The female put another bracelet on the counter. “This one has twenty five, half carat diamonds set in platinum, the stones are…” She continued to talk about the diamonds’ color, clarity and more meaningless things that meant nothing to him. Once she finished babbling, she placed the jewelry in his hand and he was surprised by the weight of it.

A girl’s best friend.

The string of stones were sparkling but he didn’t understand the appeal. He preferred his female without any fancy adornments or that stuff she insisted on smearing all over her face. He didn’t understand why humans needed all of these things when it came to courting either. If it were up to him, he would’ve put his human over his shoulder days ago. He would’ve locked her up in his suite until she agreed to talk to them. Zane sighed. Hopefully the jewels would work, because his patience was wearing thin.

“I’ll take it.” He put the bracelet back on the velvet fabric. “I’ll also take the necklace with the…rain drop... stone…”

The female smiled. “The tear drop diamond. That’s a canary yellow diamond, Mr Zane.”

“Just Zane.” He tried not to growl. “I’m not color blind.” Or an idiot. Did the human think that vampires couldn’t tell different colors apart? He knew the female knew what he was since she’d started shrieking in excitement the moment he’d set foot in the store. That was up until he’d growled at her, at which point her screams had become shrieks of terror until Ross had managed to calm her down.

Her eyes widened and he worked harder to keep the scowl from deepening. “No, what I meant was that it’s very costly. Gosh, both the tennis bracelet and—”

Zane raised a hand and clicked his fingers.

“My lord.” Ross stuck his head in around the door.

“My briefcase.”

Ross returned a minute later and put the case on the counter clicking open the locks. The female sucked in a breath when she caught sight of the stacks of cash that filled the space. “I’ll just wrap these up then and get you your invoice. Are they a gift?” Her smile was wide.

“Yes.”

“Whoever she is, she’s one lucky lady that’s for sure.”

He didn’t know how to react so he stayed silent while she flitted around behind the counter.

Once back in the SUV, parcel tucked safely beside him, he contemplated heading straight for Tanya’s bookstore and was sorely tempted. After a few beats he decided to head back to the castle instead, at least until this evening. The conversation he needed to have with his female was not one that would go down well in a public place. Least of all her place of business. His Ysnaar didn’t know it yet but she was going to talk to him even if it meant having his guard entertain her friends while he cornered her. And by entertain he meant tie them up if necessary.

If Tanya tried to run, he’d hold her down until she listened. Pin her under his body if he had to.

The vehicle pulled away just as a human female plastered herself against the side of his window.

“Take me with you, King Zane.” She yelled trying to see through the tinted windows.

“Keep going,” he addressed Ross. This was one of the many reasons he didn’t like coming into town and why unmated males were not permitted here alone. Human females seemed to be greatly attracted to vampires. It was only when his second in command gradually accelerated that the female was forced to let go.

Once they were out of the town confines, the vehicle picked up speed. His pocket vibrated alerting him to an incoming call.

He checked the caller ID before answering, “Brant.”

“Our female is in Sweetwater Hospital. She’s cramping and bleeding. Thankfully she had a human female call Stephany.”

If Zane’s heartbeat any faster, he was sure it would explode in his chest. “Where are you?” He growled forcing his fingers to release their hold on the phone.

“Stephany and I just left the castle.”

He pulled the device away from his ear. “Turn back,” Zane commanded Ross. “Step on it!” he yelled at his second’s confused stare in the rear-view mirror.

“I should get there ahead of you.” He said to Brant as he put the phone back to his ear.

“Zane…” It wasn’t lost on him how panicked Brant’s voice sounded. “Last we heard she was unconscious. The female who was with her called an ambulance which arrived as she was calling me. You might even make it to the emergency room before her.”

“I will be there soon.”

“They must do all it takes to save her.” Brant seemed to choke on the last words.

“Don’t jump to conclusions. I am sure that the humans know what they are doing.”

“She carries vampire young.”

Zane squeezed his eyes closed for a few seconds. “It is still early. Thinking along these lines will only drive us insane. I will call you when I get to the hospital.”

“Please tell her”—Brant made a sound of anguish—“Just make sure that you tell her…”

“Tell her yourself. I’ll call you when I get there.” He ended the call.

“Head for Sweetwater Hospital. Tanya is in trouble.”

Ross punched down on the gas. The already speeding vehicle lurched forward. His second spoke while keeping his eyes firmly on the road ahead. “Is it the…”

“I don’t want to start jumping to conclusions. She had pains and blacked out. Just get us there.”

