Page 4 of It Varies
Once he was out, he lifted his head and flew to the edge of the cliff, where the scent, threaded with fear, was strongest.He flew down to the rocks, and to his surprise, there was nothing.No blood, no body, no fear.There was a thick scent of polymorph magic mixed with the burn of a portal.He exhaled.She had been rescued.
He closed his eyes and replayed the feel of her hands moving on him.Stroking his skin and clinging to him like he was the only safe thing in the world.That was different.Normally, women took a look at the double fangs, and panic moved into them.She took the bites, the drinking, and the sex with equal measure.He didn’t remember having a lover like her, and he had been out since the first palace was locked down and he was urged to stay away and keep the locals alive.
This woman...she smelled warm.She smelled like sunny days and sweet mornings.She was out there somewhere, and he would find her.Her sibling would be of no use.By the time Loriman was done with her, she would be lucky if she could still eat solids.
He exhaled and wished he had marked her.It would be so much easier if she were marked.
* * * *
Jennika sat in theclinic, looking at her doctor.“Pregnant.”She nodded.“Right.”
“Do you have support?”
“I do.I have a good employer and excellent friends.I have what I need.Two friends are actually working on quilts for the baby already.”
The doctor chuckled.“Right.You are in good health, but you need to see an OB for this.I will examine a baby, but I won’t catch it.So I am giving you a referral to Dr.Theo Galanis at the Meksoren Hospital.”
“Okay.”
“They will be in touch with you in the next forty-eight hours.”
She smiled.“Thank you.I am already on prenatal vitamins.”
“Good.You are ready for this little one?”
“Ready or not, I want it.”She smiled and put a hand over her lower belly.
“Is the father in the picture?”
“He isn’t.It was a one-night stand, sort of.”She shrugged.“It’s hard to explain.”
“No worries.I just wondered.If you have friends to help, you are good.”He smiled.“Any questions?”
“I think that they are for the OB.”
The doctor nodded.“Okay.Well, you are in great health for someone starting a pregnancy, and the goal is going to be to keep you that way.”
She nodded and got some pamphlets about glucose testing to determine how she was metabolizing sugar later in pregnancy, the timings for different scans, and possible genetic screening.
She read it all while Sable drove them home.Ivy had made apple pie, and a roast dinner was underway.Jennika sat and looked at the friends who were goingno coffeewith her in solidarity and grinned.“To family and the things we do to increase it.”She lifted her lemonade, and they saluted together.
They talked about notifying the hotel’s human resources, and Sable was going to let the kitchen know that their chef was bossing people around for two.It was nice that Jennika was the event chef.She worked fifty hours a week over three days.Sable was on alert to keep an eye on Jennika.Being the sous chef meant that she was in a unique position to do so.
Jennika looked at Ivy, and Ivy grinned back.As event coordinator for the hotel, she could also monitor things.Jenn wasn’t going to get away with anything, and it was so comforting it wasn’t funny.
She put her hand on her stomach.Two months down and seven to go.She could do this.They could do this.
