He rolled over on his back, throwing his arm across his face. “But would you still have shrimp? Could your vampire body have sustained a pregnancy? Not likely. You forget, my mother died giving birth to me. I'd rather have you just like this than have you dead because of me.”

  “Jeremy?” She touched his chin.

  He lifted his arm and peeked at her. “Yeah, cupcake?”

  “Um, I've been having pains since last night. They are getting harder and closer together. I think we should go to the doctor. I don't think this is false labor.”

  He lifted his head from the pillow. “You're joking, right?” His eyes were wide.

  “Um... Nope. Doctor told me to be concerned if I felt contractions at less than ten minutes apart.. We are there now. Hitting about nine minutes.”

  Jeremy jumped out of bed and pulled his jeans on. “Jesus Christ! Why didn't you tell me sooner? How many weeks are you? I was too rough, wasn't I? Shit!”

  Sasha sighed. “I didn't tell you sooner, because I didn't think there was reason for concern, and I am telling you now, because I think there is. I'm 33 weeks, today. Chances are really good they will just send me back here, but I think we should go check, just to be sure.”

  He pulled his shirt on over his head and zipped his jeans. He moved to her dresser. “What should you wear?”

  “Clothes. Something comfortable.” She sat up and pulled on the panties he threw in her direction. He brought over a bra and a sweater and yoga pants.

  “Will this do?” He was frantically pawing through her dresser, looking for socks to go with her sneakers.

  “Yes, it's fine.” She got dressed quickly, and then he was pushing her out the door.

  Francois jumped to attention from his perch. “What is wrong, monsieur?”

  “She thinks she is in labor.” Jeremy was pulling her down the hallway.

  “You have to slow down Jeremy, I am not running.” She snatched her hand away from him and tried to catch her breath. Francois swept her off her feet. She squawked and grabbed his neck. “What the hell are you doing?”

  “Carrying you, mademoiselle. I can move faster.” She was mortified. The people in the elevator looked at them curiously. She fought flipping them off. Really. She did. She failed.

  Jeremy and Francois died of laughter. The other people didn't find it quite so funny. She was swept out to the car and deposited in the seat. “You two are really annoying.”

  Jeremy climbed in the car. “Well, Francois, you are now at the top of her Asshole list too. Join the club, Man!”

  They laughed. She flipped them both off, which set them in gales of laughter again. Francois pulled out on the highway toward the hospital. She was pretty sure he was breaking many major laws. She held on to the door for dear life. Once at the hospital, Francois ran inside, grabbing a wheelchair and promptly scooping her up from the car and placing her in the chair. He raced her up the sidewalk to the door. Jeremy was running ahead and banging his hand on the desk at the nurse.

  “My fiance is pregnant. She is in preterm labor. She needs to see a doctor, now!” Sasha's eyes widened at the fiance comment. She tucked it away for later. The nurse pushed paperwork at him.

  “Fill out these papers. We will get her to the back as soon as there is a bed.” She handed him a pen. “Go sit over there.” She pointed to some chairs in the lobby. She looked at Sasha and shook her head. “First time father?”

  Sasha nodded. “Yeah, and if he doesn't quit, it will be his last time being a father, too.” Jeremy shot her a dirty look and the nurse laughed. A few minutes later, she was rushed to the back and put in a bed, covered in monitors. Dr. Pierre walked in the room and shook his head.

  “Sasha, another scrape you are in, I see. The baby seems to be under no stress at this time, but I need to perform an exam.” She nodded and the nurse helped her put her feet in stirrups while Dr. Pierre shooed Jeremy out of the room. He gently performed the exam and shook his head. He opened the door and let Jeremy back in. “You are about four centimeters dilated. You are in labor. I can give you some medicine to slow labor and to develop the baby's lungs, but I believe within the next 24 to 72 hours we will have a baby. After your escapades yesterday, I feared you would go into preterm labor.”

  “What does this mean for our Shrimp?” Her pulse picked up. Jeremy squeezed her hand.

