“Okay,” I stood up and brushed the gravel from my pants.
“I can’t put this off any longer,” he whispered, his head still in his hands. “Why us?” he asked the ground. Finally he stood. Slowly, he met my eyes. “I apologize for my behavior. It was not my intention to frighten you. I was taken by surprise.”
“I’ll remember to never take a vampire by surprise ever again,” I said sarcastically.
He flinched like I had slapped him and guilt pooled in my stomach. “I am so very sorry. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me,” he whispered.
“You really scared me.” I hated to admit just how much he had frightened me.
He looked down at the ground and shuffled the gravel with his foot like a little boy. “I know and I’m sorry. It’s just… The thought of what could happen… I don’t want it to be true…”
“What to be true?”
“The prophecies,” he said again. “You’re bleeding,” he added.
I looked down at my nicked arms. They were starting to throb now and knew it would bruise. “It’s nothing,” I said so he wouldn’t feel bad.
“It’s not nothing,” he snapped. “I did that to you. How could I? How afraid you must be of me? You must think you married a monster? What am I saying? I am a monster!”
“You’re not a monster,” I whispered. “And you’re already forgiven. I love you too much to stay mad at you but just promise to warn me the next time you’re about to lose it?”
“I will do everything in my power to ensure that there never is a next time,” he said and his hand came up to cup my face. “I’m so sorry.”
“I know,” I leaned into his cold hand. We headed back to the car. He didn’t attempt to hold my hand and I didn’t take his either.
Once back to the car he dug around in the glove compartment and pulled out a first aid kit. “With you being human I wanted to always be prepared. I just didn’t think that I would be the cause of your injuries,” he opened the box, pulling out anti-bacterial ointment and some white gauze bandages.
Gently he cleaned my wounds and applied the ointment before wrapping both my arms in the bandages. He secured them with tape. He looked at my arms sadly.
“It’s okay,” I whispered.
“No, it’s not. No matter how long I live I’ll never forgive myself for my behavior earlier. And I hurt you! I can’t believe I lost it like that.”
“You’re only huma-” I started to say and caught myself.
“You were going to say human weren’t you? Well, I’m not. I’m a vampire. A monster.”
“Oh, please stop with this self-deprecating crap already! I’m sick of it. You’re just Jonathon. And I love you. Vampire, human, it doesn’t matter. I love you.” I smiled, “Even when you throw a stone bench.”
He grimaced. “Let’s go. It’s time you and everyone else learned of the prophecies.”
The car ride back home was extremely awkward. Jonathon and I had always been comfortable with silence but on the way home it was anything but comfortable. I stared out the window trying to get away from the tension I could feel radiating from his body.
“Jonathon it’s not a big deal, really,” I finally whispered, dispelling the quiet.
“You ran from me,” he growled. “You were afraid.”
“I’m not going to lie to you. I was afraid. But I know deep down that you would never really hurt me.”
“No, I wouldn’t,” he whispered. “But that doesn’t change the fact that I scared you so much that you felt the need to run from me.”
I groaned. “Can we just put this behind us and pretend it never happened?”
“Just because you pretend something didn’t happen doesn’t make it any less real,” he said. His grip on the steering wheel tightened.
“You’re impossible,” I muttered.
He shook his head. “I can apologize to you every day of the rest of your existence and it will never be enough.”
“I’m already over it,” I sighed. And I was. I knew that Jonathon would never hurt me. His reaction had just frightened me. I had never seen him come so unhinged before. “I love you,” I put my hand on his knee. “And I’m sorry that I ran.”
“Don’t you dare apologize to me,” he growled. I withdrew my hand. “I’m sorry,” he whispered again. He took my hand and intertwined it with his so that he was driving one handed. He smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’ll be nice from now on. It’s just… The thought of anything happening to you scares me… But to think that I did it? It makes it ten times worse. No, a hundred times worse.”
