But what my hearing was most in tune with was the terrifying quietness that came from my daughter. Not one cry. Only the faintest shallow breaths. Even her heartbeat sounded dim, not like the galloping sound that came from Luke’s chest.
Albert stopped at a solid door near the back of the house. It was passcode protected. Off to the right, the expansive grounds were visible through large windows. Albert typed in a password and opened the door. A stairwell leading down appeared.
“This way.”
He led us downward into a deep subterranean portion of the house. The farther we went, the colder it became. The stale air, hint of chemical scent, and concrete walls told me that Albert had also constructed a personal laboratory in his home, similar to Father’s.
“I need to administer this drug immediately, but first I must weigh her. It’s essential to titrate the correct dose. Too much, and it could kill her. Too little, and it won’t stop the transformations.” Albert’s leather loafers tapped the hard floor as the chill in the air grew. At the bottom of the stairs was a short hallway. Off to the right, I saw a lab.
My enhanced hearing registered the quiet flow from the HVAC and hum from numerous machines when we stepped into the room.
A cold metal table was in the center, and Albert laid my daughter on it. I rushed forward to make sure the blanket shielded her from the cold metal surface. Luke shifted to my side, and together, we hovered over her.
She’s so white!
The rest of my family hung back, even Di. Only Father had moved forward to assist Albert.
After weighing Emma, Albert returned with a syringe. My stomach heaved. Susannah and Luke had described what the drug felt like when it had been administered to them during their time in O’Brien’s subterranean labs. They’d described it as a sick and oily feeling, swimming through their bloodstream. And now, I had willingly handed my daughter over to the mad-man who had helped create such a concoction.
“Conroy? Will you please hold the child? Given her state, we’ll need to do an intraosseous infusion.” Albert’s aloof gaze slid over my daughter.
Luke stiffened. My grip on him tightened. Little Conroy, as if picking up on my despair, began to wail in earnest.
Lena rushed forward and took him from Luke before stepping back to stand by Flint. Our son continued to cry.
Father and Albert gripped Emma’s tiny leg just below the knee.
She didn’t make a sound.
“We’ll need to begin a rehydration infusion as soon as this drug is administered.” Father cleared his throat. From the choked-up way in which he spoke, I knew he was as strongly affected as I was. “The next twelve hours will be crucial.”
Di appeared on my other side as Conroy’s wails subsided and whimpers came instead.
I closed my eyes as a sharp growl filled Luke’s chest. He’d been on edge ever since we entered the mansion. I could feel it in the tense way he stood and the fisted balls of his hands.
“Just save her!” he snarled.
Another moment passed.
“There. It’s done.” Father stepped back as Albert strung up IV tubing. “She’s been given the dose. Now, we’ll start fluids.”
Emma lay still, only the barest rise of her chest visible.
“We’ll hydrate her with a dextrose solution.” The old scientist stared down at my daughter with such a calculating gaze that I wanted to tear her off the table and cradle her far from his prying eyes. “As soon as she rouses enough to eat, you’ll need to feed her, Jacinth.”
I stepped to the table. Tears poured down my cheeks. “May I hold her?”
Albert cocked his head and raised an eyebrow. “Hold her?”
Father glared at him before placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Of course you can. Just don’t disturb the IV.”
With Father and Di’s help, I sat on a stool by the IV pole and cradled my daughter.
From the detached way in which Albert observed me, I felt like an animal at the zoo. I half expected him to pull out a clipboard and begin documenting my behavior. His interest was so different from Di’s and Father’s scientific curiosity, as if everyone around him were potential specimens for his more sinister interests.
The infusion continued to drip into Emma. Luke put his arm around me, and I leaned into him. Right now, I needed his warmth. It seeped into me like rays from the sun.
“She’s going to be fine,” Luke whispered gruffly in my ear.
“I hope so.” I tenderly ran my finger along Emma’s cheek. Her skin was still cool and pale, but at least her breathing was even.
Conroy cried again. My heart started at the sound.
