by Rena Marks
“I have much more to offer than you, sweetie.”
“Like what?” Her voice lost the haughty tone and now was vicious in her jealousy.
“Intelligence, for one thing,” I laughed, and looked at some surrounding humans. One blinked, and nervously laughed also.
“What do you mean by that? I believe I mentioned I snagged Marcus.”
I allowed the friendly tone to slip from my voice. “All of you,” I snapped, glancing around the room, “need to realize that no human snags a vampire. You have lost your respect for yourselves.”
“Are you saying we should not be donating blood?”
I knew the argument spewing from her lips. I donated.
“No. I’m saying you should only donate when you are sure there is a relationship between the two of you. You do not donate to entice a relationship. Look, you’re all young pretty humans. What has happened to others who'd donated before you in the last few years? Have you seen them?”
There was silence before a man next to her spoke out. “When they are turned, they go off on their own, I suppose.”
“Or,” I said, “They may be disposed of quickly once they lose their freshness.”
I could tell by the grim silence that no one had thought of that.
“But Marcus chose me! And I’m going to tell him how you’re trying to scare us.”
“Where do you think the rungs of status lay in this mansion?” I asked her, surprised. “Do you realize that Julian is the top?”
She looked confused. “Yes, but in the States he would reign. Here, Marcus has been in charge for centuries. Only under Nico.”
She really was incredibly stupid.
“Nico is gone. Now it is Julian. Whom do you think comes next?”
“Marcus.”
A few humans stepped away from her, and one gently corrected her. “You do, mistress.”
“Correct,” I smiled.
Her face paled.
“Now, you wanted to know how I earned what I have. What I have to offer?”
She nodded. “Only if you wish to share, mistress.”
New respect shone in her tone, but a little too late.
“Not only intelligence,” I murmured. “I’m also a witch.”
With that, I allowed the crone to slip. The woman's lips parted on a gasp as she viewed my other form, the eyes that turned to liquid darkness, and all my splendor.
With the gasp, I took thirty years from her life.
The other humans gawked at her newly aged form. She looked down at her body, a potbelly where she’d been slim. Wrinkled hands with age spots.
“Be very careful, Kimberly.” The other voice that came from my throat echoed off the walls.
Surprise colored her watery eyes, so much surprise I don’t think it occurred to her that I knew her name. I gave permission for the youth to slip back into her body, and then reigned the crone in with one smooth move.
“Never underestimate someone.”
I turned and left. Well, that added some excitement to an otherwise boring morning.
* * * * *
The humans were a lot friendlier now, forgetting their vampire-clique ways. However, I didn’t want to explore the house on my own, and I didn’t want to sit with the humans who roamed the house in the mornings. So instead of visiting with them after the confrontation, I took a walk out in the gardens and ordered lunch brought up to my room.
Now what? I stripped my clothing, slid my nightgown back on, and climbed back into bed with my cold Julian. I reached for him, and felt with some relief that his body was starting to warm. It wouldn’t be long until he awoke. He could rise early, but sometimes he needed his rest. And he probably needed it after last night’s power over Verity. Being in France, his homeland, meant that he didn’t have to have his coffin here with homeland soil.
I decided to warm him. Wrapping my body around his, I covered him as completely as I could. Difficult to do with a pregnant belly between us, and the baby kicked out, either feeling for his father or needing more room.
Julian inhaled deeply, his first breath of the day, and then he flipped me over to bury his face in my hair. One large hand reached under my nightgown to caress the baby, and the kicks settled.
“Good morning,” his voice rumbled.
I pressed kisses along his jaw in response. It was always a good morning when he rose. Even though he’d been dying and rising for centuries, I don’t know if I’d ever get used to it.
“I love you,” I said between kisses.
“What are you doing in your nightgown?”
“Waiting for you to rise. I didn’t want my clothes to wrinkle.”
“You smell like sunshine.”
“I had a walk.”
