Here we go...

11. Fever

Skye

The summer was slowly coming to an end, and I do mean slowly. In Louisiana, the summers seemed to drag on forever. The heat and humidity never willing to release it's hold well into October or November. It was the beginning of September but it still felt like July. Just plain hot and sticky. It seemed that we were in for what the northerners called an 'Indian summer' this year.

We had been here just three short months and it already felt like home again. It was like I'd never left. The bar was doing great. I kept all the staff that wished to stay on and work with me, only two chose not to. I also hired a manager to run the place when I couldn't be there.

His name was Remy, and he was a native of New Orleans as well. He also happened to be a vamp. And that of course didn't sit well with Eddie. He wasn't crazy about me associating myself with another vampire. But Remy was a sweet guy, and my grandfather knew him from way back when. He was also a 'vegetarian' like us. Which earned him a few brownie points with Eddie, but not many. He was just leery of any strange vamps being around me, and I didn't think that that was ever gonna change. It was just something I'd have to live with. He'd come around once he saw that Remy was no threat, and what a perfect choice he had been. Once he saw for himself how prosperous Remy would make Sid's, he would understand my reasons for choosing him.

In his day, Remy had run one of the most successful bar and high end brothels in the south. Everyone who was anyone in Louisiana back in the early 1900's knew Remy Rousseau. It was even rumored that a few American president's had partaken in the services he provided. He was known for his discretion, and being a smart and savvy businessman. All of which I was experiencing first hand. He was teaching me a lot. But like most unattached vampire men, Remy loved the ladies. He loved gambling too, which as it happens depleted his funds. More so the former than the latter, because he was a pretty decent poker player but lucky in love he wasn't.

He was well over a hundred years old, and if I hadn't known him personally, I wouldn't have never guessed it. His mannerisms, clothing and sense of style were all current and up to date. He was like a chameleon adapting to it's environment. He was very up on what was hot with the youth of today, and that's another reason why I hired him.

He was expensive, but where else could I find someone that was connected to the new generation, with the values and morals of the old. He was perfect. I needed a manager and he needed the money. I did have to make it clear to him however that I was no Madame. I wanted none of his women frequenting my bar. I guess it was hard giving up all his old ways. But this was the 21st century, and that shit was illegal. It also drew too much attention.

Now on the flip side…

Eddie's practice was off to a slow start. I explained to him that people down here didn't like change. Most of us saw the same doctor from birth to death. We tended to stick with what and who we knew. And no one knew him. No one knew his mama and daddy. No one knew his siblings. And they hadn't watched him grow from a boy to a man. He was going to have to earn his position and their trust.

This wasn't the north. They didn't care how many degrees he had on his wall. They wanted to know if he came from a good family and if he was trustworthy. They were curious however and that helped. They wanted to know about the young, rich, handsome, big city, white doctor and his pretty mulatto wife and children. They wondered why he chose to leave Chicago (that was our new story) and settle down here. They wondered how he ended up with the strange, but pretty little backwoods bayou girl who sang like an angel.

Then of course there were the elder townies, who had heard the 'rumors' as children about my family, and that in itself was a issue. They knew something was 'off' about me, and even though they didn't know my true age, they knew that I was a child of the 'Hoodoo people' down yonder. But down here no one talked about that. At least not in public, or where they thought I could hear. They didn't know that I just picked it out their heads. No, most people minded their business when it came to me. They didn't want me to curse or jinx them. Which was the silliest thing I'd ever heard.

Why would I waste a perfectly good spell on them. I thought smiling.

You see down here people believed. Especially the elders. It was as much a part of the culture as Mardi Gras itself. They knew it wasn't something the movies made up. But that's also why they avoided it. That is of course until they needed one of us for something. Like a fortune told, a potion for a sick loved one, or help with fertility. They came for other reasons as well, darker ones, and there are those who dabble with the darker side of things, but I wasn't one of them. It was too hard to cross back over if you stepped over that line. The demons seemed to follow you, unwilling to let you go once you've dealt with them.

