Bear's Surrogate

by Sky Winters

  “I understand.”

  Mystic left the clinic after a shot and a rundown of the instructions, which were pretty much what she would expect them to be. Probably the hardest portion of this entire agreement was going to be the no alcohol clause that took effect immediately. Her only thought on the way back home was that Holly was going to kill her. She stopped by her bank to deposit the initial payment she had asked for and by a self-service facility to sign up for a unit in which to store her things so they weren’t taking up real estate in Holly’s garage.

  Back at the house, she perused the Craigslist ads and found a man with a truck to help her move the boxes into storage. With that done, she replaced the money Holly had left her yesterday and settled into her bed for a nap until her friend arrived home. This wasn’t going to be a pleasant conversation, but every fiber of her being told her it was the right thing for her, and Holly would understand that.

  As it turned out, the biggest complaint Holly had was her not having let her look over the contract first.

  “Damnit, Mystic. This is what got you into the mess with William! You signed off on a pre-nup that gave you nothing, despite the fact that he rode more nags than a Kentucky Derby jockey.”

  “I know, but I looked over it and it seems pretty straight forward. It’s a lot of money, Holly. It’s what I need to get on my feet.”

  “You’re going to be living with a man you don’t know and carrying his baby. You’re going to be subjected to who knows how many inseminations before one takes. Are you sure it’s worth it?”

  “No, but I’m sure that I don’t want to spend the next ten years of my life just trying to make ends meet, Holly. I’m almost thirty years old and have nothing to show for the years I’ve spent on this earth. This money will put me in a position to do what I want, how I want. It’s not a fortune, but it’s enough to get me off to a good start.”

  “I know you’ve been through it, but I’m just scared for you, Mystic.”

  “I know you are, but you can’t take care of me forever, Holly. I have to make my own way. I’ve already had my things from the garage put into storage and, as soon as I’m pregnant, I’ll be moving into the father’s home until the baby is born. I’ll be just fine.”

  “What is his name? At least tell me who this guy is?”

  “I can’t. I can’t tell you anything more than what I’ve already revealed per the agreement. Trust me, Holly. I’ll be just fine. This is a good thing for me. A good opportunity.”

  “I sure hope so, Mystic. I sure hope so,” Holly told her.

  The two of them went out to eat at a local Japanese restaurant they had been frequenting for years. It was without the usual paring of Sake, but Mystic had no intention of sabotaging things. Instead, they settled for water with lime and enjoyed their meals. The last one they might share together for some time if she was lucky enough to get pregnant on the first go. Mystic had moved beyond feeling anxious or dubious. If anything, she was downright exhilarated at the thought of things to come.

  Chapter Six

  If there was any going back from this, it was ended quickly. Mystic had no problems getting pregnant on the first try and was quickly moved from the spare room at Holly’s to the sprawling estate owned by Rocco Belue. She couldn’t believe her eyes as she stepped into the place for the first time.

  “Your room is ready for you,” Rocco told her, escorting her up a massive spiraling staircase.

  “I need to get my bags,” she replied.

  “They’ll be brought up for you.”

  Mystic shrugged and followed him up the staircase. The house was massive, but hardly a place you’d consider cozy. It seemed like a horrible place to raise a child, even one who would have the special abilities this one would possess. She had to remind herself that it wasn’t her problem. Her only portion of this transaction was to carry this child to full term. It seemed so surreal knowing she was carrying a child inside her that wasn’t truly hers, that she would never know, but that was something she would have to accept.

  “Here you go. Your room is right down the hall from mine, so I won’t be far away if there are any problems. The room across the hall is empty right now, but there is a nurse coming within the week. She will keep a check on your vitals and nutrition, handle any medical issues that may arise. Anything of consequence will require you go to the clinic, but having her on staff will prevent you from having to visit there so much for routine blood work. She’ll gather it and take it in, as necessary.”

