Chapter Twenty-eight Lindy lay on the edge of their bed, curled in an almost fetal position. On the ride back home from the warehouse, she had started to feel dizzy and nauseous. At one point she asked him to pull over so she could vomit in the bushes next to the highway. Walking back to the car, she had weakly joked with Nathaniel about how strong the single daiquiri she had was. But instead of getting better, like she expected, now she was getting worse. Now she had a massive headache, and her kidneys felt sore in addition to the nausea. She whimpered, pulling herself into a tighter ball and tugging the sheet up more over her shoulder. Pacing the floor next to the bed like a caged tiger, Nathaniel looked worriedly at her as he waited on hold. With the telephone receiver cradled between his cheek and his shoulder, he frowned as he felt her feverish head. Something was obviously wrong...she hadn't gradually gotten sick. It was more like being hit by a truck. All of the sudden she'd been vomiting violently, until there was nothing left in her stomach to come up. The voice in his ear getting his attention, Nate scowled. "Yeah, I know she's with a patient--please tell her it's an emergency. Her niece is sick." Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he pushed her hair away from her face. "Lind, baby, what can I get you? Do you want some water?" Lindy shook her head, making a face and whimpering. She was thirsty, but didn't trust her stomach to keep anything down. "If you can't get through to Anne, try calling Michael at his office." He sighed heavily. "Just give her a minute more, okay?" She nodded, wincing as her head pounded. It was more like a few minutes when Anne's voice finally sounded on the phone. "Alex?" "No, Anne, this is Nathaniel." "What's wrong with Lindy?" "She just got really sick all of the sudden, vomiting, headache...actually whole body ache." "And it just came on suddenly?" "Yeah. One minute she seemed fine, and then she wasn't." "Well, I'd like to take a look at her but I have one more patient...oh, I'll reschedule it. Tell Lindy I'll be there soon." Nate breathed a sigh of relief. "Can you bring Michael, too? I'd like to have all of my bases covered." "All right, I'll give him a call right now. In the meantime, try to get some fluids into her so she doesn't get too dehydrated." "I will." "See you soon." He looked visibly relieved as he hung up the phone. "They'll be here soon, gorgeous. I'm going to go get you some water. I know you don't feel like having anything, but you need to have some. Doctor's orders." Lindy tried to nod, but only managed to move her head once. Nate ran downstairs and quickly filled a glass with water. He caught himself wanting to peel back the shades to see if Anne or Michael were there yet. Considering that it was one in the afternoon, that wouldn't be a good idea. Hurrying back upstairs, he placed the glass on the bedside table before helping Lindy sit up. "Here you go, Lind." She leaned heavily against him as he lifted the glass to her lips. She managed to swallow a mouthful and prayed that it would stay down. "I'm scared, Nate. I don't get sick like this," she whispered hoarsely. "I know, baby," he said, sitting down behind her and holding her against his chest. He kissed the top of her head, which felt awfully hot even through her hair. "I don't like it one bit either. I keep wondering what could've done it...can't be food poisoning because we both ate the same stuff." "But you didn't drink." "I hardly think one drink would get you this sick, Lind." Grabbing the glass of water, he held it to her lips and coaxed her to drink more. "You're only going to feel worse if you get dehydrated." "Worse than barfing it up?" He sighed. He couldn't really argue with that. [Damn it, hurry up!] He heard a knocking on the front door. Running to the top of the stairs he yelled down. "Anne? Michael? Door's open!" He backed around the corner as he saw the doorknob start to turn. He heard the door open and then shut again. "Nathaniel?" came Michael's voice. "Where are you?" Nate came back into sight when he was certain the door was shut. "Up here." He saw Lindy's uncle was still wearing a lab coat. He also carried a bag, presumably filled with the tools of his trade. Michael started climbing the stairs. "Anne paged me just as I finished my last scheduled patient. My partner is covering for the rest of the day. Now tell me what happened." "She got sick all of the sudden. One minute she was fine and then next she was puking every few seconds." As they walked down the hallway, Nate led Michael into the room. "Now she has a migraine and a fever. Aches everywhere. It can't be food poisoning because we ate the exact same things yesterday. The only thing different was her drink last night." "Drink?" "Yeah. She had a daiquiri. Said it tasted awfully sweet." Michael froze mid-step. "Sweet?" He didn't like the first thought that crossed his mind. "And how soon after that did she start throwing up?" "Maybe three, four hours." Nate didn't like the expression on Michael's face. "What is it?" Michael stepped into the room without answering him, putting down his case and opening it. "Lindy, honey, how you feel?" "Shitty," was her weak response. Michael reached down and checked her pulse, looking at her dilated eyes. "Hon, I'm going to have to take some blood." He prepped a syringe, still talking to her. "Nate said you had a daiquiri and it was really sweet?" "Yeah, but it smelled funny, a little off." She winced weakly as the needle penetrated her arm. Michael pulled back the plunger, watching the vial fill. "Off how?" "Just off. Like alcohol, but not one I was familiar with." Michael nodded, withdrawing