Chapter Ten – Sheridan
A scream made Sheridan jump. He winced as his still-healing wounds pulled. There had been substantial damage to his bones where the spikes had been driven through, and even after all these months, he still wasn't back to peak condition. If it wasn't for the silver Armstrong had used, he would have been healed within a week, two tops, but with the extra damage of silver poisoning, it had taken him four times that long just to start walking again.
Another scream rang down the corridor. Sheridan's heart jolted. Whatever pain he was still in from his injuries, it was nothing compared to the agony he could hear Maribel was in. He felt sick with worry, but there was nothing he could do.
Maribel was in labor and had been for the past two hours. The midwives wouldn't permit him into the birthing room with her, declaring that birthing babies was women's business. He wished he could be there, to hold her hand as she went through this pain.
The scream died off and Sheridan let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He'd never felt so helpless before. Even when they had been in Armstrong's clutches, when he was forced to stay still while the nails were driven into his body, he hadn't felt like this. Then he knew he could do something to save Maribel if he needed to.
And he had. The agony of ripping himself off that cross would stay with him forever, but he had saved her.
Now, if something went wrong with the birth, there was nothing he could do. No amount of brute force or strength of will would be able to free her from the dangers of childbirth. He was helpless.
Billie walked up the corridor. She winced as Maribel let loose another scream. Sheridan dug his fingernails into his palm until this scream passed as well. With a sigh, he yanked at his hair. If something didn't happen soon, he was going to go crazy.
"You're a woman," he said to Billie. "Go into the birthing room and find out what's happening."
"Sir, with all due respect I'll only get in the way. Labor takes a long time. I remember when my younger brother was born my mother took nearly a full day to birth him."
Sheridan blanched. How could he survive another hour of this, let alone a day? More importantly, how could Maribel? Even in this day and age when there were so many medical advancements and knowledge, women still had to go through this!
"Why did I ever decide I wanted to be a father?" He yanked harder on his hair. "I would take it all back to stop Maribel from being in this agony!"
Billie smiled sympathetically. "She'll be fine, my lord. You have the best midwives available and all the equipment they need. She is the one who decided she didn’t want drugs. But if I can distract you?"
Sheridan let his hands fall to his side and nodded. "What news have you brought me?"
"The governor has once again extended a personal apology to you for your mistreatment at Armstrong's hands and has decided on a compensation for the blood donors whose identities were revealed. The investigation into the vampire relations bureau is still under way, but so far there have been no other anti-vampire sentiments found in it. And the men that attacked you with Bennet and Armstrong have both been caught."
Sheridan nodded in satisfaction. That was good to hear. Since the attack on his person, the governor had been bending over backward to keep the relationship with the vampire kingdom friendly. A war with vampires would be costly, not only in terms of loss of life but also in trade. The king had no desire to make things more difficult than they had to be, but it was a good wake-up call for the humans to police themselves better.
"Invite the governor to come see the baby," Sheridan said, brow furrowing. "I'm getting tired of his apologies."
"And have you made a final decision about Romanoff?"
Sheridan ran his hand through his hair. "Yes. The general will stay in the dungeons, except for a few hours every day when he serves at a human soup kitchen. Maybe if he serves them, he will develop compassion."
"And if it doesn't work?"
"Make sure he's always heavily guarded when among the humans." After experiencing being nailed to a cross himself, he was never going to threaten crucifixion again. It was his hope that Romanoff would come to see reason eventually.
The door to the end of the hall opened. A wizened little woman came sweeping down the corridor, a satisfied smile on her face. As she got closer, Sheridan could smell blood and the distinctive scent of newborn baby on her. He ran to meet her.
"Your daughter has been born, my lord."
A girl. Sheridan's face broke into a smile. "May I see them?"
The midwife nodded.
Sheridan turned to Billie. "Gather everybody in the ballroom for the announcement, and prepare a statement for the press."
Billie nodded. Sheridan raced down the corridor, beaming. The midwife followed close behind him and made him wash his hands before he was allowed into the birthing room. The other midwives bustled about, cleaning up, but Sheridan went straight to the bed where Maribel was lying. Her skin was pale with exhaustion, brow sweaty, and dark bags circled under her eyes.
She was so beautiful.
"Hey," she croaked at him.
Sheridan sat on the bed next to her and peered into the face of the tiny baby she was holding. "Hey."
The hospital gown she wore was on backward, the opening at the front. It was gaping so that the baby could rest right against her chest, a receiving blanket covering them both. Big brown eyes, blinking and squinting, peered out of the tiny wrinkled face. Sheridan gently stroked the downy hair.
"She's beautiful," he whispered. "Perfect, just like you."
Maribel smiled sleepily. "I don't feel all that perfect right now. I feel like I was just hit by a truck."
Sheridan had to laugh at that. He looked up as the midwife checked Maribel's pulse and her eyes. "Can I take her back to our room?"
"Always in a rush!" The midwife rolled her eyes to the ceiling. "Men! The woman just had a baby. Give her half an hour and we'll see. But if you want your privacy, we can give you some."
"Thank you. You may go announce the baby's gender now."
The midwife bowed at her waist. She hustled the rest of the midwives out quickly, leaving husband and wife alone. The baby was rooting around, her lips pursed. Maribel shifted her hospital gown off her breast and held the baby to it. The baby girl latched on and began to drink eagerly.
"Amazing. She knows exactly what to do." Sheridan beamed.
"Mmmm. I wish I could say the same. I know we took those parenting classes and everything, but I still worry. I never even had a babysitting gig before this. What if I do something wrong?"
Sheridan kissed her forehead. "You won't be alone."
"Yes. Yes, you're right. I don't have to do this on my own. I have you."
"Of course. You have me, and you'll always have me."
He wrapped an arm around her. Maribel laid her head against his shoulder, nestling in closer to him. Both were silent as they watched their little baby feed. Sheridan kissed his wife. The road bringing them here had been painful, but oh so worth it. If he had a choice, he would do it all again.
"I love you," he whispered.
"I love you, too."
Maribel kissed him as a cheer rose from the ballroom.
*****
THE END