CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Two weeks had passed since Luca had asked Samantha to marry him. As if she was living in a dream, they had fallen into a comfortable rhythm. Samantha spent her days planning and training with Ilsbeth. She’d nearly forgotten the chaos of her tribulations with Asgear and the amulet. The stray wolves that had escaped had never been found. Pack troubles temporarily calmed, Kade and Sydney had returned to their mansion.

Having them as neighbors was great company for Samantha. She didn’t know anyone else in New Orleans yet, except Luca’s friends and Ilsbeth. She’d grown closer to Sydney, happy there was another human woman around to talk to on occasion. Sydney and she had lunched a few times, discussing wedding plans. Sydney and Kade planned to elope since Sydney had no family, while she and Luca were still deciding what to do.

She’d called her sister, Jess, and told her about the engagement. Jess was thrilled and making plans to visit within the month. She also filled her in on how she’d become a witch, and explained Luca’s vampirism. Her older sister seemed to take it in her stride, wishing she’d been the one who’d been turned into a witch. Jess had always been a bit more adventurous than her. Samantha felt like she’d had all the adventure she’d ever wanted and then some. Passionate sex with Luca was all the excitement she needed to keep her blissfully content.

Samantha hadn’t told her parents about her vampire lover or her newly-acquired magic. Her parents could be quite reserved and she thought it best to tell them in person. Ringing her mother, she simply told her that she’d fallen in love with a wonderful man, they were engaged and she was moving to New Orleans. Happy for Samantha, they’d congratulated her and told her they were anxious to meet him. She laughed when she hung up the phone, thinking about how that get together would go. Hi Mom and Dad. Meet Luca, my fiancé. He’s a vampire. And oh by the way, I’m a witch now. Yeah, I’ve given up computers and can make fire with my hands.

She hadn’t really given up computers. Kade had offered her a job working in Issacson Securities in the technology division. She agreed to do it part time, given her new responsibilities and training at the coven. Xavier, Chief Information Officer and fellow geek, would be her new boss. They got along really well, and she was looking forward to starting her new career once she moved. Having already given notice at her old job, she arranged for movers to pack and bring her belongings to her new home.

Her home. Luca’s home. Their home. At first, she’d thought it would be strange moving into his lovely Garden District mansion, already furnished. But Luca insisted they redesign the interior together. He desperately wanted, not just a menagerie of precious collectibles, but a warm loving space. A home they’d built together with love.

Sometimes Samantha was amazed at her gentle giant. There was no doubt that Luca could be a dominant, impressive man, especially in the bedroom. Yet time and time again, he’d shown Samantha his tender heart, caring for her like no other man had ever done. She loved him back with every ounce of her being.

That morning, she’d made plans for a dinner party with Luca’s close friends and a few of her sisters from the coven, to celebrate their engagement. Samantha had even coaxed a reluctant Dominique into coming over, promising she’d find a willing human donor who’d be interested in taking care of her specific nutritional needs. Acquiescing to Luca’s demand for peace, Dominique had agreed to call a truce, especially after hearing of their engagement and that they’d be co-workers. Samantha apologized for what she’d done to her even though she still had no memories of silvering her.

Even though Luca insisted she hire a caterer for the event, Samantha planned on making a few of the dishes herself. She’d always loved to cook, but had never had the time or anyone to cook for when she was single. She knew vampires didn’t eat much, but planned on donating any leftover food to a local shelter immediately afterwards. Her aunt had given her the recipe for homemade bread, so she was busy kneading the dough when Luca walked up behind her and kissed her neck.

“Hey there, home early today?” she asked, enjoying the feel of his chest against her back.

“Yeah. Now that I’ve gotten things under control again at the office, I can work from home like I usually do. Besides, I thought I’d see if you needed any help today,” he offered. “I can’t tell you how delightfully strange it is to see a hot woman in my kitchen rolling dough in her hands. Once upon a time, I thought I’d be alone forever. Now here I am, wishing I was that dough.”

“You’re sweet. Let me wash my hands, and I’ll see what I can do. I’d much rather be running my hands over your body than playing with bread.” She winked. “Besides, there’s not much I really have to do to get ready.”

