by Kira Hillins
A jolt of energy swept through him. Desperate to see her body, he grasped the hem of her gown. As he lifted, she grabbed his hand, stopping him at her mid-riff.
“I’m sorry.” The rose in her cheeks deepened. “The scar is still there. It’s ugly.”
“Show me.”
As she took off her gown, he lowered his gaze to the line along her abdomen. The darkened scar started at their connection and ran jagged past her navel.
The vision of her lying in her blood on the bed raced through his mind. He couldn’t imagine the pain she’d endured as they carelessly sawed the child from her womb.
“Anna. I should have been there—”
“—stop.” She placed his hand on her belly. “This is why I didn’t want to show you. I just want to get past it. I want to forget for a little while as I make love to my soon to be husband. I know it’s an awful-looking scar.” Her smile widened as she moved his hands to her breasts. “But maybe you could pay attention to something else on my body.”
***
Tristan dragged his thumbs over her erect nipples. A shock rushed through her. She gasped. He sat up and went straight for her mouth. When his tongue swept against hers, electricity spread through her veins. She wrapped her legs around his waist and held on as they rocked their bodies together.
Excitement loomed over her like the canopy above her head. Mrs. Ashfield. The name rolled off her tongue. Mrs. Anna Ashfield. Her eyes burned as they quickened their pace. Her canines grew as she looked into Tristan’s red demon eyes. By the crease on his temple, he was at the brink of ecstasy, and so was she.
“Ungh…don’t stop,” she whispered into his mouth.
“Never.” He growled as he pulled on her hips.
His cock jolted inside her. His low groans sent her into immediate orgasm. Belly quivering, walls throbbing around his pulsing erection, she held him tight around the neck and whimpered.
“Ah Tristan.” She gazed into his eyes, her labored breath mixing with his, their bodies closer than they had been in a year. “I love you so much.”
“And I love you,” he whispered into her mouth.
He lay back on the bed with her in his arms. As she pressed her cheek against his chest, a horrible thought crossed her mind. If word got out about her gift, they’d try to take her away from the man she loved. Ivan might even seek her out again. Others might be worse than Ivan. That was unnerving.
Maybe it was time to leave this house they’d called home for so long. They could start anew somewhere else. Maybe even have a family, if that was possible.
“You are trembling.” Tristan slid his fingers up her back. “Tell me your thoughts.”
She rose to look into his eyes. “It’s nothing.”
He drew a heavy sigh. “We must be honest with each other. No more secrets.”
He was right. Leaving him in the dark about her pregnancy had caused a lot more trouble than it was worth. Going behind his back was an awful thing to do, even though she didn’t have a choice. Best thing to do was talk to him. Whatever happened thereafter, she’d deal with it.
“I’d love to try to have another baby, but I’m scared. I mean, Gerard is going to talk to the Elders about what happened. He’s going to tell them about my gift. If the collective finds out…” Goosebumps spread over her skin. “What if someone tries to take the new baby away? What if Ivan comes after me again?” Gwen had ripped her up the center. Ivan’s angry shout had frightened her as he tossed her dead baby in the bassinette. Anna’s heart leapt to her throat. “What if our new child dies during birth too?”
For a moment, Tristan said nothing. He gazed at her as he stroked the back of her head. She didn’t expect he had all the answers, but maybe he could shed light on how he felt about all of this.
“Nothing would make me happier than to fill the void inside you. Though, you are right. To have a child might bring chaos to our world.”
“I don’t even know what that means. It’s just a child.” Tears welled in her eyes. The truth hurt. What he’d said wasn’t what she wanted to hear, but she understood.
He cupped her face and brought her closer. “That does not mean we should be afraid. If we conceive again we will take things one step at a time. If we are sought after, we will run together. We will go where no one can find us. With all that I am, I will protect you. And I swear on my life, I will never leave you alone.”
“Promise?” she whispered as she closed her eyes.
He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly against him. “I promise.”