Lena walked closer to my side. From the tense way she stood and how upset little Conroy was getting, it seemed everyone in the room was on edge. Albert’s hovering and sickly interest only made it worse.
Lena leaned down and whispered, “I think he’s hungry.” She eyed Albert before turning her back to him. “I already checked his diaper. It’s clean, and he doesn’t seem tired. Do you want me to mix up a bottle of formula? Di brought some along since we knew . . . well, things could be busy for you here.”
“No. I’ll feed him.” Another bout of nausea rolled through me at the lack of sleep. My eyes felt like lead as a throbbing headache brewed.
I carefully set Emma in Luke’s arms before Lena produced another blanket. “Di brought this one too. You know, in case you wanted privacy.” She nodded subtly toward Albert.
“Thank you.” My hand shook when I lifted my shirt. Already, my breasts felt like rocks. Poor Conroy had to be famished.
After arranging him while using the blanket to shield myself, I closed my eyes as Conroy fed. Wave after wave of tiredness pounded me like the surf pounds the shore.
“Remarkable, Conroy. Absolutely remarkable.”
Albert’s cold tone had my eyes snapping open. He stood only a yard away, stroking his chin while he watched me. Even though I was covered from his prying eyes, I still felt exposed.
“They seem like normal humans,” he continued. “I never would have guessed, if I ever saw them on the street, that they possess inhuman traits.”
Father bristled. “They are humans.” He inched closer to us and laid a comforting hand on my shoulder.
“Are they?” Albert raised an eyebrow.
Silence followed that statement, but the tension in the room was so thick, I could have swum in it. I turned down my hearing. Already, the sounds of the room were getting to me since they were amplified in the quiet.
“She needs to rest.” Father turned to Albert and placed his hands on his hips. “Neither Jacinth nor Luke have slept since their children were born, and as you can see, they’re exhausted.”
Albert bowed in a mocking way. “Of course. I have several guest rooms. They’re welcome to use them.”
Even though I wanted nothing more than to disappear into a deep dreamless sleep, the thought of letting my guard down in this man’s home made my skin crawl. But Father was right. Luke and I needed to rest, Emma needed to recover, and the only man who could provide us with the drug that would keep my child alive was the very man I wanted to run away from.
We had no choice but to stay.
~ ~ ~
An impressive canopied bed stood in the guest room. Large windows faced west. The fading summer sun hung low near the horizon, bathing the expansive grounds in a reddish-gold light.
“I don’t think I can sleep in this man’s house.” I stood stiffly in the middle of the room, little Conroy dozing in my arms. He’d fallen asleep as soon as he’d finished feeding, and I was loath to let him go. I’d barely spent time with him or focused on him since his birth. All of my attention had been on Emma.
My daughter currently lay in a makeshift crib Lena, Di, and Flint had erected in the corner of the room. Her IV pole loomed over her. Already, her color had improved.
“You need to sleep.” Luke’s deep voice brought a comforting rush of warmth to my skin. He stepped closer and
guided me to the bed. “You can’t keep up your strength to feed these babes if you never sleep.”
He was right. I knew he was. I could feel the energy draining from me. I’d also lost weight. Considering the stress of the twins’ birth, Emma’s problems, Conroy’s demands for milk, and my lack of eating—I was a wreck.
I lifted a hand to my hair and tried to smile. “I must be a sight.”
Luke pulled my hand from my tangled locks. “You’re beautiful.”
Lena stepped away from the crib and nodded toward Flint and Di. “We’ll watch over the babies so you and Luke can sleep.”
Flint stood by the closed and locked bedroom door, his arms crossed. From the alert and tense way he stood, I knew he would guard us with his life.
“And we’ll feed Emma when she wakes enough to eat.” Di held up the bottles of breast milk that I’d pumped after feeding Conroy.
I’d completely forgotten we’d even bought a breast pump a few weeks ago, but Di hadn’t, and she’d packed it along with a change of clothes for me, the babies, and Luke.