the needle. He placed a cotton ball over the puncture and gestured to Nate. "Hold this for a few minutes, okay?" Nate looked at Lindy while Michael performed some sort of test. Lindy had shut her eyes and looked weaker than she had a few minutes ago. He jumped when Michael swore. "You got anything alcoholic?" Nate blinked at him, not understanding. "Huh?" Michael was now rummaging through the bag he brought, pulling out and discarding bottles. "Anything alcoholic, 200 proof if you've got it." "I'll go check." As he left the bedroom, he heard Michael pick up the phone. "Anne, it's Mikey. Get up here now and bring some Antizol with you." He didn't know what the hell Antizol was, but it sounded bad...especially from Michael's tone. Racing down the stairs, Nate ran towards the kitchen. Halfway there, he realized the most potent alcohol he had in the house wasn't wine but rubbing alcohol. He hurried into the bathroom, grabbing the plastic bottle, frowning as he saw it was only half full. Still it was better than nothing. He took the stairs three at a time to get back to the bedroom. "Will this work?" Michael turned, glancing at the bottle in his hand. "Well, I'd rather it was vodka or something but I guess it'll have to do." "Is she--" he choked on the words, "gonna be okay?" "I'm not going to lie to you, Nathaniel. Antifreeze consumption is never good." "Antifreeze!" "That's what I suspect. Where were you when she had the drink?" "At my brother's wedding." "You'd better call him. He needs to get in contact with his guests and make sure no one else was affected." "He's going on his honeymoon today..." He remembered Lindy saying something about a guest list. "I'll need to call someone in his office." Reaching for the phone, he paused. "Does she need to go to a hospital?" "I want to avoid that if we can. Her vitals look human, but if you start taking a close look at her blood chemistry, it's clear she's not." Nate started dialing the phone. "Come on, pick up!" When the answering machine came on, he slammed down the receiver. He tried calling Anton's receptionist as well, with equal results. "He's not answering and I'll bet he's shut down the business for the day." Michael had finished setting up the IV, and was adding the rubbing alcohol to a glass of water. "Try again in a little while. It's important that we reach everyone at that reception." Both men looked towards the front of the house when they heard a pounding on the door. "That'll be Anne. I'll go get her." Nate sat down on the bed, his head hung low, looking slightly sickened himself. [Who would do this to her?] The thought was more than disturbing. Antifreeze didn't accidentally get spilled in her drink. Whomever put it there was one sick individual. He glanced over at Lindy, who was drinking a slightly watered-down glass of alcohol. She looked like she was going to gag...or worse. "I'm so sorry, baby." She managed to squeeze his hand, although weakly. They both turned their heads as Anne entered the room, already getting the Antizol solution ready. She didn't say a word as she hooked up the IV, but she looked more than concerned. Which only made Nate worry even more. He stood up and moved out of the way as she prepared to insert the needle. "Mikey, Nate, have either of you called Jess by any chance?" Anne asked. "She, Walter and Alex really should know what's going on. They might even be able to help." "Damn. Why didn't I think of that?" Michael picked up the phone and started dialing his sister. While he briefed his sister as to Lindy's condition, Nate continued to stroke her hand. "I'm going to find who did this to you, baby," he promised. "And they're going to wish they hadn't hurt you." Eventually Michael hung up the phone, looking more than a little relieved. "What did she say?" Anne asked. "Actually, I spoke with Alex. He seemed to know a lot more about the medical side." He checked Lindy's pulse. "According to him, as long as it's not silver, it won't kill her. That doesn't mean that she won't wish she was dead at some point though." "How soon do we know if she was exposed to silver as well?" "If she had, Nate, she'd be dead already. Alex thinks what'll happen is she'll keep trying to heal, like she would from any injury, over the next few hours. But until the poison clears from her system, she'll keep crashing like this." Anne raised her eyebrows. "So we should stop treatment." "No. He said we should continue to support her and try to aid her healing." He passed a tired hand over his forehead. "Lindy'll live. The next 24 hours will be rough on her though." Nathaniel let out an audible gulp, burying his face in Lindy's hair. [Oh, thank God!] As much as he didn't want to see her in pain, he was so damned glad she wasn't going to die that he could've done a jig. [Thank God for werewolves.] He almost laughed at that last though, but managed to stifle it. He kissed her on the head again, over and over, holding her so tightly that she squeaked. Loosening his grip, he said, "I'm sorry, baby. I'm gonna get you through this, I promise." Lindy whispered something before slipping into unconsciousness. Nate's eyes went wide, and Michael leaned over to comfort him. "Alex said to expect this, and I've seen Jess do it when she's hurt herself. She's just asleep, conserving her strength so she can heal faster." "No, it's not that." He stood up and went to the phone, redialing Anton's number. "She just reminded me where she got that drink from." "What do you mean?" Anne asked. "She didn't order it. Whoever spiked it, it wasn't meant for her." He turned his attention to the phone, slamming it down when no one answered. "Damn it!" "What are you talking about, Nate?" "She didn't