0~~~~~~~~~~0

I was relaxing out back under a big oak tree, and reading a book on my new iPad while the kids swam in the newly finished pool. I'd finally convinced Eddie to add it, and a guest house to the property. He hadn't wanted to because he wanted to keep the mansion historical. But I needed water around me, and we had a big family. When they all came in town the mansion was crowded. So he finally relented, I knew he would, and let me put my pool and guest house out back. It was a little ways from the main house but still in walking distance. And there was a cute little cobblestone path that led to and from it.

"Mama," Stevie said softly pulling me from my serenity.

I looked up from my reading and notice that his skin was flushed brightly. I sat up and motioned for him to come to me. He toddled over and I held my arms open for him.

"What's wrong, baby? Did you hurt yourself?" I asked.

It wasn't impossible, he was still just a baby, but unlikely that he had.

He shook his head and flopped into my lap like he was exhausted. Then he lay his head on my chest and closed his eyes. I noticed that his skin was hotter than usual to the touch, and that even though he had just come out of the pool, he trunks were almost dry. I sat him up and lifted his chin.

"Etienne, sweetie, do you feel alright?" I tried not to look or sound panicked.

He shook his head slightly without opening up his eyes. I looked up at PJ and Jazz, who had stopped playing water volleyball with the kids to watch us. They could tell I was worried. My baby was burning up and he was lethargic. He was sick. He shouldn't be sick.

"He's just hot. Too much sun. Let him sit with you in the shade a spell and cool off," PJ said.

I nodded and tried to give him some of my lemonade but he pushed it away and nuzzled his head in my breasts. I stroked his wild hair back and kissed his forehead before standing.

"I'm going to take him in the house where it's cooler. Can you grab my stuff on your way in?" I asked.

"Sure, go ahead. We'll get it."

I walked the path to the house quickly. I rubbed Stevie's back soothingly and told him I loved him. He snuggled closer. When we got into the house I went straight to the nursery bathroom and grabbed a thermometer. Then I sat on the edge of the tub with Stevie in my lap and ran a cool bath.

While I waited on the tub to fill I removed his clothes and took his temperature.

Our kids were roughly three quarters vampire, and because of that their natural body temperatures hovered around one hundred and four degrees. It was warmer than my one hundred, but cooler than Nessie and Jake's one hundred and eight.

One hundred and seven degrees. Now in a human child a few degrees was dangerous, but in a vamp it was worse. The main reason being that he shouldn't be running a fever at all. Hybrids didn't get sick. I was a human hybrid and I can't remember ever even having a cold. And the second, and perhaps most important reason, was the fact that venom was extremely flammable. And venom flowed in my baby's veins just as blood did. Now how flammable it was in hybrids I wasn't really sure, because bloods biggest component at its most basic level is water and that had to help. But I'd rather not find out at my baby's expense. I debated with myself over calling Eddie then decided to wait and see if the bath helped at all.

0~~~~~~~~~0

"Is that better?" I smiled as I cupped the cool water over his head.

He nodded and grabbed his toy boat off the side of the tub. I sat on the floor and watched him play for awhile feeling relieved. I had freaked out for nothing. PJ was right. He'd just had too much sun.

I laughed at myself as I washed him from head to toe.

I let the water drain then took him to the nursery to dressed him. I put him on nothing but bottoms and sat in the rocker to feed him. He turned nine months a few days ago and I wanted to start weaning him, but we'd had a rough afternoon and he needed the comfort.

I watched him and his beautiful blue eyes watched me. His tiny, but chubby little hand came to rest on my cheek and I couldn't help but kiss it. I grabbed his foot and lifted it to my lips planting a kiss on it. It made him smiled so I kissed it again.

"You like that, huh?" I laughed and tickled his toes. He smiled wider completely losing his suction. A mouth full of pearly white baby teeth showing.

"Do you know how freaking cute you are?" I smiled leaning over to kiss his forehead.

