Page 36 of Swamp Kings 2

Thakx produced a stethoscope from his coat pocket and handed it to him. “Listen for yourself.”

Beth’s excitement sprouted wings till she saw the sheer look of terror on Bishop’s face as he put the tool on and helped her lay down. “The baby is fine,” she assured.

“It helps if it’s against her skin,” Thakx suggested, earning Bishop’s glare. “I’ll step out for privacy.”

“Thank you,” Bishop muttered, raising her sweater and lowering the stretchy part of the pants.

“I don’t need tests to know he’s okay,” she whispered.

He suddenly paused his search for the heartbeat with a demanding look.

“I dreamed about him,” she said with a smile.

He returned to hunting. “Him, huh? Tell me.”

“Well, I was standing in this… nowhere place. He was maybe ten feet in front of me. Building something.”

He paused briefly before moving the cool disc over her belly. “Maybe wishful thinking. Thehimpart.”

“I don’t think so,” she said, verysure somehow.

“What was he building?”

“I don’t know, but he was using all sorts of things, things I didn’t recognize. Tiny. Odd shaped.”

“A baby building things,” he muttered, not convinced.

“Oh, he wasn’t a baby,” she remembered. “He was like… six. And there were crows and ravens flying above in a dark sky.”

Bishop’s hand froze.

“You found it?” she wondered, wanting to hear it next.

“You sure it was crows and ravens?”

“Yes,” she said, eyeing him. “Why?”

“What else was in the dream?”

She thought about it, digging around in the memory. “He was calm. Our son was. Very focused on building. But the crows and the ravens were not, they were… agitated. And the sky was black, and I felt like… something was coming.”

He moved the tool slowly and again stopped. His gaze flew to her with a sharp breath. “I found it.”

Her joy surged at seeing the awful look he’d had on his face instantly transform into a look she’d never seen on him.

“How is it?” she eagerly asked.

He gave another gasp of joy as he looked at her. “Eel-eh tell-mah- fortd,” he whispered, hotly.

“What does that mean?” she cried when his tears fell.

He hurried to her and grabbed her face, kissing her softly, over and over. “It meanshe’ssostrong, baby.”

Emotion choked her as she kissed him back, nodding. “He’s very strong. I can feel he’s okay,” she said on his lips. “I think he knows we worry and gave me the dream to comfort me. I know that sounds stupid, but I can feel it’s true somehow.”

“I believe you,” he swore, pressing his lips firmer. “This bite shows me crazy things too.”

“Yeah?” she wondered, suddenly unable to think around the feel of his lips. “I need you,” she gasped, holding his face and thrusting her tongue in his mouth.

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