just as much and she hadn't looked like she'd swallowed a water balloon. I huddled under the covers and curled onto my side, my knees pulled up toward my chest. Even my black silk panties felt tight, but I wasn't about to shuck those. Why couldn't anything ever be simple for me? I don't know how long I lay there before Penny opened the bedroom door.
"They're gone. They left a bunch of leftovers in the fridge. I figure Trey or Rafe would enjoy them later. Or not." Penny had a pen and notebook in her hands. "Let me take your temperature." She stopped by the bed. "Do you have a thermometer in the bathroom?"
"Uh, that would be a no. Vampires don't worry about stuff like that." I groaned and rolled over. "Ian's on his way. Look at my stomach." I pulled down the covers. "It's like it's alive."
"Damn. And I always said Mom's roast beef was cooked to death." Penny poked my swollen skin. "You may be right; something's trying to get out of there."
"Answer the door. They must have shifted to get here so fast." I recognized Ray's scent.
"No kidding." She turned and ran to the front door. I heard her greet Ian and Ray. She was busy answering questions about when we'd taken the drug and what we'd eaten when Ray came to stand next to my bed.
"What the hell, Glory?" He sat beside me and brushed back my hair.
"Don't know." I blinked and a tear rolled down my cheek. "Penny's fine. But my stomach - " I bent over and held it as pain ripped through me again. "Damn it!"
"Gloriana, breathe through it." Ian pushed Ray out of the way. He opened a doctor's bag and pulled out that stethoscope Penny had wished for. "I'm going to take a listen. See what's going on." He rubbed the metal sensor with his hand, then placed it on my chest, right inside the vee of my sweater, then he lifted that sweater to check below my breast, moving down toward my stomach.
I could see Ray watching his every move. I stretched out my hand and he took it, squeezing my fingers reassuringly. When Ian pulled down the sheet and my stomach was exposed, he hissed and Ray leaned to see over his shoulder.
"Damn, Glory. Did you eat a side of beef?" Ray gawked at my stomach.
"Very funny." I moaned as my stomach rolled. "No, but I ate two enormous pieces of cake, three rolls, or at least the tops of them, slathered with butter. And some weird but tasty sweet green beans. We both did. Right, Penny?"
"Yes. We were pigs. My mom's not a great cook, but with a chance for a vampire to eat . . ." I saw her look to Ray for sympathy and he nodded.
"Yeah, I get it, especially for my gal here. Glory's been without solid eats for way too long. But you seem to be holding up fine, Penny. Glory's stomach looks like it's about to blow open and I wish I was exaggerating." Ray pulled my hand to his lips and kissed my knuckles. "Crazy."
"There is something about you, Gloriana. This is the second of my formulas that hasn't agreed with you. It's like an allergic reaction. At least that's what I think this is." Ian pulled a hypodermic needle from his bag. "This time I hope you'll let me treat you."
"Yes. Whatever it takes to stop this. Surely this tummy bulge won't be permanent." I looked like I'd swallowed a small watermelon.
"You mind if Penny listens to your stomach before I give you the shot? This is a chance for her to learn something." Ian took off his stethoscope.
I glanced at Penny's eager face. "Sure, go ahead. But hurry."
She took the stethoscope and carefully placed the earpieces, then leaned over. "Wow, fascinating." She and Ian said a few things that I ignored. It was technical jargon and I had a feeling my fledgling was going to end up in medical school after all. Maybe I could plant the idea in her parents' minds that time spent with Ian would make that happen. Surely that would make them happier about her possible trip to Sodom and Gomorrah, otherwise known as California.
"Okay, I think I've suffered enough for science. Give me the damned shot." I offered my arm.
"Wait. What is it?" Ray blocked Ian. "Yeah, yeah, I'm a sap, but this is what Blade would want to know."