Shadow Falls After Dark: Eternal Part 44

Dr. Whitman and his family were on vacation, so Burnett had a different doctor meet them at Shadow Falls. He put the doctor and his patients in one of the bedrooms in an extra cabin. Della, Chase, Burnett, Holiday, and Hannah all sat in the living room. Miranda and Kylie had stopped in for support. Miranda hugged Della, Kylie just gave a thumbs-up, and then they went on their way.

Chase sat right beside Della, as if it was his place. She didn't argue with him. They had made a h.e.l.l of a team. While her thoughts were mostly on the two behind the door, she couldn't help but think about Burnett's message about her and Chase: After this case, if you continue to see Chase, your career with the FRU is over.

Did she really have to make that choice?

She glanced at Chase and wondered what the chances were of him coming to work for the FRU.

From behind the bedroom wall, she could hear the doctor moving around and treating the patients. The first thing he'd asked for was extra blood. He'd brought some, but needed more. Burnett left and returned with four pints from his own reserves.

The doctor was going to let them feed and give it to them via IV while he checked them. Finding Natasha and Liam alive had erased Della's panic, but seeing them so thin and weak brought some of it back. Both of them had been going in and out of consciousness on the way over here.

They looked like the old pictures of prisoners of war. The mood in the cabin now was cautiously optimistic.

Burnett stood on the front porch to make a few calls. Probably checking in to make sure things had gotten taken care of back at the cemetery.

Holiday, with Hannah in her arms, came over and sat beside Della and Chase. She offered Della a gentle, calming touch and then some words. "I'm proud of you. And you," she said, looking at Chase.

"Thanks," Chase said and Della saw a spark of pride in his eyes.

Hannah smiled up at Chase and flapped her arms.

"It appears my little girl already has good taste in men," Holiday said. "I'm afraid she's a big flirt."

After a second, Holiday continued. "And I'm a little disappointed in myself. I had serious doubts because I've never seen a case where the spirit was able to connect two live people, but I'm beginning to learn that nothing is impossible."

"I'm just glad it turned out okay." Della looked back at the bedroom door. "They're going to be okay, aren't they?"

"I'm not a doctor, but I would think so."

Della inhaled and breathed a little deeper this time.

"Did the spirit pa.s.s over?" Holiday asked.

Della looked back at Holiday. "I don't know."

"Oh, you'd know," Holiday said. "You'll see it. It's rather beautiful. A reward for all your work. And it's worth it." She got a gentle smile on her face.

"Then I guess she hasn't," Della said.

"Why would she still be hanging around?" Chase leaned in and asked.

"She might want to make sure they are okay. Or she might want something else."

Della recalled the b.l.o.o.d.y vision of her aunt, dead. And she knew from both Holiday and Kylie, that often what ghosts wanted was justice. But how could she offer that on a murder that happened so many years ago? And the thought of even trying to discover the truth when ...

Holiday spoke again. "Did you ever find the connection of the ghost to these two?"

"She's Natasha's mother," Della said, but didn't add the fact that she was also her aunt. She knew that would lead Burnett to discovering too many truths. And before he went digging into her family tree, Della wanted to find the answers herself.

Holiday smiled. "I should have guessed." She bounced Hannah on her lap. "Maternal bonds are pretty powerful."

Della's thoughts went to her own mom and the last time she'd spoken with her. She could only hope whatever problem had arisen at home had decompressed. But as soon as she had a chance, she needed to call.

Voices echoed from the bedroom and she heard Natasha talking to the doctor.

Della wanted to talk to Natasha right away, but Burnett insisted they get them medical help first. And rightfully so.

Finally, the doctor walked out. Burnett moved through the door. Holiday, Chase, and Della all stood up. The doctor smiled, and suddenly the air tasted sweeter to Della.

"They're going to make it. I'm not sure how much longer they could have survived. It will take some time for them to get their strength back. They'll probably have more emotional scars than physical, but they'll be fine."

Della leaned her head back, closed her eyes, and said a prayer of thanks. Chase leaned in and whispered in her ear, "We did it."

She opened her eyes and smiled at him.

"The patients need rest," the doctor continued. "But if you'd like to visit with them, that's fine. Keep it low-key. One at a time and make it short."

Burnett inched forward and looked at Della and Chase. "I have to go to the office to fill out some paperwork. Why don't you two visit with them, and I'll do my interrogation later."

Della nodded.

"Oh," the doctor added, "I tried to convince them they would rest better in separate rooms, but they refused to be separated. Which isn't uncommon for victims who went through an ordeal together. I recommend letting them stay together for a while."

Della would bet that Natasha and Liam would be together longer than a while.

Chase's phone started to vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked up at Della. "It's the council, I should update them."

Della saw Burnett frown, but much to his credit, he didn't say anything. He kissed his wife and child and left.

After a few seconds, Chase went outside on the porch to take his call. Della heard him recounting what happened.

She looked back at the doctor. "Is it okay if I go in now?"

"Sure. But if they're sleeping, let them be."

"I understand." She started toward the door when Chase walked back inside. He moved over to her. "I need to go fill the council in on things in person. I shouldn't be too long."

