Ari’k.
Yes, Prince Taelon, the Yona warrior instantly responded. He expressed no surprise or excitement at hearing from Taelon after three years of silence. His voice remained as free of emotion as it always was.
Relief filled Taelon. Once more, exercising his telepathy was effortless. Set course for my current location. Full stealth mode. As he rose and helped Lisa to her feet, he projected a mental map into his guard’s mind, showing him the exact location.
Setting course now.
Ready the med bay. We may need it.
I will see to it immediately, Prince Taelon.
Taelon wrapped a protective arm around Lisa and slowly walked her to the door.
Despite the lingering fear in her eyes, she smiled. “You act like I’m going to break. I’m fine, Taelon. Other than a nagging backache that’s been plaguing me ever since we arrived, I’m not in any pain at all. Look. Even the baby is fine.” She took his free hand and placed it on her belly. The baby kicked. “Wow. You’re shaking, too.”
“I can’t help it.” He cursed himself for not being stronger. But he’d just drekking found Lisa. He didn’t want to lose her.
Pausing, she drew him into a hug. “I’ll be fine. You didn’t see how quickly and effortlessly Seth healed your wounds. Now that the initial shock is fading, I feel confident that he can help me deliver our daughter safely.”
Closing his eyes, he rested his cheek on her hair and tightened his hold on her.
She grunted.
His eyes flew open as he hastily stepped back. “Forgive me, dashura. Did I hold you too tightly?”
Shaking her head, she gripped her belly and breathed in and out through her nose. “No,” she said, her voice strained. “I think I spoke too soon. I’m pretty sure this is a contraction.”
What the drek was a contraction?
Ami moved closer and wrapped an arm around Lisa. “It’s a birthing pain. They’re normal. She’ll be getting more of them, closer and closer together until the baby comes.” She guided them down the hallway and into a large room divided into halves, one of which served as a med bay.
A man and a woman stood inside, awaiting their arrival. Both wore all black. Neither appeared to be medics.
The male stood a few Earth inches taller than Taelon, while the female was a few inches shorter. Both smiled.
“I’m Seth,” the male said with a slight bow. “Leader of the Immortal Guardians. And this is my wife, Leah.”
The pretty woman smiled and waggled her fingers in a wave. “Hi there.”
Ami and Leah took Lisa’s hands and guided her several steps away. Then Leah reached up and yanked a curtain around them, blocking his view.
When Taelon would’ve protested, Seth held up a hand. “They’re just going to help Lisa out of her clothing.”
The sound of fabric tearing carried to his ears.
“Wow!” Lisa exclaimed on a laugh. “You did that fast!”
“I’ll do this even faster,” Leah said, a teasing lilt in her voice.
Again, Lisa laughed. “That is so cool.”
The curtain jerked back, revealing a grinning Lisa in a shapeless gown that fastened with a tie on one side.
Seth stepped back to give them room to help her onto the narrow bed beside him. “Our physician, Dr. Melanie Lipton, is at network headquarters. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go get her.” In the next instant, he vanished.
Lisa gasped. “Holy crap!”
Leah laughed as she plumped a pillow behind Lisa and eased her back to rest her head on it. “I know. It takes some getting used to, doesn’t it?”
Seth reappeared, a brunette woman as petite as Lisa beside him.
She smiled. “Hi, Taelon. You probably don’t remember me. I’m Melanie. I’m a physician and viral researcher.” When she extended her hand to him, he grasped it and gave it a shake as he’d seen Earthlings do. “I helped Ami through her pregnancy and labor, so Seth asked me to lend a hand today. Is that okay with you?”
“That would be much appreciated, yes.”
“Excellent.” She blurred and dashed around the room. When she stopped beside Lisa, her black clothing had been replaced with a plain green, pocket-free shirt and matching pants. A long, bendable tool hung around her neck. “Hi, Lisa.”
Lisa smiled. “Hi.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Better now that I know I didn’t just pee my pants in front of everyone.”
Everyone but Taelon and Marcus laughed.
Taelon moved to stand beside Lisa and took her hand.
Marcus hovered nearby.
“Marcus, honey,” Ami said gently, “why don’t you take Adira down to play with Michael? You’re still kinda freaking out.”
Surprised that he had forgotten about