Beverly's Rebirth (A novella) (Six Saviors Series Book 4) Read online

  Sometimes he woke at night, his heart tight. Beverly would hopefully live to be eighty or ninety, and he would be alone again. And he would be alone for a very long time, as he still had another few hundred years to kick it around. That thought alone was hard enough to take, but this? To have her possibly leave him now? He couldn’t imagine that a deity would be so cruel to take her from him. They had been together just over a year, and those days had been the happiest in his long, long existence. He gazed down at his sleeping boy. He was determined to make sure that his child grew up with both parents.

  Beverly simply couldn’t leave them now.

  Hudson looked up at Cohen, who had a stethoscope pressed against Beverly’s chest. His purple eyes burned brightly, his brow furrowed in concentration as he absently pushed the hair off his forehead.

  “Her heartbeat is strong,” he mumbled.

  That was good. A strong heartbeat was good. Beverly was one of the strongest people he had ever met. He took a deep breath and renewed his faith that she would pull through.

  “Okay, I’m going to go in and heal her,” Cohen said, setting the stethoscope aside.

  He pulled the blanket up to Beverly’s shoulders and laid his hands on her stomach. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes.

  Hudson sat still. Cohen had never healed a human before, and they didn’t know what would happen. He could kill her. Hudson realized that one of his last memories of his lovren might be her calling him a selfish cocksucker.

  Please don’t take her, he prayed as he watched Cohen. It was hard to believe that Cohen’s energy was in his Beverly, and both of them were working together to heal whatever had gone wrong during the birth and caused the hemorrhaging.

  “No,” Cohen muttered. “No.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  Cohen opened his eyes. “Damn it!” he yelled, “Beverly, don’t you dare do this!” He frantically looked around the room, his breathing heavy. “Beverly!”

  Hudson felt his gut clench and his throat constrict. “What happened?” he whispered, although he had a good idea.

  Cohen looked down at Beverly, and then around the room again. Finally, he met Hudson’s gaze. “Her energy is gone, Hudson. She was working with me to heal her, and then her energy just disappeared.”

  Hudson looked around the gym. If Beverly’s energy had left her body, she was now in that place between life and death.

  No. He couldn’t let her go. As he held his baby, he felt the desperation well up in him.

  “We have to get Rayner back here. Now,” he said.

  Chapter 8

  Beverly opened her eyes and looked to her right. Twisting her head a little more, she saw Cohen standing next to her with his eyes closed. How odd.

  Turning to her left, she saw the top of Hudson’s head, and she wondered why the bed was so elevated. Then she saw a scrunched-up face and a head full of black hair peeking out from a swaddle of white towels.

  She reached over to them. “Hudson,” she said, “he’s beautiful.”

  She didn’t know if it was a “he” for certain, but every fiber in her body told her that the darling wrapped in white towels was male. In fact, the facial features looked a lot like Hudson.

  “Damn it!” Cohen yelled, “Beverly, don’t you dare do this!”

  Startled, she looked to her right again. How dare she do what?

  Except this time, she saw nothing but the open space of the gym. Not understanding what was going on, she panicked and twisted and turned.

  She was now looking down on her body, Cohen, Hudson, and their baby. The first thing she noticed was her body lying on the hospital bed. Her torso was covered with a white blanket, and her legs stuck out from under it. The lower half of the hospital bed was stained crimson with her blood. Cohen looked frantically around the room. Hudson sat next to her, a tube running from his arm to hers. What had happened? Was he giving her blood?

  And why was she drifting upward? She belonged down there, with her family, her Hudson, and their child.

  “What’s wrong?” Hudson asked.

  “Her energy is gone, Hudson,” Cohen said. “She was working with me to heal her, and then her energy just disappeared.”

  Beverly’s throat constricted, and she screamed, “No! I’m here! I’m right here!”

  Her hands and legs flailed about as she struggled to reach those she loved below her, but it seemed the harder she tried, the farther she drifted.