order it. Bryn did" He had a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach. Oh, it made too much sense, and would be just like Natasha to strike back this way. "It was meant for Bryn." John's family had shown up around 7pm, and stayed for a few hours, leaving Anton and Bryn with little time to get to the airport. It had been nice to talk with her brother, seeing as he was leaving in the morning and she didn't know when she'd see him again. She'd missed them all so much...but in their hurry to get to their flight, Bryn hadn't been able to thank Lindy and Nathaniel for all of their hard work on the wedding. Just after take-off, she sat impatiently in her seat, anxious to reach for the phone. Unfortunately, the pilots didn't allow the use of cell phones in flight, and it would be several more minutes before the phone on board would be cleared for use. Turning to Anton, she swallowed heavily. "My ears won't pop." "Got some gum?" "No." "Yawning is supposed to work, too." "Well, I can certainly manage that after not sleeping for two days straight." She gave him a little grin. "Hopefully I can catch a nap in the next few hours." Anton grinned back. "Well, if you insist on sleeping, my dear, I guess I can try to keep my hands off of you." Bryn grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him close to her. "Don't you dare." Anton closed the distance between them, kissing her deeply. When her hand let go of his shirt to caress it instead, he moaned softly. He was about to ask if she was interested in joining the mile high club when the pilot's voice came over the speaker system, announcing they were at their cruising altitude. Anton pulled back with a soft sigh. "You wanted to call Lindy and Nathaniel, right?" "Yes." She gave a deep sigh. "But now I'm too comfortable to move. This is only the second time I've flown first class." He smirked at her. "They do bring the phone to you, you know. You don't have to move anywhere." "Oh." She watched patiently as he got the flight attendant's attention and asked him for a phone. The man nodded, pausing to refill Anton's Champagne and Bryn's orange juice before hurrying towards the front. "It's a good thing I'm not overly fond of the taste of Champagne, or I'd be jealous." "Do you want something else to drink?" "No. I think I'll run in and pee before that guy comes back." He shook his head and watched her scurry towards the bathroom, for what had to be the ninth time today. He supposed he should get used to it, at least for six months or so...but that idea of joining the Mile High club still lingered. Drawing his attention, the flight attendant came back with the phone. Directions for operation were written on the back. "Just ring when you're finished, sir." "Thank you." He dialed the warehouse office number first. "Hello Michelle. Is Lindy there?" "No, boss. Her husband called in for her saying she's sick." "Really?" He grinned. Here he was, not even gone one night, and she was already playing hooky. He followed up with Michelle on some odds and ends on his itinerary and then hung up. Intending to tease Lindy, he dialed her number next. But the smile fell off his face when he heard the stress in Nathaniel's voice. "What's wrong?" Nate didn't answer her question. "Is Bryn okay? Is she with you?" He glanced down the aisle towards the bathroom. "Yes. She's fine. What's wrong?" He let out a sigh, murmuring something in the background before turning his attention to the phone once more. "That drink she gave Lindy was laced with antifreeze." "What?" Several of the passengers around him stared openly after his outburst. He ignored them. "How...how is she?" "She's really sick. She pretty much feels like she's dying, but luckily since it wasn't silver she'll live." Anton heard moaning in the background, like those of a woman giving birth. Nathaniel dropped the phone and he heard footsteps running, then retching. [Jesus.] He looked up to see Bryn walk out of the bathroom and tried wipe all expression from his face. [Damn it, Nathaniel, pick up the phone!] "Hello?" Picking up the extension once more, Nathaniel was out of breath as he said, "She's on Antizol, but it's not helping a whole lot. Michael and Anne seem to think she'll feel a little better tomorrow...but considering they way she looks and feels right now, a little isn't going to help her." Not wanting to worry Bryn, he started speaking Russian so he could still talk freely. "Who did this?" "Who do you think?" Nathaniel snapped back, speaking English. He then sounded a bit sheepish and apologetic. "Look, Bryn's probably safe for another day or two. But when Natasha figures out that her plan didn't work, she'll try something else." Anton stood up to let Bryn back into her window seat. "I'll keep an eye out," he said, still speaking in Russian. "Good. I'll call you if anything changes... oh shit! She's having a seizure! Gotta go!" Anton hung up the phone, frowning thoughtfully. He turned and looked at Sabryn, who was staring at him with an arched eyebrow. "What was that about?" Anton hesitated. He didn't know exactly what to tell her. "Lindy's not feeling well." His answer sounded weak even to him. She narrowed her eyes at him. "And where is she, Moscow?" She crossed her arms. "Spill it, Anton. You're as bad a liar as I am." Tapping the phone against his forehead, he groaned. "Lindy's really sick. Really, really sick. That drink you gave her last night wasn't alcoholic." "What was it? Is she allergic to something?" "No...she was poisoned." "Poisoned? I didn't put anything in that drink--" "No, Bryn," he said, covering her hand with his, "it wasn't something you put there...it was put there by someone else, and intended for you." She