had happened at all, let alone that it had happened in a busy public hospital and in broad daylight.
The door opened quietly and Theo watched as Olivia’s young aunt, Danae, slipped into the room, holding a folder.
‘Theo,’ she greeted him somberly.
He nodded again, catching himself just in time. He’d almost called her Danae, forgetting for a moment that the rest of the town knew her as Deputy Helga Hanson and none of them had any idea that she was related to Olivia, being her father’s younger half-sister.
‘Doc,’ Danae nodded.
‘Deputy,’ she replied. ‘Any word on who did this?’
Danae opened the folder and removed a photo before handing it to her. Doctor Wilson took it and studied the picture carefully.
‘We pulled this from the security cameras,’ Danae told her.
In the picture, Olivia could quite easily be seen slumped in a wheelchair which was being pushed down the hall by a young attractive woman wearing nurses scrubs.
‘This is her?’
Danae nodded again.
‘Have you ever seen her hanging around the hospital before today?’
‘No,’ Dr Wilson shook her head. ‘I don’t recognize her at all.’
‘We have alerted security, I don’t think she’ll return so soon after her foiled kidnapping attempt but we’re also circulating her picture amongst the staff. Please be vigilant and if anyone sees her, report it to the police straight away. Do not approach her, she is considered to be very dangerous.’
‘Why do you think she wanted to kidnap Olivia?’ Dr Wilson asked in confusion.
‘We can’t say for certain at this stage of the investigation,’ Danae lied easily, ‘but this sort of thing does happen, women abducting pregnant women to steal the fetus or in this case fetuses.’
‘Good lord,’ Dr Wilson exclaimed in alarm, ‘you don’t think she’ll try for one of the other patients do you?’
‘I couldn’t say,’ she replied evasively, ‘but we are doing everything in our power to catch this woman. All that we ask is that you be cautious.’
‘Of course,’ Dr Wilson answered. ‘Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to brief my staff on the situation.’
Danae inclined her head and stepped aside to let the doctor exit the room. Once the door clicked closed, she turned back to find Theo’s eyes locked on hers.
‘How about you tell me the truth now,’ he suggested. ‘Who’s the woman?’
‘According to Sam, her name’s Sabine. She’s a demon, one of Nathaniel’s bitches.’
‘So Nathaniel is behind this then?’
‘Looks like,’ she answered. ‘How’s she doing?’
‘They say she’s going to be okay,’ he breathed slowly.
‘She will be,’ Danae dropped her hand comfortingly on his shoulder. ‘She’s tough as hell and your kids will be too, if they’re anywhere near as stubborn as she is.’
Theo’s mouth twitched in an almost smile.
‘That’s true I suppose,’ he looked down as Olivia’s hand twitched beneath his. ‘Olivia?’
Olivia’s eyelids fluttered open, her eyes rolling blankly as she fought to focus on her surroundings. She was in a hospital room, in a bed, surrounded by the incessant whir and beep of machines. Theo was leaning over her, his eyes focused on her in concern.
Her forehead creased in confusion as parts of memories flitted in and out of her mind, but she found she couldn’t focus. All she remembered was a tall red haired woman and a sharp pain in her neck, then nothing. In a sudden rush of panic her hand grasped her swollen abdomen.
‘It’s okay,’ Theo murmured comfortingly, sensing her distress, his hand still covering hers over their children. ‘The babies are fine.’
‘What…’ she swallowed painfully, her throat dry as a bone, her voice was little more than a husky whisper. ‘What happened?’
‘You were drugged,’ Theo told her, as Danae handed him a cup of water with a straw.
Olivia sipped slowly, but her stomach roiled like a stormy sea.
‘Feel sick,’ she groaned.
Danae managed to grasp a bowl in time as Olivia leaned over the bed and heaved painfully. Her legs pulled into her body as she involuntarily curled up, grasping her stomach to support her bump, her ribs wrenching with each dry heave. Finally she fell back against the pillow breathing heavily, her face drained of color.