Each minute in the back of the speeding vehicle felt like an eternity. Zane tried hard not to picture what might be going on with his female. What if she had started to scent of her pregnancy? If she had…he refused to think along those lines.

There was so little information on human/vampire pregnancies. All human pregnancies he’d ever known, not that there had been many, had all progressed without incident. Miscarriage, even among their species was rare. On those occasions when it did happen though, the female would suffer terribly. Vampire young, seemed to embed themselves securely into the womb lining. The further along the female, the greater the risk but the lower the chance of it happening.

Human females were both better at conceiving and birthing healthy young. It never crossed his mind that such a thing would befall his precious Ysnaar. He halted himself from this train of thought…best he take his own advice and stop speculating. Maybe it was something else. Maybe it wasn’t his fetus tearing away from her womb. Causing untold damage to his precious, delicate human.

He roared, the sound reverberating through the closed space. Griffin turned in his seat. “We will be there within a minute, my lord.” The young vampire’s eyes were filled with anguish and pity.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he growled. “She is going to make it. Do you hear me? My human is going to pull through this.”

Griffin swallowed hard, his mouth a thin white line, he nodded.

Minutes later they pulled up to Sweetwater Hospital. Zane pushed the door open and exited the still moving vehicle. Griffin followed while Ross parked. Automatic doors slid open as he approached the facility at a jog. The acrid scent of harsh cleaning chemicals hit him square on. Though it was the cloying smell of illness, death and decay that caused him to take a momentary, step back.

Breathing through his mouth, he headed down the hallway shouting Tanya’s name.

“Can I help you sir?” A tiny human female ran up next to him. “Please, sir.” She reached out and touched his arm.

“My female is hurt. She was brought here.” He slowed to a brisk walk looking into each of the rooms as he made his way down the long hall.

“Please stop, sir. I can help you.”

“Tanya Milan. Where is she?” He tried hard not to growl, knowing how it affected humans.

“Oh.” Her eye’s widened.

“Don’t be afraid.”

“You’re referring to the young lady who was brought in just a few minutes ago. The doctors are busy with her. I need to ask you to come with me please, sir.” She put a hand on his arm, her mouth was a grim line.

Looking down at where their flesh made contact, he growled low and deep. The female gasped, she snapped her hand away and took a small step back.

Smart human.

“Take me to my female and do it now.”

The female sucked in a deep breath. “I can’t. Like I said earlier, the doctors are busy with her, we don’t want to disturb them while they work. It would be bad for”—she cleared her throat—“your female if we did. Please come with me, I don’t want to have to call security. We’re doing the best that we can. I’ll let them know you are here so that someone can come and talk to you.” Her eyes were wide and pleading.

Zane could take out their puny human security with one hand tied behind his back. Unfortunately he had to trust that the humans knew what they were doing, that they would save Tanya. The last thing he wanted to do was to place her in harm’s way by disturbing the very people trying to make her well.

Zane took a deep calming breath. He nodded. “I will do as you say, but someone will come and tell me what is going on. Know that I am not a patient man.”

“I understand, sir. Follow me.” She led him back down the hall, turning right before they hit the entrance, stopping at one of several glass cubicles. Within the glass confine were seats which he ignored, choosing to pace instead. Griffin and Ross took up standing positions on either side of the entrance.

“Um, sir.” The human looked up at him. He locked eyes with her. “There is a cafe down the hall,” she gestured in the opposite direction to the one he’d taken earlier. “If you’d like some coffee or…” She let the sentence die as he narrowed his eyes. “I’ll let the doctors know you’re here.” 

As soon as she left, he withdrew his cell phone and dialed Brant.

“I just pulled up,” Brant said.

“It stinks, so you will struggle to pick up my scent.” Zane gave him directions to the glass cubicle and hung up.

Seconds later Brant strode into the small space York, Xavier and Stephany on his tail. “Where is she?” he growled.

“How is she?” Stephany asked. Zane knew by her red rimmed eyes that the unflappable female had been crying. It unnerved him.

“I am waiting to hear,” he answered simply.

“Fuck that,” Brant ground out. “We need to find her right now.” His eyes had a crazed look. Take anger, frustration and an extra dose of fear and Brant was the end result. Zane only hoped that he looked more stable, because he sure as freaking hell didn’t feel of sane mind.

“They are sending one of their healers to inform us of the situation,” Zane added.

Brant’s already tense frame roped and bulged as his hands pulled into fisted knots at his side. “These humans are fucked in the head if they think I’ll stand by while my female…” His jaw worked, “I swear to God if anything happens to her…”

Zane’s chest constricted. His breathing hitched and he fought to control the growing panic. Not a feeling he was used to. “We need to wait, they are busy with her and cannot be disturbed. It could mean”—he took a deep breath—“disaster.”