stared at him blankly, her lips slightly parted. She was silent for a long time, her gaze moving over his face. "O-On my wedding day?" Anton nodded, tightening his grip on her hand. "Oh my God...." She sank a little further into the seat. "Lindy's okay, right?" "At the moment, no she's not. But she should be in another day or so." Anton put his arm around her, pulling her close. "As heartless as it sounds, Bryn, we were all lucky. Lindy will make a full recovery because of what she is. But if you had taken that drink..." He swallowed hard. "And if you had survived, there's a good chance our child wouldn't have." Bryn leaned her forehead against his shoulder. "Anton, who did this?" He didn't answer and she looked up into his eyes. "You've got an idea of who it was, so tell me." Anton's face was expressionless. He was hesitant to say her name, as if that would summon her like a demon. When he did speak, his voice was just above a whisper. "Natasha." "That bitch!" Once again, everyone else in first class turned to stare. "I'll kill her!" "Shh. That isn't exactly the kind of thing you want to scream in a crowded jet." She lowered her voice, but not the menace contained within. "I wonder how much it would cost to commission a specially made rosewood stake..." She raised her eyebrows. "I could even have my name engraved on it, so everyone would know who finally got rid of that harpy." "Well, Sabryn the vampire slayer, I'll whittle you the stake myself." He rested his cheek on her head. Something would have to be done about Natasha, before she tried something even deadlier. But what? They clearly couldn't live in fear, always wondering what would happen next. Lifting up the arm rest between them, Sabryn scooted closer to him and rested her hand on his stomach. He could feel her trembling slightly. "Maybe we should forget Europe and go home." "No," he said, stroking her hair. "It might not be safe for you to be home now." That only made her shake all the more. "I hate this. I'm s-scared, Anton." He held her tight. "I am too, Bryn," he admitted. "But I think it's best that we continue on as planned. If we go home, she'll know she's got us running scared." Damn it, he wasn't going to play the victim... Victim. Anton smiled. Not his warm, friendly one, but a cool, predatory one. Bryn looked at him, concerned. "What is it, Anton?" "Bryn, I think I might have just figured out a way to get Natasha out of our lives once we get back home." Even an hour after checking into the Plaza, Bryn still couldn't shake the uneasy feeling. Although Anton had told her about his idea for getting rid of Natasha, and she liked it, she worried it wouldn't be enough. Someone like Natasha would probably find a way to torment them, even if her hands were tied. She was surrounded by luxury and she couldn't even enjoy it. After washing her face in the bathroom, she looked in the mirror and frowned. She looked hopelessly pale and sorrowful. [Damn her! She's ruining everything!] Gritting her teeth, she decided she'd be damned if she'd let Natasha destroy her honeymoon. Shutting off the light, she walked back into the bedroom, her ice-blue silk nightgown brushing against her calves, her hair freshly brushed. Anton lifted the remote control and switched off the television as she approached. "Feeling any better?" "Kind of...not really." "You're still worried that it won't work." He sat up on the bed and reached a hand out to her. "Don't worry. It will. And it will buy us some time." She took it, letting him pull her down on the bed beside him. "But what if--" "No 'what ifs' Bryn. That's for me to worry about." A playful glint appeared in his eyes. "Besides, you should be more worried about what I'm going to do to you." "But--" "Uh-uh," he said, covering her lips with his finger. Once she was silent, he replaced the touch with his own lips. She let out a soft moan, opening her mouth to his kiss. Lowering her to the bed, he could still feel her shaking. He ran his hand up and down her side, dragging her nightgown up a little higher with each pass. She held on to him tightly, as if afraid he might disappear. Unfortunately, he was more worried that she would. Pulling back to meet her gaze, he took in the flushed glow on her cheeks and the lazy droop of her eyelids. Just the effects he'd been hoping to create. "You taste so good." She blinked at him. "Orange juice." "No, I don't think so. Let me try that again." His tongue passed over her again, tasting. He continued to sweep his hands up and down her sides, pulling the gown even further up. "It's not the orange juice I'm tasting," he said with a grin. He nipped along her jaw line, pausing to lap at her earlobe. "But it sure is addictive." One hand slid along her skin on her chest, slipping under her gown to cup her breast. She moaned, arching up against his hand, her thigh sliding up his and resting against his hip. She kissed him again, more actively, her fingers combing through his hair. By touch alone, he slid down the strap of her nightgown until her breast was fully exposed, rubbing his thumb around her nipple, brushing his fingers against her side. Shivering, she pulled away from his kiss and pressed her cheek against his shoulder. She hoped he hadn't noticed the fear written all over her face. It had been shocking to hear about Lindy's poisoning on the plane, but now that she was so intensely reminded of what she had to lose she had to blink the tears out of her eyes. Her friend, her husband, her child, her family...she'd lose everything, most importantly her life. And she didn't want to leave him. Just the thought of what might happen to him if she died terrified her. He continued to stroke her nipple. Gently