Redemption: Alchemy Series Book #4 (19 page)

My eyes met hers and I wanted to speak, but what could I possibly say? Her eyes, the only thing left of the Sabrina I knew, looked tortured and my heart broke.

She let out a freakish howl, lifted her head back and a burst of fire shot from her mouth. She gripped her stomach, a very rounded stomach and the pieces clicked into place. This was the hiding and the torment I'd sensed whenever Dodd mentioned her. She was like Rulagh now
, and I feared what she might be carrying. I thought of my foolish idea that I'd be able to fix her with
my time to get up and go on
pep talk. This situation was way beyond my rehearsed "suck it up" material.

Her whimpers finally kicked me into gear and I rushed to kneel by her side. I gripped her...hand? She was lying there in pain and I forced myself out of the frozen and mute stage.

"Sabrina, what's happening?"

A steady trail of tears ran down her cheeks as she finally turned to me.

"I'm a monster. I didn't want Dodd to call anyone."

"No, you're not. You couldn't be. Not you." I squeezed my grip in reassurance and forced myself to run a hand over the scales on her forehead. "You could have come to me. I would've been there for you."

Her body tensed in visible pain. "It's coming," she said.

I didn't ask what, I was afraid to confirm whos
e, and I was beyond trying to count days since nothing about this was normal. She wasn't human, anymore. A nine month term pregnancy probably didn't apply. I could deal with not knowing who, but as I tried to move into position to help her try and deliver it, having an idea
what
would've have been a really nice thing to know.

"Dodd?" I looked around the room to find him standing just behind me. "Get water and blankets. Oh, and a knife or scissors. And some kind of clamp as well." He ran off to go do my bidding and I looked at Sabrina
, hoping I had covered all the bases. She was the doctor after all. I only knew what I'd seen on TV shows.

"Yes, that's good," she said, as she tried to wriggle up into a half sitting position. I moved to help her before preparing to assess the situation.

I was just about to see if I could determine how far along her labor was, when Sabrina clasped my hand that was on her knee.

"Jo?" Her hand squeezed tightly on mine and I noted the change had definitely made her stronger than normal.

"Don't worry. I know I've never done this before but I'm a really quick study."

She shook her head. "That's not it. There's something wrong."

I held back my sarcastic response of
what could possibly be wrong
? Even I knew it was out of place and being driven by fear and nerves.

I decided to go with, "Why do you say that?"

"I'm a doctor." She leaned back, anxiety in her eyes. "This isn't normal."

"What do you think is wrong?"

"Jo, I'm hundreds of years old. Even Keeper females run out of eggs. I shouldn't have been able to get pregnant." She stared at me, daring me to continue pretending this was anything close to normal.

I nodded and tried to infuse my voice with confidence. "Whatever happens, I will get you through this."

"Promise me something?"

"Anything," I said but inwardly cringed.

What else was I supposed to say? Deathbed promises are a bitch. For all I knew, there was a heaven, and all those people who asked for favors right when they knew they couldn't be turned down are probably skipping around fancy free. Meanwhile, all of us who agreed are loaded down with all sorts of crap we never would've agreed to under normal circumstances. Seriously, any negotiations under these terms should be null and void. I knew it was a valid point, but I wasn't going to be the ass to say, hey, I only agreed because she was dying.

"Promise to take care of it."

"What about Dodd?"

When she looked off to the side, I knew my last escape was about to take a leap out the window and die a painful but quick death.

"It's not Dodd's. Rulagh raped me."

I nodded. "I promise."

And that's when the bad thoughts started. It wasn't that I didn't love Sabrina and feel horrible about what was going on, BUT there she'd be, dancing through pearly gates while I had to babysit Godzilla out of misplaced guilt. If there was a fuck my life charter club, I'd officially be president right now.

When we heard the commotion in the other room, I felt her pulse pick up even faster.

"Stay calm. I'll get rid of them and be right back." I gave her a pat, the situation seemed to call for something of the sort, and I rushed out of the bedroom, shutting the door behind me. Cormac, Buzz and Dark were arguing with Dodd, who carried my supplies.

"What the hell is going on?" Cormac asked as soon as I stepped in the room.

"I don't have time right now." I grabbed the supplies from Dodd.

When Cormac made to follow me, I held up a hand to hold him off as I managed to juggle my stuff. "No. She's already stressed. Dodd will have to explain. No one comes in unless explicitly invited by her."

Dodd took a step next to me, physically backing up my words.

"You going to tell me what's going on?" Cormac asked, offering a silent compromise, information for cooperation. I'd seen how quick Cormac could really move. If he pushed the issue, I didn't think either Dodd or I'd be able to keep him out of the room. Actually, I knew we couldn't.

"Hurry up," I said to Dodd before I left them to go back into the bedroom. I was protecting her privacy, but it wasn't like I wanted to be in there alone.

"Who's out there?" Sabrina asked as I settled back near the bed.

"Dodd, Cormac and Buzz, but Dodd is keeping them out."

It looked like she was about to say something but instead, whatever it initially was turned into a scream as she was wracked with another contraction. I looked down, expecting to see something, hopefully a head. I was relieved when it did seem to be that. She must have seen the emotions and fear on my face.

"What?" she asked, in between contractions.

"Nothing. Everything is fine. Just breathe deep." And I needed to school my expressions better. Once upon a time, I'd had a great poker face.

"How's she doing?" Dodd asked, coming in and perching on the side of the bed near Sabrina. He held her hand as he looked to me.

