Merman - Romance

Bitten Part 52

*****

Chapter 52

Ridec wrapped his arms around Jessell’s neck and wept bitterly.

“I’m sorry I let you down,” Jessell said sadly.

Ridec couldn’t speak, he couldn’t answer, he felt as if his heart was about to break inside of him.

“Sir,” Rick came racing into the room.  “We’ve got the facilities under control and the guards are finishing up any remaining zombies.  Sir….sir….”

“I’ve been bitten,” Jessell said recognizing that Ridec was still unable to speak.

“No.”  A tear trickled down Rick’s face.  “But don’t worry, we have a vaccine now.”

Ridec shook his head fighting hard to find his voice.

“It won’t work on us, our DNA is too different,” Jessell explained.

Jessell inhaled a deep breath and pressed Ridec away from her.

“You’ve got to take the baby before my body starts feeding off of her.”

“No,” was all Ridec could manage to get out.

“Ridec,” Jessell said firmly.  “I’m telling you to take this baby.  I won’t be responsible for my child turning into one of those things.”

“You could die,” Ridec said.

“That’s a risk I’m willing to take.  Do it now Ridec before it’s too late,” Jessell said firmly.

“I can’t,” Ridec muttered with tears rolling down his face.  “Don’t make me choose between you and my child.”

“I’ll make it easier,” Jessell said grabbing her sword.  “If you don’t cut this baby out of me, I will.”

“No,” Ridec gripped the sword.

“I’ll cut my own throat if that’s what it will take for you to take this baby,” Jessell said adamantly.

Ridec rubbed the back of his hands across his eyes.

“If anyone can do this with what we have here Ridec it’s you.  I trust you.”

“I don’t have pain killers…”

“Just do it!”  Jessell screamed.

Ridec held down his head sadly.

“Heat your knife Rick, and make it quick.  Then bring me needle, bandages, thread and antibiotics from the infirmary, and run Rick.”

Ridec bit down hard on his lip as the knife cut through Jessell’s tummy, he prayed earnestly that Rick would run as quickly as he could.  Inspite of the pain he was feeling counseled himself to be steady, this was a matter of life and death for Jessell and his baby.  Failure was not an option.

“Here.”  Rick came racing back into the room carrying several boxes and two men behind him were bearing even more items.  They definitely didn’t want to forget anything.

Ridec pulled the baby gently from Jessell’s womb, she was a little small but she would survive.  Babies survived in Merland all the time when they were premature.

“She’s not crying,” Rick pointed out nervously.

“I know,” Ridec said.  “Fill the tub and put her in it.”

“Put her in the water?”  Rick asked.  “Are you sure?  She looks kind of small.”

“I’m not sure about anything,” Ridec snapped.  “But just do what I say.”

“You heard the man, Wade, fill the tub and get that baby in it,” Rick said.

“Give me the needle and thread, I’ve got to stop the bleeding,” Ridec said hurriedly.

“Wwwwaaahhhhh…..”  The cry from the tub lightened Ridec’s heart a little and brought a smile to Jessell’s face.

“She’s going to be just fine,” Jessell whispered.

“Don’t try to talk,” Ridec advised.

“Orange lines,” Wade said pointing at Jessell’s arm.  “That’s not looking too good.”

“She’ll be fine,” Ridec insisted.  “Just bring a tank of water up here and throw some salt in it.  I’ll submerge my wife in that and that should help her to heal quickly.”

“I’m on it,” Rick said racing towards the door with Wade following him.  “And don’t worry sir, when I catch up with those guards that were supposed to be watching your wife’s door I’m going to kill them myself.”

Ridec didn’t answer; he didn’t have time to spend on bitterness.  He needed to find a way to cure Jessell.

“What happened Ridec?”  Jessell asked.

“Don’t speak.”

“Please.”

Ridec shook his head.

“Gus’ brother…he was angry with me…he blamed me for his brother’s death.  He set everything up.  He betrayed us from the inside.  While I was busy dealing with the patients he let the zombies in.  It was chaos out there…”  Ridec’s voice broke.  “I…I thought I had it under control….I didn’t know he’d let some of them out near our apartments.  I should have come to you as soon as I realized there was a breach.”  Silent tears trickled down Ridec’s face.

“I let you down, I’m supposed to be the protector,” Jessell said wiping the tears from Ridec’s cheeks.

“We’re in a different world now, my love.  You don’t have the mermaid brigade here to protect you during pregnancy, that’s supposed to be my job now.  I failed.”

Ridec bit his lip hard trying to steel himself.

“But I’m going to fix it.”

“Fix it?”  Jessell asked looking down at the orange lines that were spreading across her arm.  “You have to forget about me and take care of our daughter.”  Jessell smiled.  “Jade.  We can call her Jade.”

“I’m going to take care of both of you,” Ridec said firmly.  “If we can get back to our home and find the information on the original medicine our foreparents used to make the change that caused them to become merpeople I can adjust the vaccination and save you.”

“You can’t leave here; you have to wait until you’ve vaccinated enough zombies so that the earth is safe again.  You have to promise me you won’t go out there Ridec,” Jessell said.  “I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t be alone.  I’ll have you and our daughter with me,” Ridec said running his hand gently through Jessell’s hair not even caring that the blood on his fingers was sticking into her long black tresses.

“I’m not going to be any help to you out there.”  Jessell paused and then staring into Ridec’s eyes she said.  “I can’t defend you out there Ridec, in fact at any moment I could turn into one of those things and kill you and our baby.”

Ridec pressed his lips against Jessell’s cheek gently.

“I’m sorry honey, but for once in my life I can’t even pretend to listen to what you’re telling me.”  Ridec pulled himself up from the floor and started tossing some items in a bag.  “Once you’re healed with the waters we’re leaving here and heading home.”

“I order you to stay here, Ridec,” Jessell said mustering all her energy to sound as authoritative as she could.

Ridec gripped his sword from the ground and pushed it into the scabbard on his back.

“You can order me to do many things princess, but one thing you can never order me to do is to stand by and do nothing while you die.”  Ridec strolled off to the bed and started tossing some of Jessell’s items into the bag.  “All three of us are leaving here as soon as your c-section heals.  You can leave here walking beside me or over my shoulder.  That’s completely your choice princess.”

Jessell gasped.