  “First thing you need to do, is relax. You are about 33 weeks, today. Between the medicine, which needs 24 hours to work, and good doctors, your baby will be okay. It is early, but we have dealt with earlier. Anything after 28 weeks is, usually, in the clear. After 32 weeks, it is even better, and that's where you are at this point. The baby will probably have weak lungs and may have to stay in the hospital a little while. I do not anticipate any major issues, but we will have the best team available to help you.”

  Jeremy spoke up. “Doctor, could sex have caused preterm labor?”

  He shook his head. “Possibly, but I was concerned she would go into labor, anyway. She has been under immense stress the past few weeks. She is lucky to have made it this far.”

  Jeremy looked sick to his stomach. “I see. I want the best of the best here. Money is no object.”

  The doctor nodded. “Money or not, the best would be here. I will send the nurse in with these medicines to slow your labor, Sasha. You can only have a few sips of water, nothing more than that, in case we need to perform surgery. We will discuss medication once you get a little further. Okay?”

  She nodded. Jeremy squeezed her hand. “I need to make some calls. Will you be okay if I slip out for a few?” He had Francois' cell phone.

  She nodded again. “Call my mom. Be prepared for a royal ass chewing. Can you get her here for me? Please?”

  “Of course, Cupcake. She will be here.” He kissed her lips gently. He heard her heart picking up both in her chest and on the monitor. “Calm down, Cupcake.”

  She smiled softly. “Are you okay?” Jeremy nodded.

  He would ignore the fire in his chest as long as possible. He went outside, making a call to Trevor first, to set up a flight for him and Sasha's mother. Taking a breath, he called her mother. He definitely got an ass chewing, but she was on the way.

  The nurse brought in some medicines. “I am so sorry, I have to inject these into your leg. They hurt.” This was the medicine to develop Shrimp's lungs. Sasha nodded and the nurse gave her the shot. She took a couple of pills to slow her labor. “We will be back to check on you in a little while, please press the call button if you have any issues.”

  She lay back in bed and cried. She was about to be a mom. Without her mom. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep. Shrimp kicked and flipped in her stomach. She dozed off and woke up a few hours later. Jeremy was sitting in the chair next to the bed and smiled as she shifted in the bed.

  “How are you feeling, Baby?” He brushed his thumb over her cheek.

  She smiled. “I'm hurting. When should my mom be here?” He leaned over and pushed the nurse button.

  “Your mom should be here early tomorrow morning. Trevor is coming too. Francois will pick them up.” The nurse came in the room and smiled. “She says she is in pain. Can the doctor come and make sure she is okay?”

  “Of course, monsieur.” She left the room and within a few minutes the doctor was back.

  “Sasha, you are in pain?” He pulled clean gloves on.

  “Yeah, the contractions haven't stopped. If anything, I think they are closer together.” Jeremy looked at her in panic.

  “Why didn't you tell me?” He brushed her curls off her forehead.

  “Because, there is no need in you being worried.” He grabbed her hand and kissed her palm.

  “We make decisions together, remember?” His dark eyes bored into hers. He ignored the blood lust swimming on the edges of his brain. He needed blood, badly.

  “I know.” The doctor asked him if he would like to leave during the exam. He looked at Sasha and raised his eyebrow. “I would like him to stay, Doctor, if he wants.” He nodded and held her hand. The nurse put her feet up in stirrups and the doctor performed his exam.

  He sighed deeply. “Sasha, you are now six centimeters. The medicine might be slowing things down, but not by a lot. Do you want an epidural?”

  “No, I want to have the baby naturally. No pain medicine.”

  Jeremy touched her cheek. “Sasha, you don't have to be a hero. If you want medicine, it is available.”

  She shook her head. “No, I want to do this on my own.”

  “Okay,” said the doctor. “Well, we will check you again in a couple more hours and see how things are progressing. Basically, it is just wait and see right now. We need to keep the baby in there as long as possible. I am going to tilt the bed, so the pressure is off your cervix right now, and we will hope for the best.”

  Her feet were in the air and she was suffocating, her face in her boobs. Jeremy smiled. “I always wanted you upside down.”

  She swatted at him and waited until the doctor and nurse left. “You need blood.”

  He shrugged. “I do, but I am going to go to the cafeteria and get a burger instead. I want to try and be as clear headed as possible when Shrimp gets here.” He paused, before he went out the door. “Please tell me we aren't naming it Shrimp.”

