“Well, I’ll say this. The fact that you have some human in the mix? It adds on another layer of complication that is going to make diagnosis and treatment tricky. Which is why I wanted to have a candid conversation with you. I think it would be a good idea for you and me to have an idea of how and by whom you want to be treated if you are pregnant. I’d be more than happy to try to see you through things, but this is not my area of expertise. Now, Layla went to Havers—”
“I can’t go there. Wrath will want to be with me during any appointments, and nobody’s going to believe that we’re not together if he shows up with me pregnant at that clinic. I mean, the last thing we need is for them to call us out on fraud grounds.”
“I agree. So I have an idea.”
“What?”
“There’s a great ob-gyn in Caldwell—a woman. Everyone used to talk about her at the hospital. She’s got a real feel for special cases and needs and I think we should have Manny reach out to her—see if she’ll take you on as a private pay. Between me and Ehlena on the vampire side, and her on the human end? With the equipment? I’ll feel more comfortable about all this.”
Beth nodded. “Yeah, that’s a good idea.”
“Great. I’ll get on it. In the meantime, I’ll do an assessment on you here and give you something for the nausea—”
“Honestly, I’m okay right now. It only seems to happen when I stand up.”
“All right, but let me do a blood pressure check on you, ’kay?”
“Help yourself.”
As Beth put her arm out, she had a moment of total, stunned disbelief. Was it possible that all that sex had worked?
Like, for its true biological function?
Doc Jane slid the blood pressure cuff into place and the thing made little puffing noises as it was inflated, the squeeze on her biceps making her think about all the invasive stuff that was going to happen to her if she was, in fact, knocked up. Blood tests. Ultrasounds. Examinations. As someone who had been healthy all her life, she wasn’t sure how she was going to handle it.
No going back now.
There was a long hiss as Doc Jane watched a little dial and listened through her stethoscope. “Perfect. Lemme get a pulse here.” After a moment with her fingertips pressed into Beth’s wrist, the doctor nodded. “Yup. Good.”
The physician sat back and just stared at her.
“You’re giving me a doctor look,” Beth said, suddenly frightened.
“Sorry, it’s a reflex.” Doc Jane put her things back into her bag. “Here’s the deal. I could get aggressive and climb all over you, but your pressure and pulse are great, your coloring’s good, and you’re not vomiting at the moment. I’d like to do a wait-and-see on this one—as long as you’re not bleeding down below?”
“Nope. Not at all.”
“Terrific. As long as you agree to holler if anything changes? I’ll stay on the sidelines.”
“Deal—”
Wrath burst through the door, with Fritz tight on his heels.
“Oh, my God,” Beth said as she got a load of the … um, load … they were both carrying. “Is that a case of ginger ale?”
“Two,” her husband announced. “And we left the backup one out in the hall.”
Doc Jane laughed as she got to her feet. “Your wife’s good to go right now. But she’s promised me she’ll call—and I have the feeling, if she doesn’t, you will.”
Wrath nodded. “You can bet your ass on that one.”
Beth rolled her eyes, but inside, she didn’t mind him being pushy at all. Her husband was going to take excellent care of her—whether or not she was carrying his child.
And that was love right there.
FIFTY-SIX
After Wrath showed Doc Jane out, he went right back to the bed. As he sat down, Beth took his hand and squeezed it.
“I’m going to be fine,” she said.
God, he hoped so. “Are you yawning?”
“Yes. I’m suddenly exhausted.”
“Let me get a ginger ale—”
“No. No, thank you … I just want to rest for a minute or two. Then I’ll tackle the idea of putting something in there.”
“Are you still sick?”
“No. I just don’t want to be.” Her thumb stroked back and forth over his palm. “We can do this, Wrath. All of it.”
As he didn’t want to let his paranoia out, he nodded. “Yeah. It’s gonna be fine.”
Except inside, he wasn’t feeling that. At all.
“You should go downstairs and work,” she mumbled, like she was already falling asleep. “Saxton stayed over. He could help you check e-mail and stuff.”