Anna leaned her cheek against his chest. She closed her eyes and drifted off into a dream. Her baby lay on her back in a crib. Her eyes were ice blue like her father’s as she looked up at the mobile above her. She cooed as she watched tiny pink butterflies dance around to a tune. The sweet sound of her voice made Anna’s heart flutter.
Anna picked her up in her arms. As she held her, she walked around the room. She hummed a lullaby, but it wasn’t her voice. It was a familiar raspy voice she never wanted to hear again—the hateful woman who’d kept her drugged at the convent. Ivan’s gimp, the evil witch who’d cut Anna up the center and tore her child from her womb, held her baby.
Gwen.
Ivan strode into the room. He kissed Gwen’s lips then gazed down at the bundle in her arms. “How are my sweet ladies this morning?”
“She’s perfect,” Gwen replied. “This is the first time she hasn’t woken up crying. She’s getting used to being with us. I think settling on a name for her has helped too.”
“It is a perfect name.” Ivan pressed his lips to the baby’s forehead. “My little Tali Duress. We shall rule the world, you and I.”
Anna suddenly stood outside in plush green grass. A young girl in a purple dress hummed a sweet tune. Blonde curls bounced around her shoulders as she danced in a garden full of beautiful white roses. Each rose she touched wilted until they’d all turned black.
“That’s great, Tali. Now go around again like I showed you.” Anna shuddered as her voice was again Gwen’s. “This time bring them back to life. But don’t let them be white. Make them orange. That’s your father’s favorite color.”
“OK, mother.” Tali’s sweet voice sang in Anna’s ears. She longed to hear her speak more, but she watched in silence. The child twirled around as she touched each dead flower until they all bloomed a beautiful pumpkin color.
“Excellent job, Tali!” Gwen held out her hands. Tali ran toward her. She jumped up in her arms and hugged her tightly. “Your father is going to be so proud when he gets home.”
Tali’s eyes turned black as the night. “When will you teach me the dark arts? I want to make daddy even prouder.”
“Soon, Tali.” Gwen leaned back and smiled. “Very soon.”
Anna sat up in bed. Eyes wide, breath lost, she fisted the blankets. This was the third time she’d had this dream since they’d gotten home. She hated it. To see Ivan and Gwen, to realize what could’ve been if her child had lived brought tears to her eyes.
“What’s wrong?” Tristan asked in a drowsy voice.
“Nothing.” She rested her hand on his abdomen.
“Was it the dream again?”
“Yeah, but I’m fine.” She sniffled. “Go back to sleep.”
As Tristan closed his eyes, she glanced around the darkened room. It felt so lonely here. There were more bad memories than there were good. Maybe it was time for her and Tristan to leave. They could go far away where no one would find them. They could live their lives in peace. Start anew.
A knock on the door startled her. Tristan stirred again. It was still early evening. She couldn’t fathom who’d be up here at this hour.
“They will go away.” Tristan rested his hand on her back. “Lie in my arms and sleep.”
“I can’t sleep.” Anna rose from the bed. She put on her gown and robe then tied the strings around her waist. “I’ll just take a peek to see who it is.”
As she started down the hal
lway, the person pounded harder on the door. “Hang on. I’m coming,” she said under her breath. Thankful it was overcast she swiped the curtain to the side and peered out the window.
Her stomach flip-flopped in excitement. Nena stood on the front porch in jeans and a black sweatshirt. She looked adorable with her hair pulled back in a pony-tail instead of the usual bun she’d always worn at the convent.
Anna opened the door, careful not to take in too much light. “Nena!”
A grin crept across Nena’s face. “Hello, Anna.”
Anna motioned with a wave of her hand. “Come in.”
“Thanks.” Nena cleared her throat as she stepped into the room. As Anna shut the door, Tristan made his way down the hallway in his black T-shirt and sweats. “Oh, hey Tristan.”
“Good evening, Nena.” He gave a short nod. “To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?”
The pink in Nena’s cheeks deepened as she stared into his eyes. Tristan’s lure softened the strongest of people, even a woman who carried God in her heart. He and Nena had made a connection at the convent. After she’d saved him from an eternity in the dungeon, and helped them while they buried their child in the cemetery, she’d gained his eternal trust. She’d become a true friend.
