Chapter Twenty-Five

Lukas sat on the edge of the coffee table, holding Gretchen’s hand, and Calisto was across from them in a chair with his mate perched on his leg. Lori pulled up another chair and started running through the final wedding checklist.

Zafrina watched from the threshold of the living room. She’d never attended a wedding before, so she had nothing to add to help with decisions. Her only focus was Gretchen.

But Lori’s commanding presence within a den of immortals kept distracting her. She held a clipboard, directing the others to any unfinished items. Apparently, having no exact date for the ceremony was a problem.

“I don’t want to get married until we have that codex and know that Gretchen will be all right.” Kate shrugged. “We’ve got plenty of time, and everything is picked out. So once Muriah and Issa get back with it, we can settle on a date and have the wedding.”

Lori nodded with a shrug. “Since you’re having the ceremony on Calisto’s beach, the venue won’t be an issue, so I guess we can pull it together pretty fast. Maybe give Edie and me a day or two to get the flowers and chairs.”

Zafrina stepped closer. “They are making vows. How long can that take?”

All eyes turned toward her, but Lori’s gaze was the only one that held her attention. “That’s true. Maybe we don’t really need chairs.”

Zafrina came in and leaned on the back of the couch, looking down at Gretchen. Her face looked even paler and shadows circled her eyes. “I think Gretchen needs to rest. Can you take your meeting elsewhere?”

Kate got up. “Sure. Thanks for all your help, Gretchen.”

The others followed her out, but Lori hesitated and turned back. Do you hear me?

Zafrina lifted her gaze from her patient to Lori, her pulse kicking up a notch at the intimate connection. The timbre of Lori’s voice in her mind sounded smooth and rich, like plush velvet. Zafrina nodded. I hear you.

Is there anything I can do to help Gretchen?

Perhaps, but we can’t talk here.

Meet me down on the beach?

An unexpected smile curved Zafrina’s lips. I will.

Good. Lori nodded in answer, and something fluttered deep in Zafrina’s abdomen.

After she left the room, Zafrina came around the sofa, pulling the chair closer to Gretchen. “Tell me how you feel. Have there been more contractions?”

Gretchen glanced over to the spot where Lori had been, then back to Zafrina. “You were talking to Lori just now.”

Zafrina cleared her throat, surprised by a flush of heat warming her face. “I speak to many people without using my voice.”

Gretchen shrugged. “I didn’t know Lori had any idea you could communicate silently.”

“She is a strong woman. When I healed her wounds the other night, we talked.”

Gretchen reached out to pat her leg. “Infatuation looks good on you.”

“Infatuation? What is this?”

“Never mind.” Gretchen shook her head and sobered. “The contractions are still coming, but they haven’t been very intense, maybe every twenty-five minutes or so. They’re not getting worse, so I’m hoping that’s a good sign.”

Zafrina brought her hands to rest on Gretchen’s abdomen, reaching out to the child with healing thoughts, listening for abnormalities. The heartbeat was strong, betraying no frailty, but the lungs would be sorely underdeveloped if she could not maintain the pregnancy for a few more weeks.

Without the codex, Zafrina second-guessed every assumption. This would be much easier if she knew whether or not the child needed to draw breath in order to gain his immortality. She could deliver the child now if he was immortal from conception.

But she had no codex and no answers.

Zafrina opened her eyes and took Gretchen’s hands. “The babe is healthy, but I cannot say the same for you. If your body demands to deliver the child, we will have no choice.”

“No.” Gretchen blinked back a wave of tears. “I can hang on longer. I know I can.”

Zafrina sighed. “Your body is malnourished. You are not sleeping, and it is trying to save itself through these contractions.”

A tear spilled over her cheek. “I have to try. Help me.”

Zafrina’s chest tightened, and she bent to brush a kiss to Gretchen’s forehead. “I am doing all I can.”

She wished she could do more.

…

The sun beat down on Apep’s back, stoking his already fuming temper. He was in the fucking desert. Again. This was Issa’s fault. At this point, he no longer cared about the damned Mayan codex. He could go rip the fetus out of its mother’s womb right now and kill all the Night Walkers.

But where would the satisfaction be in that?

This had gotten personal. He’d been injured. Twice. Now he wanted retribution even more than world domination. And if he played his cards right, he could have both.

He followed the directions from his serpents, kicking dust from the sand as he made his way deeper into the desert. Issa probably enjoyed the inconvenience of his hideaway. Night Walkers had that irritating gift of preternatural speed, so the remoteness of his lair wouldn’t be an issue.

While Apep had many powers and strengths, speed and shape-shifting were not part of his repertoire as the Egyptian God of Chaos. He was forced to trudge through the blistering hot desert for miles on foot. A camel or a Jeep weren’t options. His serpents had heard the brushing of sand followed by the loud rumble of stone scraping against stone. It had to be a long-forgotten tomb.

And if he had any hope of finding it, he needed to be close to the ground.

His body ached, coaxing him to rest, but Apep pushed on. If he located Issa’s sanctuary before nightfall, the Night Walker wouldn’t be able to protect Muriah or himself. Apep sneered at the thought of the terror in her eyes when she realized there was no one to rescue her and no escape.

