Shit. He dove back into Lilliana with his gift, but it wouldn’t penetrate the layer of darkness.
“I can’t get to her womb or the baby.” He cursed. “This isn’t natural. It’s not a known disease, but it isn’t acting like a toxin, either. More like an infection. Or a virus.”
A virus.
He wheeled around and hit the call button. “Get Sin in here. Hurry!”
Eidolon’s sister, Sin, was the only female Seminus demon in existence and had once caused a plague that’d threatened to put werewolves on the Endangered Species List. She’d since dedicated a lot of her time to learning everything she could about how viruses worked so she could use her unique gift to create cures…or make really, really lethal viruses.
His sister was a walking superplague.
Shade sauntered into the room in his paramedic uniform, a steaming cup of coffee in his hand. “What’s going on?”
“She needs blood,” Eidolon said. “Fast.”
Shade tossed his coffee into the trash and had hold of Lilliana’s wrist before the cup hit the bottom of the bin.
“I’m Shade,” he told her, speaking in the gentle, confident tone that helped make him a great medic. “What’s your name?”
“Lilliana,” she whispered.
“Lilliana is Azagoth’s mate,” Eidolon added, taking just a second to enjoy the way Shade’s hand jerked a little.
“Seriously?” he mouthed, and Eidolon nodded. “Hell’s fucking bells.”
Eidolon couldn’t agree more.
A commotion in the ER signaled Sin’s arrival, and she burst into the room. “I hear you’re treating the Grim Reaper’s mate. And she’s knocked up? Holy shit.”
Sin was as tactful and delicate as ever. “Lilliana,” Eidolon said then gestured to his sister. “This is Sin. I consult with her from time to time. Her mouth has no filter, but she’s the best at what she does.”
Lilliana nodded weakly and closed her eyes. Shade was likely reducing her nausea and relaxing her system. What Eidolon wouldn’t give for a dozen more Shades in the hospital.
He turned to Sin. “There’s something inside her I can’t identify. Whatever it is, it’s causing a dangerous situation for the baby.”
“She’s still losing a lot of blood,” Shade said in a low voice. “Is she a candidate for a C-Section?”
Eidolon shook his head. “She’s an angel, remember?”
He’d learned the hard way that it was dangerous for demons to attempt to cut into an angel, let alone one pregnant with another powerful being’s baby.
“Oh, yeah,” Shade murmured. “Weird that she doesn’t feel like one.”
“That’s what the corruption of Sheoul-gra will do to you,” Drake announced, giving a sheepish shrug when everyone looked over at him. “It’s what I heard.”
“Oh, damn.” Sin’s alarmed tone had everyone whiplashing from Drake to her. “What the fuck?” She frowned, and her dermoire, a faded version of Eidolon’s and Shade’s, glowed brighter. “It’s a weird mass of shit, but inside it, I can see some individual elements. It’s like someone mixed chemicals and bacteria together, and then threw in a virus for fun…” She trailed off, her expression hidden behind a curtain of black hair. “The weird thing—well, the weirder thing—is that the substance isn’t spread through her body. It’s concentrated in the tissues of her wings. Only a few stray bits are attacking her uterus inside the black blob.”
Lightbulbs clicked on in every corner of Eidolon’s brain. Quickly, he stuck his head outside the room and gestured to Idess, who was waiting nearby with Emerico and Journey.
“Idess, we need a tissue sample from Lilliana’s wing anchors. I was hoping to talk you through the process. I know you’re not technically an angel anymore, but you’re Memitim, and you’re Lilliana’s stepdaughter, so it should be safe for you to do it. Or at least safer than it would be for any of us.” He lowered his voice. “If you’d rather not—”
“Of course, I’ll do it.” She smiled sadly. “I’ll do anything for Lilliana.”
It only took a couple of minutes for Shade to put Lilliana out and for Idess to get the sample. Eidolon handed it to Drake. “Run. Tell them to test for angelicant.”
Drake took off in a blur of vampiric speed.
“Angelicant?” Sin dabbed sweat from Lilliana’s brow with a wet cloth, freeing up Meesa to attempt an ultrasound. “What’s that?”
“It’s an oil of demonic origin. It’s supposed to help angels enter regions of Sheoul they otherwise couldn’t go.”
“Lilliana wouldn’t take anything like that,” Idess said fiercely. “Never. Not while she’s pregnant.”
Eidolon searched Lilliana’s pale, ageless face, creased with worry even in unconsciousness.
“She wouldn’t,” he said. “She didn’t, I’m certain. There are safer ways for angels to venture into Sheoul, and angelicant isn’t safe for any pregnant being.” He looped his stethoscope around his neck. “The most common use of angelicant, mostly among demons, is as an abortifacient.”
“So, someone was trying to kill the baby.” Shade whistled. “Someone tried to kill the fucking Grim Reaper’s unborn child.”
“Who would do that?” Sin asked. “And why?”
Eidolon had no idea, but he did know that whoever was responsible was going to be very, very sorry.
Chapter 5
Groggy, her head pounding, Lilliana sat up in the strange bed. It only took a second to figure out where she was, given the medical equipment and supplies.
Journey and Maddox sat at a small table next to the bed, playing what appeared to be Uno. Journey saw her first.
“Lilliana!” He grinned and, as always, she saw Azagoth in him. Journey was as free with his smiles as Azagoth was stingy with them, but their genuine grin was the same.
Her hand flew to her belly, and both boys were at her side before she could let out a relieved breath that she was still pregnant under the hospital gown and sheet. As if the baby heard her thoughts, it gave her a couple of sassy kicks, and her eyes watered with gratitude.
“Emerico can’t sit still for more than five minutes, so I took over for him.” Maddox reached over and pressed the call button. “And Eidolon said to let him know when you woke up.”
“Am I okay?” She wiggled her toes and fingers as if doing so meant that everything was cool. “Is the baby okay?”
Journey nodded, the black plugs in his lobes bouncing with every motion. “We don’t know specifics. They won’t tell us anything. But the doctor assured us that you and my little brother or sister will be fine.”
Oh, thank the Maker.
“What about Azagoth?”
“He’s been told,” Maddox said as he handed her his phone. “But I’m sure he’s going to want to hear it from you.” He pointed to a duffel near the bathroom. “Cat sent clothes and stuff, too.”
“Thank you.” She smiled, so grateful to have such wonderful friends and family to support her. “Thank you both for everything.” She also gave silent thanks to Cat for making sure she didn’t have to wear a hospital gown home.