Reign of Night (Thorne Hill 7)

I get another pain, and it dawns on me that this is exactly what I read a contraction feels like.Chapter 33“Drink plenty of water, rest, and relax,” Maryellen, the midwife, tells me. She takes off her rubber gloves and Lucas helps me sit up. “Stress can take a toll on your body, and even more so when you’re pregnant. I’ve cared for many witches during their pregnancies, but you’re the first half-witch I, or anyone, has taken care of.”

She’s trying to make me feel better, but her words are confirming what has been my worst fear all along: that my body isn’t human enough to grow a baby.

“Braxton Hicks contractions are common,” she goes on. “But they should subside and shouldn’t be painful. Uncomfortable, yes, but painful, no. If you feel them again, I want you to immediately stop what you’re doing, sit down and put your feet up, and have someone bring you something to drink.”

“She shouldn’t be doing much of anything, right?” Lucas asks, sliding his arm around me. If his heart could beat, it would be racing right now. I know mine still is. My blood pressure is higher than it should be, Maryellen said I’m a little dehydrated, but I’m showing no signs of early labor.

“Right. I want you to take the rest of the week completely off.”

“Do I have to stay in bed?” I ask.

“I don’t think you’re at the point where you need complete bedrest, but for the next twenty-four hours, I’m going to recommend you stay in one place, either the bed or a couch. Keep your feet up and have—” She cuts off, looking at Lucas. “—have someone bring you breakfast and lunch. Stay off your feet and relax,” she stresses.

Easy for you to say.

“I’ll take care of her,” Lucas assures Maryellen.

She smiles. “A week or two off will do wonders. And if you feel any worse, call me.”

“Am I going to go into preterm labor?” I blurt, unable to help myself.

“I can’t say yes or no, as anything can happen, but right now I feel confident saying your daughter is staying put for at least a little while longer.”

“Thank you,” Lucas tells her and helps me to my feet. I felt kinda icky and rundown before, but now I’m feeling lightheaded and dizzy. It was a worry all along and one of the first things I thought when I saw those two pink lines on that test: I’m not human and can’t carry a human baby.

My mother was able to carry me to term, but her body was fully human. And that’s not to mention she died in childbirth.

“I’ll come by the house in a week for our scheduled appointment. Take it easy, honey.” Maryellen offers a kind smile.

“I’ll do my best.”

She goes to gather up her supplies and Lucas and I leave the infirmary. Tabatha and Evander are waiting outside the doors and jump up when they see me.

“What’s the verdict?” Tabatha asks, taking my hand in hers. “And don’t you dare tell me you’re fine. Actually, Lucas, what is the verdict?”

“Her blood pressure is high and she needs to take the next few weeks off to rest and de-stress,” he answers. “Which is exactly what we’re going to do.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad now, does it, sister?” Evander says just to make me feel better. “A few weeks to binge watch Netflix, or in your case, read.”

“I don’t have a few weeks to take off, though,” I protest. “The new moon will be here before we know it, and I have a feeling there is going to be increased demonic activity the week leading up to it. We have to be ready so we can cast the spell and keep the demons from releasing Hell on earth.”

“Yes, we do,” Tabatha presses. “And you have to rest so you can keep growing my granddaughter. That baby is your priority and that is all I want you to worry about.”

“I know.” My hand lands on my stomach and guilt ripples through me. Am I a bad mom already? Having a healthy pregnancy is of course important to me, but so is keeping the world from going to Hell in a handbasket. I don’t want Elena to grow up in a world filled with darkness and demons. “It’s just a little hard to relax when there’s an impending apocalypse on our hands, and I could stop it if I were able to fight it.”

“Callie, my darling.” Tabatha gives my hand a squeeze. “You have saved the entire coven not once, not twice, but multiple times. Let us do the heavy lifting this time.”“Are you comfortable?” Lucas grabs another pillow from the bench and brings it to the bed, lifting my feet and putting it under.

“Yeah, I am, thanks.” We just got home a few minutes ago, and Lucas took me upstairs and helped me immediately change into pajamas after I brushed my teeth and washed my face. I’m fighting my emotions, torn between wanting to go to the vineyard in California for a two-week staycation and taking Lucas’s office chair into the kitchen and having him wheel me around so I can make more potions and put together charms.