Because You're Mine(49)

“No,” he said through gritted teeth. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Grady bounded up the steps. “What’s wrong?”

Barry pointed to the bed. “Get rid of that thing.” He stepped to the door. “Don’t move, Alanna. I’ll get the injection.” He exited the room and his feet pounded down the steps.

Grady stared at the motionless snake. “Coral snakes are the shyest ones of all. I don’t think I’ve ever even seen one in the yard with all the work I do out there. How did it get clear up here? And into your bed?”

Alanna hadn’t thought that through yet, but she remembered Barry saying they likely would never see a coral snake. How had it gotten up here? Patricia’s face flashed into her mind. Would she go that far to get rid of her?

“I need a hoe or a shovel,” Grady said. “Don’t move.”

She grabbed his hand. “Don’t leave me.” Her teeth chattered so hard she found it difficult to talk.

“It’s just shock,” he told her. “The venom takes hours to affect a person. We need to put compression on the foot. I’ve got an elastic bandage in my room from a sprained ankle last month.”

“The baby,” she whimpered. Her hand left his and cupped her belly.

“Stay calm,” he said. He went across the hall, then returned a few moments later. Kneeling beside her, he wrapped the bandage around her ankle tightly. “It has to be really tight,” he said.

Alanna had kept her eyes on the snake, which still hadn’t moved. Why wasn’t he killing the thing?

Grady stood and went near the bed again. “I need a shovel or a hoe,” he said again. “And gloves.”

“Can’t you just kill it?”

He glanced back at her. “Don’t you get it, Alanna? Someone put that snake in your bed. It couldn’t have gotten up here by itself. It’s not the snake’s fault. I just want to take it back out to the woods.”

She nodded. “You’re a good man, Grady. Just get it away from here. I don’t want to see it again.” She turned at the tread of Barry’s feet again.

“I’ve only got one vial,” he said, coming into the room. “You’ll likely need more.”

“You’d better get her to the hospital before you administer it anyway,” Grady said. “Allergic reactions are common. Life-threatening ones.”

Alanna raised up on one elbow. “And what if it hurts the baby?”

“You’ll be fine with some antivenom,” Barry said. “I can probably get some extra from a neighbor.”

“I want to go to the hospital,” she said. “I want to talk to a doctor about this. Grady said symptoms wouldn’t show up for a while. We have time.”

“Don’t you trust me, Alanna?” Barry asked.

This was no time to spare his feelings. “You’re not a doctor. I need to find out the best treatment to protect the baby.”

He touched her hair. “I’ll bring the car around. Let’s get you downstairs.” He lifted her in his arms and carried her toward the steps. “Get rid of that snake,” he barked over his shoulder at his brother.

Huffing with the exertion, he reached the bottom of the steps and set her on a chair in the entry. “Wait here.” He rushed out the door.

Patricia emerged from the hall. “What is going on?”

Alanna studied the smooth skin, the carefully coiffed hair. Had this woman arranged for the snake in her bed? “A coral snake was in my bed. It bit me.”

Patricia’s mouth gaped. “I find that hard to believe. It was most likely a king snake.”

A strange calm had descended on Alanna, and her teeth quit chattering. “No, it was a coral,” she said. “Barry and Grady saw it too.” If Patricia wanted a fight, she could have it. “Why do you hate me?” she asked softly. “I’ve done nothing to you.”

Patricia’s eyes narrowed, and her mouth grew pinched. “I’m not going to let you use my son.” Her contemptuous glare swept over Alanna. “Barry finally told me the truth. Palming off another man’s son onto him. It’s incredibly wicked.”

“It was Barry’s idea,” Alanna said. “I wouldn’t trick him into anything.”

Patricia opened her mouth, then closed it again when Barry came rushing back inside. “What can I do to help?” Her tone was disgustingly sweet.

“Call ahead to the hospital and tell them I’m bringing in a pregnant woman who has been bitten by a coral snake.” He lifted Alanna in his arms and carried her out the door.

The car door stood open. He eased her inside, then shut the door and went around to the driver’s side. His aftershave was strong in the confined space, but it was a scent Alanna was coming to like.

“How do you feel?” he asked.

“Calmer. The bite hurts, but I’m not lightheaded or nauseated.” She cupped her stomach. “Just worried about the baby.”

The car surged down the driveway. Alanna glanced in the outside mirror and saw Grady exiting the house with the snake dangling over a hoe. She averted her gaze and adjusted the vent so a wash of cool air hit her face. Her brain seemed wrapped in cotton. She struggled to think, to feel. Was she experiencing the effects of the venom already, in spite of Barry’s assurances?