by Carly Fall
After a few minutes, Cohen listened to her chest, and then repeated his actions while everyone stood in shocked silence, unable to move.
“There’s . . . nothing,” Cohen said a while later as he listened into the stethoscope. “Just . . . nothing.”
Cohen met Hudson’s eyes, setting down the stethoscope. “I’m sorry, my friend. So fucking sorry.”
Hudson looked around the room. He wanted to kill something and make it long and painful. He felt a rage that he had never experienced travel through his body.
“Hudson,” Rayner said, stepping up to him.
“Don’t, Rayner. Whatever you are going to say, whatever you are going to do, just don’t. I’m about to lose my shit right now, and I don’t want to hurt you.”
“That’s good, my friend. But just listen to me—“
“I don’t want to listen to a fucking thing, Rayner!”
Hudson tried to step around Rayner. He needed space, he needed to be alone to try to get his marbles back in a row, because right now, they were scattered all over the place. How was he going to raise a child by himself? Why did this happen? Would he be able to continue on? The pain that stormed within him was blinding.
As he walked across the gym and headed for the double doors, he heard a soft voice that sounded remarkably like Beverly. Now he was hearing things. Beverly was dead. Her body was over on that Goddamn hospital bed.
“Hudson?” There it was again—that voice that soothed him so much.
“Hudson!” Rayner yelled. “Get over here! She’s back!”
Chapter 15
Beverly and Hudson snuggled in their bed, their baby between them. After two hours of being monitored by Cohen, Beverly insisted on going back to their quarters. She showered, and Hudson had made her an omelet jammed-packed with vegetables. Finally, she was exactly where she wanted to be, where she needed to be—with the man she loved and their baby.
“So, what should we name him?” Hudson asked.
“Well, I don’t know. What do you think?”
“Hudson Junior sounds nice.”
Beverly laughed. “Let’s give him his own name, okay?”
They sat in silence for a moment, both staring at the baby.
“Where did you go, Beverly?” Hudson asked in a quiet voice.
Beverly sighed, keeping her eyes on the baby. It all seemed so . . . ridiculous, and she couldn’t help but wonder if she had dreamt it all.
But there was something inside of her that told her it had all been very, very real.
She had held her tongue as she listened to her future being decided by the Council of Mother Nature, and eventually she was allowed to speak.
With nothing new to say, she had repeated herself. She belonged with Hudson and their baby. She wasn’t any different than Abby, or her child, but simply had become part SR44 by a different means. She wasn’t going to go back and begin a rampage of destruction; she was going to go back and live her life. If they didn’t want her to procreate, it was a done deal. She doubted with the hemorrhaging that she would be able to anyway. There had to be some damage done.
When she had finished speaking, she was escorted out of the room and told to wait by the door. She strained to hear what was being said, but she couldn’t hear any voices. At that point, left alone, she had almost ran, but again, where would she go?
An hour later, the large door opened on its own accord, and Mother Nature called her in. Beverly sat down at the table again.
“We’ve made our decision,” Mother Nature had said.
Beverly studied the ethereal face for some hint of what her fate would be, but could find none.
“You will be leaving us now.”
Instantly, Beverly was back in the wind tunnel, spiraling out of control. The ride had been another long trip.
There were no goodbyes, no explanations on their decision. And Beverly was okay with that. She didn’t need to know why she had been sent back; she was simply happy that she had been.
She had screamed and closed her eyes as she plummeted toward the blue mats in the gym. Suddenly, she stopped and floated down, landing gently on the soft surface.
Sitting up, she looked around. Hudson was walking toward the exit. “Hudson?” she had called, her voice sounding far away.
Faith stood with the baby next to Beverly’s bed looking at Hudson.
“Hudson!” Beverly had yelled again.
Cohen was also staring at Hudson’s back. Rayner, however, was gazing at her.
He gave her a smile and a wink. “Hudson!” Rayner called. “Get over here! She’s back!”
Rayner had performed a ceremony to get her back into her body through Hudson’s love. Beverly watched as they all stood around her body, and Rayner chanted the incantation in his native tongue. Suddenly, she felt as though something was pulling her toward her body. She didn’t fight it, but allowed the process to happen. After a moment, she opened her eyes and met Hudson’s gaze. He smiled, his eyes shiny, and bent down to kiss her. “Welcome home, Bev,” he had said.
And now, as Beverly sat there next to Hudson, holding her little boy in her arms, her heart swelled with joy.