  “Okay. Thank you,” Mystic responded.

  It was going to be a long nine months with him. She could see that much now. Though he wasn’t rude or unkind, he was not incredibly personable. She couldn’t envision someone with so little warmth as a father. Perhaps he was just slow to get to know people, she told herself.

  “I’ll let you get settled in. I’ve some meetings to attend the rest of the afternoon, but I’ll be back later, and we will have dinner together, get to know one another a little better.”

  “That will be nice,” she replied, not really certain if it was or not, but hopeful that their relationship might become a little less strained during her time here.

  “Have one of the staff show you around. Feel free to make use of anything you like, the pool, the sauna, the gardens. I only ask that you stay clear of my personal spaces like my bedroom and my study.”

  “No problem. I’m sure there is a lot to see,” she replied.

  “There is,” he said, nodding his head in her direction before walking down the hall and disappearing down the staircase. His footsteps echoed through the house as he made his way to the door and left.

  “I’ve got your bags for you,” came a young man’s voice from nearby.

  Mystic turned to see the thin young man she had noticed earlier bringing the bags from down a separate hallways. She assumed there was a servant’s stairwell or perhaps an elevator.

  “Great. Thank you so much! If you’ll just put them in my room, I’ll get them unpacked. Listen, I don’t suppose you’d want to show me around the place? Rocco said just to ask someone.”

  “I’d love to,” he replied, smiling broadly to reveal a slight gap between his front teeth. Combined with the smattering of freckles across his nose, he reminded her a bit of the guy that was always on the covers of the old Mad Magazines her father used to have in their den.

  “What is your name?” she asked.

  “I’m Todd. Todd Schubert,” he replied happily.

  “Well, Todd. I’m Mystic and it looks like we are going to be spending some time together for the next nine months.”

  “That’s what I hear. A baby! Isn’t it exciting?” he squealed.

  “Yes, I suppose it is.”

  Mystic had already figured out a couple of things about Todd. He was not extremely bright, but he was very content with himself. Perhaps Rocco wasn’t such a hard nose, after all, if he was willing to give someone like Todd a job. Many people steered clear from young men like Todd, who were limited in intellect and thus, abilities. He pulled her suitcases into her room and returned to the doorway to look at her.

  “When do you wanna go?” he asked.

  “Is now okay?”

  “Yes. I’ll tell Mom on our way so she don’t get worried.”

  “Mom?” Mystic asked.

  “Yes. My mom works here too. She cleans stuff up. I help her.”

  Mystic thought perhaps she had gotten the wrong idea. Rocco hadn’t hired Todd. He merely allowed his mother to bring him to work with her, which still said a lot for him.

  “Oh. I thought you worked for Rocco, but you are just helping out your mom. Perhaps I should ask someone else.”

  “No. I work. Rocco pays me to help Mom and some other things.”

  “Ah, okay,” she returned. “Shall we go then?”

  “Yes. You wanna ride on the elevator with me? It’s fun.”

  “That would be nice.”

  Todd took her to the elevator and pushed the but
ton, smiling happily as they waited. When it stopped, he waited for her to get in and then stepped in behind her, pushing a button that said T on it. She was confused until the elevator stopped several floors up and she found herself standing in a large round room. On one side was a woman, pulling books off shelves to dust.

  “Mom, I’m showing Mystic where stuff is!”

  “Is that so?” the woman replied, not turning around but continuing to go about her work. “Just be careful around the pool. You can’t swim, and I don’t know if she can or not.”

  “I can,” Mystic replied.

  The woman whirled around, obviously caught off guard. The armful of books she had pulled from the shelf clattered to the floor heavily. She looked down at them with a frown, her brow knitted together in dismay.

  “I’ll get them, Mom,” Todd screeched.

  “No. No. I’ll need to check them for damage. Some of them are very old,” she said, waving him off.

  Mystic understood now why she was caught off guard by her being there.

