Page 13 of LeX

Qwinlooks at me from across the bed, but it’sEmber’sshaky voice that concerns me. “What’swrong?”

“Ember, do not be alarmed; we are just going to have to go about this another way.”Imove the machine off her and must stop from gasping whenIsee a bruise form right in front of my eyes. “Ember, are you feeling anything from the baby?”

“Yes, and no.It’slike there is something getting hard inside of me.”

“Thebruising on your sides has grown substantially.Howhave you managed to hide that fromViN?”

“Untilthis morning, it looked like it was getting better, butI’llbe honest, this is getting really uncomfortable quickly.”

“Qwin, will you stay here withEmber?Ineed to go look something up real fast?”

“I’mnot going anywhere.”

“Destroyer, can you provide some light sustenance for the females untilIreturn.”

“Confirmed.”

Walkingthrough the med bay into my lab,Igrab my main holo pad. “Destroyer,Ineed you to silence this lab whileIresearch this issue.”

“CanIbe of assistanceMedicLeX?”

“Actuallyyes,Ineed you to tell me all you can about pregnancy on the planetVinzel.”

Ido a manual search while awaiting theDestroyer’sinquiries.Theonly thingIkeep finding is that their females require more heat during certain stages of their pregnancy.Thisdoes not reveal to me why her stomach is hard, nor what is hiding the fetus from the scanner.

“MedicLeX,Ireached out to theAIthat monitors that system, asking if he could give me any insights.Theonly thing he could relay is that some of the younglings born early have to be put into a hot enclosure.WhenIasked for exact temperatures,Ihad to verify the one he provided twice.Wehave nothing on this ship that can generate that type of heat besidesViNhimself.”

Suddenly,IseeQwinwaving her arm in the air.Iam on my feet immediately; the momentIclear the labIcan hearEmber’scries.

“Qwin, what happened?”

“Ember?Oneof you two talk to me!”

“LeX, something is wrong, it’s like my insides are being torn apart.”IwatchEmberturn pale before she arches up, a horrifying scream leaving her lips. “Qwinhelp me hold her.Destroyer, getViNhere now!SCOUT,Isure as frack hope you are available!”

BeforeIcan blink, he is at my side. “Whendid her distress begin?”

“Momentsago, she said she feels like something is ripping loose inside of her.”Anotheranguished scream leavesEmber’sthroat, andIwatch asQwingently brushes her hair back; a stray tear flowing down her own cheek.

SCOUTmoves me aside. “MistressEmber,Iam going to place my hands on your stomach soIcan scan you manually.Iknow you’re hurting right now, butIneed to watch your next contraction.Ipromise afterIget done, we will give you something to help with the pain.”

“Ismy baby, ok?It’stoo early …Damn,Ijust found outIwas pregnant.Please,SCOUT,Ican’t lose her.”

“Sheis fine;Ican faintly hear her heartbeat.Youneed to calm down and concentrate on breathing through the pain.Grabonto my arms if you need to, butIneed you to let go ofQwin’sfingers before you accidentally break them.”

“She’sfine …Ican take it.”Iwatch an eternal bond form between the two females right then.

SCOUT’smassive hands transform so there are now receptive sensors on the ends of his fingers.Iwatch in horror as her stomach starts turning purple all over.Thebruising is so intense she must be in extreme pain.Suddenly, she breaks out in a sweat all over, and when her body bowed up this time, the sound of complete torture coming from her lips has me reaching for the first pain blockerIcan find.JustasIstart to inject it into her arm,SCOUTmanifests a third arm to reach out and stop me.

“Thatis not what she needs.Destroyer, where is this female’s mate?”

Heno more than utters those words whenViNstorms in the door, steam literally flowing off his body as smoke curls from his nostrils.Twostrides and he is by her side.Qwinmoves back when she sees him come in and quickly heads intoEvO’swaiting arms.Iam so focused onViNthatImissed my other brother entering right behind him.

Ican tell thatViNis barely holding on as he watchesEmbertremble all over whileSCOUTmaintains his hold on her stomach.Hereaches down, kissing her forehead gently, andIswearIinstantly see her pain lessen.

“WhattheFRACKis going on?” he roars out when he notices the bruising on her stomach.

SCOUTdoesn’t let me say a word. “ViN, your female is having complications.Youhave a choice … we save her or the youngling.Icannot see the child, nor what is ripping your mate in half.WhatIcan see is that her uterus has somehow hardened around the baby.Dueto this being the first interracial birth from one of your species, we have no idea the destruction or complications going on within the womb.However,Ican tell you that if we do not remove the fetus, your mate will die.”

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