“I . . . I know this sounds crazy, but I was in Heaven, Hudson.”
She didn’t meet his eyes, but continued to stare down at their unnamed baby. There was a long silence, and finally she lifted her gaze to his.
“I don’t think it’s crazy, Beverly,” he said in a soft voice. “I’m just glad you’re back. Maybe when you’re up to it you can tell me about it.”
Tears welled in her eyes. Hudson was such a good man, and one day soon she would tell him about her experience. She found it comforting to know there was something after this life, but she was also happy to be back. She had a lot more living to do before she was ready for Heaven.
She watched as Hudson’s eyes slowly turned a bright yellow. Then they got very wide, his eyebrows taking a hike for his hairline.
“Wow,” he whispered. “I . . . I think Cohen needs to look at you, Bev.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re eyes are glowing. It’s slight, but they are glowing green.”
Beverly stood and made her way to the bathroom. There was no need for lights; she could see that her eyes were indeed glowing green.
What could this mean? Would she live longer than a normal human? She smiled at the thought. More time with Hudson and their son sounded wonderful.
She made her way back to the bed and slipped under the covers. “I’ll see Cohen tomorrow. For right now I’m happy where I’m at.”
There was a long stretch of silence as they both studied their baby. Beverly marveled at his little fingers, his rosy cheeks, and the silkiness of his tufts of black hair. She was so grateful that she could touch him. Everyone would be coming home tomorrow, and she couldn’t wait for them to meet him. This beautiful little bundle was her greatest achievement, and her heart swelled with joy and pride.
She took Hudson’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “We did good,” she whispered, smiling. “He’s amazing.”
Hudson grinned. “We did do good, Bev. And we’re only going to get better, the three of us together.”
Beverly looked down at their baby again, at their miracle. The baby who was never supposed to happen according to the many doctors who cared for her after her accident; the baby she couldn’t conceive or carry because of the damage done to her pelvic area.
“So . . . a name?” Hudson said.
The baby began to wail, and Hudson got up to get a bottle.
“Let me try to breastfeed him, Hudson.”
She took the baby and brought him to her chest, where he latched on immediately. “It looks like he likes my breast,” she said.
“He takes after his daddy,” Hudson said, grinning and getting back into bed.
“Killian,” Beverly said after a moment. “Killian is a good name.”
Hudson nodded. “Yes, it is. It’s a strong Warrior name.”
Beverl
y shook her head and smiled. “Hudson, our son won’t be a Warrior.”
Hudson’s grin widened. “We have years to talk about that.”
Tears stung Beverly’s eyes as she thought of how close she had come to leaving Hudson and baby Killian.
But in the end, she had ended up in the right place, exactly where she belonged.
“I love you, Bev.”
“I love you too, Hudson.”
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While fighting the War on Drugs in Latin America, Marine Brody Teller was involved in an accident that left him with a supernatural power: a deep connection to the sea and the ability to control it.
When the mysterious Joe Smith approaches him with an incredible job offer, Brody thinks it’s too good to be true. His life-saving need as well as his desire to be near the ocean while earning a living are rolled into one perfect job: the captain of a yacht.
Rayna Lopez lives a quiet life as she tries to climb her way up the CIA ladder, always in fear the government will learn of her family lineage. When her father asks for help getting her famous and belligerent half-sister out of trouble, Rayna reluctantly agrees to travel with her and they board a yacht where they will be protected.
Brody and Rayna realize they’ve met before, and despite a significant lack of trust between them, they face an attraction neither can deny. As they fight to keep Rayna’s sister alive, lies are revealed and secrets are told. They must both learn to trust each other, and—if they live through their voyage—figure out what to do about their whirlwind romance.
Other Books to Enjoy by Carly Fall
The Six Saviors Series - in reading order:
The Light Within Me
Finding My Faith
REBORN
Beverly’s Rebirth
Destiny’s Shift
Tangled Fates
The Dream Walker
Atonement
Contemporary Romance:
Chica Bella
Time or Money
Against the Ropes
Paranormal Romance
Yesterday's Kiss
Betrayed (Angels of Affection Book 1)
Forgiven (Angels of Affection Book 2)
About the Author:
Carly Fall is a wife, a mother and a slave to Nicky the dog.
She loves to laugh, thinks chocolate and wine should be considered their own food group, and wishes Christmas happened twice a year.
She is the author of the award winning and Amazon best selling series, the Six Saviors, as well as paranormal and contemporary romance.
To connect with Carly:
CarlyFall.com
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