“I’m going tomake some plans just in case,” he said, sliding gently out of me, and makinghis way into his bathroom.
He returned witha cold, wet washcloth, settling it between my legs, before grabbing his cellphone off the nightstand.
“What are youdoing?” I hissed.
“Sweetheart, weneed to prepare.”
“You’re notreally calling someone to tell them what we just did,” I snapped.
“Hi. Aye, we’rebound.” He glanced at me, and I blushed, covering my face with my hands again.“Aye, Mum, that’d be great. Thanks.” He hung up and climbed back onto the bedwith me.
“I can’t believeyou called yourmother,” I bit out.
“Sweetheart,you’ll be happy I did when you feel the first—”
Pain like I’dnever experienced sliced through my belly and I screamed as I doubled over,sure it was going to rip me in two.
“Shite.” Hescrambled off the bed and grabbed his phone again.
I waved my hand,despite my agony. “If you call your mother again, I will murder you.”
He set the phoneback on the nightstand and I pushed myself onto all fours. “What is happeningto me?”
“My aunt, Fiona,once described it like a self-cleaning oven. Your Cauld Ane body is taking overyour human one and reforming all of your organs, cleaning them essentially.”
I cried out asanother pain sliced through me, this time in my side. Phin cupped my face,stroking my cheek. “I’m sorry, love. If I could stop this, I would.”
“It burns.”
“I know, love.”
More pain, thistime in my thighs and I dropped to my stomach with a hiss. Phin set his hand onmy forehead, and I reared back. “Don’t touch me.”
“I’m sorry,love. You’re burning up. I’m going to fill the tub. I will be right back.”
“Don’t leaveme.”
“In order not toleave you, I need to ring my mother, sweetheart.”
“I’m here,”Samantha called out. “I’m filling the tub with cold water.”
I groaned, mymortification at Defcon One.
You havenothing to be embarrassed about, love. My mother went through this when shebonded with my father.
I glared at him,unable to think or respond audibly. Once the pain had subsided, I asked,Howmany other people know?
Phin grimaced.“You don’t want me to answer that.”
“You have animmortal Viking housewives phone tree?” I squeaked.
“Not in the wayyou think.”
“Well, then,enlighten me,honey, because right now, I’m imagining that the secondyou called your mom, she called absolutely everyone you know to tell them youdeflowered me, and now she’s running a bath in some weird Cauld Ane ritualbecause my vagina is now unclean, and God is quite literally smiting me forhaving sex with you.”
Phin chuckled,his eyes dancing as he kissed my palm. “Jesus, I love you.”
I scowled at himin response.