My smile faded.

It was hot again.

I sighed heavily. It was time to call Eddie.

After I punched in the number to his cell I pulled Etienne close.

"Hello, love." His smooth voice caressed my ear.

"Edward, I need you to come home," I said in a rush.

"Why, is something wrong?" He sounded alert now.

"It's Etienne, he's sick."

"Sick? Are you sure?"

"Well no, but he has a fever…and he's lethargic… I'm really worried about him."

"Okay, okay, slow down and start at the beginning."

"Well, earlier he was in the pool playing with PJ, Jazz and the kids. He got out and came to me looking tired and barely moving. I noticed that he looked a little flush, and once he fell into my lap I felt how hot he was.

"PJ thought that maybe he'd had too much sun. So I brought him back to the house, gave him a cool bath and that seemed to help for awhile. But he feels hot again and I'm starting to think that it's something more."

"I sure PJ's right. It was probably too much sun. He is vampire and you know how the sun drains us."

"But the others are okay."

"They're older though. He's just a baby."

"And the increase in temperature?"

"That is unusual…but it is hot today."

He had an excuse for everything.

"Edward, can you please just come home?"

"What was his temperature?" he asked.

"A hundred and seven."

"Really, that high?"

"Yes."

"What is it now?" he asked.

"Um…hold on a sec."

I went to the bathroom toting a nursing Stevie with me and grabbed the thermometer. I took his temp again. My heart began to race.

"It's…it's a hundred and nine!"

"I'm on my way."

"Edward… Edward?"

He had hung up.

0~~~~~~~~~~0

Edward was home in less than ten minutes. He came straight to the nursery and stood in the doorway for just a second, watching as Etienne nursed.

"Well, I see he hasn't lost his appetite," he said softly.

"Edward, I'm scared."

He flit to me and crouched before us. He stroked Stevie's head then pulled me in for a kiss.

"I know, but he's eating so he can't be that sick."

Stevie opened his eyes and turned toward Edward. Edward smiled and held his hands out for him. Stevie reached for him.

"That's my boy. Come here, son. Let daddy have a look at you."

He stood up and took Stevie to the changing table. He checked him over thoroughly and took some blood. Then he picked him up, lay him against his chest and pat him on the back until he fell asleep.

Once he was out. He lay him in the crib.

"Baby, other than the temperature increase, I don't see anything wrong with him," he said taking my hand.

"Edward, something is wrong…" I started.

"Shhh… Okay… Let me run a few tests then I'll know more."

I nodded and he pulled me close.

"Angelique, he'll be fine. He's vampire and we're very hard to get rid of."

I looked at him with wide eyes.

"Love, I didn't mean it that way. I'm just saying that it's probably just his metabolism speeding up or something. Don't worry… I'll figure it out. You stay here with him. Keep an eye on him. I know you're not going to be any good until you know he's okay so I'll get the other three ready for their first day of school."

"They're ready already…and very excited." I looked up at him.

"They love it here."

"So do I." I tried to smile. "And I'm glad we moved back, but if the sun is going to make Stevie sick then we'll move to Chicago."

"We're leaving New Orleans?" EJ said as they came in the door.

Eddie shook his head.

"No son, we're not leaving New Orleans."

"But mom just said…"

"Your momma's worried about Stevie that's all. We're not leaving unless we have to."

"What's wrong with him, Edward?" PJ asked.

"I'm not sure. Could be some weird reaction to the sun or something at a more cellular level. I'll have to run some test to see."

"Is he going to be alright?" Jazz asked looking at me. He and PJ were in town for the kids first day of school.

"Yes, he'll be alright," Edward said more to me than Jazz. "I'm going to go run a few tests on blood I took."

I nodded my head but it was just a reflexive action. I really wasn't paying attention.

"I'll be back in a few." He kissed me and left.

I went to the kitchen and sat in the chair. I was in no mood to cook.

"Hey, how does pizza sound tonight?"