  She closed her eyes for a moment. What was going on?

  Floating above her body made her think that her spirit was going to the afterlife. That, she simply wasn’t ready to do. She had a wonderful man and a baby to look after.

  Cohen saying that her energy had disappeared from her body was not a good sign. Her and Cohen had shared long talks about life and death, and he knew when a person of his race was dying, as he could feel their spirit leave their body. They had also talked about this birth.

  “So what if shit goes wrong, Beverly? What the hell am I supposed to do?”

  Beverly knew he had never healed a human before, and she knew he feared what would happen if he tried. When she took a long, hard, medical look at the very short string of data, she had thought that the baby might be her saving grace.

  Abby had been conceived by Hudson and Iris. She was a mixed-species baby. Iris had lived after Abby’s birth.

  If Iris could do it, then why couldn’t she?

  However, Iris had given birth in a hospital, and Abby had never shown signs of her “other half” until she met Noah.

  Beverly hadn’t wanted to risk the fact of her child coming out with glowing, yellow eyes, so her and Hudson had agreed on a homebirth. But she had thought that her body would have adapted to a SR44 healing because she had a mixed-species baby growing within her.

  Apparently not.

  And now they were here, and it looked like things had gone “tits-up,” as Hudson liked to say.

  Judging by the scene below her, it looked as if Cohen had hooked her and Hudson up for a blood transfusion. She had no idea what that blood was doing to her human body. All she knew was that she was drifting farther and farther away from the man she loved and their son.

  Tears slipped out of her eyes, and she turned her head to see where she was going. She cringed as she approached the tile of the gym ceiling, afraid she was going to smash right into them, and then she went limp as she was sucked into some type of vacuum, spiraling upward with white lights flashing all around.

  Chapter 9

  As Beverly twisted and turned, she screamed, and then she closed her eyes as tears streamed down her face. She felt as if she were in the spin cycle of a washing machine, and her stomach lurched. This went on for what seemed like hours, and just when she thought she wasn’t able to take anymore, it stopped. She opened her eyes, afraid of what she would see.

  “Hello, Beverly.” A woman stood before her wearing a white silk robe with crystals interwoven within it that sparkled a rainbow of colors. Her long, blonde hair cascaded down to her waist, framing a heart-shaped face that housed kind blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and a friendly smile. “My name is Evangeline. How are you feeling?”

  Beverly looked at her surroundings, not answering the woman. She was in room made up of four white walls, a white floor, and a window. There wasn’t any furniture, except for whatever she was laying on. She gingerly sat up, her head still spinning, and she realized she was sitting on a . . . cloud?

  “Where am I? What is this place?”

  As she looked up at the woman again, she was certain that she had landed in Heaven, but she did not want to be here. She wanted to be with her new son and her lovren.

  “You are in a receiving room of Heaven. You’re very fortunate to be here,” the woman said.

  Beverly closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her panic rising. “Please,” she begged, looking at the woman again, “I need to get back.”

  The woman gave her a sad smile. “I’m afraid I can’t help you with that
. You are meeting with the Council of Mother Nature soon, and perhaps they will be able to assist you. For now, let’s get a robe on you.”

  The Council of Mother Nature?

  “And what exactly is that?”

  “Well, it is the council that oversees all of God’s creations. Mother Nature is, of course, in charge.”

  Beverly stood on shaky legs and allowed Evangeline to put a robe on her. How the robe stayed on her, she didn’t know. She could see through her transparent hand to the gleaming, white floor. She also noted that the blood that had covered the lower half of her body was gone.

  She had no idea why she was appearing before this council, and she wondered if it had something to do with her baby, who was a mixed-species child. Was this some type of punishment for bringing such a child into the world? Abby’s mother, Iris, had lived after giving birth, so what was going on here?

  Fear gripped her heart. She couldn’t leave her family now, not when she was in a good place with a man who loved her. It had been months upon months since she had craved a pill, and she was very happy. She longed to hold her baby, and wondered if she had been right about it being a boy.

