Chapter Fourteen

They spent the next two weeks traveling, and Abby was pleased that they only ran into one ordinary angel in that time, and he was easily scared off by her demon protectors. It probably helped that they stuck to backcountry and avoided civilization as much as possible, but when she woke feeling ill for the third day in a row, she was unsurprised when Brax said, “I think she should be looked over.”

“By whom?” asked Mal with a twist of his lips. “She can’t pop into Caelum to see an angelic healer. Do you think the average human urgent care doctor is going to know how to treat an angel?”

“They might know for this,” said Brax in a cryptic way, but he didn’t say anything more.

Abby was curious, but mostly she was busy fighting the war to keep down the dinner she’d eaten the night before. Forget breakfast. She couldn’t even think about it, because she couldn’t stand the smell of it, let alone look at their plates. She turned and moved away from them, going to the edge of camp while they finished eating.

By the time they were ready to ride, her stomach had calmed down some, and when Brax handed her a few crackers in a package, she took them and started nibbling. They settled well enough, and she was able to endure the ride behind him on the motorcycle despite the road rushing by increasing her nausea.

They had to ride for more than an hour before they reached civilization again, and then it took a half-hour to find a large enough city to have an urgent care. Brax signed her in, and Abby was amazed when he produced a driver’s license from the state of California with her face and the name Abby Smith to give to the clerk signing them in.

She was dying to know how he’d acquired it, but she did recall him taking her picture almost a week ago. He’d simply told her to smile but not too much, and he’d taken a picture with the camera on his phone. At the time, she’d thought nothing of it, because they’d been at a monument in Utah, and she had assumed he was simply making a visual record of their memories.

Now, she suspected there had been more to it. She made a mental note to ask him about it later, but she didn’t have a chance to yet. It was probably a conversation that should be discreetly handled, and there were too many people in the waiting room to make it possible to have an entirely private talk. Besides, they were already calling her back, and she went with some apprehension. She knew to pretend like she was a human, but she wasn’t certain if her vitals would be different than a human’s.

Apparently, they were close enough, because the nurse who checked her temperature and blood pressure seemed to have no concerns. He led her to a room, and she waited for a few minutes until a doctor appeared. She was a younger woman, looking only a few years older than Abby, though humans had a significantly shorter lifespan, so she was likely quite a bit younger. She gave Abby a cheerful smile and said, “I’m Dr. Rhodes. It says your tummy is feeling yucky in the mornings.”

“Is that really what Brax wrote?” She couldn’t picture him using such babyish language.

The doctor glanced reflexively at the chart for a moment and shook her head. “I’m just paraphrasing. Sorry, I just got finished with a pediatric patient, so I might have to switch gears into adult mode again.” She grinned as she said that before she started asking questions. Abby was able to answer most of them until the doctor asked, “When was your last period?”

Abby stared at her, not even sure what that was. “I don’t know.”

“Are you regular?” Dr. Rhodes asked as she made a notation.

Abby shrugged. “I don’t think so.” She was still bewildered, and she wished she could take the phone from her pocket that Mal had given her a few days ago and look up more information about it on the Internet. She’d spent a lot of time just learning about everything around her, and the Internet provided the perfect conduit to do so.

“I think we’d better get you to take a test then.”

She titled her head, trying to recall her last exam. It had been in self-defense almost forty years ago, and she was rusty. “I haven’t studied for anything.”

The doctor laughed in a polite way. “That’s a good one. I’ve probably heard that only a few times.” She walked over to a cabinet and extracted a cup. “You know what to do?”

Abby stared at it apprehensively before shaking her head. “I don’t have a clue.”

“I just need a little urine.”

Abby frowned. “How?”

“I need you to pee in the cup.”

Abby blinked. “I can’t pee.”

The doctor looked sympathetic. “I understand. Sometimes, it’s difficult when you’re under pressure. Would you prefer we do a blood test instead?”

Abby nodded, and soon, the nurse was taking blood from her arm with a needle. It hurt, but it was over with quickly. The doctor returned and said, “It’ll be a day or two before we have results since you couldn’t do the urine test, so you’re free to go, but I’m giving you a prescription for nausea. It’s perfectly safe to use if you are pregnant, so you can get it filled now, and we’ll call with results.”

“Pregnant?” Abby’s mouth felt like her jaw had unhinged. “I can’t be.”

“Never say never,” said Dr. Rhodes with a breezy smile, though she was clearly anxious to be off to her next patient.