“I’m sorry I showed up unannounced, but I didn’t know how else to contact you. I came because I have news about Ivan and Gwen.”
Tristan sneered. “Have you located them?”
“No. Maybe not that kind of news, but something that could possibly be better.” She sighed as she looked at Anna. “After everything that happened with you at the convent, I decided to go back to Norway to visit my dad. While I waited for my flight, I saw Doctor Shivez. He was with a woman I’d never seen before. They had a newborn baby with them.” She glanced from Anna to Tristan, then back to Anna. “Doctor Shivez doesn’t have children. As far as I know, he’s not even married. I’d overheard him tell Ivan that he’d bring in a nanny to help take care of your baby.”
Anna’s heart drummed against her ribs. “You think that was my baby?”
“I don’t know, Anna. I mean, you guys buried that poor child in the cemetery. But now I’m not convinced she was yours. None of this seems right. Ivan would never have abandoned the convent unless he had a really good reason.” Nena shook her head then sighed. “I’m not sure if I’m reading more into this than there is, but I just thought it was weird enough to warrant me coming all the way here to tell you both what I saw.”
Dizziness swept through Anna. She would’ve fallen to the floor if Tristan hadn’t caught her in his arms. She tried not to be excited in case the doctor had someone else’s child, but she couldn’t stop the smile. The dream she’d had was a premonition and a link to her child. Vampires had connections with the ones they’d turned. It’d make sense to have a link to her daughter.
Her heart thumped harder as she looked up into Tristan’s scowling face. “We need to go back to the convent.” She picked up her cellphone from the kitchen counter. “I’ll call Jack. He can bring his equipment and run a DNA test on the child we buried.”
“Anna.” Tristan placed his hand over hers to keep her from dialing. “We saw her body. We buried her in a grave. We mourned together. Please. Do not get your hopes up.”
“I wouldn’t believe it, but my dream—it makes sense now.” She clutched her phone then stepped back. “You may not have hope, but I do. That was someone else’s baby we buried. Not ours.”
“You do not know for certain.”
“Yes I do.” Anger crept over her as she stepped away from him. “I knew from the moment I saw her in my dream that she’s alive. She’s calling to me, Tristan. She wants me to find her before she becomes Ivan’s slave.”
“If the child in the grave turns out to be ours, you will be devastated. I do not want to lose you to the darkness again.”
“You won’t lose me, because our daughter is alive.” Anna laughed as tears welled in her eyes. “Oh, Nena. Thank you so much.”
Nena twisted her lips to the side as she looked at Tristan. “You’re welcome. I only hope this information doesn’t cause you more grief.”
As she hurried to the room to pack, Anna dialed Jack’s number. Everything made sense now. The dreams she’d had was her daughter’s cry for help. And she’d be damned if anyone stopped her from doing all she could to save her.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Anna followed Nena through the convent doors. The agony Anna had endured during labor skimmed through her mind like it happened yesterday. An image of Gwen cutting into her abdomen sparked anger. Fear. She’d never experienced pain like it before, and never wanted to again.
“Nena!” Gretchen greeted the former sister with a hug. “It’s so wonderful to see you. The ladies and I have missed you so much.”
“I’ve only been gone a month.” Nena leaned back with tears in her eyes. “But I’ve missed you too.”
Gretchen’s smile softened as she turned her attention on Anna. “Oh, my sweet girl, we are happy you’re here.” Gretchen didn’t give Anna time to set her suitcase on the floor as she hugged her tight.
“We never thought we’d see you again.” Cornelia stepped up into the foyer. “We’re so sorry about what happened. If we’d known what that witch was doing to you, we would’ve stopped it right away.”
“I know.” Anna leaned back. As happy as she was to see her friends, she couldn’t wait to get to the cemetery and prove to Tristan that her baby was alive. She couldn’t wait to get out of this place. “If you don’t mind, we’d like to settle in our rooms. There’s much work to be done here.”
