Fated Healing [Kindred of Arcadia 5] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove) (12 page)

“Surprise, it’s a boy,” Claybourne said. Rebecca snorted.

“We knew that, Doc.” She dug her fingers into the mattress and gasped again.

“There. See, the baby is moving about,” Claybourne said.

“Like he is in convulsions,” Felix whispered. Claybourne stopped and stared at his mate.

“That’s him? That’s my son?” Aleks asked, staring into the screen. Pa licked the side of Aleks’s tear-

streaked face before he sat back and shifted.

“That’s my grandson. I wish Margaret could see this,” he said, his voice breaking.

Connor threw some scrubs at his pa, who pulled them on while staring at the monitor.

“The baby is reacting the same way in the womb as any other shifter,” Claybourne said thoughtfully.

“My son is sick? Not Rebecca?” Aleks asked, kneeling by the bed, holding his mate’s hand.

Claybourne nodded.

“I’m starting Rebecca on the antiviral and a low dosage of Tylenol, which should help with the pain and

calm junior down. Aleks, I want you monitoring her. If you have to leave, have one of your brothers sit

with her. Someone needs to stay with her at all times. If this monitor changes get either Felix or myself

immediately. It’s the fetal monitor. It will let you know if the baby gets worse. I’m going to go call the

council doctors and see if they have ever run across a situation like this before,” Claybourne said.

“Come on Aleks, let’s move Rebecca over next to Ma. I bet Ma would love to hear the sound of this

little guy’s heartbeat,” Connor said. Aleks nodded blankly. The Arkadions circled around Rebecca and

eased the bed closer to Ma.

Claybourne and Felix left the gym, running to the principal’s office where David and Daniel had helped

to set up a mini conference area. Claybourne dialed the number he was given and Lachlan appeared on the

screen.

“Doctor, how are my grandson and great-grandchild?” the Elder asked at once.

“There has been no change in Sebastian’s condition. The reason I called is because Rebecca Arkadion

has contracted the illness, or I should say her unborn son has.” Claybourne sat down. Lachlan’s face shut

down.

“She must live. That child must live. That family has ruled Arkadia for thousands of years. There have

always been Arkadions to rule,” the old man said adamantly.

“Elder, unless you have been withholding a cure, I don’t know what to do. I can give her the antiviral,

hoping it will pass from mother to son, and a low dosage of Tylenol, but that’s all I can do. I’ve tried giving

different patients epinephrine to kick-start a shift but it’s not working. I am reduced to handing out fucking

Tylenol. It’s the only thing that seems to be working,” Claybourne growled, sounding frustrated.

“I’ll check with the doctors here to see if they have anything new. But, Claybourne, it’s new to them too.

No one has ever seen a virus like this in shifters. I hate to admit this out loud, but we may have to consider

this as an attack on Arkadia,” Lachlan said grimly.

“Keep everyone calm, Elder. Call me back if you have any new information from the board,”

Claybourne said, disconnecting the call.

“If they declare this a war on Arkadia then they will blame the vampires,” Felix whispered.

“He’s right about one thing. Rebecca and her son must live. There is something he’s not telling us, but I

can read between the lines. If she dies, there will be catastrophic consequences,” Claybourne said.

“But we don’t know how she got it,” Felix countered.

“But I bet she can tell us. Unlike the other patients, she is far removed from the original contagion and

coherent since this is affecting the baby and not her. We may be able to pinpoint the cause,” Claybourne

said, standing quickly.

“Let’s go then,” Felix said.

* * * *

“Okay, Rebecca, we’re going to see if we can figure out how you got infected,” Claybourne started.

“What were you doing when you first started to feel pain?” Claybourne asked.

“I was eating Lucky Charms,” she said. Claybourne wrinkled his nose.

“Told you he would hate them,” Rebecca said, smiling weakly. Felix rolled his eyes.

“Did you eat or drink anything leftover from Field Day?” Felix asked.

She shook her head. “I’m not stupid, guys, I wouldn’t eat that stuff when we don’t know for sure it was

the cause,” she retorted.