Abby wanted to continue arguing with her, but it seemed fruitless. She allowed the doctor to leave without further questions and soon followed the nurse from the room and out to the waiting room again. The men gathered around her, leading her outside to where they’d parked their bikes. There was no one nearby, so she looked at Brax, who seemed to have some clue what was going on. “She tested me to see if I’m pregnant.”

Brax didn’t seem all that shocked. “Are you?”

She frowned. “She wanted me to pee in a cup. How am I supposed to do that? Angels don’t urinate. Do demons?”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know that’s how they tested. So, you don’t know?”

She shrugged a shoulder. “She took some of my blood instead, and we’ll know in a day or two. It’s impossible though. Angels don’t even reproduce this way.”

“They don’t anymore, but they did in the past,” said Dante. “That’s in the history books. We could take her to The Pit.”

Abby took a step back, instinctively afraid. “Why would you do that?” Even if he didn’t want her to have his child, which she still thought was completely impossible, why would he want to throw her in a pit?

“We can find all kinds of information there.” He seemed oblivious to her fear as he climbed onto his bike. “Come on. We’re only a few hours south of it.”

She looked at Mal, and he seemed to read her uncertainty and fear. He stepped forward and put his arm around her. “I don’t think it can happen, but maybe we’ll find more answers at The Pit.”

“I still don’t understand what The Pit is.”

“It’s a receptacle for Enochian history and goes back from before the time when angels and demons split after the angels ambushed and expelled the demons. If anyone’s ever been in this situation, they might have information about it. It’s just one of the places where they store such information.” He grinned. “This one just happens to be demon-controlled, so we can gain access.”

She was relieved now that she knew it wasn’t an actual pit, so she nodded her agreement and climbed on behind Mal a moment later after he handed her a helmet. Her stomach was queasy again, but she thought it was from anxiety this time rather than whatever had been plaguing her in the mornings. She didn’t see how it could be possible that an angel could conceive, let alone with demons, but she was surprised to find she didn’t mind the idea all that much.

As the miles passed, and she started really thinking about it, Abby realized she didn’t mind the idea at all. In fact, she was kind of excited by the thought, though she knew it would be difficult if she really was pregnant. The angels still wanted her just as dead, and Zephael wanted her for some purpose, so the demons might become foes in the future as well. It felt like the four of them against everyone, and the idea of trying to protect a child in the midst of that was terrifying, but she still couldn’t find it in herself to hope she wasn’t pregnant.

***

Several hours later, they arrived outside a modern-looking building that could’ve been any kind of library, though it emanated a hum of energy that Abby hadn’t experienced with any human-built dwelling before. It was a place of great power, and it felt vaguely hostile to her as she stepped inside. She shuddered at the sensations washing over her, filled with despair and a complete lack of hope. Tears came to her eyes, and Brax put an arm around her waist. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s like all joy has been disappeared.” She even sounded dull and dead to herself.

“Is that an angel?” asked the woman as she rushed toward them, her heels tapping on the marble floor. She sounded shocked by the idea.

“Yes, she is.” Mal sounded defensive.

“I wish you’d told me before bringing her inside. I could’ve arranged for an easing of the wards.” The attractive brunette closed her eyes and seemed to focus for a moment.

She whispered a word in Latin that Abby couldn’t quite make out, and as quickly as the crushing despair had consumed her, it fled. She felt completely normal again as she looked around before staring at the woman. “What was that?”

“Demons aren’t the biggest fan of angels. You probably know that.” Despite her words, she sounded friendly enough when she stepped forward and held out her hand. “I’m the curator, Belinda, and you’re the first angel to ever step foot in The Pit.”

Abby took her hand slowly, half-expecting that same dark energy she’d experienced upon stepping into the building to be housed in the woman, but nothing happened when they shook hands. She breathed a sigh of relief as she let her arm fall back to her side. “Thanks.”

Belinda nodded. “What are you here for?” She addressed the question to Brax in a crisp tone.

“Is there somewhere we can speak privately?”

Belinda tilted her head, looking intrigued when she nodded and gestured for them to follow her. She led them into a small study room with a table that had six chairs and a rolling cart that was currently bare of books. She closed the door, putting her hand against the wood while she said another word. The door glowed faintly for a moment, and then it returned to normal as she turned to them. “I put up a warding spell to silence this room. What do you need?”

Apparently, they had decided to allow Brax to take the lead, as neither Mal nor Dante spoke. Abby was content to allow him to be the spokesperson for now as well.