he kissed her ear, burying his nose in her hair and inhaling deeply. "I'm not going anywhere, Bryn, and neither are you." He slowly began to drag the other side of her gown over her shoulder, baring her other breast. Repositioning himself on his knees between her legs, he gently began to rub her breasts in light opposing circles. She sniffled, then whimpered, turning her head to the side and closing her eyes. She tried to imagine they were in some far away place, somewhere no one could find them, safe from the world. And as he continued touching her, it actually started to work. Her face slowly became hot, a flush spreading down her neck and across her chest. She opened her legs a little wider, scooting down to get closer to him. Her nightgown bunched around her waist, leaving her almost completely nude. She licked her lips and let out a low heartfelt moan. [That's right, Bryn,] he silently encouraged. [Let me worry about Natasha.] Deciding he had enough of thinking of Natasha as well, he bent down to kiss just beneath Bryn's left breast. His hand slid under her back, holding her close, while Anton slowly licked a single spiral from the base of her breast all the way to her tight nipple. Once there, he closed his lips around it and sucked hard. He smiled as she squirmed beneath him. With one last gentle nip, he then repeated the process on her right breast, letting out his own heartfelt moan of appreciation. She lifted her hands to his chest, rubbing across his pectoral muscles, tracing his collarbones with her thumbs. It was a somewhat awkward reach with him bent over her, so she pivoted her hands around until her fingers were splayed over his ribs. Since he was making her feel so good, she decided to return the favor. Rubbing his nipples with her thumbs, pinching them lightly, flicking them with her fingers. "Mmmmm..." He continued to suckle, pulling on her nipple with his lips as he rolled his thumb over her other nipple, mimicking her motion on him. Lapping his way back up to her mouth, he continued to fondle her, planting kisses and love bites on her neck and chin. Tilting her head downwards, he whispered into her ear. "I want inside of you, Bryn." "Yes. Please." She spread her legs a little wider, giving him room to move as he started shoving his boxers down. The second his cock was exposed, she reached out to touch him, stroking the length of him, brushing his balls with her knuckles. She watched his face as his eyes closed, his breathing becoming more labored. "I'm a little surprised we ever get out of bed, Anton." Boxers finally off, he spread her legs a little wider. "If I could have my way, Bryn, we never would." He gently rubbed his fingers over her sex, spreading her moisture around before sinking his cock into her. He didn't move just yet, but lay on her, savoring the feel of her surrounding him. Wrapping her legs around him, she pulled him tight against her and let out a sigh. Maybe it would sound cliched to others, but she felt complete when making love with Anton. Like two pieces of a puzzle coming together. He was her missing half, her soul mate. She was absolutely sure of it. She pressed a kiss to his temple, hoping he had some idea of how much she loved him. Hoping she could spend an eternity showing him. He pushed up on his elbows so he could look at her face. "You are so beautiful, Bryn, my dear," he whispered, stroking her hair back from the forehead. It wasn't just her physical beauty he admired, but the beauty of her spirit as well, a gentleness and grace that touched the very core of him. He didn't know how he was so lucky to end up married to her for all time, he hoped. He softly kissed her lips, and began to move his hips. Opening her mouth to deepen the kiss, she slid her hands down to rest on his ass. She wasn't quite sure why she still blushed every time he told her she was beautiful. Maybe because he was the first person to ever tell her that. Or maybe it was because he had it all wrong...he was the beautiful one in their relationship. She loved looking at him, watching him move, making him smile. Especially the way he looked when he was overcome with love for her. That had to be his most beautiful expression of all. Feeling him hit a sensitive spot, she let out a gasp as she pulled away from his mouth. "Ooh, that feels so good." He repeated the slight twist with his thrust. "Right there, my dear?" He knew that he had done it right when she gave a soft whimper, her muscles tightening further around his cock. It wasn't the full spasm of an orgasm, but enough to make him gasp. "God, Bryn! Do that much more and this will be over." She grinned at him and tightened her muscles even more, creating an almost pained look on his face. He reached down to pull her thigh up tight against him, speeding up his thrusts, grinning at her in return as she sucked in a sharp breath and bit her lip. She squeezed her hand between them, lightly stroking her clit in time to his movements, moaning a bit with each breath, feeling her orgasm beckoning. He groaned, feeling her body's reaction to the stimulation. One hand rubbed at her breast as he thrust a little harder, trying to gain that final fraction of an inch. Her muscles clinging to him quickly proved too much. And when she started trembling beneath him, he felt himself explode, pouring his soul into her. "Ah, God..." She shuddered, grinning as she felt the warmth flooding her, seeing little starbursts pop before her eyes. She gave a few last thrusts of her hips against him, squeezing him inside of her, before going limp beneath him. She closed her eyes as he did the same, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, feeling contented. "I love