I didn’t know what sunshine smelled like. The last time I’d asked him his response was sweet, womanly. Therefore, I still had no idea.
Julian closed his eyes, concentrating for a moment. “Verity is exhausted. She has not yet risen to consciousness. But Marcus is up. We may as well get any confrontations with him over with, my sweet.”
“And it’s best to do it before she awakens?”
He nodded. “I’ll shower.”
I re-dressed while he showered. I stood by the window and waited, and I saw him take in my profile as he joined me, touching my bare skin first to protect him from the burn of sunshine. He stood behind me, cupping my swollen belly.
“He grows.”
“Most babies do,” I murmured, but I knew what he meant.
Luc was growing way too fast. It wasn’t a normal pregnancy. But I kept the worry out of my voice. “Leo will be here tonight.”
“Yes, with all his medical bags and expertise.” His voice was equally light. “Let’s go find Marcus.”
Marcus was downstairs, a human female lounging on his lap. He swatted her behind playfully, and she giggled as she rose. She turned her head and immediately paled when she saw Julian and me.
Kimberly.
“Please leave,” Julian stated, and she wasted no time.
“I’d like to talk to you about Verity,” Julian said, getting straight to the point with Marcus.
Marcus showed no emotion. “What about her?”
“I need to get her trained. What positions are available?”
“You can’t think to release her one day?” he said, aghast. “She is little more than an animal.”
I shrugged. “A malnourished, mistreated animal, I’ll agree. She’s coming along nicely, though.”
“She’s dangerous.”
“To whom?” Julian asked.
“Why, to the mistress, of course. Especially now while she’s with child.”
“Were you around when she was locked up?” I asked.
“Yes,” he admitted, after his eyes shifted to Julian.
“And you were aware of Nico’s death, so why didn’t you contact Julian and tell him of Verity’s existence?”
“For what? I truly believed she would be locked away until she finally died, as Nico decreed.”
“Nico isn’t around. His judgment finished with his death. You’ll do well to remember that,” Julian warned.
Marcus dropped his head respectfully.
“So are there any positions available?”
“Maybe,” Marcus said slyly. “Perhaps in accounting.”
Considering poor Verity had never seen a blow dryer, an adding machine would be a challenge. Marcus seemed determined to thwart our progress.
“That’s great,” I said, forcing gaiety into my voice. “I used to be an accountant. I can train her myself.”
Marcus opened his mouth, and then wisely shut it.
“Come, Anjelia. Let’s walk through the gardens, and you can tell me of your plans.” Julian extended his hand, and I clasped mine into his.
A human servant enabled her master to walk in the sun with her touch. Walking in the daylight exerted more power over Marcus, since he hadn’t touched the sun in centuries. It also gave us a chance to talk
without other vampires overhearing.
“Why do you suppose he doesn’t like her? I think he wants her dead. Out of the way,” I said.
“Not necessarily dead,” Julian said. “He was fine while she was in confinement. It's obviously a power struggle.”
“Death would have been more humane.”
“There’s something else there that he’s not saying. He’s trying to be subtle right now and hint that she’s unstable, but he doesn’t realize that she’s shared her blood with me and I know better.”
“You didn’t tell him.”
“No, and I won’t. The least he knows the better, until we figure out what’s going on.”
* * * * *
From upstairs, I heard the bell ring. It was loud, echoing throughout the main room with a massive sound. I knew Leo and the girls had arrived.
I hurried down the spiral staircase, and had nearly reached the bottom when the door opened partially.
Anna caught a glimpse of me on the steps and flung open the door, slamming Marcus out of the way. “Leah!”
I smiled at her and opened my arms wide. She used vamp speed to reach me. She hugged me hard, mindful of my swollen belly.
“Are you bigger? You are. You’re huge. I swear, you’ve poofed out overnight. Are you sure it’ll be a human baby? Maybe you’re having puppies.”
I barely squawked out a laugh when Leo growled from the doorway. ““Leave her alone.”