0~~~~~~~~~~0

Etienne slept with us that night. Or rather me, because all he wanted to do was nurse and Eddie was up all night working on the mystery. He hadn't found anything wrong after all the tests he'd run and Etienne still had a fever.

I woke the next morning with him curled into my side, sleeping soundly. I stared at his cute little face then kissed his burning forehead after stroking his curls back. The older he got, the more like Edward he looked. His hair was even beginning show signs of that all too familiar copper color Eddie and his mother seemed to pass on to their offspring. And I'd always thought that red hair was a recessive trait.

I glanced at the clock and jumped up. It was seven thirty and the kids were leaving for school in less than fifteen minutes. I slipped out the room quietly and headed down the stairs. I could hear the voices coming from the kitchen. Everyone was excited.

I walked into the kitchen and squint my eyes from the bright lights. Eddie came to me and pulled me into a hug.

"Morning, beautiful. You hungry?"

I pushed him back but of course he didn't budge.

"You were supposed to wake me up!"

"They still have fifteen minutes before the bus arrives. I wasn't going to let you over sleep, love. I know how important this is to you."

I calmed and looked around the room. It was full of people. My dad, grandparents, brother, Indie and Jazz were all here to see the kids off on their first day of real school. It was the same private school PJ and I had attended our very last bout of high school. It was very hard to get into because there was a waiting list, but my Grandpere made a few calls… and voila', we were in.

"Good mornin everyone."

"Mornin'!" they all said in unison.

"Did everyone who eats get a bite? Did you guys get the lunches I packed for you?"

"Yes," they said.

"Good, I need some coffee," I said heading toward the pot but Edward handed me a mug. I looked up at him and he smiled. I took a sip. It was perfect of course.

I fell into his arms and he kissed the top of my head.

"Thanks," I whined, wanting to cry.

He rubbed my back.

"Everything's going to be okay…" he soothed.

"I know. I know you'll fix everything," I said.

"I will certainly do my very best." He held my chin up. "Now, let's get our children off to a good start this morning." He turned toward the kids. "Come on guys, your bus will be here in a few minutes."

We all walked to the end of the driveway and waited for the bus to pull up. I was expecting the kids to be embarrassed since half their family was waiting with them for the school bus. But they weren't. They were happy and a little, dare I say appreciative to have family that loved them so much.

When the bus pulled up they quickly hugged everyone and gave Eddie and I chaste kisses.

"Have a great day. And be good." Eddie warned.

They nodded in affirmation of Eddie's double meaning.

"Love you," I said to each of them.

The doors of the bus opened and a portly, gray haired man wearing a dirty baseball cap nodded.

"Mornin' folks." He smiled.

"Mornin'." I called back.

"Name's Stanley, I'm the a.m and p.m driver. So you'll be seeing lots of me."

"Nice to meet ya, Stanley. I'm Skye and this is my husband, Edward."

"Same here. Got a lotta people out here." He gestured to our family.

I laughed. "I know, first day and all."

He smiled. "Good to see ya takin an interest."

We were the only parents on his route that saw their kids to the bus this morning.

"Of course, they're my babies."

He liked my answer. "Don't worry. They're in good hands."

"Thank you."

I liked him. He would definitely be getting baked goodies.

He waited for the kids to find their seats then he closed the door and waved before taking off.

Eddie took my hand in his and we walked up the driveway toward the house. When we got to the porch, something caught Eddie's attention and he flit in the house and up the stairs in the blink of an eye. We followed behind him quickly. When I reached our bedroom I almost collapsed when I saw that he was holding a very red and very limp baby in his arms.

"The shower!" he said loudly, startling me but making me focus.

I ran behind him as he flit to the bathroom. Our house guests behind me.

I entered the shower to find Edward standing directly in the water stream stripping our son of his clothing. He hadn't bothered to remove his own, nor did he seem to care.

I stood in the opening to the shower watching Edward soothe and kiss our son, who seem to be in and out of consciousness.

"Edward…" I called. He didn't respond.