‘I’ll get the doctor,’ Danae stalked from the room with efficient practicality.
Theo pushed the sweaty hair back from Olivia’s face, stroking her temples soothingly.
‘My head is killing me,’ she muttered miserably. ‘Tell me what happened,’ she breathed slowly as she fought another wave of nausea, ‘All I remember is a red haired nurse and a big fucking needle.’
‘She wasn’t a nurse,’ Theo told her, his voice soft and soothing so as not to aggravate the pain in her head.
‘No shit,’ she murmured.
‘Her name is Sabine, she’s one of Nathaniel’s demons.’
Olivia’s expression hardened.
‘When I find her, I’m going to make her wish she’d never been spawned,’ she replied darkly.
‘You’ll have to get in line,’ Theo took her hand, careful of the IV which was inserted into her skin and taped in place. He stroked her skin comfortingly, although whether it was to calm and reassure her or himself, he wasn’t sure.
‘Sick,’ she gasped again.
Theo grasped another disposable bowl and watched helplessly as she heaved unmercifully. She cried out in pain and grasped her ribs, holding them tightly as her body tried to expel the contents of her empty stomach. Another wave of anger coursed through him and he gripped the bowl tightly with one hand, his other hand gently held back Olivia’s matted hair.
He looked up as the door opened and Dr Wilson stepped in.
Her gaze fixed on Olivia as she fell back against the bed once again.
‘There’s a whole army of concerned people out there waiting to see you,’ she smiled.
‘No offense but I’m not really feeling up to letting all my friends watch me throw up.’
‘That’s understandable,’ she nodded, stepping closer and checking the monitors. ‘Feeling sick?’
‘What gave it away?’ Olivia replied dryly.
‘Unfortunately that’s a common side effect of the drug you were given,’ she told her. ‘When it is administered correctly we would also give a dose of anti-sickness medication to combat the nausea. I could give you something to stop you being sick.’
‘No,’ Olivia shook her head, taking deep measured breaths, ‘no more drugs,’ she squeezed her eyes shut as a wave of dizziness passed over her. ‘It’ll pass; I’ll wait it out.’
‘It won’t harm the babies,’ her expression was soft with understanding.
‘No more drugs,’ Olivia repeated stubbornly.
‘As you wish,’ she nodded, ‘any pain?’
Olivia shook her head.
‘Only my ribs and my sides, everything pulled too tight when I was sick.’
‘That should ease off once you stop being sick,’ Dr Wilson replied. ‘I’ll get Elaina to top up your IV. She’s the nurse you’ve seen the last two times you’ve been in. I’ll make sure only her or Joan see to you, as you’re familiar with them both. I’ll also make sure that you’re not seen by anyone you don’t know. The hospital security are on alert and you have an armed guard outside your room at all times, courtesy of your friends at the Mercy police department.’
‘Thank you,’ Olivia muttered tiredly, closing her eyes once again in exhaustion.
‘The best thing you can do now is sleep. We’ll keep you on the IV fluids to keep you hydrated, it’ll also help flush out any remaining drugs in your system.’
‘Okay,’ she whispered absently as she drifted o
nce again into sleep.
‘Are you sure she’s going to be okay?’ Theo asked worriedly, gazing down at his wife, watching as her breath evened out.
‘She’ll be fine,’ Dr Wilson reassured him. ‘All you can do is let her rest right now.’
He reached out slowly and softly placed his hand on her little rounded belly, wishing he could feel their children move under his fingers to reassure himself that they were alright.
‘I’ll be close by if you need anything.’
He nodded, his gaze never leaving Olivia’s sleeping form and barely aware of the door clicking shut leaving him to stand watch over his slumbering family.
Temperance rushed through the hospital corridor, which was all but abandoned, her heels clicking against the floor and echoing in the stillness. The hour was late, the sun had already set and even now the hospital was settling down for the night. As she approached she could see a guard outside one of the rooms, Olivia’s room she guessed. She quickened her pace, anxious to see her brother and sister in law, to check for herself that Olivia and the babies were okay.