“When you were in the lab, did you spill any of the virus on bare skin?” Claybourne asked.

Rebecca shook her head.

“I took every precaution, I know my way around a lab.”

“What about the broken glass?” Felix asked.

“Snitch!”

Claybourne and Aleks looked from Rebecca to Felix and back.

She sighed. “I was overwhelmed and just a little bit upset earlier, so I may have thrown an empty beaker

or two,” Rebecca admitted.

“Just empty beakers? Nothing with the virus in it?” Claybourne asked. She shook her head and yawned.

“Thanks, Rebecca, you get some rest. We’ll be back in a few hours. If you think of anything let me

know,” Claybourne said and patted her hand. Rebecca stuck her tongue out at Felix who stuck his tongue

out in return. She giggled and yawned again. Felix followed Claybourne out of the gym back to the

teacher’s lounge. Once inside Claybourne wheeled on him.

“I just don’t get it. I don’t get it! She was fine not twenty-four hours ago.”

“There has to be a common thread we’re not seeing,” Felix agreed.

“There are too many variables.” Claybourne collapsed on the small sofa.

“Which means the cause is still out there. Any one of us could get it.” Felix sat next to his mate.

“I’m still convinced this started on Field Day.” Claybourne shook his head.

“It’s not in the air or water. We’ve all been exposed to both. So far with our extensive testing we have

eliminated most of the Field Day foods. What about the diner?” Felix asked.

“Ma closed the diner down on Field Day. She was running the bake sale booth, most people ate at the

school anyway,” Claybourne said.

“I can’t think right now. I feel like my head is wrapped in cotton,” Felix said, trying to blink his vision

clear.

“I’ll set my phone for a few hours. Let’s try to get some sleep. Maybe we’ll think clearer when we wake

up.” Claybourne pulled Felix close.

“Good idea,” Felix whispered. He closed his eyes, and immediately fell asleep.

* * * *

Three hours later, Felix stood next to the supply table making sure the IV bags of fluids were neatly

stacked and taking an inventory of their antiviral medicine. All around them, Gabriel’s vampires moved

quietly and efficiently around the gym, helping the very people who had been afraid of them.

Felix shook his head. His eyes kept going to Aleks Arkadion. The tall, proud Alpha sat in a chair

between two cots. On one side his ma was struggling for every breath, and on the other side his mate curled

around her stomach as if trying to protect their weakening unborn child.

Gone was the vibrant Alpha bear. The virus was stealing away his heart and soul, leaving a shattered

man behind in its wake. The Arkadion brothers stood around both beds like royal guards, but there was

nothing for them to fight.

Pa sat on his mate’s other side, holding her hand gently. Felix knew if the man could, he would take his

mate’s place in a heartbeat. He was that selfless.

Shaking his head, Felix let his eyes drift to where Caleb and Bran sat on either side of Kate, each

holding on to one of her hands. Across her body, they gripped each other’s hands desperately and cradled

her nearly flat abdomen. Felix had only recently heard how long Kate had desired a baby. He couldn’t

accept that these two good men would not only lose their mate but also the baby all three of them had

longed for.

Unable to watch their pain, he looked around the gym and saw a similar scene with Liam and Kent.

They cradled their mate between them, whispering to each other and to Sebastian, who dozed off and on,

his face starting to flush with the beginning of a fever. Felix wiped his tears. Sebastian had finally escaped

their living hell, stuck in a madman’s cage, to find his happily ever after, only to face the prospect of having

to say good-bye.

Clenching his teeth, he turned his head to watch Prince Gabriel sit quietly with his small mate. He sat

beside his mate with no emotions on his face, as still and as cold as a statue. It was as if the prince were a

force of nature, quietly waiting to see what would happen before he would wreak havoc on those around

him. Baptista and Roman stood beside their prince, unwavering in their support. Felix knew that despite the

lack of visible reaction, there was a war raging deep within him. The prince had locked down his emotions,

not only to be able to make decisions, but also to keep those around him safe. Felix truly feared for them all

if something happened to the fox shifter. One of the things that made him such an excellent nurse was his

ability to read people, and right now his instincts were telling him Gabriel was the most dangerous man in

the room.

