his distance and didn’t press her for an explanation. Of course, that distance was in the form of as-much-as-he-was-able, because their link made it impossible for him to be truly separated. Which was why—insert more of her patented compartmentalization here—she was going to ignore the bond and its repercussions because this was real life and a baby was being born, and she needed to do the job she was trained for, the job that was written into her fucking DNA.
She was a healer.
Pure and simple.
As long as she had breath in her lungs and her heart was pumping, she would take care of her patients, her people.
Another contraction built, but this time Felicia wasn’t alone.
Suz wrapped her magic around the pain and pulled.
What she felt began as a trickle, a slight prickle like a paper cut or stubbing a toe. But quickly it ramped up, her abdomen screaming, her teeth locking together as she absorbed Felicia’s hurt.
Focus. Focus.
“That’s it,” she said, seeing the baby’s head make an appearance. “That’s a great push. Keep going.” Her voice shook, throat tight, muscles locked, but neither Felicia nor Hank seemed to notice. Instead, Hank encouraged and bolstered, just as he should, and Felicia took a much-needed break.
Until the next contraction.
Then the same process repeated. Felicia pushing. Suz taking her pain. The baby descending.
But the third contraction felt different.
The baby was still making its approach, and Felicia was still doing a fabulous job of pushing, but the pain of the contraction she’d absorbed wasn’t quite as intense as it had been on the two previous.
It was almost as if . . .
She flicked her eyes to the side.
It was almost as if someone was siphoning it off.
And she had a sneaking suspicion who.
Graham was still at Felicia’s side, but instead of soft, reassuring words, he was ramrod stiff and silent.
More pain slid through her then disappeared off into that connection.
Off into Graham.
But before she could protest, before she could do anything except process the heavy ache in her shoulders, the reverberation of the pain in her teeth, the baby was crowning.
Fast.
This little boy was going to end up an athlete or a teleporter or fuck, something that was . . . speedy.
“Slow, now,” she ordered. “Easy and breathe for a moment.”
Felicia nodded, her dark hair stuck to her temples, her cheeks still pink, her skin still slightly pale beneath it. But instead of fear, there was determination. “Another is coming,” she groaned, bearing down.
“Just a sec—okay,” Suz said, clearing the baby’s airway, slipping the tangled cord from around his neck. “Go ahead and push.”
Felicia pushed—like a fucking boss, if Suz did say so—and before the contraction was winding down, the baby was born. The adorable tiny munchkin with a scrunched-up face let out a loud wail that had Hank letting out a relieved breath, Graham relaxing, and Felicia crying softly.
It was one of those beautiful moments that made every hour spent studying, every late night that pulled her out of bed and into the infirmary worth it.
She wrapped the newborn up in a blanket and handed him to Felicia then set about the less pleasant work of delivering the placenta, taking care of the bleeding, and stitching a few stitches. By the time she’d stripped off her gloves and thought about changing the delivery bed back into a regular bed, Graham was there with the pieces and they made short work of getting Felicia and baby set up and cozy.
“Now,” she said, once everyone was stable enough for her to let down her guard for a few minutes, “you can go get Gabby.”
Irritation—not hers—blared through her mind.
“Can I talk with you in the hall?” Graham gritted out.
A glance at the bed told her the family of three was fine, so she trailed him into the hallway.
But she’d barely gotten clear of the door before he pinned her against the wall.
“What in the fuck was that?” he snapped.
She shoved him back. “That was my fucking job.”
Furious gold eyes. “How often?”
“What?”
“How often do you fucking put yourself through agony like that?” Her angry retort died on her lips at the chill lacing his words. “How often do you hurt yourself for someone else?”
“I—” She stopped, sucked in a breath and lifted her chin. “That’s none of your fucking business. Now please, either leave or go get Gabby.”
Fingers on her jaw, not quite gently holding her in place.
But not hurting her either.
Maybe that shouldn’t have mattered when he was in her face and pissing her off by