"She's doing great." I watched as Sabrina sank back into the bed and closed her eyes in exhaustion. "How long has this been going on?"

"All day, but she hid it. I didn't know about it until an hour ago."

I nodded my head in the direction of the living room.

He looked at her and then back to me, and mouthed the words,
I told them but I asked them to stay out there
.

I might need help
. I widened my eyes in emphasis.

Sabrina's eyes snapped open again as she cried out in agony and I watched as a small human head pushed out a few more centimeters. When Sabrina collapsed again, I started to fear she wouldn't make it. She looked much weaker even than when I'd arrived. I felt her wrist
, which lay limp on the side of the bed opposite Dodd. The pulse was weak and thready.

"I'll be right back," I said.

Dodd nodded as he wiped the hair from Sabrina's scaled forehead. 

I found Cormac pacing the living room.

"Where's Dark and Buzz?"

"I sent them to find Burrom. Desperate times and all that." He walked closer to me to make sure he couldn't be heard in the other room. "How's it going?"

"Something's wrong. She's weaker than she should be. I know she's in labor," I couldn't even begin to tell him that I feared what might be coming out of her, "but she's too weak. Her pulse is getting faint. She's a Keeper. Shouldn't she be able to handle giving birth? Shouldn't she be able to heal whatever is going wrong?"

"Maybe not." He scratched his shadowed jaw in contemplation and then rested his hands on his hips.

"Why not?" It was the last thing I wanted to hear.

"Because, when a woman gives birth, there are certain things that have to happen in order for labor to occur. Keeper's bodies shut down our healing until after they deliver."

"How much after?" I watched as he sat down on Dodd's couch and I didn't like the look of things. I would have preferred pacing.

"Depends. It's very individual. I've heard of it happening minutes after to sometimes days after."

"You're saying she could die during labor?"

He rested his elbows on his knees and his chin on his fist.

"It's why I'm having them look for Burrom. Maybe he knows a trick we don't."

He spoke when I turned to leave. "Do you want me to come in there with you?"

I knew Dodd asked him to stay out because of Sabrina's wishes, but I wanted him to walk back in the room and take over. I just didn't know how to face what might be coming, but when I heard her cry, I went in alone.

Another four hours passed and whatever it was that was going to come out hadn't moved. She was barely coherent at this point, and then it was only right after she was ripped back into awareness and screaming in pain.

All thoughts to maintaining her privacy went out the window an hour ago as Cormac, Burrom, Dodd, Buzz, Dark, Colleen, Sharon and Katie were all piled in the apartment and taking turns by the bedside with me.

I got up and stretched my legs in between a contraction. "What do we do?" I heard Dark ask from the other room as I stood by the door.

"I've no idea why you all thought I'd have some knowledge of this." That was Burrom. He'd been the last to arrive. We'd a hard time finding him initially as he'd been otherwise occupied with a female
changed,
having sex in the dungeons. Dark had offered to elaborate on how he'd found him but I asked him to spare me the details.

Sabrina's screams turned to moans as another contraction forced her back into consciousness. I rushed back into place by her as she bore down with Dodd's help. The head that had been struggling to come out finally emerged. Another push and I was able to pull the shoulders out afterward.

A beautiful little baby boy lay in my hands and let out an angry cry that filled the room. I looked up to congratulate Sabrina but she wasn't stirring.

"Sabrina?"

And then I saw the blood start to pool underneath her. She was hemorrhaging and badly. I placed the baby by her side as I tried to press towels to her, knowing it was futile.

"Cormac!" I screamed to the other room.

He was by my side in a second but he didn't do anything when he saw the blood filled rags I held to her, trying anything to staunch the bleeding.

"Help me!"

"There's nothing I can do." He placed a hand on my shoulder and shook his head. "It's too heavy."

I looked down back to where the blood was now pooling again, in spite of the towels.

I didn't know what to say. Dodd's eyes didn't look at the baby as I clamped off the cord and swaddled him. His eyes never left Sabrina.

The three of us watched as she quickly slipped further away from us. What skin she had left was ashen. She was dying. There was no arguing about it now, even if she did have enough awareness. I didn't know if I should try and rouse her or if I should just let her be in peace.

"Dodd..." I started. I reached out my free hand to him but he shook his head, still not looking anywhere but her. My arms filled with Rulagh and Sabrina's son, I realized there would be no talking to him.

And then I heard it, a death rattle. Sabrina was gone and Dodd wasn't really there anymore
, either.

He dropped her hand and left the room without a word. I heard them try and stop him as he passed through the living room, right before the door slammed.

I walked into the living room and tried to find a way to explain that Sabrina had passed. When I saw their faces, I realized words weren't necessary. Dodd's exit had said it all.

Chapter Sixteen

Compromising Promises

"Do you think it was okay to leave the baby with Dark?" I watched Cormac's face while he opened the door to the penthouse. He rested against it, waiting for me to walk past. There was a look in his eyes that put my senses on edge, as if every drop of his attention was focused solely on me. 

"He wanted to take him tonight and he's great with the kids. He'll find a wet nurse. There are a couple of women that had babies recently, even if they just handle the feedings."

I felt the death of Sabrina deeply and I'd
only known her less than a year. He'd known her for centuries. But, then again, sometimes it's not how long you've known someone but how well. We'd all gone through hell together and it was almost sad how much stronger the bad times bonded you then the good, welded you together by the heat of brimstone.

"You're running on empty. You need a break," he said.

I threw him a look that replied I wasn't the only one.