“We think Abby might be pregnant.”

Belinda looked intrigued. “An angel pregnancy. That hasn’t happened in…I don’t know how many years.” She looked at Abby, blatant curiosity on her face. “Who’s the father, and did you actively try to get pregnant?”

“I had nothing to do with it,” said Abby before flushing. “I mean, I guess I did, but I didn’t plan anything.” She’d sidestepped the subject of the father entirely.

Belinda seemed not to notice. “Of course, it’s physically possible, but there aren’t many angels running around having sex, you know? For some reason, y’all decided it was a waste of time and energy.” She shook her head, clearly baffled at the thought.

Abby could see why, after having experienced it for herself. It was certainly something the angels had hastily abandoned without much thought in her opinion.

“Of course, there had to be another angel involved.”

“Did there?” asked Dante with surprise.

The curator’s brow scrunched. “I suppose it would be possible to create a nephilim, but angels have even less use for humans than they do demons. I just can’t picture that.”

“But it’s not impossible that an angel could reproduce with someone who’s not an angel? How?” asked Abby.

Belinda looked stumped. “I really don’t know. Give me a little while.” With those words, she unwarded the door and went through, leaving them to stew in silence. Her few minutes turned into more like an hour, and by the time she returned, Abby’s stomach was grumbling, this time from hunger.

Dante passed her an energy bar under the table as Belinda set down a stack of books, opening the largest and what appeared to be the oldest carefully after donning a pair of white gloves. “This record explores the subject in greater detail. It is possible for angels and humans to reproduce. If you’re carrying a nephilim, the white-feathered bastards won’t appreciate it though. Just a little FYI.”

“Why is that?” asked Abby. Instinctively, she curved her hand around her stomach, though she didn’t even know for sure if she was pregnant.

“They’re unpredictable and hard to control. Some can be more powerful than angels, though most are less powerful. It’s all kind of undetermined. Humans are so unique and wild and their differences naturally spills over to their offspring. Your nephilim might pose no threat to anyone, but that doesn’t mean your fellow angels will be on board with letting you have it.”

“They’d have to go through us first,” said Brax with a growl of anger in his tone.

Belinda stared at him for a moment, and she suddenly seemed to realize the possible father wasn’t human, because she made a clicking sound followed by turning her attention to the book again. She thumbed through as rapidly as the fragile pages would allow until she reached an entirely new section and read for several minutes silently.

It was written in Enochian, so Abby could read parts of it, but it was upside down and what she caught wasn’t terribly illuminating, particularly at the speed Belinda read before looking up at them again. Abby found herself holding her breath.

“Technically, it’s never been done before, or no one wrote it down if it did, but it’s not impossible. Angels and demons all have the same origins, so we have mostly the same anatomy, after all. Since the cultural and social differences are too vast for most angels and demons to ever overcome, let alone get in a position where they might create offspring, it’s never been documented. Even if there was such a relationship, pregnancy would require careful planning.”

“How do you mean?” asked Abby, feeling oddly defensive at the suspicious look Belinda gave her, as though she’d lied about not doing anything to get in her current possible state.

She looked at the book again for a long moment. “Such a thing requires powerful magic and fertility potions, since angels don’t ovulate like humans do. Female demons don’t ovulate either, as I’m sure you boys are aware. If a demon wants to become pregnant, she has to undergo certain preparations. I’m sure it’s the same for angels.” She looked at Abby. “Have you undergone a fertility ritual?”

Abby shook her head. “No.”

“Have you asked for any spells from a witch? Have you imbibed anything?”

Abby started to say she hadn’t, but she suddenly remembered Zephael’s eagerness to ensure she took whatever was in the vial. Her stomach churned, trying to reject the energy bar she’d just eaten as she stared down at her hands for a moment and whispered, “There was something.”

“Did it leave you feeling euphoric and horny as hell?” Belinda asked that as though she couldn’t imagine an angel ever feeling such things.

Abby didn’t look up, but she nodded.

“It’s entirely possible then, at least in theory. Just because it’s never been done before doesn’t mean a sanctimalus can never happen.”

She looked up at Belinda. “What’s a sanctimalus?”

“Half-angel, half-demon offspring.” She closed the book and sorted through her stack, removing the thinnest. “I really shouldn’t do this, but I’ll let you have this book for as long as you need. It might have information you can use. I’ve read it a long time ago, but I didn’t pay much attention to it, since it’s all based on theoretical magic and circumstances that seemed unlikely to ever occur. If anyone can benefit from it, it’s likely you.”

