CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

I’d never known a female vampire before. Sure, I assumed they existed, but when I was in the coven, Renzo only turned men. And being on the run, I rarely ran into another vampire, and I’d never met one who was a woman. Now I was teaching my girlfriend the ins and outs of how to live as one.

Once the sun went down, Athan and I showed Calla how to run at her newly acquired speed while using her sight and senses to not hit anything. We also found a deer for her to feed from. I knew that it would take longer than one night for her to get used to being a vampire. It took me weeks and even months to learn to control my hunger. Granted, back then it wasn’t necessary to control it because we ran Chicago and at the time a lot of blood was being shed.

While Calla was in the shower, Athan and I sat out on my back deck, drinking our whiskey and unwinding from the night.

“We still need to deal with Renzo,” I stated.

Athan took a sip of his drink. “What can we do? You still want to leave and rejoin him?”

“No. I never wanted to rejoin him. I wanted to keep Calla safe, and that’s still what needs to happen.”

“You think he’ll come here and take her?”

I took a swallow of my whiskey. “I don’t know.”

“What about his own daughter? What about Alastair and Betha? All of them have Renzo’s blood.”

“I know.” I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees. “But I don’t think he knows Miles is dead since Donovan never went back to him. I think we need to get everyone together and leave Burn Falls.”

“Alastair and Betha aren’t even here.”

“I know that, but when Renzo finds out that Miles is dead, I’m sure he’ll see if he had any children. Won’t take him long to find Al and Betha.”

“What do you even think he wants with them?”

I downed the rest of my drink. “Think about it, A. We’re strong because we carry his blood. So do they. But won’t they be stronger if they’re turned and double the amount of venom running through their veins?”

Athan leaned forward as well. “So you’re saying he wants to strengthen the coven?”

“Who knows what he wants to do. We didn’t even know he was in Russia. We have no clue what he’s been up to for the past eighty-six years, but I wouldn’t put it past him to want his family to be under his control.”

“You think if we go into hiding again that he’ll give up looking for them?”

“I think we need to try. Maybe we should grow our own army?”

“You want to start turning humans?”

“No.” I stood and leaned my ass against the railing and crossed my arms. “I think we should find all of the vampires out there not directly linked to Renzo and recruit them.”

Athan stood as well. “How would we do that?”

“For starters, we have Donovan, and I’m sure he knows more vampires than we do. Plus, you’re close with Peppe.”

“True, but Donovan probably only knows vamps in Renzo’s mob.”

“Maybe, but it’s a start.”

Since I’d never come across a female vampire before, I’d never had sex with one either.

Until now.

After stepping out of the shower, I walked into my connecting bedroom and smiled as I saw Calla peacefully sleeping. Her brown hair was fanned across the pillow, and she looked happy, which made me happy.

I tossed the towel that was around my waist onto the floor and crawled across the mattress toward her. I slid the covers down her body—a body that was now rock solid. She was still curvy, but now she was pure muscle. I loved every inch of her.

“What are you doing?” she asked. I looked up to see her black eyes were still closed. Her eye color had changed from green to black after her transition just like mine had from grey to black.

“What does it look like I’m doing?”

Her eyes opened, and she looked over at me. “Ruining my sleep.”

I kissed her neck and then pierced the skin, drawing blood. I wasn’t sure if it was possible to feed from another vampire, but I was going to try. “No, sweets. I’m going to wear you out, so you get better sleep.”

Calla moaned and moved to expose her neck further, allowing me to go deeper into the vein. “Is that so?”

“Only one way to find out.” The deer’s blood that was in her system started to pour into my mouth, and I felt it flow into my veins. My dick hardened, and before I realized it, Calla had me on my back.

“I think I’m going to like this speed and strength thing.” She grinned.

I smirked. “And what are you going to do now that you have me on my back?”

Calla licked her lips, her heated gaze roaming over my naked chest and abs as she straddled me. Without answering, she slid down my thighs until her mouth was over my dick. She grasped my cock and licked the tip.

“Christ,” I bit out.

“You like it when I do this?”

“Yeah, sweetheart, I do.”

“What about this?” Her mouth engulfed my shaft as her fingers curled around the base. She pumped, she licked, she sucked, and I fucking loved it.

I grabbed the back of her head, moving it with the rhythm she was on. Calla took me deep, my dick hitting the back of her throat with each bob. The scent of her arousal filled the room, and I groaned.

“Get on my face,” I ordered. I didn’t want to have an orgasm yet, even if I would still be hard afterward. I wanted to do it when I was in her pussy and not in her mouth because I only had one orgasm in me.