“I’m gonna go downstairs, take a shower and wait for you. Don’t want to interrupt you, or I won’t get to taste that secret recipe you’ve been hiding. Did I ever tell you how much I love hot buns?”

His double entendre wasn’t lost on her. “Well I have some hot ones with your name on them. Just give me a minute, and I’ll be down to join you,” she promised.

Luca turned to look at her and noticed her cheeks were dreadfully pale. “Hey, you okay? You look as white as a ghost. I wish you’d let the caterers do everything. Come rest with me before the party,” he pleaded.

“I promise I’m fine. I’m just a little tired from all our non-stop, mind-blowing sex. Now go on. Shoo. I’ll be down soon. I promise.”

Reluctantly, Luca went downstairs, but something was bothering him about the way she looked. She hadn’t seemed tired but then again, he’d been gone all morning. Maybe she’d been out in the garden earlier and the late summer heat had gotten to her.

Samantha watched him go downstairs. The truth was that she hadn’t been feeling well, but her optimistic spirit kept her going. She was so excited about the party that she wasn’t about to let a little lightheadedness ruin it. A few times during the morning she’d needed to sit down from the dizziness. Normally not one to feel faint, she chalked it up to the intense sessions she’d been having with Ilsbeth.

Every day, Samantha spent several hours training and testing her powers. She’d learned how to better control her call on the elements, no longer afraid that she’d mistakenly set fire to something. Instead of spouting in tongues with little understanding, she had started studying Latin and other foreign languages used in the spells. Ilsbeth had given her the responsibility of shoring up the coven’s digital library and website after she’d been able to breach its security. Reorganizing the database gave Samantha the opportunity to sift through and learn everything important to being a sister within the coven. She’d committed to learning the craft and actually found herself having fun every time she mastered a new skill.

Patting the dough one last time with oil, she covered the bowl to give it time to rise. After washing her hands, she dried them and decided to join Luca. Maybe he was right. Maybe she just needed a nap before the party.

Halfway down the stairs, her vision started to blur slightly as a wave of nausea rolled over her. Grabbing the railing, she steadied herself. A few more steps and she reasoned that she could make it over to the sofa. By the time she reached the landing, she could no longer stand. A tunnel of black enclosed her as she fell to the ground.

Luca took a hot leisurely shower, hoping Samantha would take it easy. He knew she was looking forward to celebrating their engagement, as was he. But he was worried she’d been overdoing it with all her training at the coven and then insisting that she had to cook at least one dish for the party. He would have been happy with just champagne, but had given in to her desire to create a more human-like affair that would allow her to meet his friends. It was also an opportunity to do something wonderfully normal, given all the nasty supernatural events that had preceded tonight’s festivities.

But Luca worried that Samantha’s usually fair skin looked a lighter shade of pale. Despite her best attempts to hide it from him, he could sense she was suffering from malaise. It didn’t make sense. He was very careful with their blood exchanges, ensuring that he never drank too much from her and that she’d always drank his in return. Energizing and virile, his blood should have had her blushing pink with vitality.

Deciding to surprise her he lit the candles in their room, turned on soft music and lay naked on the bed, awaiting her presence. Fifteen minutes went by before he lost all patience. Annoyed, his worry rose yet again. Stubborn woman, must still be cooking when she doesn’t need to do that. What she needs to do is rest.

Sliding on a robe, he exited the bedroom and spotted Samantha lying still on the floor. He felt a surge of an emotion he’d long forgotten, terror. Had she fallen down the stairs? Was she alive? He breathed a sigh of relief after hearing her normal heartbeat. Rushing to her side, he scooped her up into his arms. “Samantha, darlin’. Come on baby. Please wake up,” he begged.

Slowly Samantha’s eyes fluttered open. “Ummm….what happened? How’d I get here?”

“Dear Goddess, I’m so glad you’re awake. What happened? Are you in pain? I’m calling a doctor.” He knew doctors existed who served supernaturals. Kade had called for one who’d checked him out after he’d been kidnapped. He reached for his phone and frantically flipped through his contacts list looking for the number.

“No, Luca. I don’t need a doctor. Please just call Ilsbeth; she can look at my aura. I think it must be the magic. Something’s wrong. I’ve been using a lot of energy when I’ve been training. I told you it was exhausting. I just need to close my eyes and rest,” she insisted.

