They hurried out of the bathroom and down further into the bowels of the mansion. When they got to the Gypsy Healer lab room, Rachel wasn’t there. They walked briskly to the bathroom at the back. Once inside, they shut the door, and Costin started the water in the tub.
“Make sure it’s not too hot,” Fane said. “I’ll hold her while you bathe her.”
Fane stripped off the blanket and tiny diaper and checked the water before lowering her into the tub. He cradled her in both hands and simply let her recline in the warm bath. He looked over his shoulder at Costin. “Find some soap and a washcloth or something.”
He watched as Costin searched the different bottles sitting on the counter next to the sink. Most of them didn’t have labels. Costin began picking them up, opening them, and sniffing. He made some gagging noises on the first couple but smiled on the third. “This smells like soap.”
“Perfect. If it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, and smells like a duck, then it’s probably a duck,” Fane said as Costin snatched up a small hand towel to use as a washcloth.
He wet the towel and then poured some of the silky blue liquid, which smelled strongly of fresh berries, onto the rag. Then he started rubbing it all over Thia, but not on her face since they didn’t know if it was the tear-free stuff. When bubbles started filling the sink, he knew they’d found the right bottle. The puke smell quickly dissipated, and Thia giggled at the sensation of the warm water and soap suds.
When they were convinced of Thia’s cleanliness, Fane pulled the stopper on the tub and ran some fresh water to rinse her off.
“Uh, oh,” he said, after a few moments.
“Holy monkey butts, her skin is blue.” Costin yelped. “It won’t come off.” He kept putting clean water on her, trying to rinse off the soap, but her skin just became bluer and bluer.
Fane closed his eyes and shook his head, though he tightened his grip on Thia to make sure he didn’t drop her. “We’ve turned Decebel’s daughter into a blueberry,” he said quietly and opened his eyes to look at his partner in crime.
Costin was fighting a smile. “This shouldn’t be funny. I realize in a few minutes, it’s not going to be funnyat all, but bloody hell it is funny right now.”
Fane lifted Thia out of the water and grabbed one of the folded towels from the shelf over the sink. “Lay that blanket out there.” He pointed to the counter. Costin did so and Fane laid the girl on it, wiping Thia dry. He stupidly hoped the color would wipe away from her skin as she dried. No such luck. “Grab a diaper from the bag,” he commanded. Costin snatched one up and held it out to him.
Fane took the diaper from Costin and clumsily began putting it on the tiny creature. It took a few tries, but he finally got most of the important parts covered. Then Fane wrapped the blanket around her blue body and handed the girl to Costin. “Here, comfort her. She’s bound to freak out when she realizes she’s blue.”
“She’s a baby, Fane. She doesn’t know what blue is.”
“True, but when her mother starts screeching like a banshee, she’ll understand that. It’s an instinctual female thing. I’m betting they understand crazy, pissed-off-momma language, even as infants.”
Costin laughed. “You’re probably right.”
Fane pulled out his cell phone and found his dad’s contact. He pressed the call button and then tried to figure out exactly how the imminent conversation would go.
His dad picked up on the third ring. “Fane.”
“I have a small problem, and I think the only one who can help is Peri,” Fane said without any preamble.
“What sort of problem?” Vasile asked.
“It might be better for you not to know. That way, when you’re questioned about it later, you can honestly say you had no idea what was going on,” Fane told him.
Vasile sighed. “You’re right. I don’t want to know. I’ll contact Peri and inform her you have a situation. Where are you?”
“In the Gypsy Healer lab room in the Serbia mansion. Let her know that time is of the essence.”
“I told you they were unoriginal!” Fane spun around as Jacque’s voice rang out in the room.
“Is that your mate?” Vasile asked.
“Gotta run, dad.” Fane hung up the phone and let out a sigh as he watched his mate and Sally stride toward him. They were staring with wide eyes and opened mouths at the blue infant.
“Your hands are blue too,” Sally pointed out to Costin.
Fane looked at his hands for the first time since bathing Thia, and his were just as blue as Costin’s.Fantastic.. “Yes, that’s my mate. I’ve got to go. Please tell Peri to hurry.” He ended the call and then braced himself for the crap storm that was bound to erupt from his redheaded, fiery mate.
“You’re right,” Sally said as she bumped Jacque’s shoulder. “They have no originality. They should have bead-dazzled her.”
Costin frowned at his mate. “I feel like I should be insulted, but I’m not really sure exactly how.”