She’d almost made it to the door when she skidded to a halt. Mac rounded the corner and approached the room. She watched as he handed the guard a coffee and from the snatches of conversation she could catch from her distance, it was clear he was telling the guard to go and get something to eat while he took his place.
Great, she thought sourly. She’d done a stellar job of avoiding him for weeks and now she had no choice. She would have to go through him if she wanted to see Olivia and Theo. Taking a deep breath and steeling herself she stepped forward, heading straight for Mac.
‘Tammy,’ he looked up and saw her, and as her name fell from his lips, his voice coiled low in her belly and tugged at her.
‘Layton,’ she greeted him politely, ‘I didn’t think you’d be here so late.’
‘I still live at the motel,’ he shrugged, ‘not much to go home for.’
‘Layton…’ she began.
‘Besides,’ he continued, ‘I won’t feel comfortable until Olivia is safely back home.’
Temperance’s expression softened. Even if she hadn’t seen the unmistakable concern in his stunning blue eyes, she knew how much he loved Olivia.
‘How is she?’ she asked softly.
‘Sleeping,’ he replied. ‘Theo’s still awake though, I doubt he’ll sleep tonight.’
Temperance nodded and moved to pass him, but his voice, low and gravelly, stopped her.
‘Is it always going to be this way between us now?’
Her hand froze even in the action of reaching for the door handle.
‘There is no us Layton,’ her hand wrapped around the handle, tightening, as if she didn’t trust herself to let go. ‘It’s just too complicated.’
‘If it’s not complicated it’s not worth it,’ his voice rumbled against her as he stepped closer. ‘Didn’t you tell me that once?’
‘That was a long time ago,’ she whispered, ‘almost another lifetime.’
‘I’m not giving up on you Tammy.’
She looked up into his eyes, her mouth tightening.
‘Then that will be your mistake.’
He stepped back as she opened the door and disappeared through. Blowing out a breath he scraped his stubbled jaw thoughtfully as he stared at the closed door. He’d almost believed her, if it wasn’t for the flutter of her rapid pulse in her neck or the tightening of her fingers on the door handle to hide the tremble of her hands.
No, they weren’t done, they weren’t even close to being done. A small smile curved the corner of his mouth deepening the sexy creases in his cheeks that had once been dimples in his youth. Tammy Burnett could run all she liked, but sooner or later he was going to make damn sure he caught her.
Dr Karen Wilson yawned so deeply she almost felt her jaw crack. Blinking a few times to clear her vision against the blur of oncoming headlights, she shifted in her seat, grasping the wheel more firmly and stretching her neck, while still trying to concentrate on the road.
It had been a hell of a day. She was supposed to be off shift hours ago, but after the attempted abduction she had been unable to leave her patient until she was sure she was past any immediate danger. Fortunately the drugs had had long enough to pass through her system without any adverse effects. She was sleeping peacefully now and hopefully by the time she came on shift in the morning she’d be able to discharge her.
She tilted her wrist in the sudden flare of ingoing lights and sighed. Unfortunately her next shift was only six and a half hours away. She hadn’t pulled a double like this since she was a student. Still, she’d at least be able to get home to her apartment and catch a few hours first.
Stifling another yawn with her hand, she pulled off the main road and down a dirt track. After a few moments she pulled into a small clearing, far enough from the road that no one would be able to see her headlights. Opening the door she stepped out, feeling her feet sink slightly into the softened ground. She took a few steps across the clearing to the other car parked close by. Approaching carefully she knocked on the window and waited for it to roll down with an electronic whirr. The interior light clicked on, softly highlighting its occupants.
‘Governor Flores,’ Dr Wilson nodded slightly in greeting, before casting her gaze over to his companion. ‘Corinne.’
‘Karen,’ he replied, his deep voice rumbling in the stillness of the clearing. ‘What happened?’
‘It was Sabine,’ she sighed, ‘she tried to kidnap Olivia West.’
‘You’re sure it was her?’ he frowned.