“Tanya is a strong female,” Stephany sniffed. “She’ll get through this. I was with her yesterday and she did not scent.”

“She is a human and unmated at that,” Brant growled. “We fucked up. We didn’t protect our female. If she had been mated then she would have been stronger and there would’ve been less cause for concern. What have we done?”

Brant looked like he was on the verge of breaking down. If that happened then blood would flow. Human blood.

Zane grabbed him by the bicep. “We can make it up to her. We can make this right. Let’s wait to hear what the humans have to say before jumping to any conclusions.”

Brant had initially stiffened at the contact but as Zane spoke, his shoulders slumped.

He dropped his head. “She has to make it,” he said on a ragged breath. “I need to tell her that…I need to speak to her tell her...” His chest heaved.

Stephany put an arm around his shoulders.

“We both do,” Zane said.

Brant raised his eyes and their gazes locked.

Someone cleared their throat behind them. They’d been in such deep conversation, so buried in grief, that they hadn’t heard the human approach. The others turned and Zane moved in next to Brant.

The human male looked to be in his forties. Dark hair greying at the temples, glasses and a white coat. “I’m Doctor Pollard.” He scented of their female. On the bottom hem of his coat was a single drop of blood. Zane struggled to take his eyes off the crimson reminder of how their female lay fighting for her life.

“Are you friends or family of the patient?”

“Her name is Tanya and we’re family,” Stephany answered for them.

“Nurse Michelle mentioned that a man was trying to see the pat…Miss Milan a little earlier, are you”—he cleared his throat—“the father of her baby?” He looked in their general direction.

“Yes,” both he and Brant answered, both stepping forward.

The doctor’s eyes widened in momentary surprise before he masked his emotions. “Which one is it gentlemen? Biology dictates that it can’t be both.”

Brant sucked in a breath between clenched teeth. Zane could feel the tension radiate off the male.

“Tanya is mated to both of us. We are both responsible for her…condition. Continue,” Zane said somehow managing to keep his voice even.

“Mated?” The doctor lifted his eyebrows.

“Understand that Zane and Brant are the vampire kings and that Miss Milan is pregnant with a vampire child.”

The doctor’s jaw dropped open in an all-out gape. He lifted his hand and then dropped it again, opening and closing his mouth several times before he finally grunted something unintelligible.

“How is our female? Speak or die.” Brant growled, taking a step towards the human whose already pale complexion turned ghostly. The male took a fumbled step back but didn’t run like Zane expected him to.

“Stable, but she has lost a lot of blood.” He swallowed hard taking a second step back.

“Speak.” Zane felt his own patience wearing thin.

The human flinched.

“We won’t harm you,” Zane added.

“Unless our female dies, then all bets are off,” Brant’s voice had dropped several octaves.

The doctor sucked in a shaky breath. “I assure you that I will do everything in my power to keep Miss Milan alive.”

Zane nodded. “Continue.”

The male looked from Brant back to Zane. “The embryo still has a heartbeat, however it is erratic and very faint. I do not believe that Miss Milan will retain the pregnancy. My recommendation would be to remove the fetal sac before it can cause any more damage to her uterus lining. It is my professional opinion that Miss Milan is experiencing a very early stage miscarriage due to there being a problem with the developing embryo. It should have been a simple bleed with the sac coming away like a blood clot within a slightly heavier menstruation…my apologies for the graphics.” He blinked a few times while pushing his glasses back up on his nose. “You are vampires, which must explain the current complications Miss Milan is experiencing.”

“Our seed tends to embed itself deep into the female’s womb.”

“Ties in with what we could see on the scan.” He nodded a few times. “I recommend surgery to remove the embryo and to stop the hemorrhaging. Any further blood loss could be fatal. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

“Do it,” Brant said, his eyes narrowed at Zane.

“What does Tanya have to say about it?” Zane asked.

“We are keeping her sedated while attempting to stabilize her enough for the surgical procedure. I don’t want to wait too much longer though and will begin with the preparations for surgery as soon as you sign consent forms.”

“Tanya would want to decide for herself. Can we have five minutes with her?” Zane asked. They had made this mistake before with dire consequences.

The doctor shook his head. “I would recommend—”

“Please. It is not a decision we can make on behalf of our female.”

Brant breathed out a sigh, he shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. His jaw worked. “Fuck.” He snarled and the doctor stumbled backwards only just managing to keep himself upright by grabbing ahold of York.