  “Oh no. This is the study. I’m not supposed to be here. I didn’t know. There was only a T on the elevator button,” Mystic said.

  Todd’s eyes widened. He looked at his mom as if to see whether he was in trouble. She smiled and nodded her head softly, reaching out to stroke his hair thoughtfully.

  “It’s okay, Todd. You didn’t know and neither did she. It’s okay for her to see it. Mr. Belue just prefers no one come here when he’s working.”

  “Mr. Belue is Rocco,” Todd told Mystic, seeming calmer.

  “Anyway, I’m Todd’s mother, Nancy Schubert. Please don’t let him walk too close to the pool,” she said with a smile.

  “I will keep an eye on him,” Mystic told her.

  “Okay, Todd. Take Mystic and show her the rest of the place, all but Rocco’s bedroom. That’s the other place people aren’t supposed to go. Right?”

  “Right,” Todd said.

  Mystic noted a bit of sullenness in his voice and wondered if perhaps he had been in trouble for going there too. She was guessing that there were things he sometimes forgot. Physically, she’d guess his age at roughly nineteen or twenty, but mentally she was putting him on the level of a second grader.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Schubert,” Mystic replied.

  “Miss,” the woman countered in a kind tone.

  “Sorry. Miss.”

  The woman returned to her work, beginning to pick up the dropped books and look through them for any harm. Todd led Mystic back to the elevator quickly, barely affording her a glimpse of the rest of the room around them. Back on it, he skipped the button below the T and went to the one with a 3 on it, instead.

  “What was on that other floor?” Mystic asked.

  “I don’t know. No one goes there. Rocco said so.”

  “I see,” Mystic replied, looking back at the button. She noted that it had a space for a small key in the center, so apparently there was another place she shouldn’t go on Rocco’s list, one that was precious enough to be locked. It wasn’t something she should worry about, she supposed, but she had always been the curious sort and couldn’t help but wonder.

  The rest of the tour was uneventful other than just how impressive the place was. Anything you could want in your house to relax, Rocco had. The pool was Olympic size, with a jacuzzi in a glass room nearby. The garden was perfectly pruned and alive with color and what she was guessing were very expensive outdoor art.

  Back in the house, there was a kitchen fit for cooking for a small army. Off of the large formal living room was a massive den with a huge screen on one end and a smaller one on the other. The smaller one was still larger than most people’s primary TV and seemed to be set up for gaming, while the larger one had a few rows of movie style seating. On the upper floors, below the mystery one, there were just bedrooms and bathrooms more worthy of being called a spa, with oversize tubs and large dressing tables. They dwarfed the one in her bedroom, which she had thought large until she had seen them.

  Mystic wondered what it was that Rocco actually did for a living. He was a dragon shifter, but that was convert, not something he could make money doing. What was it that he did to afford him such a lavish lifestyle? Perhaps he wasn’t Mr. Personality, but he was certainly an enigma. It would be interesting to see how much she could find out about him over the coming months.

  Then again, she wasn’t really sure why she cared. Especially after he blew her off for dinner, instead having one of the staff members come to tell her that he wouldn’t be back and ask what she’d like for dinner. Figuring her days of eating what she wanted were nearing a close, she decided she’s go for something as gluttonous as she could manage.

  “I don’t suppose ordering a deep-dish sausage and mushroom pizza is an option?” she said.

  The woman smiled and shook her head, but then surprised her by telling her that while no one delivered this far out of town, she could send someone to pick one up or they could make her one from scratch.

  “That would be wonderful. It’s not too much trouble.”

  “It’s nothing. We’ve gotten far more difficult requests. It’ll give me an excuse to fire up the brick oven and sit by it for a while.”

  “I didn’t see a brick oven in the kitchen. It looks all modern and industrial.”

  “It’s not in the kitchen. Would you like to see?”

  “Sure.”