Without hesitation, she tore off her clothes and then scurried up my torso and straddled my face. Yes, having her move fast like me was going to be a benefit in more ways than one. There was a whole new meaning to “in a blink of an eye” when it meant she could get naked in less than two seconds. I dove in, licking up her slit.

“It’s not cold,” she moaned.

“We’re the same temperature now,” I reminded her, but I didn’t remove my mouth from working her pussy. I said the thought telepathically—another benefit.

Calla bucked her hips, moving in sync with my tongue and riding my face just as I’d wanted. Apparently, she didn’t need to feed to feel pleasure during sex. If Calla fed on me, would that make me hard? We’d have to try it when we woke tonight.

I drove my tongue deep inside of her, drinking her in. Her clit started to pulse as I worked the bud, going back and forth between it and licking all of her. She tasted divine—better than any blood I’d ever consumed.

She gripped my short brown hair, as a wave of pleasure coursed through her and she jerked. Hearing her moan in pleasure above me made a little pre-cum come from my dick. I knew it wasn’t possible, but it felt as though it had.

It was my turn to use my speed, and therefore, I grabbed her hips and turned us until I had her on her back and I was inside of her in a blink of an eye.

“Draven …” she said my name as though it was a warning.

I didn’t stop my thrusts. “What?”

She stared up at me. “Nothing. Don’t stop.”

“Wasn’t planning on it, sweets.” I grinned.

I pounded into her harder than I’d ever had before, knowing she was finally unbreakable. The headboard banged against the wall, over and over with each drive. Calla’s hands gripped my ass, urging me to go deeper somehow. I grabbed the back of her hair, tilted her head back against the pillow and latched onto her neck again. There was no better feeling than feeding while you came. I just hoped it worked both ways now.

I brought her leg up, hooked my arm under her knee and went deeper while I sucked on her neck.

“Yes,” she moaned.

I growled, moving as fast as I could as her pussy clenched my dick. It started to pulse around me, and I knew, at any second, she was going to come. That would make two of us. With a few more pumps of my hips—deep—we both moaned our releases. Though this time when I came, I actually released into her. Was it because I was drinking from her—a vampire—while I came? This was all new.

My eyes widened at the realization, and I raised my head to stare into her eyes. “Calla …”

“I think this means we’ll have a baby now.”

“Why do you think that?”

She shrugged. “Wishful thinking?”

My eyebrows furrowed. I was still inside of her—still hard. I thought about what Donovan had said about Renzo and Gael. “Or we’re too late since I didn’t want to believe that I loved a human and now you’re a vampire.”

Calla kissed my lips softly. “Would you be okay if we did?”

“Of course, but there’s no way for you to carry one. All of that is shut down now.”

She smiled. “I guess we’ll find out, won’t we?”

When I woke that evening, Calla wasn’t in bed. I had a moment of panic, but then I heard her and Athan in the living room laughing. After throwing on my pajama bottoms, I went to see what was so funny.

“When we were in college—” Calla smiled as she looked over and saw me walking into the room, but then returned back to her story, “we used to go to this bar every Friday and Saturday night. Sometimes Thursdays too. Anyway, there was this guy that did magic tricks to pick up chicks. One night, he tried it with V.”

“What magic trick?”

“Well, it was more like a card trick. He had girls write their numbers on the cards and then he would pick that card out of the deck after he shuffled it.”

“Did it work?”

“Every time.”

“Did V go home with him?”

“Yep.”

“So you’re saying I need to do magic?”

Calla laughed. “No. Just telling you a true story.”

I stepped forward and kissed the top of her head. “Morning, sweets.”

“Morning, McNaughty.”

“We’re back to that again?” Athan groaned.

I shrugged, and Calla said, “Don’t be jealous.”

“Oh, I’m not.” Athan laughed.

“Anyway,” I started to walk toward the kitchen. “Did you have breakfast?”

I heard Calla get off the couch and follow behind me. “Yeah. Athan showed me what to do and how long to heat the blood up for. Also had coffee.”

“How long have you been awake?” I asked, grabbing a blood bag from the fridge.

Calla sat on a chair at the island. “Like an hour.”

“I didn’t wear you out last night?” I winked.

“It’s different now that I’m not human. It’s like I can go all night.”

I grabbed a mug and started to pour the blood in. “Don’t tempt me or I’ll take you up on that.”

“Tonight then?” She bit her lip.

“Tonight then.” I winked. I put my cup in the microwave and set the time.

“I was—” Calla shouted out in pain and doubled over.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, darting to her side.