Finally, he caught himself staring at Rian and Damian. Rian had not left the man’s side since he was

admitted. His quiet devotion for his best friend was Felix’s undoing. Mates were easy to understand, but

Rian’s love for his friend left him open to this pain and the man took it on gladly. Felix remembered a

hundred glances between the two men, their easy camaraderie, and sobs shook his frame. Wiping his eyes,

he turned back to the table. He couldn’t bear to look at Rian’s pain.

Suddenly, he needed to do something for the man who had become like an older brother to him. He

wondered if he could sneak over to Bobbles and Things for some chocolate for Rian. Felix froze. He felt

his body wash cold as the adrenaline began to push through his body. His eyes went to where the pride

members lay on their cots.

Claybourne looked up from where he was examining Meredith Wade, a puzzled expression on his face.

His mate could feel the way his heart was beginning to race. Felix started walking on wobbly feet toward

Rebecca. He picked up the pace and began a full run across the gym. He slid to a stop next to the cot and

literally dragged Rebecca up in the bed.

“Felix, what in the hell?” Aleks demanded. Felix ignored him.

“Rebecca! Rebecca, wake up!” Felix said, lightly tapping the small human on each cheek. Behind him

he could hear people approaching at a run.

“Is she okay?” Claybourne asked. Felix could not lose his train of thought as pieces of the puzzle began

to come together.

“Come on, Becca, wake up!” he shook her.

“Felix!” Claybourne exclaimed. Felix ignored him.

“Bitch, did you slap me?” Rebecca demanded sleepily.

“Love taps only, I swear! Listen, I need you to answer some questions. Did you eat anything out of the

ordinary in the past two days? Something maybe you hadn’t had in a while?” Felix asked.

Rebecca shook her head. “Nothing I hadn’t had before,” she said, frowning up at him.

“Rebecca, I’m going to ask you a question and you need to be really honest with me. Did you have any

chocolate?” Felix asked.

Rebecca’s eyes went wide. “The caffeine is killing my baby? I knew I shouldn’t have had that

chocolate!” Rebecca sobbed, turning to Aleks.

Felix caught her and pulled her back upright. “Focus! What chocolate did you have? Was it the ‘Screw

You’ chocolate?” he demanded. Behind him he heard several intakes of breath. Rebecca nodded.

Felix looked up at Pa. “Did Ma have that chocolate?” he asked. Pa shook his head.

“I don’t know,” he admitted.

“She did! Ma and Damian had a chocolate-eating contest at Field Day!” Rian said excitedly.

“What about Brayburn?” Felix asked. Rian nodded.

“I know she did, she came by Bobbles and Things mad as a wet hen that she didn’t get any chocolate ice

cream from the ice cream stand since David and Daniel used blood in the machine. She snagged five

pounds of the stuff!” Rian gasped and covered his mouth, realizing what he said.

Felix turned to Rian, confused. “Why aren’t you sick? Don’t you love chocolate?” If Rian had the

chocolate and wasn’t sick, his theory was toast.

“I don’t like milk chocolate. I only eat white chocolate!” Rian wailed and collapsed on the floor as the

enormity of what he had inadvertently done overwhelmed him. Felix looked up to Bran, Liam, and Gabriel.

“Did your mates have the chocolate?” he asked desperately. They all nodded, looking shell-shocked.

“It makes perfect sense, why it hit Brayburn first. She left Field Day to go to Bobbles and Things, when

you take the time of day she got it and factor in her age, and the amount she ate, it fits. It also supports why

Kate, Ma, and Damian were the next to get hit hardest. Ma and Damian had the chocolate-eating contest,

and Kate has been living off of chocolate since finding out she was pregnant. They’re probably the town’s

biggest chocolate eaters,” Felix explained quickly, trying to get it all out.

Bran and Caleb looked ill.

“We gave it to her. Three pounds of it, for the pregnancy,” Caleb said, his voice breaking.