Curse of Night

by Emily Goodwin

“What did he look like?” Easton presses.

  “Tall. Gray hair. Wore a fancy suit and had an accent. French, maybe? He had a pin.” Roger points to his chest, eyes widening, shocked as the words keep tumbling out of his mouth. “A VC pin.”

  “He’s a member of the Vampire Council?” I repeat.

  “Yes, but he didn’t seem to like the rules they put in place.” Roger puts his hand over his mouth, trying to make himself stop talking.

  A vampire who doesn’t like the rules. Sounds familiar. They’ve been going after Lucas since before I even met him. But being on the council…this should be enough to go on.

  A tall VC member with gray hair and an accent. Lucas will be able to figure it out…and then he’ll take care of it.

  “How old do you think this vampire is?” I rush out.

  “Old.” Roger’s eyes meet mine, and I see the fear in them.

  “You were scared, weren’t you?”

  “Scared shitless,” Roger blurts and tries to clamp his mouth closed.

  “Were you scared of the witch, too?” Easton presses.

  Roger puts both hands over his mouth. “Yes.” He turns, and if he wasn’t drunk already, he’d be onto us.

  “You should be,” Easton goes on, taking my hand and tugging me up. “Because you didn’t kill the witch. You just pissed her off.”

  Roger looks from Easton to me and then to his beer. He’s just about to figure it out, and one of the hunters he was sitting with stands up, gaze zeroing in on us.

  “Somnum,” I say, holding out my hand. Roger slumps down against the bar. Easton grabs his beer and looks at the bartender.

  “He’s had too much.” He brings the beer to his lips and pretends to take a sip. He gives my hand a squeeze and pulls me away from the bar. “We need to get out of here.”

  “Yeah. That sounds like a good idea.”

  Easton tosses the beer in the trash on the way out, getting rid of the evidence that Roger was spelled. The truth potion will have worn off before the sleeping spell, and he’ll wake up groggy, chalking this all up to too much alcohol.

  A few hunters give us weird looks as we walk through the parking lot, and for a second, I think they recognize me. But then I realize they’re staring at Easton.

  Right. Word travels fast in the hunter community. Easton has been outcasted. The whole supernatural community needs to come the fuck together. Witches aren’t evil. We’re much more efficient at killing demons than hunters are, and if they’d get their heads out of their asses, we could work together.

  But that’s not going to happen.

  “Is that enough to go off of?” Easton asks, finally letting go of my hand when we get to his truck.

  “Yeah, and it actually makes a lot of sense.” I grimace, putting my hand over my stomach again. The taste of beer in my mouth is making me feel even worse than before. Easton looks at me with concern, but I hold up my hand, letting him know I’m okay. “There’s a group of vampires who are against assimilation and go after vampires who abide by the VC’s rules. They think they’re better than humans and shouldn’t have to follow their rules.”

  “You’re not a vampire, though.”

  “But I’m married to one. Lucas is the oldest vampire in Chicago, and the city has one of the largest vampire populations in all of the U.S. Even though Lucas just wants to be left alone, if he spoke out against assimilation, others would follow. Age matters when it comes to vampires.”

  Easton brings his hand to his forehead and looks away, thinking. “That hunter didn’t come close to killing you, did he?”

  “No, and I was totally caught off guard.”

  “I heard others talking, saying he’s not a very good hunter. If some old, rich vampire was going to hire a hunter to actually kill you, he’d go for someone good, right?”

  “Right.”

  “I don’t think he was hired to kill you. I think he was hired to try and kill you.”

  “But why?”

  “What would Lucas have done if he caught the guy who tried to kill you?”

  “Given him a very stern talking to.”

  “Yeah, if that’s what you want to call murder.”

  I let my eyes fall shut, feeling like I’m going to puke all over again. “There was someone else there, acting as a driver. They were probably recording. Just like…oh fuck.”

  “Just like what?”

  “Just like the crazy person who attacked Lucas with a switchblade in front of his bar.”

  “They’re trying to get a public reaction out of him.”

  “Yeah. Fuckers.”

