Dawn Reclaimed

She ran her hands over the clothes, feeling the textures and fabrics beneath her fingers. Price tags rattled as she stirred the clothes. Curiosity got the better of her and she took a peek at the tags. The contents of the closet were worth more than she made in a month.

"My new cousin, Janine got them for you. She said you were fashion deprived and that pregnancy was no excuse to run around looking like a slouch," Marianne said sleepily as she scooted up in the bed and rubbed her eyes. "She got you socks, panties, and bras too."

"I...I'll have to meet her sometime and thank her." And pay her back she added silently. Calculating how much money was in her starving savings account. She snapped the tags off a new pair of stiff, navy blue scrubs. Maternity scrubs, of course. They had to cost a fortune. She needed the clothes and the new scrubs. But, she'd planned to go to the Super Center, not Saks Fifth Avenue, to buy them.

"Do you like them?" Marianne asked curiously. Janine had bought her some clothes for her birthday. But, she didn't like them. They were too girly and frilly for her. She liked her old, worn out jeans much better.

"Well of course, they're very nice." Claire sat on the edge of the bed and reached over her belly. Scrambling for a foot to shove in the new sock. "I haven't met her have I?" she asked. There were so many people in the house that it was possible they'd crossed paths, even been introduced, and she'd simply forgotten.

"No, she doesn't live here. She's ..." Marianne clamped her lips shut. She wasn't supposed to tell anyone, not even Claire, anything about her strange, mysterious cousins.

"What Mouse?" Claire asked. Standing to pull the drawstring tighter on her pants she was elated that she wasn't quite big enough to fill them out. Yet.

"Nothin'"

"Is she like your Aunt Tala?" Claire asked cautiously.

"Kind of."

"Is she a vampire?" Claire prodded.

"I'm not supposed to say," Marianne piqued. Claire was trying her adult tricks on her again. Deliberately pumping her for information. Not happening. Marianne slid out of bed and dutifully straightened the covers. Pretending to be busy and ending the conversation.

"Ok. Well, I'm off to work. I'll see you this evening sometime." Claire gave Mouse a little squeeze and left the little girl to tidy up. She clomped down the stairs, surprised to see so many people rushing about so early. The kitchen was a flurry of activity. The scent of bacon and fresh coffee filled the air. She didn't know any of the people, men and women rushing about on kitchen detail by name. "Good morning." The words were pleasantly repeated back to her from the kitchen. The family was coming to accept her presence. Casually friendly towards her, as if she belonged here and was one of them.

"Damnable Fords, cold natured as hell. But, I got the stubborn bitch to start and she's all warmed up. You wanna eat real quick before you go?" Tristen asked handing Claire a to go cup of coffee. He usually didn't cooperate much with orders and demands from his 'superiors' but for her sake and the sake of his unborn cousin, he was willing to make an exception. With his uncle gone, he was in charge, by rite, of Claire.

"Ah... no. Breakfast isn't really my thing. Thanks for warming my car up for me. Really, you didn't have to." She slid the travel mug out of his fingers and took a deep drink. "And Fords are not cold natured," she added, defending her baby girl. She'd saved long and hard to cough up the down payment for that car. And she wasn't going to have anyone dis her wheels.

She slid into a jacket. Frowning as Tristen slid into his. "Where are you going?"

"Driving you to work." Tristen answered defensively. He could sacrifice and drive a Ford, especially since he didn't have a car of his own, or at least one with an engine and four tires. Taking care of her was his job and he was damn well going to make sure nothing happened to her.

"I can drive myself," Claire said snatching her purse off the back of a kitchen chair.

"True. I know. But, I'm just a grunt following orders. If you so much as got a hangnail, I'd never hear the end of it. So, cut me some slack, relax, and enjoy the ride. Ok."

Claire glanced at her watch. She really didn't have time to argue with an overbearing, post-pubescent male with an ego the size of the state of Texas. "Whatever. Well, are you coming or not?"

She stepped out onto the porch. Shivering from the contrast between warm and cozy and damp coolness. The ground was muddy and wet. And the air was that wet kind of chill that soaked straight into your bones. "It rained last night." Summer was a good thing and a bad thing. She hated the humidity and heat of summer with the same passion as she hated the bitter cold and ice of winter. She put a foot on the first step, slippery from the rain and lost her balance, teetering like a big, navy blue ball, scrambling for the handrail. A big, strong hand grabbed her shoulder. Steadying her on her feet.

