{Chapter 6}
“I get why I can’t go to a regular doctor,” Joselyn said as Glen helped her along the path toward David Heath’s cottage. “But does this guy have to live in the middle of nowhere?”
Glen chuckled, holding her hand and placing his other hand on the small of her back as they trudged through the wooded area that surrounded Heath’s place. “He’s a very gifted healer,” he said. “He’s the one helping me with my burns. David says that when all is said and done I will show no sign of ever being disfigured.”
“You’re not disfigured now,” Joselyn replied, stopping with a small squeak.
“Are you all right,” Glen asked, fearing the twins were trying to make an early entrance into the world. She was only two months into her pregnancy, but premature births had been known to occur.
“I’m fine,” Joselyn replied smiling, her hand on her belly. “Still getting used to the sensation of them moving,” she said with a small smile. “It feels as if they're running a marathon!”
“Before you know it this will all be over,” Glen said motioning that they should continue on. “Come. David hates to be kept waiting.”
They finally made it to the cottage and knocked. When the door was thrown open David Heath stood before them. “Nice to see you still have little regard for time, Glen,” he said with a smirk.
“And you’re still a whiny little bitch,” Glen replied with a chuckle.
Heath snickered, shaking his head and offered his hand to Joselyn. “My dear,” he said smiling. “You are looking just radiant.” Joselyn blushed and accepted the offered hand, allowing Heath to lead her into the cottage and over to where he would examine her. “Just lie down and we’ll see what those babies are up to.”
Glen watched as Joselyn did as she was told lying down on the bed that Heath had taken her to. Heath went to work making sure that both Joselyn and the twins were healthy. By the end of the exam Joselyn had dozed off.
Seeing this Heath quietly crept away from the sleeping woman and made his way over to Glen. “How is she,” Glen asked.
“She’s fine…for now,” Heath replied. “Glen you do know what will happen…”
“I know,” Glen replied raking a hand through his dark curls. “I’ve told her all about it. We’re both well aware of what is going to happen.”
“Somehow I don’t think she’s as aware of what will happen,” Heath replied gently. “This will be horrific for her.”
“What would you have me do, David,” Glen demanded. “Sire her in her sleep? She’d hate me forever. I couldn’t live with that.” He cast a glance at Joselyn’s slumbering form. “She made her decision. I have to stick to it…whether I like it or not.” With that he headed over to Joselyn, gently lifting her.
“Take care of her while you can, Glen,” Heath said softly to his friend. “Call me if you need anything.”
“Thank you, David,” Glen said as he exited the cottage to take Joselyn home.
~~~~~
“Wide load coming through,” Kennedy snickered softly to Mickie as he watched Joselyn making her way into the kitchen. Mickie covered her mouth and stifled a giggle.
Joselyn’s head whipped in his direction and she narrowed her sapphire eyes at him. “What was that, Ken,” she demanded. He looked at her dumbfounded. She shouldn’t have been able to hear his comment.
“Nothing,” he replied, knowing Glen would have his head for mocking her again.
“I definitely heard something come out of your mouth,” she replied. “One more snide comment from you and you won’t have to worry about Glen. I’ll kill you myself.” Her eyes flashed dangerously as she glared at him a moment longer. Once she was sure her point was made she headed into the kitchen to fix herself some lunch.
“What the fuck was that about,” Mickie demanded. “Why did you let that meatbag bitch talk to you like that?”
“Can it, Mickie,” Kennedy said heading into the kitchen. Something was different about Joselyn. She was no longer the shrinking violet she had been when Glen first brought her into the mansion. He took a seat at the kitchen table and watched as she pulled out a package of cube steaks.
“Why are you in here,” Joselyn demanded as she unwrapped the steaks, sprinkling spices on them in preparation.
“No reason,” he replied watching her closely.
She pulled out a frying pan and set it on the burner on the stove, waiting for it to heat up. She continued to season the other side of the steaks, absentmindedly picking up the bits of meat that fell off as she moved the meat. Without thinking she popped the bits into her mouth, reveling in the flavor. She set the meat into the frying pan to cook. Before she tossed out the styrofoam tray the meat had come in she brought it to her lips, lapping up the blood from the tray.
“New craving,” Kennedy asked bringing her attention to the fact that she was drinking animal blood.
With a disgusted yelp Joselyn tossed the tray aside and rushed out of the kitchen. Kennedy got up and shut off the stove before the food started to burn. It was then that Glen entered the kitchen. He caught sight of Kennedy and grabbed him, pinning him to the wall.
“What did you do to her,” he demanded.
“Nothing,” Kennedy groaned. “I swear! She’s developed a taste for raw meat, Glen. Ask her if you don’t believe me!” Glen released Kennedy and stalked out of the kitchen.
He made his way up to his chambers and found Joselyn lying on the bed. Her back was to him. With a sigh he took a seat on the edge of the bed. “Jos, what happened,” he asked softly.
“I’m changing,” she said softly. “Something is happening to me.”
“What happened,” he repeated gently.
“I was making myself some lunch,” she said sitting up, placing a hand on her very round stomach. “Glen, I was drinking the blood from the meat tray. I ate raw meat…and I…enjoyed it.”
“Pregnant women develop odd cravings,” Glen said with a smirk. “Be thankful you weren’t eating pickles, mustard and ice cream.”
“That’s not all,” Joselyn said with a sigh. “Kennedy made a wide load comment as I was passing by.” Glen’s hands balled into fists and his smirk fell. “I handled it.”
“That doesn’t give him the right to treat you as he wishes,” Glen growled.
“Glen, he couldn’t have been speaking higher than a whisper,” she said. “I heard him as if he were speaking directly to me. That’s not right. I threatened him and something about the way I looked at him made him back down.”
“Perhaps you’re developing vampire-like senses,” Glen replied. “I’ll mention it to David next time I talk to him.” She nodded offering him a tight smile. “Why don’t you go have your lunch? Ken managed to save it before it became charcoal.”
~~~~~
“Run it again, Bobby,” Hunter demanded. Shawn and Punk had crashed hours ago. The only ones awake in the small apartment were Hunter and Lashley.
“Hunter,” Lashley sighed, running a hand along his smooth head. “We’ve been running this search for a month solid. The police have given up searching for this girl. Maybe you should too.”
“I am not giving up,” Hunter replied, downing his millionth cup of coffee. “She's out there somewhere. I know it. Shawn knows it too. When we find her we find Calaway. We can't give up. We owe it to Ric.”
“All right,” Lashley sighed rubbing his bleary eyes. He typed in the search parameters and hit the enter key to initiate it. “You want weapons I can get you an entire arsenal,” he muttered as he grabbed his empty cup and headed over to the coffee pot. “This shit…I’m not good with. I think we should wake up Punk and have him tweak the search a bit.”
Hunter took a seat at the computer waiting for the search to finish. “Punk's been at it for three days. He needs a rest. That’s why we called you Bobby.”
“Lucky me,” Lashley muttered as he sipped his coffee.
~~~~~
“Thanks for coming, David,” Glen said welcoming Heath into the mansion.
“What you told me doesn’t seem like anything terrible, Glen,” Heath replied as he followed the taller man up the stairs.
“Joselyn needs to hear that,” Glen replied. “She’s not in any condition to make the trip to your place more than once this month though. She's been more tired that usual lately.”
Heath nodded, patting Glen on the back. “I’ll ease her nerves for you,” he replied smiling. “It’s the least I can do.” With that he headed into Glen’s chambers to speak to Joselyn.
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