She dressed and went to see her mom in the clinic. The doctor and Nurse Debra were getting her ready to take to the hospital.
She pulled Debra to the side and whispered, "Is she worse?"
Debra shook her head. "The same, but Doc wants to run some tests."
Abigail sighed. "I'll pack her a bag."
That afternoon, an ambulance took her mother to the hospital. The media was swarming the streets around the White House. Abigail covered her face as she dashed from the South Portico to the waiting limo. Her sister and father joined her, and they followed the ambulance. Her brother, Lincoln, had already been notified, but Dad told him to stay at Harvard since he had final exams coming up. His mom was just having a few routine tests done.
After a few hours of pacing at the hospital and drinking coffee, which only made her more edgy, she was told the first test was done. No results yet, but they could see the first lady.
Abigail's heart stuttered when she saw her mother, looking so pale and worn in the hospital bed. Her father sat on the edge of the bed, holding her hand.
He loved her so much. Abigail could see it in his eyes.
"We'll leave you alone a minute." She dragged her sister into the hall.
Madison frowned at her. "Why'd you do that?"
"I didn't want to cry in front of Mom." Tears stung her eyes. "She and Dad still love each other."
"Well, duh."
Abigail sniffed. "It's so beautiful."
"Yeah." Madison gave her a curious look. "When did you turn into such a mushy romantic?"
Abigail sighed and thought about Gregori holding her in his arms while she slept.
"Oh my God," Madison whispered, her eyes growing wide. "You're in love!"
Abigail started to object, then reconsidered. "You're not going to tell, are you? Dad might refuse to let me go on the trip, and - "
"I won't say anything." Madison grinned. "Has he tried to bite you?"
"No, of course not."
"Oh." Madison looked disappointed. "I'd let a vampire bite me."
Abigail smiled. "I'm going to go the lab for a few hours. This sitting around being useless doesn't work for me."
"You're lucky," Madison said with a wry look. "It works for me."
An hour later, Abigail was in her lab, printing out photos of the three plants they would search for in Yunnan. The one that looked most promising was in the eastern part of the province. It went by a name roughly translated as the Demon Herb. Ominous-sounding, but it was rumored to have a powerful effect on a person's ability to heal.
As the sun set, her thoughts returned to Gregori. Where had he slept? Was he getting up now? Was he thinking about her?
She turned on the desk lamp, then closed the blinds on the window. Back at her desk, she opened the clear plastic container she'd bought downstairs in the commissary. She took a bite of the turkey sandwich. Tasted like every other sandwich she'd bought at the commissary. She opened her Diet Coke and took a drink.
"Good evening, sweetheart."
She choked and spewed soda onto her lab coat. "Good Lord." She grabbed a napkin to wipe her face and coat. "You should give me a warning when you're about to come."
"Are you referring to sex?" Gregori asked, his eyes twinkling. "I'll remember to do that."
With a smile, she shook her head. "I missed you when I woke up alone." She strode to the door to make sure it was locked.
"I woke up alone, too. It was very sad." He gave her a droopy puppy-dog look.
She was so tempted to kiss him. "It was a dreary day. My mom went to the hospital to have some tests done."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
She nodded. "I don't like feeling useless. I'll be glad when our trip gets under way."
"The guys reported in. They've already set up one base. I think we should start teleporting west tomorrow night."
"Oh." Her heart raced. It was actually happening. She was going to travel to China. With no Black Suits.
Freedom. She pressed a hand against her chest. "It's been years since I went anywhere without a Secret Service agent following me." Her lab coat was sticky, so she took it off and draped it over the back of her chair.
Gregori yanked his T-shirt over his head and dropped it on the floor.
Her mouth dropped open. "What are you doing?" Her gaze drifted to his bare chest.
"I thought we were undressing."
"I just took off the coat because it was stained." Her mouth grew dry. What a chest. Broad, muscular, well-defined abs. She grabbed her soda and drank some more.
"There's a stain on your T-shirt, too."
She glanced down at herself, and sure enough, she'd spewed cola on her shirt, too. She set her drink down. If she had the nerve, she'd take off her shirt, too. She looked up to find Gregori watching her intently. His eyes began to darken.
Goose bumps shimmered down her arms. A fluttering sensation started in her belly, then eased down to her womb, where it settled, growing hotter and more tense with desire.
"I want you," he whispered. He held out his hand.
Her heart pounding, she walked toward him, then placed her hand on his.
He gripped her hand and retreated toward the black-topped lab table. When he grasped her around the waist and lifted her, she grabbed on to his shoulders.
He sat her on the table, then planted his hands on the table on either side of her and watched her closely.
Her cheeks grew warm as she smoothed her hands over his shoulders and chest. There was a light sprinkling of curly brown hair above his ni**les. Soft and springy. She continued down to the ridges of his abdominal muscles, and she heard him suck in a deep breath.
She glanced up to find his eyes red and glowing. The aching sensation in her womb intensified, and she squeezed her thighs together.
"I'm in love with you," he whispered.
Her heart stuttered, and tears misted her eyes. "Gregori." She cradled his face with her hands. God help her, she loved him, too. She was in love with a vampire.
He grasped her knees and opened her legs. A shudder swept over her, and moisture pooled between her thighs.
He eased between her legs, his hands skimming up her thighs to her hips. "I want you."
"I want you, too."
He yanked her T-shirt off and tossed it aside. Then he pulled her tight and kissed her. Passion broke loose, and she was swept into a whirlwind of sensation. His lips, his tongue, his hands. She tried to keep up, stroking his tongue with hers and raking her hands into his soft hair.
He was delicious, sweet, and desperately hungry for her. Her heart pounded, her skin felt feverishly hot, and she ached with desire. All this - just from kissing him? She might die if he did more.
She might die if he didn't. She groaned and nearly fainted at the raw, husky sound of his answering growl. Her body responded, causing her back to arch and more moisture to slicken her legs.
Before she knew it, her bra was off, and he was lifting her higher so he could kiss her br**sts. She wrapped her legs around his waist and moaned as he suckled hard. With his palms on her rump, he pulled her groin tight against him. More moisture seeped from her. More desperation.
"Gregori, please."
He set her on the table. "Lie back."
She stretched out on the black slab as he fumbled with the button and zipper of her jeans. He pulled off her shoes, then whisked off her jeans and underwear.
Her heart thundered as he looked her over with his red glowing eyes.
"You look like a feast." He rested a hand on her tummy, then skimmed it up to cup her breast.
She reached for him. "Gregori."
He smiled and kissed her. "My beautiful Scholar." He trailed kisses down her neck to her breast.
She arched when he drew her nipple into his mouth. She raked her hands into his hair and gasped when he rested a hand on the curls between her legs.
"Oh God." She'd never felt such a desperate level of need before. All modesty fled, and she opened her legs.
He glanced up at her. "No screaming, remember?"
She shook her head. "I've never felt so . . ." She moaned when he parted the folds.
"You're dripping wet."
That made even more moisture seep out. "Please." She planted her feet on the table and pressed against him.
He gently stroked her clitoris. She gasped, struggling to breathe.
He rubbed her faster and faster till she knew he'd gone beyond what was humanly possible. And he was taking her with him, higher and higher.