Brant roared, anger and frustration etched in his facial expression. “You’re right,” Brant finally conceded.

“I don’t recommend this.” The doctor shook his head.

“Wake her up,” Zane growled. “We want to see our female within the next five minutes.”  The doctor nodded and walked away. He shook his head muttering to himself about what idiots vampires were and whether they thought the sun shone out their asses, which Zane really didn’t get. The healer obviously didn’t realize that vampires had excellent hearing.

“It’s too risky,” Stephany said. “But I agree that Tanya would want to decide.” She ran a hand through her blond hair. “I think that she will choose to keep the child.” She shook her head. “Regardless of the cost. I fear for her life.” Stephany’s eyes glinted with unshed tears.

“For what it’s worth, I agree with you and Brant. Tanya comes first.” Zane had to swallow down a lump that had formed in his throat. “She means everything to the future of our covens…to us.” He motioned between himself and Brant.

“As much as I hate risking our female’s life, Tanya would want to decide. We have to respect her. Honor her. We went behind her back once and I refuse to hurt her again.” Brant removed his hands from his pockets together with his cell phone. “I will contact Isla so that we can be in a better position to help Tanya to make the right decision.”

Zane nodded. Isla was a birthing female, the oldest and most experienced of both the covens. After a minute or two of conversation Brant ended the call, his face grave. Zane noticed how the other male’s hand shook. Adrenaline surged, the taste of fear so strong he had the urge to gag.

“Isla says that the doctor is right. Our female is showing all the signs of miscarriage.” Brant squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath. “Vampire females that scent, confirming a stronger embedding, are normally bedridden for several days after such an ordeal as this. Isla does not think that Tanya can survive.” His voice cracked and he pursed his lips for several long seconds. “Though she did concede that it does happen on the rare occasion that all the signs are there but the pregnancy holds.”

“We can make the final decision once we have spoken with our female. She may not scent.” Zane said.

“Make sure that you give her blood. Both of you. She will need it either way. It will give her a fighting chance. Might even help to save the baby.” Tears rolled down Stephany’s face. Zane wanted to grab a hold of her and force her to stop. It was like she had already decided that Tanya would not make it, which was unacceptable.

“I do not hold much hope for the child. Our female must come first.” Zane growled.

“Always.” Brant’s eyes narrowed.

 

****

 

Tanya sucked in a breath. Her throat was dry. Her head ached. A dull throb resonated from her abdomen. She tried to move but something tugged on her arm. When her eyes finally focussed, she saw the cause for her immobility. There was a snake on her arm. It stretched up and up. Gosh, it had a big water filled head. She tried to smile. Funny looking snake thingy.

“She might be a bit groggy for another minute or so. You have five minutes before she goes back under. Any longer and the pain will become too severe.”

Why would she be in pain? Had the snake bitten her? She tried to ask but her tongue refused to move.

“Ysnaar.” His deep voice caressed her, causing her insides to do back flips which…hurt. Damn that snake had gotten her for sure.

“Cenwein.” Make that double the back flips and another painful throb. Tanya ignored it, trying to smile, thankfully her lips responded. Turning her head, she managed to focus on the two trouble makers that had turned her life upside down. Although exactly why or how they had turned things upside down she couldn’t remember. Having said that, she knew there was something she should be really mad with them about. If that was the case then why the heck was she smiling at them? Maybe because she missed the hell out of them.

“Zane,” she croaked. “Brant,” sounding a little clearer.

“Shhhh, sweetness, don’t try and talk.”

“Did the snake bite me?” She needed to know what was wrong with her. It wasn’t a snake …no not a snake…but damned if she could remember.

Brant cracked a smile but she could tell it was forced. His eyes looked so sad. “Cenwein, something has happened. We don’t have much time.”

The throb in her belly increased and her memories came crashing back. The pain, the blood, the doctors at the hospital. “My baby.” She tried to move her hand to her belly but an IV was taped to her arm. Not a snake after all.

“Oh my God, my baby.” She sobbed. “Is it, is it…?” She could not bear to ask and felt her face crumple.

“Ysnaar. You are still pregnant. That monitor”—he pointed to a machine next to the bed, it had a green bouncing line—“shows that the baby still has a heartbeat.”

The line continued to bounce, Tanya took in a deep breath trying to slow her racing heart. Her baby was still okay. Wait just a freaking minute. Why did Brant’s throat work, which was something he did when he tried to push down his emotions? Zane’s eyes shone with unshed freaking tears.