“I’ll also monitor Emma closely to make sure she doesn’t have an adverse reaction to the drug,” Di added. “Don’t worry. We’ll keep her safe.”
Tears formed in my eyes. “What would I do without all of you?”
Lena rushed to my side and wrapped me in a hug. Her long curls tickled my face. “We’ve already discussed it. The three of us will take care of the babies, and we’ll all stay awake. Flint won’t let Albert near you. Don’t worry. We got this.”
Di nodded. “Lena’s right. We’ll take care of everything. Just rest while you can. The babies won’t let you sleep long.”
I finally nodded.
Downstairs Father and Albert were still talking. I had no idea what discussion they had fallen into, but after Albert had shown us to the guest room and had helped arrange Emma’s medical supplies—all the while making my skin crawl—he’d disappeared from the room after Father’s insistence that they “hash out the details.”
I knew those details were similar to the terms they’d come to two years ago. I could only hope Father would be able to negotiate in our favor once more.
“What if Albert uses those drugs on us?” Despite fog swirling through my mind, that thought still prevailed. “What if he poisons us while we’re here? Like Marcus did? Then we’ll be defenseless against him.” My sister had been subjected to that drug when Marcus kidnapped her. There was no stopping Albert from doing something similar.
Luke snarled, making Conroy jump. Luckily, our baby fell right back asleep. “If he touches you or the babes, I’ll kill him.” Luke’s eyes glowed brighter.
Di fiddled with something on Emma’s IV pole. “I’ve already looked into that and have shared my concerns with Father.” She stopped fussing with Emma’s supplies and faced me squarely. “Keep in mind that Albert doesn’t have hired goons, not like Marcus did, and Father said he never has. When it comes down to numbers, there are six of us and only one of him. He won’t overpower us.”
“And I won’t let him in this room.” Flint’s dark eyes glittered. “You can rest easy.”
“Come, my love.” Luke again steered me to the bed. “Rest.”
The vicious tremor that had wracked his body at the mention of Albert had disappeared. Now, all I saw was concern in his gaze—concern for me and our babies.
“Okay. Maybe for a little while.” I handed Conroy over to Di. Thankfully, since I’d pumped my breasts until they were dry, I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about waking to feed him anytime soon. With any luck, I could get a few hours of rest. “Are you sure she’s okay?” I glanced worriedly at Emma.
“She’ll be fine. She’s already stirred a few times, and her vitals are good. She’s getting stronger.” Di pulled back the covers on the bed. “Now, go to sleep.”
~ ~ ~
“Jacinda? Can you wake up?”
I woke with a start, the heavy feeling of sleep still in my mind. “Di?” I bolted upright in bed, but it wasn’t my bed. I felt around the sheets. Where am I?
“Jacinda.” Di said the word quietly from where she stood at the bed’s edge. In her arms were two bundled infants. “I’m sorry to wake you, but I’m out of milk. They’re hungry, and you’ll need to feed them if you want to keep your milk supply up.”
Lena stood at Di’s side. She held up several empty bottles apologetically. “These two like to eat.”
My mouth parted when two tiny sets of eyes peered out from the blankets. Emma! I reached for her. She was awake and balling a fist to her mouth.
Her body felt tiny, as light as a bird, but her skin had a pink hue. I tentatively pulled back the blanket that was wrapped around her. My breath caught. While Emma was still thin, her ribs weren’t poking out quite as much. “She’s okay?”
“Yes. She’s going to be fine.” Lena put her hands on her hips as a content smile lifted her lips. “And with how well she’s eating now, I bet in a few days, she’ll be plump like her brother.”
Lena laughed when little Conroy yawned loudly. Already, he had a double chin.
“She’s grown strong very quickly.” Flint’s deep voice rolled from across the room. He sat on the floor, his back propped against the closed door. Like Di and Lena, he looked tired, but he was still awake. “She obviously takes after her dad.” He winked.
Luke still slumbered on the bed. From the soft snores fluttering up from his pillow, he didn’t seem likely to wake anytime soon. Dim light spilled into the room from the windows.