I leaned over and kissed his cheek. “I’m perfect.”
He shook his head and said no more.
When we got to the house I got out of the car before he could get my door and practically ran up the steps. I opened the door to find all the vampires already gathered. Jonathon came in slowly behind me.
“What happened to your arms?” asked Diana.
“Oh,” I glanced down, having forgotten about the bandages. “I fell.”
Jonathon sighed. “I broke something and when it shattered it hit her.”
“Why would you do that?” asked Amelia.
“I lost my temper,” whispered Jonathon.
“Oh,” Amelia’s lips pinched tightly together.
“I have something to share with everyone,” said Jonathon, taking a seat. I took a seat across from him by Diana and Danny.
“What’s wrong?” asked Joseph picking up on his tone.
Jonathon sighed and rubbed his face. “It has to do with this,” he pulled something from his back pocket and tossed it onto the coffee table. It was the small leather book of prophecies.
“What is it?” asked Joseph picking up the book and examining it.
“The book of prophecies,” said Patrick.
“But the last seer was dead before we were even born,” said Joseph, twisting the book around.
“Yes, she was. The Originals coveted Simone but more than her they wanted this,” Jonathon pointed to the book.
“This?” asked Joseph skeptical.
“She died to ensure that the Originals never got their hands on the book or her. She had Gabriel kill her, he was the only one she trusted, since he was on the run from the Originals. She trusted him to keep the book safe and now he has entrusted me to do the same.”
“But why?” asked Joseph putting the book down.
“Because, I believe that the book predicts something that will happen to us,” he took my hand and looked me in the eye.
“Us?” I asked.
“I don’t know for sure. Not until the baby comes.”
I shuddered and put my hand to my stomach. I felt his cool hand rub my stomach too. “I’m sorry for my reaction but if… If this prophecy is about us. Not just us, but the baby too, then it means a war.”
“A war?” asked Mason.
“Yes,” Jonathon turned to look at him, “against the Originals.”
“But they’re impossible to defeat,” said Danny in a quiet voice.
“No, not impossible,” said Jonathon standing. “The problem is the fact that there are two prophecies concerning the war. One where we would win. One where the Originals would win… and we would die,” he looked around at all of us…at his family.
“But you said the prophecies might not be about us,” said Mason.
Jonathon chuckled. “Might. I hope, at least, that I’m wrong. But I doubt it. We’ll just have to wait and see,” he said with a significant look at my stomach.
I shuddered as a sudden chill shivered down my spine.
“There was the seer with dreams behind her eyes, there were the blue flames shining brightly from his hands, and there was the child with powers like no other,” I whispered.
“Exactly,” said Jonathon. “Wait,” his head whipped in my direction, “how did you know that?”
“It was all I saw until Gabriel slammed the book shut,” I shrugged my shoulders like it was n
o big deal.
“Another passage that makes me believe this is about us is this one,” he held up the book for us all to see the faded words.
Thrice she must bleed,
Till she shall conceive,
Life blooms from death,
Suffering leads to strength,
The strong must triumph over the evil,
The journey is only beginning,
Prepare, fight, and win,
Or all will be lost,
Forever.
“Whoa,” gasped Mason as all the vampires in the room turned to look at me.
“Are you telling me that I lost three babies because of some stupid prophecy!” I ground out.
Jonathon and the others were surprised at my anger.
“It’s fate. The prophecies just predict it,” he shrugged.
“Fate,” I whispered and threw my hands in the air in exasperation. “Screw fate.”
“Kylie,” he took my hands in his, all signs of his previous hatred towards himself gone. Now, there was only concern for me. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I just couldn’t be certain.”
“But you suspected,” I glared at him. “So, you should have told me. You can’t keep me in the dark. It’s not fair. I’m your wife, your soul mate, I deserve to know.”