  “At least now you know,” Easton offers and takes a step toward the truck.

  “Yeah, so we should just never leave the house again.”

  “I think you’d be safe in Thorne Hill, wouldn’t you? Doesn’t your coven make up half that town?”

  “They do, but…I, uh, kind of left the coven.”

  “Really?”

  “I had to in order to marry Lucas. Witches aren’t allowed to marry vampires.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry, Callie,” he says, and I know he means it. He knows firsthand how much it sucks to be forced away from your family, from your home, for following your heart.

  His was because he didn’t murder me. Mine was because I got married.

  “Whatever. Most of them still love me.” I make a face again and turn away, throat feeling thick. “We have to stop for water because I can still taste that beer and it’s making me sick.” I go around and get in the truck.

  “Are you sure you’re not—” He cuts off, letting out a snort of laughter.

  “What?” I pull the seatbelt over me, looking at him.

  “I was going to make a joke. You’re a newlywed…maybe you’re pregnant, but then I remembered you’re married to a vampire. There’s no way you could get knocked up.”

  “Right,” I say as my seatbelt clicks into place. I start to laugh, but the humor quickly leaves me. There’s no way I could be pregnant. Lucas is a vampire.

  But a little over two weeks ago, he was cursed.

  Chapter 34

  I put my Jeep in park and look at the house, letting out a shaky breath before getting out. I called Lucas on the way back, filling him in on everything. He couldn’t put a face to the description, but all it will take is attending a VC rally and we’ll be able to find the vampire who’s trying to set Lucas up. Lucas will kill him on the spot but promised to wait until after we dealt with Ruth to go into this any further.

  “Julian?” I whisper, stopping by the porch. “Are you here?”

  He doesn’t appear before me, and that familiar feeling I get when he’s around doesn’t fill me. I pull my purse over my shoulder and walk up the porch steps, going in through the back door. I can hear Lucas talking to someone on the phone.

  I greet Scarlet, grab something from my purse, and get another drink of water to try and settle my stomach. Lucas ends his call but doesn’t come out of the office yet, so I kick off my shoes and walk through the house.

  “Are you busy?” I lean against the doorframe, keeping the little pink box behind my back.

  “I’m almost done,” Lucas say, not looking away from the computer. He’s typing at vampire speed, writing and sending an email in the time it would take me to type out the email address in the “send to” line.

  “Okay. Good. I was hoping we could chat.”

  “About how you want to find and kill that vampire now?”

  I give him a pointed look. “No. One problem at a time, remember.” Though if I’m right, we’re gonna have another problem that won’t go away any time soon.

  The sound of an email being sent echoes through the room. Lucas looks up at me, smiling.

  “Get naked and then we can chat.” He flips through papers on the desk, referencing something before he types up another email.

  “I kind of have to pee before we have sex.” I dig my fingers into the box.

  “Then go pee.”

  “I’m w
aiting for a reason.”

  Lucas closes the laptop and eyes me. “You’re acting weird.”

  “Am I?” I let out a high-pitched laugh.

  “What’s wrong?” He gets up, and I hold out a hand, keeping the box behind my back.

  “Nothing.” I flash a fake smile, and Lucas cocks an eyebrow. “It’s just something Easton said today that got me—”

  “What did he say?” Lucas is on his feet in the blink of an eye. “Did he hit on you? Do I need to defend your honor?”

  “My honor?” I make a face. “No. I’m capable of defending it on my own, but thanks.” I let my eyes fall shut and exhale heavily. “Sit down, and cool it. Easton didn’t say anything mean. He suggested something as a joke, and I would normally dismiss it, but well, not that long ago you were cursed to start coming alive, and certain parts of you were more human than vampire.”

  I bite my lip and look at Lucas’s lap. I feel so sick right now but also really want a taco. And I don’t know if I want to nap or have sex more after that.

  “What parts are you referring to?” he asks slowly.

  “Well, your heart started beating. You drank water. Maybe…maybe your, uh, testicles started working again, too.”

  “They’ve always worked,” Lucas shoots back, and then my words hit him. He gets up and zooms over. “What are you getting at, Callie?” he asks, though he knows exactly what I’m getting at.

