Gypsy Rising

Jasper’s wearing his new onesie I bought him, face scrunched like he’s trying to get to sleep.

Arion cradles him against his chest, and my heart starts pounding in my ears when his eyes widen. My stomach churns with dread as the sound of Jasper slurping resonates in my ears.

“Violet, why is there an infant shifter drinking from me with impossible fangs?” Arion asks in a calm tone, even as a harsh exhale is expelled from him.

I swallow thickly, trying and failing to come up with anything at this moment. So much for me being awesome enough to keep secrets from someone like Arion.

I honestly don’t know why Jasper drinks blood. Shifter’s drink blood, but they don’t have fangs. He’s sort of…unique. Unique beings also tend to motivate horrible actions.

Seriously, so much has happened, and I thought I was better at keeping secrets than I am. They keep asking questions they shouldn’t know to ask.

I’ve been so careful. I really am na?ve, aren’t I? Somehow, I consistently underestimate the four of them.

My mouth opens and closes a few times, as Arion slants his eyes toward me, patiently and expectantly awaiting an answer. Jasper feasts on the vampire alpha like he’s a delicacy.

“Not even my betas can drink my blood without painful vomiting after just one single drop, but this kid is lapping me up like I’m a treat. Shifters don’t have fangs,” Arion goes on, gingerly patting Jasper’s back as the unique baby greedily drinks more. “This lad doesn’t seem to have any problems taking my blood, and you don’t even seem surprised by that.”

Wringing my hands, I drag the sheet up to cover my body, eyes flicking to the baby in the vampire’s arms.

“Are you going to hurt him?” I can’t help but ask, since I can barely breathe around the growing knot of dread.

Arion holds my gaze, letting Jasper continue to drink.

“I don’t go around killing babies. I do, however, make it my business when there’s a creature acting out of habit and out of the realm of the ordinary. Even babies would sense my blood is dangerous—if babies ever had fangs. What is Jasper?”

He clicks his tongue as Jasper detaches and lets out a baby burp that sounds entirely too adorable.

Arion’s dark eyes are still on mine when I lift my gaze to meet his again.

“Half shifter. Half vampire?” I guess. “His mother won’t speak to me at all about it.”

The words are spoken so quietly that I wonder if he can hear it at all.

“Completely impossible,” he counters, eyes narrowing down on Jasper in a way that has me decidedly ready to retrieve my—er…the baby.

“How about I hold him for a little while?” I suggest, reaching over.

Arion pulls back, settling down on the bed a little more, as Jasper’s eyes sleepily close, and he flattens his cheek against Arion’s bare chest.

“I’d say he’s perfectly content with his latest meal holding him,” he drawls.

Did Ivannah not feed him the blood today? What the hell?

“Who’s the vampire?” he asks.

“I thought it was completely impossible,” I grind out, hating that I don’t trust him with Jasper. “As I said, his mother isn’t speaking to me about it. She’s trusting Sanctuary will keep them both safe, despite the…uniqueness he has about him.”

I also hate how natural he seems to be with him. I’m still a bumbling neurotic head case when it comes to holding such a tiny person.

Poor Jasper has no idea he’s curled up on the chest of a psychotic, powerful, immortal vampire.

When Arion just stares at me patiently, I exhale again.

“I’m serious. She’s given me absolutely nothing,” I state quietly, inching closer.

“She wanted you to raise him, am I correct?” he muses, lovingly kissing Jasper’s tiny head with a deceptively tender touch.

My eyes stay on the vampire, waiting for some sort of trap or manipulation.

At my nod, he says, “Then it’s an alpha vampire.”

I snort. “How do you come up with conclusions like that?” I ask on a tired sigh. “Alphas are sterile.”

“Marta had you,” he reminds me quietly, staring down at Jasper a little differently.

“Touché,” I confess on a tired sigh. “But I genuinely don’t believe it’s an alpha.”

“Stop staring at me like I’m going to eat the lad,” he says with a slight growl, looking truly offended by my obvious urge to snatch Jasper from his arms. “I’m proud of the fact I’m not that much of a monster.”

I bristle, shrugging a shoulder.

“How am I supposed to know what is or isn’t off limits with you?” I volley, slowly easing back, my tension lifting.

“You’re well cared for with four Heads of their respective Houses vying for your attention and giving you your dream,” he goes on, gesturing around him.

To that, I glare. “I distinctly remember you sitting on your asses while the rest of us worked to make this dream come true,” I inform him, quietening my voice quickly when Jasper makes a fussy sound.

Ignoring my comment, Arion plays with Jasper’s small toes, as he continues.

“There’s not a lot we wouldn’t do for you. Including keeping such an innocent babe safe at your request. However, Violet, if he’s truly the child of an alpha vampire, this could mean a great—”