“Just normal food. I ate chocolate and drank coffee. I’ve been drinking coffee since right after Transition though, and nothing like this happened.”
“Birth control, Syn?” he questioned as he pulled me up into his arms, and carried me back to the bed.
“Still active from the Guild; I have three more months of it left in my system.”
“Good,” he said, and my heart dropped. It shouldn’t have, but it did.
“Wouldn’t want my child, Ryder?” I quipped and instantly regretted it.
“A sassy little girl, with a mouth like her mother’s?” He smiled and my heart missed a few beats. I didn’t smile back though; something inside of me was sinking further into despair. “Syn, I don’t want children; not until I’ve finished what I set out to do. I have a few other responsibilities as well before I can play the parent. I’m not sure I’d make a good parent anyway,” he said the last almost as an afterthought.
“Eliran, come inside the room,” Ryder said, already stepping away from the bed as I noticed the healer standing in the doorway with Ristan peeking over his shoulder.
“We got problems, Ryder?” Ristan asked cautiously.
“No clue. That’s why I called Eliran, so he could find out.”
“You didn’t use a phone,” I said as I struggled to sit up in the bed.
“He’s telepathic. He sent me an image of what was happening, and I sifted in. I hope you don’t mind, Synthia, as you did not invite me yourself,” Eliran said, smiling.
“It is fine. You are welcome here, Eliran,” I replied softly as I watched him materialize several small medical devices and sit down beside me on the bed.
“I need to know what you ate.”
“She ate chocolate and coffee,” Ryder said from across the room.
“Ryder, Ristan, get out. I need to run some tests, and she deserves some semblance of privacy,” Eliran said, looking at me carefully, which only caused me to blush.
“Excuse me?” Ryder said with a deep growl.
“Ryder, you called him. At least let him do his job,” I said, meeting his penetrating golden eyes.
“Fine, I’ll be downstairs,” Ryder huffed, but it was more like a child pouting because he couldn’t have his favorite candy from the store.
When the room was cleared, Eliran pulled out a needle and laid it on the bed. “Last menstrual cycle?”
“It’s been a month, but you said that traumatic stress can affect it. Plus, I’m on still on the birth control from the Guild.”
“Good. That’s good. So you have been throwing up. How many times?”
“Twice. It just started. I thought I was immortal now, so why would I be throwing up?”
“Immortal only means that you don’t die easily or of old age. We still get sick occasionally, and sometimes we do die. You also haven’t completed Transition yet, so it is a little different for you. I need to take some blood,” he said, tying the plastic band around my arm. “Make a fist a few times,” he said, and nodded when I did it correctly. I squeezed my eyes closed when the needle poked through my flesh. “Okay, I’m done. You can open them.”
“Sorry, I think I’ve seen enough blood to last me a lifetime this month already.”
“Understandable after everything you have been through. Okay, I’m going to run a few more tests and take it all back to be processed.”
Chapter Twenty
Soon after Eliran had left, Ryder came back in, still shirtless. He looked around the room and then looked back at me. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay. He did a few tests and took the samples back with him.”
“You should try to get some sleep,” he said, coming over to lie on the bed as if he owned it.
“You gonna hold me through the night and keep the bad guys away?” I said jokingly.
“Among other things, yes. That was my plan tonight, if that’s okay with you.”
I hadn’t expected his response, and almost moaned when he wrapped his strong arms around me. “Close your eyes. I’ve got you, Pet. I’ll keep you safe; I promise. Nothing will happen to you.”
“Ryder, you said you would teach me how to feed without sex. How would I be able to do it?” I asked.
“I’m not sure you can, yet. We will worry about it in the morning, or when you are strong enough. Right now, you need to get some rest.”
~~~~*Ryder*~~~~