  “The Council will be able to answer your questions,” Evangeline said as she ran a brush through Beverly’s hair.

  Beverly thought of the cruelty of this situation. Why her? Why was she being taken away from those she loved?

  “There is nothing cruel about Heaven,” Evangeline said.

  “I understand that,” Beverly said, fighting to maintain her composure. She wanted to push aside Evangeline and run, but she figured she really had nowhere to go. She wasn’t privy to how one escaped Heaven. “But I don’t want to be here.”

  Evangeline gasped and stepped back. “How can you say that? People spend their whole lives waiting for the day they are granted access to Heaven, and you are saying you don’t wish to be here?”

  Beverly studied the woman. She truly didn’t understand Beverly’s desire to get the hell out of here.

  “I’m happy with my life,” Beverly said through more tears. “I want to be with my family.”

  Evangeline looked at Beverly for a moment, then shook her head. “I don’t understand, but I suppose I don’t need to, and it’s not my place to try to convince you. However, we must go now.”

  Evangeline took Beverly’s hand and led her out a door. Beverly marveled at the high buildings made of crystal, and realized she was walking on a path made of clouds. Roses of red, yellow, pink, and purple bloomed on both sides of the path, and the temperature was not too hot, nor too cold. The sky was colored purples and pinks, as if they were in the twilight hours of a day.

  Beverly felt a flutter of wind behind her and looked over her shoulder. Evangeline’s wings flapped slowly, and Beverly’s eyes grew wide in surprise. They were large, standing almost as tall as Evangeline herself, and made up with what seemed like thousands of small, white feathers and millions of tiny, small crystals. Beverly had to admit they were absolutely gorgeous.

  “I’m sorry,” Evangeline said, “I just need to stretch them for a moment or two.”

  Beverly didn’t know why she was surprised that Evangeline sported a set of wings; she was in Heaven for God’s sake.

  People of all ages walked around smiling and laughing, all wearing white robes interwoven with shiny crystals, as if they didn’t have a care in the world. And why should they? They were in Heaven.

  Beverly noticed that she didn’t see anyone with another set of wings, and she found herself studying the passing faces for her mother.

  “Not everyone is an angel, Beverly. Most who reside here have just lived out their lives to the best of their abilities. They were kind to others, they loved as best they could, and they used their God-given talents. This, the Inner Circle of Heaven, is their reward,” Evangeline said, gesturing toward the horizon. For as far as she could see, there were tall, white buildings, paths of clouds, and roses of every imaginable color.

  Beverly also noticed that they weren’t transparent as she was.

  “They are dead, Beverly, so they are now whole. You are caught in the in-between, so that is why you are transparent. If Mother Nature decides that your death is imminent, then you will become whole again as well.”

  Beverly prayed that she wouldn’t become whole up here, but down on Earth.

  They came upon a large building that spanned up into the sky at least four hundred feet. The glass door with gold stones embedded in it stood at least thirty feet tall.

  A slim woman with shoulder-length black hair and gray eyes greeted them as they went in.

  “Hello, Natalie,” Evangeline said. The woman gave them a dazzling smile as she stepped outside.

  They walked through the great entryway, their footsteps silent on the clouds beneath their feet.

  The path of clouds started to incline, and then reversed direction. It zigged and zagged upward through the middle of the large building, and Evangeline and Beverly followed it for a good five minutes before they came to another large glass door. This one had stones of green, brown, blue, and gold embedded within it. Beverly ran her hand over them, wondering if there was some type of symbolism associated with them.

  “Yes,” Evangeline said. “Green represents trees and vegetation, while brown represents the earth, or the dirt for the trees and vegetation. Blue symbolizes the sky, while gold represents Heaven.”

  Beverly nodded, still not able to believe that she was here.

  “Believe, Beverly,” Evangeline said.