"Could you please try to cooperate and not get hurt?" Tristen teased. He held onto Claire, guiding her to the car. "I'll do something about those stairs. We're not used to having company as... fragile as you."

"I'll try." Claire huffed as she climbed into the car and fastened her seatbelt. The roads were wet. She was used to in town driving, the hospital was only eight blocks from her house and winter driving had never been too much of an issue. She exhaled relieved when the car pulled into the drive and slowed to a stop beneath the canopy. "Pick me up at four."

"You got it." Tristen grinned and patted the dashboard.

"No funny stuff with my car. No donuts, speeding, or anything else. Take care of her," Claire cautioned.

"I'll be lucky if this hunk of junk gets me home," Tristen teased as Claire slammed the car door in his face. He pressed down on the break and gunned the engine. Just a little too much gas, enough to make the engine rev like a sports car or a reasonable facsimile. Mischievously, he laughed as she turned back to glare at him.

Grant exhaled a relieved sigh when the SUV whipped past the green and white sign for the county line and slowed for the off ramp. Home. His belly was still a little sore from the blade and his body more than a little exhausted. He was ready for a nap at the side of his bride to be. Thoughts of Claire and her purity washed over him. Rinsing away the grime and filth of the horrors he'd seen last night.

His brother was safe. And he was bringing him home. Grant hazarded a glace at the stoic silhouette stretched out in the seat behind him, staring blankly at the black roof of the cabin. He'd given the vampires permission to heal his brother with their blood. And Hunter hated him for it.

Hunter felt his brother's worried gaze fall on him and ignored it. Refusing to acknowledge his brother, he stared at the black felt roof above him. He cursed his brother and the world. Hating that his lungs still had breath in them. He could be with his wife right now, happy and at peace. But, his brother saw things differently. His brother had stolen any chance at peace away from him. He'd been waiting years to join his wife. And it seemed that he would have to keep waiting.

The goddess had told him to get off his ass and live. For what? His oldest son was grown. And there was such a disconnect between the two of them that it seemed impossible to bridge. Tristen hated him for giving up. Daniel completely ignored him. And Mouse was so desperate for love that she'd turned Nash into the father that Hunter knew he could never be. They didn't need him. He loved them and regretted everything he'd put them through. But the simple truth was that they were better off without him. Everyone was. He was an empty shell, a living, breathing corpse.

The only positive outcome was the woman, Gina, was safe now. He didn't know what the future held for her, only that she had one. How she chose to use it was up to her. She'd been drawn in to a world that she didn't know existed and couldn't possibly understand. Vulnerable. Weak. Human. She was a lamb amongst the wolves. And the harshness of his reality would swallow her up and devour her, if she stayed in his world long enough.

He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth against the pain. A majority of his injuries were healed. But, he was far from whole. The woman was not his concern. Or his problem, she was in the hands of the vampires now. She was their problem. Not his.

Dane tapped Grant on the shoulder. Grant rode shotgun while he sat in the back with Hunter and the woman. Just in case there were complications. His sudden movement had jarred her and the blanket slipped off her slack body. He eased the brown fleece blanket over her shoulders. "We'll debrief at the compound. I'd like to have the Shaman and Thomas look everyone over before we regroup."

"No problem." Grant answered, for both himself and his brother. He'd already missed Claire this morning. And if it would get him home sooner, he'd stand on his head and sing the Star Spangled Banner, if that's what Dane asked of him.

Dane stared down at the woman's sleeping face. He didn't know what he was going to do with her. He couldn't ease her the pain of her memories. He couldn't chase away her nightmares forever. She'd been exposed to a universe of darkness that few walked away from unscathed. For now, the best he could do was to give her a few hours of respite from the horrors she'd relive over and over again in her mind. Her body was healed. But, he had no way of knowing the damage her gentle spirit had sustained.

The morning was busy. Blessedly slow for a Wednesday. Not that Claire minded. By noon her feet were aching and she was beginning to feel the toll of the sleepless night on her body. She hazarded to stalk the cafeteria for something palpable to eat for lunch. Not that any of it looked appealing. She settled for a yogurt and a granola bar. Something the cafeteria staff had not laid their plastic gloved hands upon. Someone cut in front of her in line as she was getting ready to pay.