He kissed my hands. “I only wanted to protect you. And selfishly I thought that if I didn’t tell you then I would be wrong. That it wouldn’t happen. But it is. And we’re the key to everything.” He put his hand against my stomach. “You, me, and the baby.”
“How?” I choked out. “How can I be important?”
“I don’t want to say. Not yet. I may still be wrong. And it’s not good to know the future.”
“But you know,” I accused.
“Yes, and look at all the trouble it has caused me. The only one who is ever supposed to know the future is the seer. Unfortunately, we haven’t had a seer since Simone.”
“Fine,” I growled. “Don’t tell me. You’re right. I shouldn’t know,” I crossed my arms over my chest.
He sighed. “I’m only-” he began before I cut him off.
“Protecting me. I know.”
He pulled me against him and kissed the top of my head. “I’m sorry for all that I’ve done. But you are everything to me. I will do anything to keep you safe.”
I closed my eyes. Worry and fear rang clearly in his voice. He knew that the prophecy was about us but he wanted to deny it. He knew there would be a war. There would be more casualties. Far more than the battle with Selena. And he knew that there were two outcomes. One where we would win and one where we would all die. I looked around at my family. Would we all survive? Or only some? Or none at all? Suddenly the child growing inside me was not a joyous moment to be celebrated, no, it was a ticking time bomb. The baby signaled the end of life as we know it. Tick, tock, tick, tock. There was no turning back now. I had wanted a baby and now I was going to get one and with it we may all lose our lives. It was my fault. Everything was always my fault.
I began to hyperventilate.
“Kylie, what’s wrong?” Jonathon asked stroking my face. There was no trace of the angry vampire from two hours ago.
I clutched my chest. “It’s my fault. It’s always my fault. I’m like the plague!”
“What are you talking about?” asked Jonathon.
I stood abruptly. “I am talking about the fact that if you hadn’t met me none of your lives would have been messed up. I’ve done nothing but bring grief to all of you! First, Selena and now this!” I cried. “You would be better off without me! Kill me! Please just kill me so I can’t hurt any of you anymore!”
“Kylie!” Jonathon yelled, pulling my hands from my face where I had been clawing myself. “Don’t talk like that! None of this is your fault! It’s called destiny! You’re not God you can’t control it no better than I can! Never talk about yourself that way! Never!”
“You’re family,” said Patrick, “and we protect our family.”
“No, no.” I shook my head, sobbing. “You can’t risk you’re lives for me.”
“Kylie,” Jonathon said my name sternly. “Kylie!” He took my face in his hands so that I was forced to look into his startling silver gray eyes. “The prophecy isn’t just about us dying.”
“What?” I asked my heart rate slowing down.
“If… we fail… the fate of all vampires is… well, it doesn’t look good. According to the prophecy, if we fail The Originals will hunt down every vampire out there and kill them. The Originals are old, very old, and therefore weak. They’re protected by all the strongest vampires out there, the Guarde, because of that.”
“There’s two that they don’t have,” Patrick said.
Jonathon quirked his brow. “What do you mean? Isn’t there only one they don’t have?”
Patrick held up two fingers. “There’s Gabriel, there’s you-” Patrick was interrupted by Jonathon.
“Me?” he asked.
“Yes, you,” said Patrick.
“But there are plenty of vampires who can control fire.”
“Not like you. Your flames are different. No other vampire has your blue flames and no other vampire can control it like you can. You’re special. But the Originals don’t know that. You give us an advantage that they won’t see coming. And there may be two more but I can’t be sure yet,” he said with a significant look at me.
“The baby?” I asked.
“That baby and you,” he amended.
“Me?” I gasped, echoing Jonathon.
“I don’t know yet. Not until you’re turned will we find out your power. But I’ve suspected, as has Jonathon, and most importantly Gabriel, that you will be very powerful.”
I was speechless. Power was not something I wanted, but right then I did. I might be able to help us win. But I was getting ahead of myself; there might not be a war, right? I voiced this last part aloud to the others.