There was no way in hell he was letting a witch diagnose his wife-to-be. Sure, he’d call her, but he was also calling the doctor. “Okay, stay here. I’m going to go get your robe, a glass of water and make the call. Don’t move,” he ordered.

After calling both the doctor and Ilsbeth, he phoned Sydney and Kade to ask them to come over. They waited outside his front door for the doctor to arrive. Within thirty minutes, Kade escorted the doctor downstairs. Luca was surprised to see how young the woman doctor was, given that he had no recollection of her from when he’d been ill.

She extended her hand. “Good day, I’m Dr. Sweeney. Do you think we could move the patient into the bedroom so I could take a closer look at her?”

“Certainly.” Luca gently cradled a sleeping Samantha in his arms and carried her into the bedroom. He laid her on the bed and pulled a sheet up over her.

Ilsbeth poked her head into the bedroom, having come in late. “May I stay, Luca?” she asked quietly.

Luca shot her a look of irritation, blaming her ‘training’ for Samantha’s health issues. “Come in, but let the doctor work,” he growled.

Luca and Ilsbeth watched patiently as the doctor took blood and pulled out her small lab kit. “Exactly how long has she been dizzy?” the doctor asked.

“This is the first time she’s passed out. She never even told me she felt sick. I noticed she was pale upstairs, and I insisted she rest. Right before you got here, she said she’d been exhausted from her training with Ilsbeth,” he sneered. “Did you have to work her so hard?”

“Magic would never do this, Luca. If anything, she should be getting stronger, healthier. She’s been taking your blood. I can see it in the brightness of her aura. In fact, her aura is the healthiest I’ve ever seen it. Quite extraordinary, really. It’s almost iridescent. It’s almost as if she’s…” Ilsbeth shook her head, not wanting to speak without the doctor’s consent. It was not her place to tell Luca what she suspected. Deciding to leave the room, she left him and the doctor to work alone.

Samantha slowly woke up, hearing voices in the room, and was surprised to find herself a specimen under several pairs of peering eyes. “What’s going on?” she said with a hint of annoyance. “Oh my God. Did you call a doctor? I told you that I’m fine. I just need rest. You took blood?” She looked down at the band aid on her arm. Irritated with the unnecessary attention, she pushed with her hands and sat straight up in bed, much to Luca’s dismay.

Dr. Sweeney sat on the edge of the bed and held Samantha’s hand. “How are you feeling? Can you please follow my finger with your eyes?” she requested, shining a light into her pupils. Flipping off the light, the doctor glanced down at the blood results. While most doctors sent out for results, Dr. Sweeney carried a basic lab kit with her, since most of her clients were supernatural in nature. She ran a full lab out of her office.

“I’m fine. I can’t believe Luca called you. I’m afraid my fiancé overreacted. Really, I’m just a little lightheaded. This is so embarrassing,” Samantha said, trying to convince everyone she was fine.

“Well, it’s good to know you plan on getting married,” Dr. Sweeney commented nonchalantly and began to efficiently pack away her supplies.

“What the hell’s that supposed to mean?” Luca was pissed. The doctor was supposed to be diagnosing Samantha and she was talking about marriage? He had a mind to call Ilsbeth back into the room.

“What I should say is congratulations, you’re pregnant.” She smiled ruefully and walked over to the door. “Now of course, this is quite a special event. It is rare that a vampire can breed, but I’m certain that as a witch, you knew it was a possibility.”

Samantha couldn’t have been more shocked if the doctor had told her she was going to the moon. It couldn’t be. No, Sydney had said vampires don’t have babies; they’d discussed it at length during one of their lunch dates. She wanted children but that didn’t mean it could actually happen. And while Luca said that he also wanted children, she’d assumed he meant they’d adopt, not literally create one of their own.

Luca was sure his heart had stopped beating. A baby. He couldn’t believe it. He’d queried Ilsbeth weeks ago, but hadn’t given a thought to birth control, considering how seldom it happened. He couldn’t help the broad, proud smile that broke across his face. He jumped into bed with Samantha, needing to be closer to the mother of his child.

As the shock wore off, Samantha held a protective hand to her belly. “A baby?” she whispered, and beamed at Luca.