He hoped she’d beg for her life. Begging sweetened the chaos immensely.

Turning into the wind, he allowed the hot air to blow his hair out of his face while he took a swallow of water from his canteen. He screwed the cap back on and noticed a line in the sand. His tattoos slithered in answer.

Apep scrambled to the seam as if it might disappear, a mirage in the endless desert. He fell to his knees, tracing the line with his fingers. The hot sand stung his hands as he cleared it away to expose a flat rock. A doorway. Apep gripped the edges and used all of his body weight to try to lift it, but the stone didn’t budge.

“Fuck.” He took a deep breath and then tried to shove it aside. His feet kept slipping as he struggled to gain leverage. “Damn it!”

He glared at the barrier keeping him from his prey as the chaos gathered in his dark eyes. The dense molecules of rock were slow to agitate. Sweat drenched his body. He kept drawing and focusing chaos on the block, his hatred of Issa growing with each bead of perspiration that rolled down his back. Finally, he heard a crack. He fell to his knees, searching for the opening, but only a corner of the stone had cracked and chipped away.

Apep spat into the sand and glared toward the sun. “Stay up.”

He had a few hours until sunset, and he wouldn’t let up on the stone until it finally granted him passage inside. If it took until sundown, so be it.

…

Zafrina waited on the beach, the large moon casting her shadow on the sand. It was late afternoon in Egypt. She wouldn’t be able to reach out to Issa and let him know Gretchen’s condition. They needed that codex. Now.

“Hey there.” Zafrina looked up at the sound of Lori’s voice. “You beat me here…” Her voice trailed off as she approached. “Are you all right?”

Zafrina let out a pent-up breath and shook her head. “No.” She glanced toward the house. “Gretchen’s body is rejecting the child. I do not know how much longer we can delay the birth.”

Lori came closer, her scent teasing Zafrina’s senses. “Gretchen thinks it’s too soon.”

“It is too soon, but we cannot stop nature. I gave my word to Lukas we would not risk Gretchen’s life. I cannot use my fertility magic or potions to force her contractions to cease. Her body is trying to save itself. If I force it, she could pay the price.” She turned to face Lori. “If the time comes while the sun is up, you will need to help her deliver the infant. She cannot go to a hospital.”

“What?” Lori’s eyes widened. “Why—”

“Because the child will not be human. Mortal doctors can never know this.”

“Oh shit. I—I don’t know anything about being a midwife. I don’t even have kids of my own.” She started pacing. Her frenetic pace was almost hypnotic, calming Zafrina’s frazzled nerves. “I can watch some internet videos. Maybe Web MD. Or I can try to keep her on her back until you’re up again tomorrow night. That’s probably the best plan.”

Zafrina caught her hand as she passed by and pulled her to a stop. “You offered your help to me. Why?”

Lori gaped for a moment and then pressed her lips together. Zafrina reached for her thoughts and found the poem repeating. She smiled. “You have learned well. The others have mentioned your mental shield.”

“They were trying to listen in?” She put a hand on her hip, a crease marring her brow.

Zafrina shrugged. “It is simply another sense to us, not like eavesdropping.”

“Well, I’m glad the shield is working.” She glanced at their joined hands, but made no move to break the contact. When her eyes lifted to Zafrina’s face, her usual confident stance seemed unsure. “I know what’s at risk with that baby. Everyone is looking to you, and you looked like you could use…a friend.”

Zafrina moved closer and tucked a stray lock of hair behind Lori’s ear. “You were right.” She searched her gaze and whispered, “Would a kiss upset you?”

“I’ve never kissed another woman.”

“That was not what I asked.”

Lori released her hand and brought her fingers up to caress Zafrina’s cool cheek. “I don’t know.”

“There is one way to find out.” Zafrina brushed her lips against Lori’s, reveling in their softness. She breathed her in as Lori responded, returning the kiss.

Lori finally retreated, her voice a breathless whisper, “Now we know.”

Zafrina stared into her eyes. “Did it upset you?”

Lori smiled, and Zafrina’s heart pounded in answer. “Not yet.”

“Good.” Zafrina pulled her into her arms.

…

Muriah snapped awake at the rumble of thunder. Frowning, she sat up. The crack of a lightning strike echoed through the chamber. She glanced over at Issa. He remained motionless.

She was on her own.

The noise stopped, leaving behind uneasy silence. She crept out of bed and quickly got dressed. They were in the middle of the desert. It couldn’t be a storm, could it?

Another boom made her breath catch.

She took out the phone from Agent Bale. No signal, but according to the time, she only needed to hold it together for about fifteen minutes until sunset and Issa would awaken. With the phone tucked back in her pocket, she grabbed one of her discarded shirts and wound it around her hand to protect her skin from coming in contact with the ancient dagger.

If she had another choice, she’d take it, but for now, this was the only weapon available.

Whatever was outside, it was persistent. And if it kept battering the stone, it wouldn’t be outside for long.