you, Anton. Thank you for making me feel better." He gently stroked her hair, nuzzling her ear. "I love you too, my dear. And I will always do my utmost to make you feel better." Pushing up a bit, he looked at the clock radio beside the bed. "One AM, Bryn. Would you like to order something from room service? Watch a movie? Just fall asleep in each other's arms?" "Hmm...how about we order something. I, for one, would die for a big ham and cheese omelette with hash browns and sourdough toast. Oh, and some hot cocoa!" She grinned. "Then maybe we can fall asleep in each other's arms afterwards?" "Both sound absolutely delicious to me, my dear." Nathaniel sat on the bed, holding Lindy's hand and watching her sleep. She had been slipping in and out of consciousness for the last few hours, something that Anne and Michael had reassured him was normal. Thankfully, she hadn't had any more seizures. They had discontinued the Antizol since they were now out of the period where it would be useful. He heard the front door open and then shut, and voices in the living room. Michael had said that he would stop by in the late afternoon to check on Lindy, but it was just past sundown now. But he didn't expect to hear two voices, one male, one female. [That's not Anne,] he thought. Squeezing Lindy's hand one last time, he walked to the top of the stairs and looked into the darkened living room. His jaw dropped when he saw who was standing there. [What's she doing here?] "Um, hi Mom." Taking in Nathaniel's surprised look, Jess cocked her head at her brother, shooting him a half-glare. "You didn't tell them I was coming?" Michael smiled weakly. "Um, Nate? Jess called to say she'd be coming to help out for a few days." "Uh...ok. We'll have to work out something about sleeping arrangements, but it shouldn't be a problem. Come on up." He waited as they climbed the stairs. Seeing that Jess looked ready to burst into the room, he said, "She's sleeping right now. But you can go in and see her." "How is she?" He rubbed his tired eyes, then ran his hand over his head to smooth his hair. "She's...she hasn't been up for anything to eat or drink. She said it felt like she had to pee, so I helped her into the bathroom, but nothing came out. She's vomited at least five times. I'm hoping that will help her instead of hurt her." He motioned them to follow him. "She looks pretty bad, but she's resting...much better than the seizures from a while ago." Jess nodded. "And how are you doing, Nathaniel? You don't look so good yourself." Nate brushed off her concern. "I'm just tired. I spent most of the day up, and I haven't fed yet. Too busy taking care of her." "Well, that's one of the reasons I'm here. Let's go check on Lindy, okay?" All three went into the bedroom. Nate took a seat on an overstuffed chair, leaving Michael and Jess plenty of room around the bed. Displacing Lindy's gray cat, Jess sat down on the bed, taking Lindy's hand. "How long has she been sleeping?" "Not long," Nate answered. He yawned again, picking up Montel from the floor and letting the cat sit in his lap. He reasoned that now that Jess and Michael were here, he could rest his tired eyes a bit...but he'd stay awake so he could answer any questions they had. Or so he thought. Five minutes later, he had crashed. Jess and Michael were quietly discussing Lindy, Jess confirming some of his diagnoses by smell. Michael turned to talk to Nathaniel and then nudged Jess when he saw the vampire was asleep. Jess shook her head, smiling gently and picked up one of the blankets folded at the foot of the bed. Carefully she tucked the blanket around him. Both quietly left the room. The man yawned as he opened the door to his home, pocketing his keys. After a long day at work, and an even longer night of trying to pick up girls in a bar, he was more than ready to go to sleep. He turned on a lamp as he walked through the apartment, calling softly for his cat. It was unusual when Gus didn't meet him at the door meowing, but he didn't think too much of it. The cat was probably asleep. Heading to his bedroom, he was reaching for the light switch on the wall when he noticed a set of eyes glowing in the dark. For a moment, it seemed absolutely normal...until his cat suddenly stood up, over five feet tall. He reached inside his jacket for his switchblade as he reached for the light switch. The eyes that seemed to glow unnaturally in the darkness became human blue eyes as he looked at the redheaded woman standing in his bedroom. The redheaded woman who had paid him heavily to slip a little something extra into the drink of the bride at that wedding he worked as bartender a few nights ago. He hadn't asked what it was, and she hadn't told him. "Shit! What the hell are you doing here?" She stared levelly at him, before tossing her hair over her shoulder. "You've been a very naughty boy." "What are you talking about?" Natasha grinned, her fangs showing. She'd been expecting to hear news from her friend in Anton's warehouse that her former lover was terribly distraught over the death of his new wife. The words never came. Intent on finding what happened, she'd called her informant herself and asked if anything unusual had happened after the wedding. Nothing at all was amiss...until it was mentioned that Anton's pet bitch had called in sick. "You poisoned the wrong woman, Derek." He took a step back. [Damn! She's got pointy teeth!] "Wrong woman? I don't know what you're talking--" "Don't lie to me! The maid of honor ended up with the drink, not the bride." "Hey! I can't help it if the waiter screwed up the order!" "But it was your responsibility to see she got it, Derek." Although she was a head shorter than he was, she exuded a