  Mystic was surprised to learn they had walked right past it without noticing it. Because it was just outside the patio doors, she had thought it was perhaps a bar area. Instead, the rounded brick inset with the pull down metal doors was revealed to be a wood fired stove. When you opened the metal door on the bottom, there were wire racks, while the upper level held a brick oven for cooking like some of the older pizza places she’d frequented.

  The woman, who eventually told her that her name was Joan, got the grill started and returned to the kitchen to put together the pizza, leaving Mystic to sit by the warmth of the growing fire. It was a fantastic idea, sort of a grill, flat stove and fire pit all in one. Though it was warm during the daytime, it was still that part of spring when the nights were cooler, so it felt wonderful to be beside the fire as the sun began to fade away in the distance.

  It was only when Mystic looked up toward the sky that she realized something. The rounded structure that served as part of the oven went all the way up to the top of the house. It appeared to be connected only narrowly to the rest of the house and, as she considered this, it dawned on her that the size of his study had been inconsistent with the rest of the house. When she and Todd had stepped out of the elevator, they were only in this large tower hidden behind the front of the house. So, not only was there a mystery floor, but there was also a large portion at the top front of the main house that wasn’t accessible from the elevator.

  She looked toward the pool, realizing that the pool house and separate guest house that sat beside it prevented exploring any further than just this side of the round structure. It was obvious that the hallway she and Todd had walked down to get to the elevator was inside the tower and that the elevator shaft took up a portion of it, but the tower was much larger than just the elevator, though she couldn’t quite work out how the schematics of it made good sense.

  She was tempted to ask Joan when she returned to put the prepared pizza into the oven, but decided it might be best not to make any waves when she was barely in the house herself. Instead, she thought it was maybe best to just let the mystery reveal itself as her time here went on. Perhaps there was nothing to it. Maybe she would find out, in the end, that it had been fascination over nothing. After all, how much more exciting could things get beyond having the baby of a dragon shifter?

  The pizza was delicious, and she found herself feeling incredibly tired from the day after the somewhat heavy meal. Rather than waiting for Rocco to come home, she decided to make use of one of the large bathrooms and soak in the tub for a while before calling it an early night.

&nb
sp; It was only after her long, hot bath that she realized she hadn’t brought in any clean clothes. Drying off, she wrapped herself in a towel and padded down the hallway toward her room. She was startled to find herself meeting Rocco on his way to his room. The heat of embarrassment flooded her cheeks as she stood there in nothing but the towel, but he didn’t seemed phased by it.

  “I’m sorry I missed our dinner. I’ll make up for it at breakfast, if that’s okay,” he told her.

  “Sure. Of course,” she replied, feeling incredibly awkward.

  “I will see you at eight then. Someone will wake you,” he told her, turning and retreating toward his own room.

  Mystic went to her room and set her phone alarm, not relishing the idea of strangers wandering into her room waking her. There was a text on her phone from Holly, checking on her. She let her know she was okay, leaving off the parts about Rocco’s standoffish nature and the hidden rooms within his house. No need to concern her with things that probably equated to nothing.

  In her pajamas and slipping into the bed, she fell quickly asleep, much faster than she had thought she would in a strange place. The sheets were so soft and there seemed to be some sort of light heating within the mattress that lulled her into the darkness and hugged her comfortably until the morning came to break its spell.

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  CHAPTER 1

  Boom! Boom! Boom!

  The blasts from Thorne Lewis' shotgun pounded through the air of the darkened room. Taking cover behind a nearby low barrier, he didn't look to see if his shots had hit home – he knew they had.

  Through the dim light of the space, he scanned for his next targets. He allowed himself a moment to focus, to catch his breath and let his dragon eyes adjust to the room. Then, a beep sounded, followed by the clang of several targets popping up. Judging the distance, he could tell they were all the way on the other side of the room. And the clock was ticking.

  Fucking Aurelius, he thought, slinging his shotgun over his shoulder, and leaping over the barrier.