“Am I dying or something?”

“No,” Brant growled.

“The doctors think that there might be something wrong with the fetus. It’s still very early in the pregnancy, Ysnaar.”

She shook her head. “It’s just stress. I’ll take it easy. We’ll be fine.”

“No it won’t, Cenwein. You carry a vampire. If the fetus continues to pull away from your womb it might kill you.”

“Stop calling our baby a fetus. We’re going to be fine.” Her heart raced and the dull ache turned into something more sinister, but she refused to let the pain show.

“Your doctor has advised that you should…we should have it removed. Our birthing healer agreed. You are showing all the signs. The blood loss and internal damage would be too much for you to survive. We cannot risk your life, Cenwein. You need to have an operation. Please try to understand,” Brant said, his eyes solemn, his skin taut with pain.

She shook her head. “Not happening.” Tanya tried to control her breathing, tried to keep herself from shouting. “Don’t let them touch my baby please, Zane.” She turned to face him. His eyes were grave.

“We don’t want anything to happen to you. There will be more children please, Ysnaar. We need to listen to the doctors. They don’t think the baby is going to make it.”

Pain tore through her. It hurt way worse than the physical pain. There was another gush between her legs and she suddenly felt faint.

“Your eyes are rolling back, Ysnaar.” She tried to fight the darkness, the dizziness. Had to stay awake. If she didn’t, then they would take her baby.

“Fuck. She needs blood. I’ll hold her head, use your fangs to break the skin on your wrist and feed her,” Brant growled.

Oh God, her baby. She had to convince them to save their unborn child. Tanya didn’t care that her pregnancy was so new. That at this point the little one would be a clump of forming cells. She was in and out of consciousness when she had first arrived at the hospital. One of her moments of clarity was when they had put a monitor on her belly. She had heard the distinct sound of the baby’s heartbeat, had seen the green line bouncing just now, evidence that her precious child still lived.

A heartbeat meant life. To her it represented their unborn child. He or she deserved a fighting chance. She didn’t care if she died trying because she certainly wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she didn’t at least give it her best shot. 

Stay awake.

She so needed to open her freaking eyes. If she could slap herself she would.

But as hard as she tried, she couldn’t get them to open. Something warm was put against her mouth. Wet and toasty. It trickled into her mouth and she swallowed.

Blood.

Delicious.

The energy burst was immediate. Not enough to fully rouse her but enough to allow her to close her lips on Zane’s skin, to suck down his life giving blood in tiny sips.

“Thank fuck,” Brant’s relieved voice registered in her tired mind.

“You should feed her too,” Zane said, his deep voice washed over her.

Brant made a sound of affirmation. Zane pulled away. She whimpered but the loss didn’t last long. From the scent, Brant’s skin touched her lips and she sucked greedily even managing to crack open her eyes. Her…the males stood close, a look of relief crossed Zane’s face.

“That’s it, Cenwein,” Brant whispered.

“That’s all the time I can give…” A male voice sounded from the far side of the room. Zane and Brant huddled together using their big bodies to block her from whomever it was that had just entered.

“One more minute.” Zane turned his head.

“I can’t possibly allow—”

Brant cut him off. “Get! Out!” he said on a vicious growl that had goose bumps rising on her arms.

“Fine, one more minute,” was the flustered reply. The door closed with a swoosh.

Tanya released Brant’s arm. She needed to talk to them about the baby. The fire in her belly increased. She moaned, feeling dizzy.

“Drink more,” Brant said.

“Save the baby,” she whispered.

“Drink, Cenwein. We can’t lose you.” His brow was creased. Tanya did as he said, knowing it was the only hope left for the new life that struggled inside her.

All too soon she heard the door swish. “We really need to prepare Miss Milan for surgery. It can’t wait. You are putting my patient at risk.”

As soon as she stopped drinking, the pain and dizziness returned. She could feel herself slipping. “Please.” She looked them both in the eye from one male to the other. “Our baby.” It was no use trying to fight it, but she did anyway. Her eyes fluttered closed. As she drifted further away she could still hear what they were saying.

“Her scent,” Zane’s voice cracked.

“I could scent the change when I first entered. The baby is killing her.”

“It’s faint, but there.”

“Fuck. I wish there was more we could do. I wish more than anything that there was another way.”

“We need to do what it takes to save our female.” She couldn’t make out who was talking anymore.

“She’ll never forgive us.”

No, she screamed, the sound in her own head. It looked as if she hadn’t managed to get through to them. They were going to let the doctors cut out her baby and there was nothing she could do about it.