menace that made him want to wet his pants. "And people who shirk their responsibilities upset me." She began stalking towards him, those wicked teeth gleaming, and he couldn't stand his ground any longer. Turning, he ran into the living room, knocking over furniture behind him, trying to slow her down. But she caught him, as if she'd flown right over the obstacles in her path. Knocking him to the floor, she struggled to pin him. He fought wildly, trying to buck her off, eluding her grasp, biting her arm as it drew near. But no matter what he did, she was always stronger. Slamming her fists down on his back, she knocked the wind out of him. Gasping for air, he gave one last desperate attempt to get away, but was helpless. He felt her wrench his head to the side, her warm breath against his neck... And then a sharp agonizing pain as she bit right into his neck. He howled, or tried to, but it came out choked. He felt blood draining from him, his life slipping away, then nothing. Total peace. She drained him completely, sucking voraciously until there was nothing left. She stood back up, flipping her hair back into place. She let out a deep breath. "That's one problem taken care of." Stepping over the body, she almost jumped when the marmalade tabby hissed at her. "Oh, you must be Gus." She knelt down to pet the cat. She'd always had an affection for cats. "I'm sorry, little one. But your master didn't do the job I hired him for. But then I guess if you want a job done right, you have to do it yourself." She scratched the cat idly behind its ears. "I'll let Anton think his precious new wife is safe for a while. Let him think that I can't touch him while he's in Europe. But when he returns..." She smiled, eyes flaming bright. She opened her eyes cautiously, expecting to feel sharp pain piercing her brain. Squinting, she did feel a dull ache in her head but nothing close to what she'd been feeling earlier. Her body still ached, but that wasn't surprising after the seizures Nate had told her she'd experienced. She sat up slowly, wary of nausea, a slight dizziness making her sway. All in all, she felt like crap...but at least she didn't still feel like she'd fallen into hell. Glancing over to see her husband sleeping on the chair, the cat in his lap, sleeping as well, she smiled. She'd thought she heard her mother's voice earlier, but she was nowhere to be found. Strangely, she felt a little hungry...for the first time in almost 24 hours. And more amazingly, she had a strong urge to use the bathroom. Not wanting to bother Nate when he was sleeping so soundly, she quietly tried to get out of bed. The mattress squeaked as she shifted her weight. His head shot up, his eyes groggy as he looked at her. "Where're you goin'?" "I need to use the bathroom." He got up and set the cat down on the abandoned chair. Yawning as he walked towards her, he helped her out of the bed. Her legs were a little shaky, and she felt dizzy, but she managed to walk mostly unaided. He walked with her into the bathroom, making sure she was all right before leaving and closing the door behind him. As she lifted the lid on the toilet, she could hear him walk down the stairs and tell someone that she was awake. She sat down and did her business. It was a relief to be able to go, even if it wasn't much. She flushed the toilet, washed her hands, and splashed water on her face. She looked into the mirror, making a face when she saw her matted, dirty hair. [I need a shower.] But right now she wanted to get back into bed and get something to eat. She opened the bathroom door, and was surprised to see Jess as well as Nate standing there. "Mom?" "Hey, Lindy," Jess said. She reached out to help her daughter back to the bed. "You're looking a lot better." "I don't feel half-dead anymore," she murmured. Jess held her arm as they walked into the bedroom and she climbed back into the warm bed. "I'm hungry." Nate looked surprised at that. "Um...how about some chicken soup?" She nodded, then winced as the room spun slightly. Nate stared at her for a moment before leaving them alone and going to get her soup. Sitting down on the bed, Jess smiled. "He's worn himself out worrying about you. I was a little surprised he didn't fall asleep standing up." Lindy smiled back. "Yeah, but then the cat wouldn't be able to lay on him. Nate can't seem to sleep anymore unless someone is laying on him." "Somehow I think he'd prefer it be you than the cat." Jess patted Lindy on the hand. "God, Lindy, what happened? When Mikey called me, I thought that somehow the experiment started again." "No, it hasn't." Lindy shook her head. "And I wasn't the target. I think Bryn was." "Bryn?" Jess shook her head, confused. "Why would anyone want to hurt her? She sounds like a sweet kid." "Because she's Anton's wife." She paused, sighing. "There's a woman, a vampire, from Anton and Nathaniel's past. She doesn't want to see Anton find happiness with anyone else. She tried to kill Bryn and her baby. They'd both be gone now if Bryn hadn't smelled something alcoholic in her drink." "Jesus," Jess whispered. "Is this woman the one that left Anton for Nate?" "Yeah, but they seem to have gotten past that." She smiled tiredly. "Nate was actually the best man at the wedding." "Really? Will miracles never cease." "What miracles?" Both Jess and Lindy looked at the door, where Nathaniel now stood, holding a tray with a steaming bowl of soup on it. "Oh, the little ones. Like the fact that I was able to convince Alex and Walter to stay in DC. They've probably worn a track in the rug in front of the phone waiting for me to call, so I better go do that." She stood up with one last pat to Lindy's hand. She slipped past Nate with