  “I’ve been really tired and have had a queasy stomach lately. I never have a queasy stomach.” I suck in a breath, and Lucas steps in closer. “I’ve been a little dizzy after you drink my blood. What…what if I’m pregnant?” Just saying it out loud causes nerves to ripple down my spine. “What if the curse made you human enough to…to…”

  “Put a baby inside you.” Lucas looks into my eyes for a good five seconds before answering. “There’s only one way to find out.”

  I bring my other hand forward, showing him the test. “I bought one on my way home.”

  “Did you take it yet?”

  I shake my head. “I’m scared.”

  “Don’t be.” Lucas cups my face. He puts his lips to mine, and everything melts away for that brief second. “I’m here. No matter what. I’m here.”

  Tears spring to my eyes, and I’m reminded of yet another symptom. I’ve been overly emotional lately. More so than normal. It would make sense to be pregnant, but…holy shit.

  I can’t be.

  Lucas is a vampire.

  And I’m a hot fucking mess.

  We can’t have a baby. My life is in danger every single day. I can’t handle being responsible for myself as well as an unborn child. And what will happen when that child is born? I’m not ready to be a mom. Hell, I don’t even know if I’m fit to be a mom.

  A mom.

  A baby.

  Stop it. I don’t even know yet. The odds are against us, and the chances are minimal. There’s no way the one time we had sex while Lucas was cursed resulted in a pregnancy. So I’ll just take this test, get it over with, and wait for my period to finally start because—shit—I should have started already.

  “Do you want me to come with you?”

  “Yeah.” My voice comes out thin. Lucas takes my hand and leads me upstairs and into the bathroom. I rip open the test and sit on the toilet. “Can you turn the sink on and turn around?” I ask him.

  Lucas nods and does just that. I close my eyes and position the test between my legs, suddenly too tense to pee even though I’ve been holding it for over an hour now. I squeeze my eyes closed and try to relax. There’s no way I’m pregnant.

  I’m going to see a big fat negative pop up and celebrate with an even bigger class of wine. Because it’s impossible.

  I’m not pregnant.

  My heart pounds in my ears, and it feels like an hour passes, but finally I’m done. I recap the test and put it on the ground, not wanting to look until my pants are back up and I’ve washed my hands. Lucas turns around when he hears the toilet flush. He picks up the test.

  “It says to wait at least two minutes,” I tell him and button my pants. I go to the sink and wash my hands.

  “One line means you’re not pregnant?” he asks as I’m rubbing a towel over my hands. Not pregnant. Thank the fucking stars.

  “Right.”

  He looks up, blue eyes wide. He stares at me for a good moment in disbelief and then smiles. “You’re pregnant, Callie.”

  Chapter 35

  The towel falls from my hand, and suddenly the burger and fries I had earlier turn sour in my stomach. I dash forward, barely making it to the toilet in time. Lucas drops the pregnancy test and pulls my hair back as I throw up into the toilet.

  “Morning sickness,” he says. “It’s what humans refer to feeling sick during pregnancy, right?”

  “Yeah,” I say and heave again, food coming up so hard it leaves through my nose. Everything inside me hurts, and I want to collapse onto the floor, falling asleep for the next twelve hours at least. Instead, my body dry heaves, bringing up nothing but bile this time.

  I’ve been nauseous, but this isn’t morning sickness. I don’t think at least. It’s shock and fear and…and dread. I close my eyes and see the smile on Lucas’s face and feel sick all over again as guilt settles in.

  He’s happy. I can tell from that half second before I threw up. He’s a vampire and yet he’s having a baby.

  We’re having a baby.

  Oh my fucking god.

  I grip the seat of the toilet and heave again.

  “Do you want some water?” Lucas keeps a hold of my hair and gently rubs my back.

  I want to puke this baby right out of me is what I want. Because we can’t have a baby. Not when all of Heaven wants to kill me and demons are banging down my door every other day. It’s a challenge just to make it through the day, let alone carry another human being inside me.