"I've got hers too," Thomas said, digging a ten out of his pocket. The ER was still slow and he hadn't sent any admissions to the floor. He'd hoped if he hung out in the cafeteria long enough, he'd spot Claire down here. He palmed the change and led the way to a square formica covered tabletop. "Here ok?"

"Fine." Claire sat down her tray and pulled out two chairs, one for her butt and one for her feet. "You didn't have to pay for my lunch. In fact, I should have paid for yours."

Thomas blew her off with a wave of his hand and dug into his salad. "Quiet on the floor today."

Claire held a finger to her lips. "Don't say the Q-word," she cautioned superstitiously. "You know better," she chastised.

"Sorry. I got your labs back. Things are looking good." He peeked over the edge of the table at her feet. "Your ankles are a little swollen. You should probably get some support hose."

"Support hose? Bad enough I'm reduced to wearing a tent." She pointed to her maternity scrubs. "Support hose, Ugh! Have you figured out when I'm due yet?"

"Not exactly. OB is not my thing. I'm having to reread some of my textbooks to figure that out."

"Thomas, I know how hard this is for you. But, I just wanted to thank you for all your help. You've been such a good friend."

"Claire, there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you. And I'm going to help you and the baby any way that I can. Look, I know you're involved with the baby's father. And I hope things work out for the two of you. I really do." He stared at the diamond on Claire's left ring finger. "If being a friend is all that I can be, then I'll be the best one that I know how to be. Besides, I'm sending Grant a hefty bill for my services."

"I hope friendship enough for you. I don't know what I'd do without you. I really mean that."

"Claire, it will have to be. Now eat your yogurt. You're eating for two, you know."

"Two?" Claire's eyes got big. She thought there was only one baby.

"You and your baby, silly." Thomas chuckled. "I've checked the ultrasound at least a dozen times, there's only one baby. I promise."

"Oh, ok." Claire sighed in relief. Obligingly, she took a bite of her yogurt and smiled at Thomas. He was really going to make a good husband to some lucky lady. Someday.

"What are you doing after work today?" Thomas asked casually. The vampires worked quickly. Equipment rushed in by Federal Express. The birthing/ exam room was ready and he was dying to show it off.

"I don't know. Grant is out of town for a while, I think. And I've been staying at his place. He's got some crazy notion that I can't stay by myself and ..." she giggled, "That I need a bodyguard. He made his nephew drive me to work today."

"A real Neanderthal eh?" Thomas grinned. This might be his in. If Grant got too pushy or too restrictive, he'd drive Claire away.

"No, I don't think so. He's just really oddly protective of me. I'm pregnant, not made of glass.

"Can't blame the guy for being a little territorial." Thomas quickly shifted gears. Not wanting to delve too deeply into her personal life. "I've got something to show you. Some people I'm dying for you to meet, if you can get away this afternoon. If Grant is back, he's welcome to join us."

"I can." Claire answered determined. Grant was her fiancée, not her keeper. She could go where she wanted to, when she wanted to. Besides, he had left her alone to worry about him. He'd placed himself in danger, yet again. Surely, she could go somewhere with a friend. Alone.

Thomas's pager rang. Beeping furiously at his side. He frowned. Reading the display. Something was going down at the compound. "I've gotta take this. I'll give you a call later." He hurriedly dumped his trash and darted for a private corner of the hospital.

"Ok." Claire finished her yogurt and tossed her trash in the bin. Preparing mentally for the remainder of her shift. She couldn't wait for it to be over and done. Tomorrow, she'd called in a few favors and was taking a vacation day. She had plans for doing nothing but resting with her feet up and a good book across her lap.

Chris longed to leap into her husband's arms and welcome him back. But, his hands were literally full, carrying a thin, wraithlike, woman in tattered rags through the halls. "You found her! She's alive." Chris rushed to help Dane with his burden. Gasping as she saw the condition of the woman. "Poor thing. Put her in here." She opened the door to a guest suite and flipped on the light. "Is she alright?"

"She's fine. By the time we got to her, she was more dead than alive." Gently he stretched the woman out on the bed. He locked eyes with his wife, his expression tense and guarded. "I had to give her my blood to save her life." Sharing of blood was sacred amongst the vampires. The woman was his worry to deal with. Blood bound to him.