  The large doors opened and they walked in. Before them was a large room colored white with a golden table sitting in the middle. There were nine people sitting at the table—four men on one side, and four men on the other. The ninth person—a woman—sat at the head of the table, and Beverly gasped at her beauty.

  “Hello, child,” the woman said, standing. As she moved forward, it looked as if she were floating. She stood at almost six feet tall in a white gown that fell to the floor. Her hair fell to her hips in four different colors: red, brown, white, and green. Her eyes glowed orange, which made Beverly think of Noah. Her rosebud mouth smiled as she studied Beverly.

  “Thank you for bringing her, Evangeline,” the woman said, her voice tinkling around the large room like wind chimes.

  Evangeline bowed. “Of course, Mother Nature. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance to you.” She then turned and left.

  “Come sit,” Mother Nature said. She led Beverly over to the large table and sat her at the end, then made her way over to the other side of the table so that they sat opposite each other.

  “As you have heard, I am Mother Nature. These are my aides, if you will.”

  Beverly studied everyone at the table. All the men looked exactly the same. They had long hair colored the same as Mother Nature. The only difference was the colors of their robes. They sat in pairs, each pair wearing a different-colored robe: blue, green, brown, and gold.

  All eyes were on Beverly.

  “I’m sure you’re wondering why you have been summoned,” Mother Nature said.

  “Yes,” Beverly answered, her nerves humming, making her hands shake in her lap.

  “You’re aware that you’re in Heaven,” Mother Nature said.

  “Yes.”

  “You’ve been assigned to me, Beverly, because The Creator isn’t certain what should be done with you.”

  “I don’t understand,” Beverly said.

  “You don’t remember the birth?”

  Beverly shook her head, unable to speak.

  “Let me show you what happened.”

  Mother Nature waved her hand, and the air in front of Beverly became smoky, then images appeared before her. Beverly watched as she hemorrhaged, Cohen taking her out of the pool, and hooking Hudson up to her for a blood transfusion. It seemed that everything they had been afraid of had happened.

  “The baby?” Beverly asked. She remembered seeing the infant as she left her body, but wanted to be cert
ain that it was healthy.

  Mother Nature waved her hand again, and Beverly saw Hudson holding their child, walking around the gym as if he was looking for something. His brow was furrowed in pain and worry. Beverly reached out to him and their baby, but her fingers moved right through the image.

  “Your child is fine,” Mother Nature said, and the image disappeared. “It is male.”

  Beverly nodded and let out a long sigh of relief. She had been right—it was a boy. She couldn’t help the swell of joy and the smile it brought to her face. She stared at her hands for a moment, letting the information and feelings sink in. Then she turned her gaze back to Mother Nature, more determined than ever to get back to her life and inserting herself into that beautiful image she had just seen.

  “So, why am I here?” Beverly asked. She knew she belonged with Hudson and their son.

  “Because you have become an abomination. Something that the world has never seen, and we must decide what is to be done with you.”

  Chapter 10

  Hudson walked around the gym, his son in his arms, looking for any signs of Beverly. He remembered when Abby had been caught between life and death. She had stayed in the room with her body, and it wasn’t until Rayner came and used his gift that they knew she was there.

  They had called Rayner a couple of hours ago, and he said he would come immediately.

  “Her heartbeat is still strong,” Cohen said. “She’s not dead.”

  Hudson noted how he had left out the “yet.”

  Hudson stood in place and closed he eyes, concentrating. He thought he would be able to feel Beverly’s spirit, but he couldn’t. She wasn’t anywhere around here that he could sense.

  He looked down at his son. When he had found out that Beverly was pregnant, he had been shocked, but happiness quickly overrode that. Images of him and Beverly raising their child played in his mind, clear as if he were watching a movie on the big screen in the Great Room upstairs. He hadn’t been involved in Abby’s upbringing, and the new baby was sort of a way for Hudson to atone for that. He had wanted to participate fully in the child’s life, and he couldn’t imagine doing it without Beverly by his side.