“Yes. Nena phoned us on her way here and told us the news.” Gretchen lifted her chin. “We are at your beckon call, my lady. Just let us know what we can do.”
Anna gave a slight nod. “Thank you.”
Jack yawned as he stretched his arms over his head. “I’d like to get a little sleep while you and Tristan do your…thing in the cemetery. It’s been a long trip.”
“Of course.” Anna glanced at Jack. His eyes drooped. His hair was tousled like he’d just woken up from a long night of tossing and turning in bed. Thank God he’d agreed to come with them. He put her mind at ease.
“Come on.” Cornelia motioned with a wave for them to follow. “We’ve fixed up the guest wing. It hasn’t been used in a while, but the rooms are clean. We figured you might appreciate the distance from the main hall.”
“Yes. Thank you.” Anna tightened her fingers around the suitcase’s handle as she entered the hallway. The memories of Ivan holding her hand, trying to seduce her in his garden of roses were vivid. The scent used to intoxicate her, but now as the perfume wafted into her nostrils, her gut churned.
She leaned her temple against Tristan’s arm as they walked. She refused to look at the roses, the walkway, and the mural of the waterfall. Think of something else. She shut her eyes tight. The little girl from her dream gazed up at her with ice blue eyes—Tristan’s eyes. Her baby was alive and well somewhere in the world.
Anna drew in a deep breath. She couldn’t let memories of her time here weaken her spirit. To find her child, she’d need all her strength. Though the dizziness and anxiety subsided, the ill feeling in her gut wouldn’t go away.
Tristan put his arm around her. “Are you all right?”
“I’m feeling kind of weak.” Anna opened her eyes to his. “Maybe a little hungry.”
“I’m a little famished myself,” Jack said as he strode beside Nena.
“I think we all are.” Nena’s face flushed as she looked up at Jack. She was so pretty when she smiled as she did now. It was plain as day the crush she had on him. “I can make us sandwiches. Or maybe beef stew.”
“Oh, yes.” Jack gazed into Nena’s eyes. “How about both? I’m so hungry, I think I could eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner in one sitting.”
Nena laughed and Jack followed with the biggest grin Anna had ever seen. It was clear he liked Nena too. Anna could see them as a
couple. They were cute together.
Tristan lifted Anna’s suitcase with ease. “I will carry you, if you like.”
“No.” She looped her arm through his and smiled. “I’m fine.”
“Oh, my. That is the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard a man say to a woman.” Gretchen clutched her chest. “Clark Kent and Superman all wrapped up in one fine package. You’re so lucky, Anna.”
Anna snickered as she gazed into Tristan’s eyes. “Yes, I am.” She’d forgotten about the day the ladies had ogled as they came up with names for him. It was only a few months ago, but it seemed like forever.
She’d sworn never to come back to this place. Now here she was, walking the same hall Ivan had held her hand in. Her feelings for Ivan had been a result of his lure and the drugs Gwen forced her to take. He’d kissed her. He’d made her kill to feed and she’d craved the power inside her.
Tristan didn’t know about that part of her stay. It was best to leave it in the past, but guilt ate at her insides. No more secrets. No more lies. In order to move on from the memory, she’d have to tell him.
When they reached their room, she let go of his arm. As Tristan closed the door, she sat at the end of the bed and looked around. Muddy brown curtains were hooked to the stone wall to give the illusion of a window. A ceiling fan spun above the bed. The breeze cooled her skin and she shivered.
Tristan sat beside her. “Feeling better?”
“A little.” She tucked her arm under his. “I don’t like being here. The memories of everything they put me through are still fresh in my mind.”
“It has only been a few months. It will take time to heal.”
“Maybe.” She leaned her head against his bicep. “I think I spent the first two months in bed, drugged and unaware of where I was or what went on around me. Ivan spent a lot of time sitting at my bedside. Every time I woke, he was there.” She looked up at him. “He told me he loved me, Tristan. I killed people and fed with him. At one point, he…he tried to take me to his bed.”