“What time is it?” I asked. “How long did I sleep?”
“Nine hours. It’s just after five in the morning.” Lena yawned. “Taking care of babies is tiring.”
I smiled warmly at her. “I can take over now. Thank you for letting me sleep.” I reached for Conroy too. Di readily handed him over.
Conroy was as wide awake as Emma, and from the way he wiggled, I knew he was on the edge of a meltdown. His little cheeks puffed red, and he opened his mouth to wail. My gaze drifted between my two newborns.
“They’re so perfect.”
“They are.” Di crossed her arms. “Now, remember Emma’s due for another dose of her drug this afternoon. So far, it’s working. She hasn’t transformed, which means she’ll need to take a daily dose to keep the transformations at bay.” She bit her lip and frowned.
I knew something was up, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask. All I wanted to do was hold my children. I turned my attention back to Emma just as Conroy bawled. Despite the lingering feeling of sleep still heavy in my mind, I felt more alert by the second.
With Di’s help, I arranged both of them. My shoulders relaxed even more when Emma ate just as greedily as Conroy.
“So we’re in the clear now? She’ll be fine?” I looked up at Di. Dark circles lined her eyes. I reached for her hand and squeezed.
Di’s brow furrowed again in that way that made my throat clench. “She will be as long as Albert hands over the chemical composition for his drug, but so far, he’s refusing to.”
~ ~ ~
The seven of us stood in Albert’s living room. It was near evening. It was hard to believe we’d already been at Albert’s house for twenty-four hours. In that time, Emma hadn’t transformed. Not once. The drug was working.
“The man must have a death wish,” Lena said quietly as Luke paced the room.
I had a feeling she was right. Luke looked ready to kill, yet Albert showed no signs of backing down.
Both Conroy and Emma currently slept on a blanket on the couch. Little Conroy had his arm around Emma, and she snuggled into him, but I didn’t know how long their slumber would last. She’d been feeding twice as often as her brother, as if catching up for the missed meals in her first few days of life.
“She needs the next dose within the hour.” I turned to Albert. “It’s the only way to keep her alive.”
Luke stopped pacing. His golden eyes glowed. I imagined the panic in my voice had caused it. With a sharp snarl,
he advanced on Albert.
If Luke had done that to any other person, I would have bet money they would retreat in fear, but Albert merely smiled.
Albert clasped his hands behind his back. “What an impressive specimen you are, Luke. It’s too bad Marcus isn’t here to see it.”
Veins bulged from Luke’s neck. Flint intervened, thankfully. From the looks of it, Luke was seconds away from murdering the old scientist.
After Flint pushed Luke back a few feet, my mate raked his hand through his hair multiple times, and his irises kept flickering, but he no longer looked intent on attacking Albert.
“Don’t forget about the information I have on you, Albert.” Father stood near the coffee table. His cheeks were ruddy as anger pulsed from him. As he had two years ago, he resorted to blackmail. “Now, please, give us the chemical composition for that drug.”
“I heard you the first time.” Albert’s frosty gaze slid across the room. “However, I have no intention of doing that. I think we all know I hold the trump card. Blackmail won’t work anymore.”
I leveled him with a cold stare. “What is it that you want?”
“I have a proposition for you.” Albert smiled. It looked as natural as a grinning shark. “I shall continue providing adequate doses of the drugs for little Emma, if you let me study her and her brother in return.”
“Absolutely not!” I stepped in front of my babies. “You will never touch them!”
“Who said anything about touching them?” Albert held up his hands in mock surrender. “I would be content to observe them, for now. I’d like to be a part of their lives. It’s something that I should have always been a part of anyway. After all, if it weren’t for me, none of you would be standing here.”
“That’s a lie, and you know it, old friend.” The way Father said old friend made it apparent he did not view Albert as a friend at all. “If it weren’t for me, everyone in this room would be dead. If I had left them in your hands, they would have died long ago under your malicious and relentless treatment.”
The Complete Lost Children Series Page 96
