Lacey's Luhpynes(49)

"Course he would, so we would." He chuckled. Hugging her close, he  looked around. "So, what exactly are we doing today? Should we start  shopping for Junior's arrival?" he asked with a grin. "Because, as you  pointed out, we shouldn't really waste a lot of time. And you'll want to  get it done while you're feeling good, relatively speaking."

"Yes we likely should start to shop for his arrival so that we are able  to have everything ready." She hated, really hated to think that their  child would be coming so fast, so soon. She just prayed that he would be  healthy. "He will be healthy, right? Even with him coming so early?  When should or when can we go to a doctor for him? One that specializes  in Luhpyne pregnancies?"

"We can go any time you want," he said with a shrug. "We'll have to go  through to the other side of the Veil for the doctor that specializes.  But for most things Briar could likely help you out. It's up to you,  darling. And yes, junior is quite healthy, no residual issues from  whatever was done to you."

"Thank the Gods," she whispered. "I love Briar to death but yes, I want  to go to the other side and ensure that he is okay. I just need to have  someone that has delivered many Luhpyne babies before. I need to make  sure that he's good. If possible I want to see him as well, even if it  is just a fuzzy spot on the photo. I just. I'm worrying too much aren't  I?" she realized.

Chuckling, he shrugged. "Who am I to say one way or another, Lacey?  You're pregnant, for the first time and because we like to make things  interesting. It's a Luhpyne baby instead of a human one. You are allowed  to be whatever you need to be to get through this. If that means you  fly off the handle, redecorate a dozen times, eat six tubs of ice cream  at a sitting or worry, so be it."

"Oh god, just thinking of ice cream is making me sick to my stomach."  Very much so. She felt like she was going to hurl with the thought of  ice cream. Gagging, she wiggled. "Bathroom. Gonna be ill." And she was.  Damn, all it took was just him saying ice cream and she was ready to be  ill. Wonderful.

Ansell scooped her up in his arms and took off running for the main  floor bathroom. Easing her to her feet he backed out of the room and  tugged the door shut. Not that he would have gone far but both her men  knew better than to hang out in the can with her when she wasn't feeling  well.

Lacey hated to be sick. Thank God Ansell hadn't stayed behind because  she likely would have gotten grumpy with him and it wouldn't have been  his doing in the least. Finally after losing what little she had in her  stomach, again, she washed her mouth out and cleaned her hands twice  before stumbling back out of the bathroom. "Okay, so I think that maybe I  have it all out of me again. For now. Give me five and I will likely be  there again." She all but fell back into Ansell's arms and sighed. "I  think maybe a nap. How does a nap sound to you?" Poor guy drew the short  straw and had to stay home with her today.

"A nap works," he said with a smile. Lifting her up in his arms, he  headed for the stairs. "I'm sorry I mentioned the you-know-what. I  forgot how sensitive you are to mere suggestion right now." Walking  toward their bedroom he slowed just inside the door and nudged it shut  with his foot.

"It's okay." Her head was on his shoulder and she sighed. "I hate how  sensitive I am to everything. Maybe some more of Gennette's tea would do  me some good?" God love that woman, she knew what it was to be pregnant  with a Luhpyne child, she would know how to help Lacey, right?

"Why don't you rest first? We will relax, let your body reset itself and  then we can worry about getting some tea and other things into you  later. I'll also call Briar later and see if she has any anti-nausea  medication, all-natural of course, to assist in helping you keep food  down."

"I think that sounds like a good idea. The nap and then the anti-nausea  medication. Anything to help keep things down would be wonderful. I know  just how much our child needs in order to grow and I need to be able to  keep down as much as I can so that he has just what he needs to grow."  So it was going to be one of those battles, she was sure.                       
       
           



       

"Don't worry, Lace, we'll get it worked out." Setting her on the bed he  tugged the blankets up and over her. "Get comfortable while I give Briar  a call about the meds. See if she knows of something that we could try  out and that I can have delivered."

"I know we will." She nestled into the bedding and closed her eyes. Her  hand reached out and touched his, fingers twining together. "I love you,  Ansell. I just need and want you to know that." He wasn't a second  choice, he was her mate just as Zhubin was. Yes, it was odd that only Z  could give her children, but it didn't mean she loved Ansell any less.

"I know you do, sweetheart." Sitting on the bed he held her hand and  stroked her hair with his free hand. "Just let yourself drift off," he  advised softly, his voice a low rumble of sound. "I love you as well,  Lacey, now and for all time, little mate."

"That's a very good thing." Lacey yawned once more and sighed as she did  so. "I will drift off as long as you are here." She whispered softly  and rubbed her cheek to his hand once more. This was nice, she relaxed  measurably and then very soon was sound asleep.





Chapter Eighteen




"Holy shit," Zhubin breathed out. He got up from his chair and moved to  the large conference table. Sorting through everything he found what he  was looking for and his head went back and forth fast between the sheets  of paper he held. "Holy shit." He rushed to Ansell's side and passed  the papers over. "Tell me I'm not hallucinating," he demanded.

Taking the papers Ansell shot up from his reclined position in his  chair. "Are you fucking kidding me?" He got to his feet fast, the chair  zipping back and into the wall. "How the fuck did we miss this?" he  asked.

Everyone in the room, herself included, stared at them as they went back  and forth some more. They checked some more details and then raced out  of the room. Zhubin did run back in to grab her with an apologetic look,  but still.

"Okay, fill in the obviously clueless one here please. Come on, what the  everloving name of hell is happening?" It was killing her that they  hadn't told her anything, just grabbed the pages and raced out. Nope,  not happening. She wanted to know what they knew, dammit.

Shaking his head he kept tugging her along until they reached the  Captain's office. Urging her inside he shut and locked the door. Nodding  to Ansell, he pulled out a chair for her to sit in.

"We found the connection and how he's been tracking, Lacey," Ansell  said. Passing the sheets over to the Captain he waited for a second.  "It's a former agent. You worked with him briefly when everything became  settled and after the AEDA formed. He got fired because of using  excessive force with a suspect. From what we can find, you told him that  you hoped he found something else, and good luck. Like you probably  would for any other agent."

Zhubin stepped up then. "He went private sector then but ended up  getting fired once again after some more rather excessive behaviour.  This time with a girl who was a witness, he thought she was giving him  signals and acted on them. Let's just say the fact he's not in jail is a  mystery right now."

"The girl looked just like you, Lace," Ansell told her quietly. "So did  the others he went after for a time. Then he started working to get  closer to you, creating cases that would pull you out into the field  because of the oddities. Cases that would make you curious. Cases that  he could sit back and watch you work."

Zhubin took the sheets from the Captain and handed them to her. One had a  picture with some information and the other was a listing of each and  every case they'd worked on the last while. As well as a little chart  linking the cases to her and the freak out there. "He's been paying two  cleaners here on staff to gather intel. And to also keep an eye on you.  One on the day shift and one on the evening shift."

"Son of a bitch," Lacey whispered and leaned in to look over the files.  "I remember him. He was an ass of truly epic proportions and he did not  know the meaning of the words ‘no' or ‘stop.' He did as he damn well  pleased and to hell with everything else. I'm the one that helped to get  him fired. No one knew of course, but I had gathered what I could and  sent it to IA and they went from there."

"Well, that's your freak," Ansell said. Moving in closer he put a hand  on her head and stroked her hair gently. "Now all we need to do is lure  him into a setting of our choosing and take him down. You up for a  little play-acting when the night shift cleaners get on?"