"Good," she said. Before she knew his intent, he leaned down and kissed her. It wasn't a kiss full of s.e.xual tension, just a simple good-bye from someone who cared about another person. It was, Della realized, very much like the one Burnett had just given Holiday.

He smiled and then pa.s.sed his finger over her lips. "I won't be long."

"We need to talk," she said, prepared to tell him about the FRU ultimatum.

"That we do," he said, and she saw in his eyes how much he cared.

He turned to go, but she grabbed his hand and pulled him back. And she kissed him. This kiss lasted just a little longer. She knew Holiday and the doctor watched, but for once, she didn't care.

"Thank you," she said when she pulled back.

"For what?" he asked, smiling.

"For everything."

He gave her hand a squeeze. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

She smiled and watched him leave. When she heard him take a flying leap off the porch, she felt like a part of herself had taken off with him. It hit her then, somehow, someway, she wasn't going to stop seeing Chase. It didn't matter if her feelings were due to the bonding. She still felt them. And their being together was right. Like Natasha and Liam. Like Kylie and Lucas. Burnett and Holiday.

When she looked back, she saw Holiday's expression was less than happy. But Della refused to worry too much. Things would work out. She had to believe that.

"I'm going to check on Natasha and Liam," she said.

"You do that," Holiday said.

Della got to the door and paused. Taking a deep breath, and not completely sure what she was going to tell her cousin and her boyfriend, she eased open the door to their room.

Natasha and Liam were in separate twin beds, but someone had pushed them together. Each had an IV going into their arm. They both had their eyes closed.

Della paused at the door, her gaze going to Natasha. The doctor must have used a washcloth to at least get some of the dirt off her. She wore a gown, and Della suspected it was Holiday's. She almost turned around when Natasha's eyes fluttered open.

Della smiled at her, even though it hurt to see her with such dark circles under her eyes and her cheekbones so p.r.o.nounced.

Natasha smiled back and sat up a little.

"Would you like to rest now? I can come back."

"No, please come in." Natasha motioned her in then checked on Liam, who was still asleep.

Della inched in. "I have doctor's orders not to stay long."

Natasha nodded. "I hear you and that guy who was with you are the ones responsible for finding us."

Indecision flipped around her head. Should she tell Natasha the whole truth about the ghost? Yes, Della realized. Natasha deserved to know. Della moved in and sat down in a chair beside the bed.

"Actually, we had a lot of help."

"The police, or ... what do you call them? F something?"

"The FRU," Della said. "They're like the police to all the supernaturals."

Della saw Natasha squint to check out her pattern. "So you're vampire, too?"

Della nodded and remembered what she needed to tell the girl. "The FRU helped, but..." Oh, h.e.l.l, how did she say it? "Actually, Natasha, your mom is the one who gets most of the credit."

"My mom?" Natasha's eyes grew wide. "But I thought ... I was told she thought I was dead."

"No, not your adoptive mom. Your birth mother, Bao Yu Tsang."

Now tears filled her eyes and she touched her trembling lips. "I thought she was dead."

s.h.i.+t! Della was s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g this up. "Yeah, well, she is. I'm sorry. But ... she sort of hung around all these years, probably to look after you."

Natasha stared at Della as if she might need a shrink.

Della hesitated and then added, "I know it sounds crazy. Believe me, it kind of is." All of a sudden, cold filled the small bedroom, and Della knew her aunt was there.

"You're saying my real mom's ghost helped you find me?"

Della nodded. "Yeah, that's pretty much it in a nutsh.e.l.l." Except that I was in your body when you and sleepyhead over there were doing the deed. Maybe she shouldn't tell Natasha that part.

The girl looked down at her hands as if trying to come to grips with what Della had said.

Della let her take all the time she needed.

Finally, she looked up. "My first impulse is to say you're nuts. I don't believe in ghosts, but then ... I'm a vampire, and I didn't believe in them, either, until I was turned."

"Yeah," Della said. "It kind of messes with your head, doesn't it?"

Natasha just nodded. "So, she told you where to find me?"

"Well, yeah, I mean ... there's more to it than just that."

"What's more?" Natasha asked.

Della inhaled. "Can this part be just between us for a while?"

"What part?"

"I won't tell," a male voice said.

Della s.h.i.+fted her focus to Liam, whose eyes were open, and from the look on his face, he'd heard the ghost comment, too.

"Yeah, you can't tell, either," Della said.

"What is it?" Natasha asked, sounding leery.

"You and I ... we're cousins," Della said in a low voice. "Bao Yu Tsang is ... was my father's sister."

Natasha's eyes widened again. "You're Della? I should have recognized you. Your ... I mean, our aunt, Miao, showed me pictures of you."

"Not the one where I was naked in the bathtub when I was three, I hope," Della said.

Natasha chuckled and tears filled her eyes at the same time. "Yeah, she showed me that one." She inhaled. "I can't believe I'm meeting you."

Della felt emotion tug on her heart. "I feel the same way. And it's not that I don't want people to know, but I'm trying to figure a few things out about our family, and until then, I just wanted to keep it between us."