Fang Chronicles: Zenya's Story (31 page)

“As her pin cushion.”

“Yes, for that reason, too.”

She punched him in the arm and they walked to the elevator leading to the beastkind clinic. There was no check-in and no waiting. Laura stood inside the clinic door and rushed to Nicolas, wrapping him in her sturdy arms. Zenya’s cat thankfully didn’t feel a threat from the handsome woman in her fifties. Nicolas introduced them and Zenya received the same warm welcome.

Laura stepped back, looking at Zenya with pure delight. “I’ve been so excited to meet you. When Nicolas cancelled the last appointment for your she-cats and told me the news, I almost flew out to see you. Everyone here is walking with a jump in our step. You are the miracle we’ve waited for.”

Zenya looked at her mate and he smiled. Looking back at the doctor she said, “I’m not fond of needles, so please be nice.”

“We’ll be drawing blood, but skin, hair, and urine samples from you and your lion will be painless.”

“You need a urine sample from my cat. Do you have a litter box?”

Laura and Nicolas laughed, but the doctor replied, “I’ve been doing this for years dear, and I promise to make you as comfortable as possible. After the testing, we’ll perform an ultrasound and look at your baby.”

Zenya smiled for the first time since they arrived at the doctor’s office. “I’ll hold that thought.”

Laura’s assistants followed Zenya with their eyes and smiled whenever she noticed them. Nicolas knew she felt on display, but she really was a phenomenon and their child would change the course of beastkind forever.

***

During much of the testing, Laura sent Nicolas to a private room so Zenya could answer questions and provide samples without him looking on at every step. Zenya breathed a deep sigh when he grumpily left her in Laura’s hands.

“Thank you,” she said.

“I’ve been handling male wolves for most of my life. There is no beating around the bush or putting up with their tendency to insist upon control. With one backhand my life would be over. I established my own type of dominance many years ago. Gray hair helps me along now and they’re getting to the point they don’t even want to argue. I can appear frail so they underestimate me when it’s needed.”

Zenya laughed and then listened while Laura told her, step by step, what she was doing and why. The doctor also added insight to the speculation happening in her office. “Everyone is on pins and needles wondering if you will give birth to a lion or a wolf. It will be interesting to see if this child is the first of many between separate beastkinds or if your circumstance is unique.”

“By unique, you mean it’s possible this won’t happen again?”

“I’ve never studied lions or had live blood samples to test. We’ve only experimented on wolf pregnancy, but I hold every hope that you are the first of many to deliver a child without human intervention.”

Three doctors, including Laura, examined her blood beneath a microscope in the main lab with Zenya looking on. The doctors spoke in terms Zenya couldn’t follow, but their excitement told her something was different about her blood.

Laura looked at Zenya after checking the lens again. “You have female lions here in Dallas?”

“Yes.”

“I need blood samples from them all.” The doctor’s excitement was barely contained.

“They must voluntarily donate.”

“I can be very persuasive.” Laura’s voice reflected her certainty.

Zenya wasn’t about to let her cats be guinea pigs if they didn’t want to but she knew the importance of them creating children without humans, “Gentleness will more likely win them over.”

“I can also be gentle.” The doctor gave a soft smile understanding Zenya’s feelings.

“When do you want the samples?”

“As soon as they can be transported here, or I can bring another doctor with me and take them at the hotel.” Anticipation lit up the doctor’s eyes.

Zenya didn’t quite give in completely. “We need to ask Nicolas.”

“That’s fine. Now we need to get your human samples and then your lion samples.”

“Why do you call us lions?”

The doctor’s eyes twinkled. “I have an old cat named Tabitha and there is no comparison. It’s like calling a wolf a dog.”

Zenya grinned. “We call ourselves cats, but thank you for your sensitivity.”

“You know you’re delaying.”

“I know.” Zenya said on a long drawn out sigh.

The human samples were easy. It was Zenya’s first pelvic examination and she thought she would rather provide cat pee.

Laura looked at her after the exam. “I’ll be quite honest. I’ve never seen a lion other than a dead one before. I’ll try to behave with decorum, but it won’t be easy. Remove the remainder of your clothing and shift. I’ll give you a few minutes of privacy.”

“Why?”

“It’s rude in the human world to watch a woman undress during an OB/GYN exam.”

Zenya laughed. She stood, then took off her shirt and bra. Her shift took a blink of an eye and Laura stared in wonder.

“Thank you, Zenya. You are an amazing creature.” Laura shook her head after several moments. “I want to feel the baby inside your stomach and then get the samples I need. We know while in your womb, you control the child’s shift to beastkind, but I would still like to perform the ultrasound in each of your forms. We’ve never had a purebred before.”

Zenya’s thoughts moved to the word ‘purebred.’ In a way, the doctor was correct, but in others that was far from the truth. The cats as a whole would think her child a monster, and murdering her offspring would become their newest mission.