“Thank you,” said Abby softly as she took the book. “Constructing The Sanctimalus: A Theoretical Dissertation.” She was dying to crack it open, but Belinda seemed to want to be rid of them. “How can we thank you?”

Belinda looked mildly worried as she ignored Abby’s question. “I have a gift for auras.”

Abby frowned, wondering where this was leading. “Okay.”

“I could see it the second you entered, but I didn’t realize the significance. I mean, I figured what it was, but I wasn’t entirely certain. I might as well warn you now though.”

Her alarm was growing as she stared at the demon. “What?”

“I can feel a second aura around you. I can’t see anything yet, but I can feel it. I’d feel confident betting everything I own that you are pregnant.”

Abby trembled at the news, though she wasn’t entirely surprised. Ever since Brax had mentioned his theory, the idea had been settling on her. The more she thought about it, the righter it felt. It was almost like she could sense something else occupying space in her body, and though she’d remained unaware of it until she tried to find it, now she couldn’t seem to block out that awareness, faint as it was. She nodded once.

“I would like to do something to repay you,” said Brax to Belinda.

She looked serious when she turned to him. “You can. Don’t come back.”

Brax reared back. “Belinda, we’ve been friends for years.”

She smiled. “It’s not an act of hostility on my part, Brax. I still have great affection for the three of you, but it isn’t safe. If either side gets wind of what is happening inside her, they’ll probably both be hunting you. I don’t want to be drawn into all that again. You know the angels killed my daughter in battle, which is why I left Infernum. I have peace and want to keep it. I’d tell you to get out while you can, but there’s no getting out. I can tell that by her aura, which bears generous amounts of all yours.”

“Who’s the father?” blurted out Dante. “I mean, she’s our mate. It could be any one of us.”

Belinda seemed past capable of showing shock at anything revealed by them. She just shrugged a shoulder. “With a pregnancy like this involving magic and careful planning on someone’s part, you’re probably all the father. You would have each contributed something. You understand this happened more on a sol level than a genetic level, right?”

She didn’t bother to wait around to see if they understood that or not. She looked at Abby once more, and her voice was kind even when she said, “I hope I never see you again for my sake. I can’t tell you what to do, but if it were me, there’s no way I’d have that thing. It’s a trouble magnet.”

Abby scowled at her, pressing her hand to her stomach. “It’s not your decision to make.”

“No, and I’m eternally grateful for that.” Belinda nodded to all of them. “You know the way out.”

Without another word, leaving behind the stack of books she’d brought in, she turned and exited the room. Abby could feel that unwanted, despair-inspiring feeling starting to creep over her again seconds later. “I have to get out of here. She’s bringing back the wards.”

The three men hurried to their feet, now practically carrying her out of the library, though she wasn’t that incapacitated from despair. As soon as they cleared the perimeter of the building, she felt fine again, save for the shock and fear consuming her.

“It’ll be okay,” said Dante as he put his arm around her shoulders. “We aren’t going anywhere, and we’ll protect you.”

“And our baby,” said Mal firmly. “It doesn’t matter who comes. There are no loyalties anymore except to you and him or her.”

Abby felt reassured by their words, and as Brax nodded his agreement, she smiled at him, but nothing completely chased away the fear she felt.

“There’s no sense worrying about what we can’t change,” said Mal. “Let’s just focus on the moment and be happy with what we have. I don’t know about anyone else, but I never expected to be a father. I’m pretty excited about the idea.”

She couldn’t hide her apprehension when she asked, “Even if you don’t know what it’ll be?”

“I know exactly what it’ll be,” said Brax firmly. “He or she will be ours. That’s all that matters, and if anyone tries to come between us or take him or her, they’re signing their own death warrant as far as I’m concerned.”

Tears flooded Abby’s eyes, but she managed to restrain the urge to let them pour forth. She was emotionally overwrought more than sad. Mostly, she felt a sense of wonder and the stirrings of excitement, and she decided Mal was right. Dwelling on the future and dreading what might come would only rob her of the joy of the moment and what happiness she could find with her men and the prospect of the child growing inside her.

They could prepare for the worst while savoring the best. With the three of them, she was sure she and her baby had the highest chance of survival, and while she was certain any of them would die to protect her or the baby, she was just as determined that wouldn’t come to pass. They would all fight hard to keep their family together, and she almost felt sorry for anyone who tried to stop them.