"Edward!" I shouted and he looked up. "What's wrong with him?" I yelled.

"I don't know! I don't know! Nothing's wrong with him! I don't understand why he's so ill!" He was scared and frustrated.

I walked into the shower and wrapped my arms around them both. Edward stood very still and held Etienne close to his chest. He was breathing unevenly and had his eyes closed. I let my barrier down so I could see in his head. He was praying. Praying for our son.

I stepped back and looked at him. Edward didn't pray. He didn't even believe. Yet he was asking whomever was listening to help him heal our son, to save him. A chill ran through me and Edward looked down at me. I was beyond frightened.

"Edward…is he…"

Edward pulled me to him.

"No! I won't let that happen." He shook his head. "If I have to stand in this damn shower with him forever I will."

I started to cry.

"But you're praying."

"No matter what I believe. It never hurts to ask. This is my son. If there is even a remote chance that there is someone or something, out there, up there, that can help in any way, I am not above asking."

I lay my head on the other side of chest and watched my sleeping baby open his eyes to look at me. His blue met my blue and he smiled.

"It's okay, Etienne. Mommy and Daddy are here." I kissed his hand, which was gripping Eddie's shirt tightly. He touched my face and I closed my eyes. Memories of us filtered through his head. A lot of them were of us telling him that we loved him. I smiled and opened my eyes. He was staring at me.

Eddie wrapped his other arm around me and pulled me closer.

We stood like that for about ten minutes. I rubbed Etienne's back and kissed his hand, while Eddie rubbed my back and kissed both of us. The cold water and Eddie's cool body made me shiver.

"Love, it's time for you to get out of this cold water."

"I want to stay and…"

"Skye, I got him. It's too cold for you. You can help me more by calling Dad. Ask him if he can come down. Maybe he can find something I'm missing. Four eyes and two brains are better than two eyes and one brain."

I nodded and stood up straight. I looked at my soaking wet, and naked baby clinging to his father.

"Etienne, baby, does anything hurt?"

He shook his head slightly. And I felt a little relief. He wasn't suffering.

"Daddy's trying to figure out what's making you sick, honey. He's trying to make you all better."

"Not sick, mama. Changing…"

I looked at Eddie to see if he had heard. He did. He looked at me and I shrugged.

"Changing?" Eddie asked and Etienne nodded. "Whose changing? You?"

He nodded again.

Eddie moved Stevie away from him and began to search his body.

"Edward, what are you…?" Then it hit me. Changing… "Oh god, no!"

I too began searching our sons body. Who could've bitten him?

Eddie stopped and I looked at him. "I don't see any marks."

He looked down at Stevie. "Etienne, did someone bite you?"

He shook his head.

"Well daddy doesn't understand, son. You said you were changing."

Etienne lifted his hand and held it palm up under the shower water. He closed his eyes and when he opened them again, the water splashing on his hand began to steam and evaporate. My eyes widened as I watched.

"Eddie, are you seeing this?" I asked.

"Yes... I see it." He nodded. "What else can you do, son?"

Stevie sat up a little and looked at the bar of soap on the shower rack. It began to bubble, then it melted to the shower floor and went down the drain.

"Holy shit!" Eddie said astonished.

"What…what the hell?"

"Angel, I think Etienne's gift is finally showing itself. I think that's why he's sick. It's too powerful and he can't control it." He looked at Stevie. "Is that right, son? It's hard to control?"

He nodded.

"What are you saying? His gift is making things melt and that's hard to control?"

"His gift has something to do with heat, maybe fire. Which is a bit ironic for a vampire hybrid. But it would explain why his temp is through the roof. It must be reacting with the venom somehow or maybe he's channeling it through his body…"

"That's not a gift, Edward. It's making him ill."

"He's not sick. I told you. Other than the fever, there's nothing wrong with him."