Julian strode over to him, and he and Leo reached out to clasp hands. When their hands connected, a zing ran through me, zapping straight up my spine. I gasped from where I stood, and Anna gripped my arm.
“You are all right?” she asked, seriously.
“Yes. I just felt it. Their connection. I’m fine.” I whispered.
I looked over her shoulder at the guys to see Leo watching with a worried look. I blew a kiss across the room to him.
“I don’t remember allowing you to leave the suite,” Julian called out.
“What’s wrong?” Leo asked. “Is she not feeling well? Anna’s right, she is unusually large suddenly.” He tempered his voice to not show his concern, though I’d already seen the shock in his eyes.
“I’m fine. I feel fine,” I said quickly.
“She allowed someone to feed last night and I confined her, mostly to keep her from further trouble until you arrived and could examine her,” Julian added.
I rolled my eyes.
Lily and Nicki approached. “Can we hug her, or you gonna hog her up?” Lily asked Anna.
I reached out for them, hugging the two girls together. “It feels like I haven’t seen you all in forever.”
“Almost a week, drama queen.” Anna responded.
“Shhh,” Nicki admonished. “She’s highly emotional right now. All the books say so.”
Lily stooped and kissed my belly. My emotional state turned to irritation. I was glad to leave the States, as the vampires there had picked up that odd little invasive habit. Odder when my belly was still flat.
“Hello, little man. It’s Auntie Lily,” she crooned.
“I will be speaking to him as though he is an adult. I’ve been reading up on human children, and I don’t see any purpose for baby-talk,” Nicki said.
“One rocket scientist is enough,” Lily muttered.
“What do you mean by that?” Nicki demanded.
“It was a long flight,” Leo said drolly, still from the doorway.
I longed to touch him. “Let me show the girls up so they can pick out rooms, and I’ll come see you.”
After all, I couldn’t kiss him properly here with all the French vamps watching.
“I’ll take you to our suite where you can wait for her,” Julian said to Leo, as the girls and I traipsed upstairs.
At the top of the stairs I showed the girls my room, and then the available empty rooms for them to pick from. While they oohed and aahed in the bathroom, I rested on one of the beds.
A glimpse of a lurking shadow in the hallway caught my eye. “Halt,” I yelled out to a passing Verity. She'd been following me everywhere today, afraid to leave me and afraid to disturb me at the same time.
The trio came out of the restroom at the sound of my voice, and Verity slunk slightly behind the wall, like a shadow wanting to stay hidden.
“Come here, it’ll be fine,” I coaxed, and she inched her way in.
“Come on,” I encouraged.
I was sitting up on the bed now, and she sat on the floor, hiding behind my legs with just her head in my lap.
“Girls, this is Verity,” I said as I stroked her head. She kept her face hidden. “I found her locked in the turret upstairs between two open windows. Starved by Nico, fed only enough blood to keep her life sustained.”
“I knew this was a creepy old castle,” Anna muttered.
Nicki was silent as she watched Lily, who had gone stone white, and stared at Verity.
“Verity?” Lily whispered. “She was supposed to have died centuries ago.”
“You know her?” I asked.
She shook her head. “No, she was a rumor. A horrible story told to new fledglings. The gossip all varied as to exactly what she had done.”
“Well, she’s not dead.” I continued to comfort her with my touch, but she still hid her face in my lap. As far as I knew, she spoke to no one directly but me. “Get used to her,” I looked up and frowned at Anna. “I think I might bring her home with me.”
“Anjelia?” Julian called from down the hallway. “Where are you?”
“I’m across the hall,” I called.
He and Leo appeared in the doorway.
“Verity,” I said softly. “Let’s get you to your room. I have a medical exam waiting for me.” I looked wryly at Leo.
The room was too full of strangers, and she hid further in my skirt.
Julian stepped into the room. “Verity, look into my eyes,” he commanded.
