138 Treatments of Love (2/2)

Arei jerked back in disbelief. ”Sterile?!”

Ry shrugged. ”It was a theory Isha came across a few nights back.”

Arei furrowed his brows in irritation. ”How does one just stumble across such things?”

Ry glanced around the room uncomfortably before finally landing on Arei. ”Do I really have to spell it out for you?” He pointed to the cuffs around the post of the bed. ”As... active... as she and the boy have been, Raven had made a comment about how surprising it was that Jos wasn't the one throwing up instead of Shelly. Isha had simply brought up the point that many cursed creatures where sterile... or at least believed to be...”

Arei frowned, bringing his attention back to Jos. He ran his finger across her brow brushing away her unruly hair there. ”If that's true, her future with the kid is even more fucked than we'd first thought.” Another thought crossed his mind. ”Do you think she suspects as much?”

Ry shrugged. ”Hard to tell. You and I would be the last people she'd want to talk to about sex.”

”It will devastate her, if it's true...” He said as he carefully slid one arm under her neck and then another under the bend of her legs. He lifted her and headed toward the door. ”Lead the way.” He said to Ry.

***

”You can't stay in here, Sir. You'll all have to leave.” The doctor said with some irritation as Arei stood rigidly beside Jos, holding her limp but warm hand in his.

Ry clasped Arei on the shoulder, ”Come on man, there's nothing else we can do here.” He turned toward the doctor as he prepped some tools. ”Text one of our phones or come find us when you're finished with her. We'll be upstairs in the office, most likely.” Ry kept his hand on his brother's shoulder as they left the room, releasing him once they were outside the doors. ”I have something you may be interested in seeing.” He nodded toward the stairs leading to the second floor. He glanced down at the wolf who was staring at the door in worry. ”Why don't you join us. It would have to be better than standing here worrying for the next however long this will take.”

Shelly gave the door one last worried glance before nodding and following the mammoth twins up the stairs and into the office. She climbed into the chair Arei held out for her and watched as he took the one beside her. ”What's up?” He asked as he crossed his leg over his knee and rested his arm over the back of Shelly's chair.

”This was recovered from DeMarco's computer, well technically it was recovered from his email account... but anyways... Look familiar?” He turned the screen of the desktop computer around to face Arei and Shelly. The wolf's eyes widened instantly, but Arei didn't seem too phased.

”It's just a screen shot from an internet search engine. The internet isn't known for particularly accurate information. Besides, what would it matter if he had suspected her of... what being the person in both these pictures and the dates being correct?” He gestured to the screen that showed two sets of pictures of Jos with Rin and his parent's with Shelly and Russ's parent's. In one picture Russ's parents looked rather young and newlywed. The picture was dated for the 1960's but the outfits wouldn't date it as so. Everyone wore either traditional ball gowns or traditional India formal wear. The other picture was dated for 2002 and the clothing was much the same with the addition of two tiny bundles. And there was the only problem of each picture... Joslyn... In both pictures she appeared as a child of no more than 10 to 12 years old. The same form she had been in when he and Ry had first met her. In the second picture, she was holding the blue bundle and Rin was holding the pink. The twin's parents were standing side by side with Rin's behind the chairs Rin an Jos occupied. Only on close inspection of the Boosilis's could you tell over 50 years had passed. ”There's no way this alone would have been enough to raise suspicion. I promise you, he had no clue in Florida that she was anything more than a human girl.”

Ry shrugged, ”You're probably right, but the vampire clan could still use it against her. They could say she killed them all because DeMarco had found out and threatened her or something.” His gaze shifted to Shelly. ”I hate to ask this of you, but if it comes down to it, we have to know you'll do what's right. Will you testify on behalf of Jos? Will you tell your side of the story...? Will you relive the horrors inflicted on you by Dante DeMarco?”

Tears streamed down the wolf's furry face as she nodded her head yes. Arei stroked a large hand down her head and back. ”I promise, we'll not ask it of you unless it's absolutely necessary.” He patted her back as she nodded again. Arei met Ry's troubled eyes. ”I feel like there's still something else you're wanting to say...” Arei asked.

Ry ran his hand through his short hair. ”The council want's Russ there as well...”

”And?” Arei asked. ”I figured as much, especially with him claiming the throne.”

Ry let out a heavy sigh. ”I don't think it's a good idea is all...” He flopped back in the office chair. ”The kid's too unpredictable and too driven by emotions. One slip up and everything we've worked for so far could be fucked .”