“A baby,” he repeated. “My precious Samantha, we’re going to have a child. I love you so much.” Luca embraced her on the bed, not caring that Kade, Sydney and Ilsbeth had come into the room. Despite having spectators, Samantha and Luca kissed each other gently.

“A girl to be exact,” Ilsbeth noted. “Babies who are born of vampires and witches are girls. And your little girl will bring her own special magic into this world. She will be quite exceptional, of that I am certain.”

“Well, of course she will be. Just like her mother. Beautiful and magical!” Luca could not stop smiling. A baby. A family. A home.

Sydney and Kade wrapped their arms around each other, happy for Luca and Samantha. It was unbelievable how this little witch had transformed Luca. Once cold and serious, he now was truly enjoying life, exuberant about the future.

“Okay, everyone, as much as I enjoy sharing this phenomenal news, I really need a bit of privacy. It’s time to get ready for the party,” Samantha stated as if she hadn’t just fainted.

“No, no, no,” Luca asserted.

“Doctor?” Samantha looked up at her with puppy eyes hoping she’d get the correct response.

“You’re okay for the party, but you are to remain seated for the rest of this evening. Also, you should expect to be taking daily naps from now on. Don’t wait until you feel dizzy to lie down. As soon as you are tired, rest. While the fatigue and nausea are perfectly normal, you need to go easy. Usually women don’t faint but it can happen, as you just found out. As far as your training, no more than one hour per day. In another month, you’ll be feeling much better. Luckily for you, your pregnancy will be only six months. One of the benefits of being supernatural,” she quipped. “Okay now, I expect to see you in my office next week, Samantha. Luca’s got my number.”

After thanking everyone for their assistance, Luca and Samantha lay quietly in bed. She cuddled into him, resting her cheek on his broad chest. They were both thrilled to be having a baby together; neither thought it could really be happening. Unassumingly, Luca took her hands in his.

“Samantha.”

“Yes, daddy-to-be?”

“I was going to wait for tonight, to surprise you. But now, this news. I’m so happy. I never thought. Damn, I sound incoherent. Okay, just close your eyes.”

She closed her eyes and added, “I’m not sure if I can take any more surprises today.”

“I think you’ll like this one.” Slipping an engagement ring on her finger, he smiled down at her. “Since I’m not so good with words right now, I’ll simply say, ‘I love you.’”.

Samantha opened her eyes and glanced at the stunning ring he’d given her. “I love it! Thank you, it’s beautiful.”

His head dipped down as he captured her lips. Deliberately seeking her sweetness, he swept his tongue over hers. They kissed lightly, unable to stop smiling; altogether exhilarated from learning they were expecting.

Samantha laughed. “You know, this is crazy, don’t you? A month ago, I was down here for a conference, and now I’m a witch who’s getting married to a vampire. And we’re having a baby who’s going to be a witch.”

Luca laughed. “How are we gonna explain this one to your parents?”

“Guess we’d better get married soon, huh?”

“The sooner the better. I can’t wait to hear her little feet running around this house,” he said excitedly.

“Hey, speaking of running, is Kat going to make it tonight? I invited her you know, but she hasn’t called me back. I left a message on her cell phone. I sure hope everything’s okay. And Tristan, it’s a shame he couldn’t be here tonight either. Told me had some sort of pack thing going on.”

“I’m sure Kat is fine and we’ll celebrate with Tristan when he comes down here again next month. No worries, my little witch. Tonight is for celebration, and I want to spend every minute showing off my new fiancée and sharing our good news.”

Luca held Samantha as she drifted off to sleep. He did wonder why Kat hadn’t replied to their invitation, but he didn’t want Samantha to have concerns tonight over the wolves. In the morning, he’d phone Tristan to tell him about the baby and make sure he and Kat were all right. Regardless of wolf problems, he now had a family to care for; it was not his responsibility to monitor pack concerns. As requested, they had flown Kat down to New Orleans. He knew both Tristan and Marcel would have her back. As far as Luca knew, their pack was still actively patrolling the area in search of the two escaped wolves. He guessed they would have made their way back to New York by now anyway.

Kissing Samantha’s soft hair, he gingerly touched her belly, knowing his daughter was growing inside. Peace. In all his life, he’d never felt it. Today, lying here with his mate, Luca had finally found it within her magic embrace.