Lacey's Luhpynes(41)

"The babe wasn't affected at all," he said quietly. Both he and Ansell  were watching her with the same expression as a man handed a bomb with  no visible indication of when it might blow. "Your body's natural  protective measures kept him safe. Briar was worried about it, for a  time, but she did all the tests and it appears the pathogen never made  it close enough to harm. You'll need extra vitamins and other  nutritional supplements for a time to combat all the pathogen took from  your body but you will be fine and back to your normal self in about a  month she figures.

Lacey's hands were shaking. She hadn't thought about this particular  part of life. Having a child. "I." She started but stopped. She couldn't  seem to think, at all. Holy crapola. "And you are sure we are  pregnant?" she whispered. Holy. Hell.

The men shared a look before Ansell nodded slowly. "Quite. Both Briar's  tests and our own scenting of your skin have proven that you are  pregnant. The disease you were infected with masked the scent until it  was finally pushed from your body."

"And it is now?" She was more worried now than she was before. "You are  sure that the illness is gone and our child is okay?" she asked softly  and put her hand to her stomach. "I need to learn more about Luhpyne  pregnancies. I need to figure out what to expect as I'm expecting."

"Briar has a lot of materials that you will be able to read. Since we  became part of your world we felt it only fair warning to let your  doctors know all about us and the results of possible pairings and  matings. Not everything, but enough to keep all your people as safe as  possible." Reaching over, Ansell squeezed her arm, just above her wrist,  gently. "It's gone, your scent is pure again and all you and the baby.  Eat."

Lacey picked up the spoon and then smiled. "Oh god, your momma is going  to have a heart attack when she finds out that we are expecting. I'm  fully prepared for her to make your dads come to this side of the Veil  to try to talk us into moving to that side." If that made sense aloud.                       
       
           



       

"Oh, she likely will," Zhubin said quietly with a smile. "Our life is  here and, if one day we want to, we can move to the other side. But at  this time, though, I think staying here is the best idea. If you want to  that is, if you want to move to the other side we can."

"I want to remain here," she agreed. "Maybe one day we will move to the  other side but right now I think we belong here. I think that this is  just where we need to be. Don't you think?" She couldn't help the smile  that kicked up the corners of her mouth though. "Heavens, I didn't think  I would be so happy, but I am. I am so very, very happy to have this  step in our lives here."

"Then this is where we will remain, for however long you wish. But that  means you need to eat and get better. Otherwise, Briar will keep you  here for much longer than we all want." He flipped a look at his watch  and sighed. "We need to go, darling. We have work to do so if you are  okay, I'll get Briar to give you some reading material and we'll be back  in a few hours."

"I think that sounds like a very good idea," she whispered. "Crap. She  will be all grumbly and stuff if I don't eat better, won't she?" She  loved Briar and had grown closer to the woman as they worked together.  "Right, work." Lord, her brains were so scrambled that she couldn't even  think about what work they had to do let alone how to do it. If she had  a weapon right now she wouldn't know which end was which, sad but true.

"Yes, work," Ansell said as they got off the bed. He pulled a phone out  of his pocket and handed it to her. "In case you need us. We checked  with Briar and she's confirmed it won't interfere with anything down  here. So call if you need us, no matter what. We will drop whatever  we're doing and get here as fast as we can."

"Even if you just want to talk," Zhubin told her. Brushing his hand over  her hair he leaned in to kiss her. "Call, we always have time for our  mate."

"I am not getting released right away, am I?" She just realized that.  She just realized that they were going back to work, and she was stuck  staying there. Freaking. Wonderful. "I just thought I would be coming  with you," she admitted softly. "But I guess I still need to get better  don't I?"

"You'll be coming home with us tonight," Ansell said, leaning in to kiss  her. "But until then, you are under the watchful eye of the doctor.  Which means, finish your soup and whatever else she gives you,  otherwise … " He shrugged and stepped back.

"Oh don't you dare otherwise me, mister." She grumbled and took another  spoonful of the soup. "And I will be coming home with you tonight or I  am making you stay another night with me here." She didn't want to be  alone. Someone had nearly killed her with a fucking flu virus on  steroids and alone was not something she could be right now. She  realized that just as they did.

"We wouldn't leave you alone, Lacey," Zhubin said softly. He tucked some  of her hair behind her ear and rubbed her cheek lightly. "Whether we  are here or at home, we'll be with you. We're going to go and do some  work so that one of us can be with you until you're back on duty as  well. So, behave and we will see you in a few hours."

That had her grinning. "Oh you are telling me to behave, are you?" She  must be feeling a little better if she was up to teasing him, pushing  the envelope even more. "I will behave but I have to ask, what do I get  as a reward for being a good girl while you are off working?" Ah yes, it  was going to so be worth it.

"We have your favorite ice cream at home in the freezer. If you behave  and get out of here tonight, you can have as much as you want. If not,  we're going home for an hour and eating it before coming back to breathe  on you all night," he said. "Oh, and if you do behave, we'll give you  three orgasms too." Zhubin actually said that like it was an  afterthought, unbelievable!

"Oh that's just so wrong. Oh, now that's worth getting better." She  lifted her hand and wrapped it around Zhubin's neck, pulling him close  she brushed her lips to his. Smiling, she said, "Go earn a living for  us, Daddy." She liked that, a lot. She looked to Ansell and felt her  heart melting again. "You too, Daddy."

He made a face at her but leaned in to kiss her softly. "I love you," he  said quietly. Cupping her cheek, he stared into her eyes for a long  time before dropping another kiss on her lips. Only Zhubin calling to  him pulled him away. "Call if you need anything."                       
       
           



       

"I will. I promise." She smiled at him and nodded. "Go, both of you keep  out of trouble while I'm down here trying to get better and not jump at  shadows." Sadly that part couldn't be helped. Someone had nearly killed  her. She deserved to jump at shadows, dammit. With having someone  nearly kill her via a letter, she was allowed to have fear in her life.

"Just scream really loudly. Your scream could puncture eardrums," Ansell  said with a grin. Winking, he turned and jogged out of the room and out  of sight.

A moment later Briar came bustling in with her clipboard. Stopping at  the end of the bed she shot her a look that warned of painful things  before looking to the bowl still in her hand. Not exactly a subtle hint.

"I was just saying good-bye." Lacey laughed and began to eat the soup,  her eyes on Briar as she ate. Finally, she had her soup finished and  leaned back with a smile on her face. "There, see. I ate it all. Aren't  you proud?"

Taking the bowl, Briar set it aside before patting her on the head. "So  proud, even prouder if you were a two-year-old who'd managed the feat  instead of a fully grown woman. Two hours and you get another bowl. If  you manage it and one more before they return you can go home. If not,  you're mine for another night."

"You are slightly terrifying when you get that glint in your eyes, you  know that right?" Lacey did grin, however, and leaned back. "I think for  now I'm going to nap for a bit, eat the soup and then get up and  shower. If you are good with that?" She didn't want to do anything that  might cause more harm to her body than it had already been put through.  "And Briar, thank you. For saving my life and … " She touched her hand to  her belly, she couldn't say the words aloud just yet.

Nodding, the other woman moved closer to the bed. "After your next bowl  of soup I'll get rid of the IV. I think you should be fine. But if you  are thirsty, definitely drink. This whole thing has taken a toll on your  system so you really need to listen to your body for the next while,  closely. Now, get some rest." She reached up and turned off the light  right over the bed. "I'll be in my office if you need me."