  Sasha laughed and grimaced as the baby kicked. “No. We aren't naming the baby Shrimp. Maybe Shrimpy instead.”

  ***

  He smiled and went out the door. Francois was sitting on a bench and moved to follow him. “No, stay with her. Don't leave her alone.” He nodded and sat back down, reopening his newspaper.

  Jeremy jogged to the elevator. He went down to the first floor and found the cafeteria. He convinced the worker to make him a burger that was rare. He paid for it with the card Sasha had and sat down at a table. He bit into it and groaned. It would have to do. He polished it off and went back to the counter. “How about another?” He smiled at the cafeteria worker and she blushed. She made another and handed it to him. He sat down and ate it slower. He couldn't manage the fries, they stuck like lumps in his throat. It had been too long since he'd eaten real food. He grabbed a bottled water and drained it down, before going back upstairs to Sasha. He couldn't stay away.. Not that he had ever been able to.

  ***

  She was trying to sleep, but it was impossible. She could only see half of the TV. “Jeremy. Can you put something on I can understand? I do not speak fluent French. I am dying down here.”

  “Oh, sorry,” he laughed and changed the channel. He found an episode of FRIENDS. “Will this work?”

  “Yeah, why not?” She watched the top half of the next few episodes. Contractions were coming closer and closer. She tried to breathe and not panic. The doctor came in just as Chandler was proposing to Monica.

  “How are we doing, Sasha?” He smiled down at her.

  She smiled between gritted teeth. “I'm hurting.” The doctor picked up the sheet of paper spitting out of a machine that was monitoring her contractions.

  His brow was furrowed. “I have no doubt you are in pain. Your contractions are now three to four minutes apart. We need to check you again. I have no doubt you have dilated more.” Jeremy shifted out of the way and held her hand as the doctor moved the bed back to level. The nurse put her feet in stirrups again and he pulled on clean gloves. He sighed. “You are at eight centimeters. It won't be long now, I don't think.” He glanced at the clock. It was 11 pm. “It has been about fourteen hours now since your shot. If we can hold the baby just a little longer, I'd feel better. We will continue to push medicine to slow your labor. Since your water has not broken yet, we are safe to do so. Does this sound agreeable?” Both Sasha and Jeremy nodded. He eased the bed back so she was head down and left the room.

  “You okay, Cupcake?” He stroked her hand. She was pale.

  “I'm okay. Scared.” She shrugged a shoulder. The nurse came in and injected a medicine into the port on her IV.

  “It will hit your bloodstream faster and slow labor better. It would be best if you tried to rest, mademoiselle.” She patted her shoulder and left the room.

  Sasha looked at Jeremy. “Are you okay?” He nodded.

  “Yeah, the burgers helped. I may go try and get a little more food in a bit. Keep something in my stomach, you know?” She nodded.

  “I want a pizza when I can eat.” He smiled and kissed her fingers.

  “You got it, Baby.” He stroked her knuckles until she dozed off. He slipped back down to the cafeteria. He found it closed, but saw a snack machine. He got a cinnamon roll and sat down to eat it, before going back to the room. It stuck in his throat, but he forced it down anyway. It would do until later. He went to the bathroom and washed his hands, trying to get rid of the cinnamon roll smell, so he didn't torture Sasha with it.

  He went back upstairs and found her still asleep. He eased the chair back into a recliner and dozed. He woke to the sound of her groaning in pain. He sat up quickly and touched her hand. “Sasha, are you okay?” She shook her head no. He hit the nurse button and tried to be patient until the nurse came in the room. “We need the doctor. Now.” The nurse nodded and hustled off. He heard the page go over the intercom.

  In bustled Dr. Pierre. “Sasha, how are we feeling?” It was now 3 am.

  “I hurt, and my water broke.” She ground out. He checked the sheet of contractions then did a quick exam.

  “We are now about every one to two minutes. Sasha, we need to get you into the delivery room. I do not think we will be much longer now. Take some slow breaths for me and let's get your heart rate back down.” He clapped Jeremy on the back. “Get ready to be a Papa. It won't be long now.”

