“I want you to remain quiet, honey. Conserve your energy. Your job is to stay alive through this, to give life to our child. Do not worry about something that may never happen, and certainly not about Lisa, who is perfectly safe.”
The next contraction swept through her body, much more intense than the last. Her heart erupted into a violent, frenzied pounding. It was impossible to breathe. A stone was crushing her chest, and inside her, the baby went very, very quiet. Panic welled up as she fought just to breathe. She knew Dayan was aiding her, yet she couldn’t draw air into her lungs.
Gregori shimmered into the room. One moment there was no one beside the bed, and in the next instant, he stood tall and straight, invincible. His smile looked reassuring, but Corinne was beginning to know him through their continual mind merges. There was worry in his mind. Darius loomed over her too, a larger-than-life figure so powerful he seemed unshakable. A woman emerged from what seemed thin air, transparent at first, then very real. She was small, with wine-red hair, and she gave the impression of total competency. She was the one who leaned close and put her hand on Corinne’s abdomen, a slight frown of concentration on her face.
“This is Shea, Corinne,” Gregori said softly. “Trust in her judgment as we do.” Gregori took her hand. “Our people are gathering wherever they are and they will lend their aid also. We will do this.”
Corinne glued her eyes to Dayan. ‘Save my baby.’ It was a desperate plea. ‘Something’s wrong, I can feel it.’
“Corinne – ” Shea’s voice was gentle but very firm. “I’m going to take the baby immediately. She’s in trouble, and we need to get her out now.” She looked up at Dayan. ‘You must complete the ritual as I do so, Dayan. Bring her across fully into our world and we will hope her body will go through the conversion fast enough to sustain her life. Gregori and Darius will aid you in this. Julian stands by to give his blood, as does Jacques.’ As she spoke to Dayan, she was already prepping Corinne, deftly cutting through clothing, without any need of light. Her mind was directing Darius and Gregori without having to use words as they worked together like a well-oiled machine.
Dayan shifted position again, his arms encircling Corinne, her head resting on his chest. Shea was fast and efficient, a highly skilled surgeon as well as a Carpathian healer. It was obvious to Corinne that Shea knew what she was doing. She felt no pain; they were working in concert to prevent pain. She felt strange sensations as Shea did the emergency procedure, opening her womb to allow access to the baby.
Corinne felt disconnected from the entire procedure. She was drifting again in a dream world, uncertain what was reality and what was dream. She saw the red-haired woman cutting into her. She saw Dayan nuzzling her neck, his mouth drifting over her pulse, his teeth sinking into her skin. None of it alarmed her. Gregori had centered himself, moved from his own body to become pure light and energy, streaming into Corinne in order to slow down the death process and speed up the conversion.
Corinne heard voices chanting in an ancient tongue, saw the flurry of activity as others brought a small enclosure like an incubator into the chamber. Dayan lifted his head, his face a mask of torment. That moved her even when nothing else seemed to. She ached for him, for his sorrow. He looked older; there were lines etched deeply into his dark, sensual features. She saw him make a thin cut along the heavy muscles of his chest, over his heart. She saw him press her to him, holding her close, murmuring to her, commanding her to take what he offered so they both would live.
She saw herself attempting to obey his command, her movements weak and feeble so that Dayan had to hold her head to him, stroke her throat so she would convulsively swallow. At the same time, she saw Shea lift out the baby, a tiny form. Her helpers were moving even faster now, cutting the cord, working on the baby, Darius very much in the forefront. He bent over the baby, his manner protective, tender even.