Charlotte

“Please tell me they’re going to be alright,” Nora demanded, her behavior becoming more and more erratic. She was scared and nervous, and it was starting to show.

I patted her hand and led her to a seat as I said, “They’re going to be alright. Come, let’s sit down. I want to know how he took the news.”

“Like a man possessed. He was absolutely beastly. Manly, or rather vampire, pride almost had him pounding his chest in success and proof of his prowess.” She started wagging her eyebrows suggestively. “It was so wonderful,” she sighed.

“Wow, it’s strange how they took it completely different.”

“I was surprised because of the way Draco reacted to the news. I totally thought he was going to freak and lock me in some impenetrable fortress.” She laughed off her worries. In truth, I still wouldn’t put it past them two boys. I tried not to look for answers in the future. What if there were answers I didn’t want? As stressed as I felt, I really and truly cared for a nap. It was as if all my energy was zapped.

“Is it just me or do you feel so sleepy? I can barely keep my eyes awake,” I muttered, lying on her settee in the sitting room.

“I’m with you, Charlotte. I think it’s this pregnancy. But it could be the fact that you two stayed up all night.” I laughed sleepily, ready for a serious break.

I didn’t know how long I fell asleep for, but when I woke up, Draco was holding me in our bed. “What’s going on?” I asked, lost in the fuzzy haze of waking.

“It’s wonderful that you were so secure in our victory that you fell asleep, my love, but you’ve been sleeping quite a long time. Are you well?”

“I am,” I yawned, stretching my arms out and touching the tips of my fingers against our headboard, sitting up so that I could get back into the groove of things. I had the strangest dream that I didn’t quite understand, and I was certain it was some sort of premonition. I don’t know why there were a dozen wolves around, but I was curious.

“How are you doing?”

“I feel awful. I fell asleep during the battle and left Nora all alone. Oh my, how is she?”

“She’s doing good. They’re getting ready to sneak into the doctor’s office. Are you ready to go and see what’s going on with our baby?” Draco asked me.

“Sure.” I dashed off the bed, getting dressed, and moving faster than I ever had before.

“Wow, since when do you move that fast?” he asked, looking at me with narrowed eyes.

I shrugged and tossed up my hands. “I don’t know. I didn’t realize I was speeding.”

“I’m not upset, just surprised. Are you ready now?” he asked.

“Sure.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me to his chest. Instantly, we were transported to the examination room. Falcon and Nora were already waiting.

“Falcon, Leonora. You won’t believe it, but sleeping beauty went to bed and woke up with a change,” Draco said with a cheesy ass grin. I didn’t know how a beastly giant like him could be a dork, but he pulled it off. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. Most of the vampires were a hell of a lot faster than me.

“Whatever. I got faster, he says,” I informed them.

“That’s cool. Maybe it’s for a reason. So can we scan our bellies already?” Nora squealed, dancing around like a giddy, school girl.

“Fine, love. You hop up here first, and I will do the scan.” Falcon helped Nora onto the exam table.

“You know how to use an ultrasound machine?” I asked him. I didn’t know what they were taught or what century they went to med school.

“Yes, it was part of our courses in college. It was only once, but it’s pretty basic considering all I’m looking for is the baby’s bits.”

“Bits,” Nora giggled. “Sorry don’t mind me. I feel extra bubbly.”

Lifting up her blouse, he smiled at her small bump. Then, after applying the gel to the rolling sensor, he began the ultrasound. “Okay, this is going to be cold, love.”

“Okay, let’s get it over with,” she squeaked, her face full of excitement.

Falcon’s face contorted a little, his brows nit as he tried to determine what he was looking at. I hit the button on the screen in front of Nora and the imaging popped up on there. Wow, I could see why he was having a hard time.

“Forgive me if I’m wrong, but why does it look like I have a giant dinosaur egg growing in my belly?” Nora questioned, her eyes looking back and forth between the screen and Falcon.