"But he's so tired, and the fever can't be healthy…"

"No, but if it truly is his gift, then his body will adjust to the changes that come with it. It will adapt to the gift or vice versa. I believe that's why it took so long for it to come out. He wasn't strong enough, and his body suppressed the change and therefore the gift for as long as it could. If I'm right, it will start out mild and get stronger as he does."

"He's not strong enough now! Look at him!" I was frustrated by Edward's admiration.

"He is, love. He's fighting. Trying to control it. Trying to adapt it, and his body, to his will. And he will do it because he has a strong mind…just like his beautiful mother." He caressed my cheek.

"Oh no… Don't put this on me…"

"But it is a gift from you. If I'm right. If his gift is what I think it is, then it's a form of telekinesis. You use your mind to control the speed of the molecules in an object. The friction and energy they cause produces heat. If they go fast enough you can actually create a spark, fire."

"That's the silliest thing I've ever heard!" I said.

"Really? So mind reading vampires, shape shifting werewolves, telekinetic human hybrids, potion making witches and…"

"Okay, okay! I see your point!" I rolled my eyes and he smiled. "So my baby's gonna be okay?"

"Yes. He'll be okay."

"Well how long do you think he's going to be sick?"

"I don't know. However long it takes his body to rein it in."

"Do you think this will happen every time his body gets strong enough to handle more?"

"Possibly. It may be considerably less though. If he's older and stronger, and has more experience with it, he'll be able to adjust quicker. In theory anyway."

"Why is this happening to him? The others gifts…"

"Are entirely different. But they too are still learning how to control them. Stevie's gift is far more advanced. And it will take a tremendous amount of self control and practice to get a grip on it. It won't kill him. I'm sure his body and mind are made to manipulate it. But he can really hurt someone else if he's not careful. I mean a pyrokinetic in a family full of vamps is kind of scary."

I nodded. The irony of it all hadn't escaped me.

"Well I just want him well again. He looks so tired and helpless." I whined and stroked Stevie's curls.

"He's not helpless, Skye. He'll be fine." Eddie kissed then gave Stevie a squeeze.

"That may be, but he's still a baby. Let's just hope this bout is almost over. And what are we going to do about this fever? It's not good for his brain. What if he starts to seize?"

"We'll have to do our best to keep it down until it breaks. But I have feeling his brain and body will be a little more tolerant of an increase in body temperature than a normal vamp."

"Yes, but we don't know his limits, and that's a risk I'm not willing to take with my nine month old baby."

"You're right. We'll monitor him carefully and try to keep the fever at bay. Unfortunately, medications won't work, so will have to do this the old fashion way. With cool baths and rub downs…"

I sighed.

"You're mama's brave boy," I said to him and he smiled his father's smile.

"I'll keep him in here a little longer. You go and get out those wet clothes," Eddie said.

I left the bathroom and found my family all waiting in the bedroom.

"I guess ya'll heard that?"

They nodded and I looked at my dad.

"Thanks a lot Daddy for your wonderful genes." I sighed sarcastically.

"Don't look at me. Your mother was the gifted one." He laughed.

"Yes, but it's your fault my gifts are so much... more."

He came and hugged me. "Baby girl, you just don't realize how special you and PJ truly are do you? Your gifts, the ones from your mother and from me, are not a curse. You were given them for a reason."

"What reason?"

"That's for you to figure out. I just know you wouldn't have them if you weren't meant to. Because not everyone could wield the power that you do so gracefully. In the wrong hands, it could be destructive and very dangerous."

I sighed. He was right and I knew it.

"But I'm scared for my children. They're all so powerful. If anyone ever found out..."

"Neither Edward or myself will ever let anything happen to them or you. And yes, with great power there comes responsibility and accountability, but they're intelligent, caring, and kind. Just like their parents. You and Edward are doing a great job with them, Angel. Those kids are going to be just fine. A credit to both species I promise you."

I nodded as he gave me a squeeze.

"I love you, Daddy." He always knew how to make me feel better.

"I love you too, sweetheart."

0~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~0

AN: Our mystery guest makes an appearance in the next chap. If everyone reviews... You get it early...