  I shake my head and reach for the toilet paper to wipe my mouth. Tears burn the corners of my eyes, and now I’m regretting telling Lucas I don’t want water because I do, and it’s making me really sad for some reason.

  Dammit. I’m so fucking pregnant. “I do want water,” I say, voice hitching. I heft back, putting my head in my hands and start crying. I can feel Lucas looking at me, but then he gets up, zooming out of the room and coming back in just seconds with a glass of water.

  I rinse out my mouth, spitting into the toilet. I flush everything down and take a slow drink.

  “You’re pregnant,” Lucas repeats, sliding his hand over my abdomen. “I…I got you pregnant.”

  “Of course you did,” I snap. “Who’s else would it be? I’m sorry.” I sniffle, bottom lip quivering.

  “Callie,” Lucas whispers and pulls me into his lap. “Breathe. It’s going to be all right.”

  “Is it?” I blink my eyes open, but tears blur my vision. “I’m scared,” I admit as fat tears fall down like rain.

  “Do you still feel sick?” he asks me.

  “I’ve felt sick all week,” I tell him, lips curving down into a deep frown. “But I don’t think I’m going to throw up any more.”

  “Good.” He picks me up and starts to leave the bathroom.

  “Wait,” I say. “Can I see the test?”

  Lucas holds me steady against his chest with one arm and picks up the test. Any last shred of hope I was holding onto goes away. There’s no mistaking those two pink lines.

  I. Am. So. Fucking. Pregnant.

  And then it hits me all over again. Lucas is going to be a father. He’s been dead for over a thousand years. He told me before Eliza is the closest he’ll ever have to a child. I accepted the fact I’d never have children of my own because I love Lucas more than anything.

  He’s a vampire.

  Vampires can’t have children.

  But for a brief moment, he was somewhere in between dead and alive. And that brief moment is all it took.

  “Holy shit,” I say, and my breath leaves me in a ragged huff. Lucas carries me into our bed
room and lays me down on the bed, hand landing on my stomach again.

  “You’re pregnant,” he repeats and looks into my eyes.

  “Are you mad?” I rush out.

  “No.” He puts his lips to mine, kissing me deeply. “This…this…” He trails off and kisses me again, moving between my legs. His cock starts to harden against me, and despite the nausea, I want him. “I never thought I’d have a child of my own,” he says softly, kissing my neck.

  “Did you want one?” I ask in a small voice.

  “Yes,” he answers with no hesitation. “I did. I…I do.” He takes his mouth off me and looks into my eyes. “And I couldn’t ask for a better mother to my child.”

  More tears spill from my eyes, and my lips part, but my words turn into a strangled sob.

  “What are we going to do?” I finally ask, voice thin. “Ruth has it out for me, Bael knows I’m half archangel, and if we kill them both tonight, it won’t be the end of it.”

  “We will do what we always do.” Lucas brushes my hair back. “We’ll fight. For us.” He moves his hand to my stomach again. “For our family.”

  I nod, and more tears roll down my face. I wish I could blame all of this on hormones, but I know it’s not just that.

  I’m fucking terrified.

  “I don’t think I can do this,” I admit, voice breaking. “I don’t know how to be a mom.”

  “And you think I know how to be a dad?” Lucas asks, smiling. “We’ll figure it out together.”

  “I love you.” My heart swells in my chest.

  “And I love you, always and forever, Callie.” He puts his lips to mine. “You gave me the sun, and now…now you’re giving me a child.”

  “A child,” I repeat, and the word is like a slap to the face. It’s sobering and scary. “A real human child.”

  “Well, part human,” Lucas says. “And he gets his nonhuman part from you.”

  “We think.” I raise my eyebrows and bring a hand up to cup Lucas’s face. The stubble on his chin is rough against my palm. It’s taken several months to grow this tiny bit, and I like it. “Wait, he? You think it’s a boy?”

  Lucas shrugs. “It’s too early to tell. Isn’t it? This will come at quite a shock, but I don’t know much about human pregnancy. It’s been a long time since I had to worry about it, and back when I did, well, we both know things have come a long way.”