“I don’t know. We do give birth to live males, not eggs. But look, it’s not hardened shell material. It’s like a thicker amniotic sac.” So, it seemed that we weren’t going to find out the sex for sure.

“Do you think this sensor isn’t strong enough?” Draco asked. “Should we look for another place?”

“Well, this is the safest one there is for looking into the womb without endangering our babies. We don’t know what this type of medium will do or how it will affect the development.” He wiped off her belly with some paper towels. She sat up with Falcon’s assistance. Not because she needed his help, but because he wasn’t going to let her work too hard to do anything. He took this whole pregnancy, or rather I think it was Nora’s health, seriously.

“Ready to hop on up?” Nora asked me. I looked at monitor and changed my mind. A feeling of panic washed over me. This wasn’t right and I didn’t know how to explain it. This was like trying to play with fate.

I shook my head and stepped closer to the door. “No, I don’t want to go up there. I think it’s best if we don’t mess with it. I’m getting a bad feeling about it.” Draco was at my side with his hands wrapped around my waist.

“Okay, then we won’t,” Falcon said with finality. I could see that he was trusting me, a feeling he was just learning to accept.

“Let’s get back before The Lamia decide to attack again,” Draco added, his words coming out tired. My poor beastly man was drained.

“Yes, and we need to come back in the morning to meet with the staff.”

“Do you think we should let Vigo handle meeting with them?” Draco asked.

“No, I think we need to go there. If they don’t see either of you they are going to be thinking that more is going on, and if you know anything about humans, it is that their curiosity is stronger than their common sense,” Nora pointed out.

“You have a point, but I know you really just want to get back to work.”

“I do, but I think it’s important. The more people feel like something is going on, the nosier they get.”

“Fine, let’s head to the house. Draco, you have your sensor on and we have Pietro and Placido helping Dante and Mary, so we’re good to stay away for a while.”

“We can always come back if they want to battle again,” my Draco chuckled. He was having fun with The Lamian Army.

“Their army is larger than you expected, isn’t it?” I asked.

“It is. They’ve sent nearly a hundred to storm the castle. Many retreated this time, but I believe that they were reporting back to their commanders. I suspect their army to be close to a thousand, well more like nine hundred after we battled.”

“And we have?” Nora asked.

“They are coming in by the hour. Mary has us at approximately four-hundred and twenty-five strong.”

“That’s less than half, Falcon. Why so little?”

“Nora, many won’t fight unless they are threatened. Those not in the darkness couldn’t care less for those forced to live without the sun. Just because you see those who have shown their support does not mean all will be on board. We are a selfish kind. Mired in our own vanity and power, we aren’t interested in the ultimate sacrifice.”

“I thought you told me that you had huge numbers before,” Nora asked him as he wiped down the equipment and set it back where it belonged.

“We did, but after centuries of war and a reprieve, vampires aren’t willing to let it all go. As it is, our army will grow. It will surpass theirs, it will just take time. They have been silently recruiting or enlisting people against their will. But we can finish this discussion at the house.” He nodded to Draco who gripped me tighter, then took Nora around the waist and we were out.

“It really is the best way to travel,” Nora said.

“Yes, no more airport delays or long TSA lines,” I added.

“Oh my God, that just made me think about my parents. I haven’t received a nasty worded email in weeks.”

“Good, that means maybe they’ll stop bothering you,” he said, turning on the lights around the house and hitting the security passcodes. Draco left my side, giving Falcon a nod. He rushed around the place, searching for any signs of intruders. There shouldn’t be any or the monitors for the house would have gone off. He was back and holding me in his arms before a minute passed.

“Everything’s clear,” he said, kissing my cheek.

“Okay, so can I go in the lab for a minute?” Leonora asked.

“A minute? Love, let’s go inside.” Falcon looked at us, then said, “If you want, you can join us or find us some food.”

“I’m all for the food,” I said, pushing out of Draco’s grasp only to grab his hand and tug him toward the kitchen. “Come on, pregnant woman hungry here,” I sang.