Julian had fed on her blood last night, effectively tying her to him as simply as a human would have been. Because I had nourished her, and I was his human servant, it established a connection for glamour. He was now able to control her.
She looked up dazedly at him.
“Be calm, Verity. Anjelia must leave you. Lily will care for you now. Trust Lily.”
I looked over at Lily and a serene expression had taken over her face. Why hadn’t I thought of that? Lily was a natural born nurturer, and Verity would blossom under her care.
Lily walked slowly across the room and reached for Verity’s hand. She stroked it gently as Julian pulled me to my feet.
Leo stood still in the doorway, blocking my path. I raised my arms and he locked them around his neck, trailing his fingertips back down my arms, down the sides of my breasts and over my belly. I kissed him, the greeting I couldn’t give him earlier.
“It’s about time,” he whispered.
“I missed you.” I kissed him again.
“Let’s get your exam underway,” Julian interrupted.
I dropped my arms and entwined my fingers with Leo's. Then I reached for Julian’s hand, and we walked across the hall to my suite.
Julian shut the door behind us and I noticed Leo’s medical bag already on the bed.
“Lie down, my love,” Leo said, and Julian helped me onto the bed.
The two of them had this down to a fine science. Julian lifted the bottom of my shirt, and lowered my skirt to underneath my pregnant belly. Leo pulled out his stethoscope and listened to the baby’s heartbeat.
“Sounds strong,” he said to Julian. “Would you like to hear?”
He handed the stethoscope to him. Leo waited a few seconds, and then said, “Do you only hear one heartbeat?”
Julian nodded, still listening intently.
“That’s what I thought. Still, she’s extremely large for three months. She looks like she’s beginning her sixth and she shouldn't even be showing. I thought maybe twins, but I only heard one heartbeat.”
“She has grown mu
ch in just this week,” Julian added.
“I’m still here. Listening,” I reminded. “Leo, how long do wolves gestate?”
“In our wolf form, it’s much like a normal wolf. Sixty to sixty-five days.”
“Do you think that’s the problem? I’ll have a pup?” I was actually worried about this. I looked forward to having a baby, not a...pet.
“You can’t have a pup, love. I wasn’t in werewolf form when I impregnated you. And you’re not a full blooded werewolf. You just carry the virus.”
“You’re sure?”
“Positive. Did Anna’s comments make you worry?”
“Not her teasing, no. I just remember Connie’s stories of Desiree’s birth, and how you forced her into the change to feed Des.”
Leo nodded. “Connie was impregnated in wolf form by a full-blooded, born-werewolf, but she was bitten. So she carried the virus, and knew she’d bear a pup. I’d explained it to her so she wouldn’t be surprised.”
“She wanted to labor during the full moon so she could be wolf.”
Leo nodded. “I could have arranged it. But you are having a human baby, love. No worries. Now, let’s check your cervix.”
While Leo pulled gloves and lubricant from his bag, Julian slid a hand up my skirt and pulled my underwear off in one sleek move.
“You’ve got that down a little too well,” I teased.
“Wait until tonight.”
Leo tsked. “If I am to abstain alone next door, I think we should all abstain together. Circle of three, and all that.”
Julian gave us a rare smile. “The vampires will die at dawn. If you are very discreet, you have the early morning while the humans sleep also.”
Leo looked intrigued at the idea.
“Hey,” I said to Leo, “Why aren’t you curious about Verity?”
Leo inserted his lubricated fingers, feeling my cervix. “Julian gave me the story over the phone,” he smiled.
“I can’t decide if this friendship between you two is good or not.”
Leo withdrew his hand, and kissed my cheek. “Now I have to kiss my son.”
He kissed my swollen belly.
Leo’s fascination was understandable, it was his baby, after all. The vampire fascination was just plain weird. Granted, vampires are unable to conceive and the concept of an infant growing in another person seems to attract a lot of attention, but it’s the first thing they all want to do, kiss my belly. Even the fully fanged, the tough men.
