Page 82 of Prince of Tides
I directed a portion of the water into Laurie until she could absorb no more of it, the tiny fetus inside her once more content, though it immediately began drinking more liquid. Thirsty babies, even that young, would only get worse the farther she got into her pregnancy. I would have to ensure she was on a heavy hydration regime. Female water dragons just pulled it from the air as necessary.
Laurie would have to be monitored closely for it.
“What was that?” she asked as shouts continued to echo from the direction of Alex and his team.
“Unpleasant,” I answered obtusely, returning to normal human proportions, water still all but cocooning me. With a flick, I aerosolized it, spraying the warehouse's interior until it felt like a muggy day just before it rained.
“It’s over?” Laurie asked, amazed. “H-how did you manage that?”
“The human body is composed mostly of water,” I said heavily. “I’d rather not get more into detail than that.”
Silence.
“Oh,” she said eventually in a strangled voice. “Oh.”
“Come on,” I said, lifting her to her feet as Alex appeared around the corner. “Let’s get you home.”
I exchanged a nod with Alex as he looked at the bodies, then back at me. The curiosity in his eyes was plain to see, but I wasn’t going to indulge him, and by the look on his face, he knew it.
It took a few gestures to get my point across, but eventually, he clued in that I would take Laurie out a different way. She didn’t need to see the bodies.
“So, what happens now?” she asked, leaning heavily on me, not for physical support but for closeness.
“Now, we get you back to the hospital to get checked out,” I said.
“I feel fine. Better than fine, actually. I didn’t realize I was so dehydrated.”
“That’s my fault,” I said, explaining my failure to inform her she would need copious amounts of water.
“Oh. Great. Peeing even more often.”
“The child will absorb most of it,” I said. “If anything, you might end up going less frequently.”
“Now,thatwould be an unexpected side benefit of pregnancy,” she said dryly.
Dryly.
Laurie tugged on my sleeve. I glanced down at her as we exited the warehouse into the night sky. She was staring at me, her eyes glowing in the moonlight, the most beautiful sight I’d ever seen.
“Yes?” I rumbled so she could feel it in her head.
“Two things,” she said softly, lovingly. “One, thank you for coming to get me. I appreciate it.”
I stopped walking, Gripping her chin tenderly. “Laurie. I willalwayscome for you, no matter where you are. If you need me, nothing and no one will stand in my way.”
Her shiver translated through my fingers.
“Hopefully, I don’t have to take you up on that,” she joked lightly.
“You had a second thing?” I pushed when she didn’t continue.
“What happens now?” she asked, nerves coloring her voice. “With us. Do I have to go live in your world? Can I ever come home?”
“Why would you not be able to come home?” I asked, astounded.
“I don’t know. If we’re going to be together, you have to be there to fight.” She bit her lip. “I don’t want to move away from my family. But IknowI can’t be without you. Just being away from you for minutes at a time leaves me feeling almost sick to my stomach. So, what do Ido, Rip?”
“Whatever your heart tells you,” I said seriously. “But we can often spend on Earth. The enemy does not attack all year. They come and go in waves. If we can stop them, whatever they’re planning, they will be quiet for months to come, if not longer.”