‘Definitely,’ she nodded. ‘The blonde cop, the one who goes by the name Helga, she showed me photos pulled from the security feed. It was definitely Sabine.’
‘Any sign of Saffire?’
Dr Wilson shook her head.
‘No, but if Sabine is here, it’s only a matter of time before her sister shows up.’
‘And Nathaniel?’
‘He hasn’t shown his face yet,’ she replied, ‘but he’s here somewhere. Sabine would never have tried a move so bold unless Nathaniel ordered her to.’
‘Do any of the others suspect you?’
She shook her head again, ‘I played the dumb card. They’re trying to sell it as a human baby trafficking kind of thing. I went through the motions with the rest of the staff, no one suspects I know any more than the rest of them.’
‘What about Olivia? Was she harmed?’
‘No, Sabine drugged her up pretty good, she’s sleeping it off at the moment under heavy guard. She won’t get another chance to get close to her, not at the hospital anyway.’
‘Good,’ Governor Flores frowned, ‘we need Olivia alive and unharmed. We’ve never been this close to the book before. She’s our only connection. If anything happens to her, it could be centuries before we get the opportunity again.’
‘I understand,’ Dr Wilson agreed. ‘There is something else you should know.’
‘Oh?’ Simon Flores turned his dark eyes on her, one high winged eyebrow raised curiously.
‘She’s carrying a boy.’
His eyes widened in interest.
‘Well, well, well,’ he mused, ‘that is interesting. The West women only ever breed girls.’
‘There’s more,’ she continued. ‘Olivia and her husband have been gone for over six months, during which time they were in the Otherworld, then the Underworld before being thrown back to Salem in 1695.’
‘We are already aware of this Karen, what exactly is the point you are trying to make?’ he replied dryly.
‘I’ve done the math,’ Dr Wilson answered, ‘and if I’m correct it means her children weren’t conceived in this world. They were most likely conceived in the Otherworld.’
‘Really?’ he breathed out slowly, his eyes thoughtful, ‘I’ve never heard of anything like it. Is the pregnancy normal?’
‘As far as I can tell,’ she replied. ‘I’
ve run almost every test I can think of, everything appears to be progressing as it should, at least physically. It’s possible we won’t know anything until after the children are born.’
‘I want them monitored,’ he turned his serious gaze back on her, ‘constantly. The children may be of use to us.’
‘And their mother?’
‘Is our asset still in place?’ he turned and asked Corrine who’d watched the whole exchange silently until now.
‘Yes,’ she replied, ‘placed deep within her inner circle. Nothing will happen without our knowing about it.’
‘Good,’ he turned back to Dr Wilson. ‘You have your orders.’
She nodded and stepped back as he started his car, watching silently as he reversed out of the clearing, before finally turning back toward her own car.
10.
‘WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?’ Nathaniel roared.
‘I saw an opportunity and I took it,’ Sabine blinked up at him defiantly, her expression cool. ‘How was I to know that the fucking Gata were guarding her?’
Nathaniel glanced down at the stolen scrubs she still wore, now dirty and bloodied with three huge claw marks torn through the material at her shoulder and torso. Her face also bore a single deep scratch mark at her jaw.
‘You would have known if you’d bothered to share your moronic plan with me,’ he replied icily.
‘You knew?’ she accused.
‘Of course I knew,’ he spat. ‘I sensed them stalking the perimeter of her property, of course they were going to follow her as soon as she left. Why do you think I haven’t gone after her myself?’
‘Look, I didn’t plan to go after her,’ she ground her perfect teeth in annoyance. ‘As I said, I saw an opportunity and I took it.’
‘You were supposed to be with your sister,’ his eyes narrowed on her. ‘I gave you both strict orders to locate Zachary.’
‘And we did,’ she snapped back. ‘Hades has got him on lock down, deep in the Underworld. There’s no way to reach him.’
The Guardians Complete Series 1 Box Set: Contains Mercy, The Ferryman, Crossroads, Witchfinder, Infernum Page 168
