All The Queen's Horses {Myrnin, Morganville Vampires}

Faeryn

Was this labor?? If so, it's too soon, my brain screamed the obvious. With her accelerated gestation, one week was comparable to four human weeks, so extremely dangerous. I crawled and hastily gathered up my phone to call Michael.

"Hello?" Michael's calm voice answered. I couldn't breathe. I knew his calm was about to be shattered into a million pieces.

"Michael, it's Eve..." I rasped, my fingers shaking uncontrollably.

As expected, his tone was immediately filled with anxiety and worry as he hissed, "What happ—" He couldn't finish his sentence, because Eve let out a blood curdling scream.

I was horrified to see red blood flowing down her legs. I knew very little about giving birth, but I knew that wasn't right. My heart thundered in my chest. Eve needed a hospital and she needed it now.

I hadn't heard him come up behind me, but in less than another second, our driver had scooped Eve off the floor and ran with her, back to the car. "Hospital!" I yelled hurriedly into the phone as I sprinted after them.

When we arrived, Myrnin was already there waiting for us. The driver must've called him. I wasn't surprised to see Gwion with him. Gwion had extensive knowledge of Immortals and while we had hoped Eve's delivery would progress as any normal human; if an emergency arose, delivering an Immortal child could have significant challenges.

Michael came crashing through the doors and was by Eve's side immediately. He clutched her hand, and murmured a nonstop stream of comforting syllables. She stared back at him with abject fear in her eyes; the pain making it impossible for her to speak.

I stood shaking and finally realized my phone was vibrating in my hand. I looked down at the caller. It was Liam. As soon as I answered, he hissed, "What's wrong? I can feel it. I know something is wrong with Eve! She isn't answering her phone; do you know where she is?!"

"We just arrived at the hospital... She's bleeding and in pain... I don't know yet..." I huffed out the words, still trying to catch my breath.

"I'll be right there," he replied quickly and hung up.

I had no idea how Michael was going to feel about Liam's presence, but I couldn't worry about it now, because I was running down the hall to keep up with Eve. They were taking her into a triage room.

Medical personnel were moving in a flurry of activity around her. One nurse cut her out of her clothes. I was relieved that both Gwion and Myrnin turned away while she was exposed; I knew Eve would not want the embarrassment of either of them seeing her 'naughty bit', as she called it. Two additional nurses were placing her IV and connecting her to blood pressure and heart monitors. A fourth nurse hurriedly brought a sonogram machine to the bedside. Dr. Theo Goldman shook his head and told her, "We tried to see the baby a few weeks ago, but the ultrasound could not penetrate the amniotic sac."

Her obstetrician was in place. He looked more than a little uncomfortable, surrounded by four very tense vampires. I watched him breathe deeply before settling into a determined and focused expression. He checked her cervix quickly and then pulled the hospital sheet back over her legs, to keep her covered.

He spoke gravely to Dr. Goldman, "Her cervix is open 1 cm. Without the ultrasound, I cannot diagnose further. The sudden blood and pain suggests a possible placental abruption, but I have no certainty of this. If the placenta has dislodged, there is no treatment other than delivery. It would be too dangerous to deliver naturally; a cesarean section would be necessary."

"She may be too premature. We expect that she is at least one week early, which is dangerous, but she could be even earlier, since we are guessing at her conception date. If it is too soon, we may lose her," Theo replied somberly.