Laura repeated her request and Zenya focused back on the doctor. The peeing was unpleasant, but at least Laura left her alone to attempt the chore of aiming into the large receptacle. A soft knock on the door five minutes later brought another doctor in to collect the sample. Laura returned a few minutes later with a large cart, followed by Nicolas.

Zenya jumped to the examination table and lay down. Her tail swished in excitement to see her baby for the first time. Laura shaved the hair from her stomach and then added gel to her soft underbelly and explained everything as she performed the test.

“Now it’s time to see your child.”

Chapter Forty-four

The transducer probe was cold and images immediately showed up on the screen. Laura enlarged the picture and explained what they were looking at. Nicolas ran his hand over the soft fur on her neck, his eyes transfixed on the monitor.

“There is your child.”

So small. Laura took several pictures and then moved the probe for a different view.

Nicolas didn’t speak out loud but, “I love you,” whispered into her mind.

“And I love you.” She said back into his.

Laura broke into their silent communication, “Would you like to see your child as human?”

“Yes, I would,” Nicolas didn’t give Zenya a chance to answer.

She growled softly over his alpha tendency of taking charge but she wanted to see their child as human too. She shifted and lay back against the white sheet covering the table.

Reverence flowed with Laura’s words, “No matter how old I grow, I will never get over the actual shift of beastkind. It’s its own miracle.”

Nicolas was right, Zenya liked the doctor. In her entire life she had little human interaction and would rather not have any. This woman had changed her mind.

The gel hit her stomach again and then the probe sought out the small blip that was their baby. Zenya’s tears trailed down her face and Nicolas bent over and kissed them. Her mate’s eyes appeared misty when she looked at him. He was her miracle.

***

The cats were nervous, but after seeing the ultrasound pictures, they decided to allow blood samples. Over Nicolas’s objections, Talya gave blood also. When Laura learned they had two juvenile male cats, she requested their blood too. It was evening before the doctor left and everyone craved food.

“Order pizza,” Nicolas told Bernard.

Talya cheered. After the food arrived, they sat on the couches, floor, and chairs so they could all eat in the penthouse together.

Vorlyk took Madayah out to dinner. She walked into the living area wearing a beautiful short-sleeved dress. Her scars showed prominently and her nervousness caused her eyes to darken and her hands to tremble.

“You are beautiful, my dear.” Vorlyk walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He kissed the damaged side of her face, then the smooth side.

Nicolas realized after only a few short weeks he no longer noticed anything but Madayah’s beauty. A quiet sob drew his attention and he walked over to Marta.

Going to his knees, he whispered into her ear, “You are just as beautiful. Like Madayah’s, we see your scars as strength.”

Her quiet reply stunned him, “I cry tears of happiness and love. I do not feel sorry for myself. You, finding us, will be the best gift in our lives. Thank you, alpha.”

He squeezed her hand. These women were stronger than even he gave them credit for. Their low numbers didn’t matter; they were a clan to be reckoned with. His alpha power flowed through the room as Vorlyk walked his mate out the door. “Change if you wish. You are all welcome to sleep here tonight.”

“Will you be with us or in your room with Zenya keeping us up all night?”

“Talya.” Zenya drew out the two syllables of the bratty cat’s name.

Nicolas walked over to his mate and took her into his arms. “I’m afraid she’s right, love. I have every intention of making you scream.”

“Oomph.” Zenya’s elbow landed in his side. She turned and walked into their bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

“She really can’t get enough of me and awaits her prince in the bedchamber.”

“We’ll count the scratches covering your body in the morning,” Troy said.

“I’ll be happy to teach you to walk without eyes after she blinds you,” Sheeba added.

Nicolas placed his hand on the doorknob and looked at his pack. “Each of you will be mated someday, and I
will
remember your words.” He closed the door on their laughter and looked with longing at the exquisite woman waiting in their bed. He was the luckiest man on earth.  

The following day they shopped. The women enjoyed every minute, while the men and boys began grumbling after lunch. The experience brought them closer together, and Nicolas noticed the newer cats fit in perfectly and were now holding their own.

That evening, they ordered Chinese and ate like they had the previous evening. There were no mishaps the day before and Nicolas wanted to keep it that way.

A sleepy pack boarded the plane the next morning and they returned to the Western Clan’s property. Nicolas craved his true home, but there was no way he would leave the safety in numbers provided by Columbus’s pack until after his child arrived. Even then he knew it would be some time before they made the move.

He communicated with Duncan and gave instructions for the home, or mansion, as Duncan called it, to begin construction. Vorlyk left the details to Nicolas, but more and more he noticed the vampire’s ability to lead. The alliance with Marcus and Amy was easier now, too. It would never be perfect, but the vampires made it work for the safety of their clans.