a smile and a nod, leaving the two of them alone. Settling down facing Lindy, he placed the tray down on her lap and lowered the pedestal feet so it could stand on its own. "I brought you some 7-Up and crackers too, just in case you feel nauseous again." Reaching up, he smoothed down her hair. "If you want to take a shower later, I'll help you." She gave him a little smirk. "I bet you will." The smile he gave her in return was somewhat droopy, like his eyelids. "I'm sorry I kept you awake, Nate." "Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you're feeling better. Hopefully you'll feel even better tomorrow." He was silent for a moment, his expression turning to a scowl. "I'm going to get her for doing this to you, Lind. I'll make her pay for even thinking about hurting you, or Anton and Bryn." She leaned back against the pillows. She didn't want to talk revenge now. That would wait until she felt better. She picked up the spoon and managed to take a few mouthfuls before tiring out. Nathaniel put the tray to one side, stroking her hair. "Why don't you get some rest?" Lindy nodded, allowing Nate to tuck her back into bed. She shut her eyes as he blew her a kiss from the doorway before going downstairs. She felt sore and tired and achy, but grateful to be alive. Anton sat impatiently against the headboard, watching Sabryn sleep. Despite the fact that it was afternoon, he was wide awake. And bored off his ass. He'd switched on the television to entertain himself, but all he could find was soap operas and pay-per-view movies he'd already seen. He contemplated waking up his wife and making love to her again, but she looked so peaceful lying there that he didn't have the heart to disturb her. With a groan, he got off the bed and walked out to the sitting area of the suite. Picking up the phone, he dialed the number to Nathaniel's house. Chances were, with Lindy sick, Nathaniel would be awake as well. The phone rang four times and he was just about to hang up before the answering machine kicked in when someone picked it up. "Adrik residence," came the female voice. It took him a few seconds to place the voice. "Jess?" "Oh, hi Anton." Jess sounded tired. "What are you doing up? Can't sleep?" "Yes, and from the sounds of it neither have you. How's Lindy?" Jess's voice perked up a bit. "She's doing a lot better. Her system's returning to normal, but I'll spare you the messy details." "I appreciate that, Jess. And you couldn't wait to play the meddling mother in law, couldn't you?" "Bite me, Anton." The words were delivered with an edge that was playful rather than hateful, reminding Anton exactly where Lindy got her sense of humor. "Let me hand you over to Nathaniel. I'm assuming you wanted to talk to him as well." "Yes, please." There was a slight pause and muffled sounds as the phone was handed over. "Hello, Nathaniel?" "Anton?" His voice sounded even more scratchy and weak than Jess's had. "What's up?" "I wanted to check in and make sure things are okay." Nathaniel yawned. "Better than yesterday, but she can still barely walk or eat. I swear, the moment she's recovered enough to be by herself, I'm hunting Natasha down and making her pay." Anton couldn't help the slight trace of amusement in his voice. "If you do, you'll cheat Sabryn out of the chance to do that herself." Sobering, he said, "Look, don't do anything stupid. I have an idea to get rid of her, and neither of us will have to meet that siren face-to-face." Nathaniel laughed, humorlessly. "Oh? And what might that be?" "It's quite simple, actually. We turn her in to the police as the main suspect in The Vampire Murders the media has been going on about.." "I'm sorry Anton, I thought you said that we'd turn her in to the police." "That's what I said, Nathaniel." "Are you crazy? Yes, she's doing it and pointing the police in her direction would keep her busy. But what happens if they find out she is a vampire and not a psycho pretending to be one? And what's to keep her from naming us as vampires as well?" "It's a calculated risk, Nathaniel, I admit it. But knowing her, she'll be too interested in saving her own skin to bother us." "Yeah, until the heat dies down." "By then I'm sure we'll have figured out a more permanent solution. Now are you willing to give it a try or not?" He gave another sigh. "I don't know..." "Just give it some thought. I'll call back in a couple of days. Maybe when Lindy's feeling better, you'll be a little more level-headed. But in the meantime, stay put. I don't want to turn on the news and find a report about a crazed man stalking a woman and shoving a stake through her heart." "You don't think I can be subtle?" Anton laughed. "Not really." "Okay." Nathaniel sounded resigned to his fate. "I promise I will not go after Natasha." "And you won't let Lindy either." "I'll try not to...but even I can't stop Lindy when she's pissed." "That's true. Maybe it is a good thing she'd incapacitated." "Yeah." He heard Nathaniel try to stifle a yawn. "You sound tired, Nathaniel. I'm keeping you up." "Nah," Nate lied. "I'd be up taking care of Lindy anyway." "Isn't that why Jess came out? Go get some sleep. You're not going to do Lindy any good if you're not well when she's recovered. I'll check in when we reach London." "Okay. I'll talk to you later. Bye." Anton hung up the phone, and walked back to the bed. He lay down beside Bryn and softly placed a kiss on her forehead. Sabryn made a soft noise and snuggled closer, putting an arm around him. He pressed another kiss against her hair, resting a hand on her stomach. He closed his eyes and gave a quiet sigh. [But for the grace of God...] End Chapter Twenty-eight <- Previous Chapter | Home | Next Chapter ->