"Yes, yes, of course." Chris squeezed her husband in a hug. His blood ran through her veins and hers through his. Sharing a bond was something he would not have done except for in the most extreme circumstances. "Of course! Barbara!" She bellowed into the hall. She needed help with the woman and Barbara knew a lot about the medical profession. She was the closest thing they had to a nurse. She'd know how to care for the woman. She'd know what to do.

"What is it?" Barbara burst into the room. Chris's voice was filled with panic and urgency when she shouted out. Barbara skidded to a stop. Seeing and smelling the woman. "Oh my god, you found her!" She immediately got to work. Barking orders at the women close on her heels. "I need scissors, towels, washcloths, soap and a hot pan of water. Go to the treatment room and get me an IV set up. Now." The woman was covered in a layer of blood and filth. Lips cracked and dry. Dehydrated. Ripping through the tattered remains of the woman's clothes with a pair of scissors, she set to work cleaning her up. For the first time since she'd been turned, she felt useful.

"What are we going to do with her?" Chris asked. Obviously, her medical needs had to be tended to. But, what happened after that?

"I don't know," Dane answered. Turning away he left Barbara and Chris to tend the woman.

Barbara scrubbed away at Gina until a majority of the grime was washed clean. Revealing pink skin. She dressed her in a hospital gown and crouched beside the bed. Clutching a handful of tubes and an IV needle in her hand. Her son was coming and he'd want any and every sample that he could collect. There was no need to stick the woman twice. She could get the samples when she started the IV.

Finding a vein was extremely easy for a vampire. Barbara could see the vessels beneath the surface of Gina's skin. Piercing the vein, collecting the rainbow of colored topped vaccutainers, and connecting the IV tubing, without taking a sip or two, was extremely difficult. Her fangs were out and her mouth dry as she scrubbed the woman's skin with alcohol and prepared the needle. Go big, go early, go ugly was the motto when it came to emergencies. So she'd selected the biggest gauge and the biggest vessel she could find in the woman's arm. She took a deep breath and punctured the fragile skin. Barbara's pupils dilated when the smell of fresh, hot blood hit the air. Her hands trembled as she slid out the needle and a trickle of red spilled out of the plastic catheter.

Duty, duty, duty Barbara repeated in her mind as she affixed the syringe and withdrew thirty milliliters of blood. Tempting. Tasty. Blood. Her fingers could barely twist the end of the IV tubing onto the hub of the catheter. But somehow she'd managed to get it done and the IV taped securely into place without biting the woman.

The vaccuatainers were filled. A few drops remained in the syringe, a shame to waste, a sin to taste. She sucked some alcohol into the syringe. The smell was gone and her temptation over. She looked up, surprised that she was alone in the room. Apparently, blood wasn't just an issue for her alone. She adjusted the roller clamp and guesstimated exactly how fast to run in the bag of saline. She sat in the chair across the room, keeping watch over the woman.

Grant gratefully accepted the offer to shower and the fresh change of clothes. He felt fine. Tender, but otherwise fine. Hunter was still very weak. Needing to rely on the vampires for support as he made his way into the compound. Hunter still wasn't talking or looking at him. And it hurt. But, in time, his brother might come around. Forgive him. Maybe even find a purpose, and thank him for saving his life. Grant paced around the exam room. Vampires needed a medical facility. Go figure. And... he took a closer look. An ultrasound? An incubator? He knew for a fact that vampires could not reproduce. Why in the hell would they have the room stocked for delivering a baby?

Hunter insisted in showering and dressing alone. He hobbled and grabbed onto furniture for support. But, he didn't need or want anyone's help. Maybe he would get lucky enough to slip and fall in the shower. Hit his head hard enough to kill him. And leave this world. Suicide was forbidden, and his will too stubborn to let go of his life, otherwise he would have died long ago. He was as stuck and powerless as a fly on a fly strip. All he could do was flutter his wings impotently and wait for death to find him.

Thomas admired his mother's quick thinking and take charge attitude. He bagged the samples and slipped them into his backpack to take back to the hospital later. The woman was going to be fine. She'd be weak and disoriented for a few days. But physically, she was fine.

He couldn't guess the hell she'd been through in the last week. What toll her ordeal had taken on her mind, he'd have to wait and see. Dane had released her from his spell. But, her brain wasn't ready to flip the switch to the on position just yet. He left syringe loaded with a strong sedative with his mother. In case she needed it when the woman woke up. "Leave her on the fluids until she's eating and drinking on her own. Then you can turn them off. Good job mom. Or should I say, nurse Barbara."