  They pushed her down the hall to a delivery room, which was cool and quiet. The nurse helped her climb up in the bed and readjusted the monitors. Sasha was grinding her teeth together in pain. The nurse put her feet in stirrups again. “Okay, Sasha, I need to check you one last time and see exactly where we are at, okay? I need you to take some slow breaths for me.” He performed the exam quickly. “Nurse, I need you to call the neonatal unit and have them come down. We are completely dilated and ready for her to give birth.” He smiled at Sasha. “You will be a mama very soon now. You've done good. The baby has had about eighteen hours with that medicine now. I just need you to breathe for me.”

  Jeremy held her hand and smoothed her brow. A nurse handed him a cold cloth and he wiped her forehead. She looked up at him and smiled.

  Soon, the room was full of different doctors and nurses, waiting for the baby to arrive. She groaned through the contractions.

  The doctor checked her again. “Sasha, I need you to push now.” She beared down and the nurse counted to ten. “Breathe, Sasha! And again!” The nurse counted to ten and she squeezed his fingers. “And again! Push for me!”

  Jeremy leaned close to her ear. “You are wonderful. You are amazing. Hold on, our Shrimp will be here soon. Push, Cupcake.” He kissed her temple. She cried out in pain.

  “I see the head, the baby is crowning. Sasha, I need you to push again. Bear down with me on this contraction! Ready? Go!” Sasha bore down, pushing against the stirrups. Jeremy watched in fascination as the doctor pulled out a baby with a head full of dark curls. The doctor quickly cleaned his ears and nose and the baby wailed. “Here, Papa, cut the cord for me. We have an angry little girl here!” Everyone cheered. Sasha was crying on the pillow. Jeremy cut the umbilical cord and a nurse wrapped the baby up.

  “Here you go, you can see your baby for just a minute, before they take a look at her.” Sasha marveled at her teensy little face.

  “Jeremy, look at our shrimp! Look at her!” Her eyes shimmered with tears. He kissed her forehead.

  The nurse took the baby back and the doctors and nurses rapidly checked the baby over. “We will be taking her down to the neonatal ICU for observation. You will be allowed to come down soon.” They nodded. The team of doctors and nurses scrambled out the door.

  “Can I go with them?” Jeremy asked. He looked at Sasha and she smiled and nodded that it was okay.

  “Sure,” the doctor replied. “We are just finishing up here.”

  He pressed a sweet kiss to her lips and took off down the hall.

  ***

  The doctor cleaned her up, she delivered the placenta, and she was wheeled back into her private room. The nurse gave her a soda. “Congratulations, mademoiselle! What will you name her?”

  Sasha took a sip of the soda. “I don't know. We haven't picked out a name. Is she okay? When can I go see her?”

  The nurse patted her hand. “She is fine. You will be able to see her soon. Your fiance will be back shortly.”

  Sasha closed her eyes. She was exhausted. She heard the door open and in walked Jeremy with a huge, goofy grin on his face. He'd never looked sexier. He came over and kissed her lips. “Cupcake, our shrimp is beautiful. All ten toes and all ten fingers. I checked! They have her hooked up to a feeding tube and a little oxygen, just as a precaution right now. She is beautiful. You are beautiful.” He kissed her again.

  She smiled against his lips. “What will we name her?”

  He pulled out her phone. “Look, I took pictures for you. I don't know what we will name her. Do you have any ideas?”

  She scrolled through the pictures of her daughter. “As a matter of fact, I do. I was thinking Onyx August Parks. I knew I loved the name Onyx Parks for some reason.. and August for when she was conceived.”

  His eyes widened. “Onyx August Parks? It is perfect.” He kissed her lips slowly.

  Part Three:

  Third Time's A Charm

  Chapter One

  “Sasha, we need to talk,” Jeremy started. It was the very thing that chilled her blood. It was the quintessential 'there is shit going wrong and I'm going to have to be the asshole that breaks it to you', quote. Her eyes found his in panic. He smiled gently, trying to ease the news. “The doctor you are seeing is also well versed in vampire blood, being so close to Claudio and the group of vamps here. He's run a few tests, very quietly, of course; he's been paid well to keep his mouth shut. Onyx isn't fully human, which I am sure you expected with me... being, well, me.”

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26