Patrick shook his head. “Unfortunately, there will most definitely be a war. It may not happen now but it will happen one day. The first prediction the seer ever had was about the demise of the Originals. What I wouldn’t give for her to still be alive so that we may gain some insight into what’s to come.” His voice trailed off along with his thoughts.
I leaned into Jonathon. Every moment could be our last now. He kissed the top of my head and rubbed my back as if his thoughts were in the same place as mine. We all had to enjoy every minute, every second. The end was approaching fast.
I rubbed the time bomb in my stomach. Tick, tock, tick, tock.
Chapter Eleven: Glowing
Jonathon looked over and smiled at me. He put his hand to my ballooning stomach. I had made it to eight months. “You’re glowing,” he remarked, moving his hand from my stomach to cup my cheek.
I smiled and scooted closer to him. It was just the two of us. Everyone had left for the day and I was thankful. We hardly had a chance to be together just the two of us anymore. Everyone was always fussing over me. Even Mason. Everyone wanted to make sure that the baby was okay despite the fact that it may lead to our deaths. But they all had things to do and so it gave me some quality time with my husband. I had wanted to go, just the two of us, to our California home but Dr. Crane refused to have me out of his sight. He stopped by several times a day and just all around drove me nuts.
I leaned my head against Jonathon’s chest. We were lying on the couch in the family room. The television was on softly. I cuddled closer to him but my bulging stomach got in the way.
“I feel like I’m glowing,” I murmured. “I don’t feel angry anymore,” I confessed. When I had found out about the prophecies I hadn’t been very happy about the child growing inside me. I had already been struggling with my fourth pregnancy because of the loss of Matteo. But now I knew that like Jonathon said, it was fate and we can’t control it. The baby inside me was no longer a curse but the blessing it should be. What came after, if a war was inevitable, I would take it in stride.
But that didn’t change the fact that the seer saw two possible outcomes. One where the Originals would triumph. The other where we would win. I had asked Jonathon why there were two possible outcomes. After all, if the seer saw the future wouldn’t she know the outcome? Jonathon had shook his head and said that the seer saw two outcomes because the choices we make determine the outcome. That had made my heart race. Our choices would lead to either our life or our death. How would we know what to choose? But I couldn’t think of that now. Jonathon was still saying that it might not happen. That the prophecy might not be about us. I wanted to believe him… but I didn’t.
He rubbed my stomach in soothing rhythms. “I’m glad you’re not angry anymore. You should enjoy this time,” he buried his face in my neck. Suddenly his head jerked up. “He kicked!” He exclaimed, a smile spreading across his face.
“He’s getting much more active,” I pulled my shirt up so we could watch it shift as he moved. “It hurts when he kicks me. Little guy is strong.”
Jonathon chuckled. “I’d say, ‘that’s my boy’, but he’s hurting you so I’ll keep quiet.”
I laughed. “He’s definitely a vampire baby. He’s getting big, too. I mean look at me. I look like I’m ready to give birth to triplets tomorrow.”
Jonathon kissed my head. “Hmm. Have you thought of any names yet?” he asked me.
“No,” I splayed my fingers over a spot where the baby was kicking. “I just… After Matteo, I don’t want to get my hopes up, not yet. I know this is the farthest I’ve made it through a pregnancy, and the baby should be fine, but I just… I can’t…”
“I know,” he kissed me. “I understand and I’m sorry I asked. It was thoughtless of me. But Dr. Crane thinks things look good.”
“Things looked good with Matteo too but he came too early, stillborn… Do you really think the seer saw us? I mean if she died before you were even born what would she have thought of what she saw? How would it have even made any sense?” I asked trying to steer the conversation away from Matteo.
“I have no idea. But the seer is never wrong. If she saw this, us, the… baby, the war, it means it will happen.”
“How come I feel like you’re keeping something from me?” I scolded him.
Forever (Fallen Series Book 3) Page 13