“My …”

“Your what? Your stomach?” I bent down and then froze, staring up into Calla’s dark eyes. “Calla,” I whispered then her eyes widened.

“Oh shit,” she said.

“Yeah,” I agreed.

“What’s going on in here?” Athan asked walking nonchalantly into the room.

My gaze cut to his and I said, “Listen.”

Calla moaned in pain again, and then Athan’s eyes widened. “Oh shit,” he boomed.

Without any further hesitation, I picked Calla up and took off for the bedroom. “How?” I asked, as though Calla knew. I laid her down on her side.

“I have something—” she bowed into herself and moaned again.

“What do I do?” I asked Athan, sensing that he was in the doorway.

“Like I know!”

“I know.” Calla reached out and touched my thigh as I sat next to her on the bed.

“What do we do?”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t know what we do, but I know how.”

“Well, isn’t it obvious?” Athan chuckled.

I glared at him.

“Selene visited me the night before last.”

“Selene?” I asked.

“The Goddess of the Moon.”

“What?” I laughed sarcastically.

“I thought I was dreaming. She was in here while you were sleeping and told me that she’s gifting us a baby.”

“Gifting us a baby?”

“Well, not gifting us a baby, but giving us the ability to conceive one.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I thought it was a dream, Draven. She was fucking glowing.”

“So last night when I …”

Calla nodded. “Yeah. I should have told you, but I thought it was a dream. We know vampire males can make a baby with their true love, but like you said, my insides should be closed for business.”

“But apparently they aren’t,” I said, still hearing the whooshing of her blood and venom flowing through her veins and stomach.

She smiled. “Apparently not.”

“But why are you in pain?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged.

I stood. “I’m going to go get an ultrasound machine.”

“Go get one?” Athan asked.

“Yeah.” I moved to my closet to change clothes. “There’s a doctor’s office in town. I’ll borrow it and be right back. Stay here and keep an eye on Calla.”

“Draven,” Calla called in a plea as though she didn’t want me to leave.

I returned to her side and leaned down to press my lips to hers. “I’ll be right back, sweetheart. Lucky for you, a doctor apparently knocked you up.”

“Hurry.”

“I’ll be back before you know it.”

When I returned not twenty minutes later, Calla and Athan were both sitting up in bed. I placed the machine down, and asked, “Any more pain?”

“No. You stole that?” Calla asked, pointing at the portable ultrasound machine.

“Borrowed,” I clarified, plugging it in. I had every intention of returning it before the sun rose.

“I’m hungry,” Calla stated.

“Go get her a mug of blood,” I ordered Athan.

“See? Errand boy,” Athan mumbled and got off the bed.

“Yeah, yeah. Just go,” I replied, not looking at him as I waited for the machine to boot up. “Crap,” I mumbled and then yelled, “Get the gel out of the car.”

I heard Athan groan and then the door opened that led to the garage.

“You two are really like brothers,” Calla said.

I looked over my shoulder at her. “Yeah.”

“I’m glad you worked out your issue.”

“I just hope it wasn’t a mistake.” The microwaved dinged, and I heard Athan slam the door of the garage.

“I fully believe he’s loyal.”

“Me too.” I gave her a tight smile and then readied the machine.

Athan came in with the gel and mug for Calla not a few seconds later. I wasn’t sure if he’d heard Calla and I talking about him because he didn’t say anything. Instead, he handed me the gel and Calla the mug.

“You going to tell V?” he asked.

I looked over at Calla as she stilled the mug in front of her face just as she was about to take a sip. “It’s not like I can hide a pregnancy or a baby once it comes out.”

“I mean about everything,” he clarified.

Calla’s gaze met mine and then she shrugged. “I’m not sure. Everything has happened so fast.”

“Right,” Athan agreed. He sat back on my side of the bed and leaned against the headboard again.

“Ready?” I asked.

Calla nodded.

“Lay down and lift your shirt up some.”

After squirting the gel on her stomach, I held the wand over her belly. I knew from med school that you couldn’t see a fetus before eight weeks. I still wanted to try. We didn’t know what we were dealing with. I mean, two vampires had just conceived a baby vampire.

“I see nothing,” Calla said, looking at the monitor.

“Yeah,” Athan agreed.

“Get out,” I ordered.

“What?” he asked.

“Sorry,” I said, taking the wand away from her stomach. “I need to do this vaginally and I’d rather you not be in the room for this.”

He sprinted off the bed. “No need to say more.” He walked toward the door. “I need to go buy condoms anyway.”

I smiled at his revelation. Once he was out of the room, I said, “Take your panties off while I get the wand ready.”

“Do you talk this way to all of your patients?”

I looked at Calla to see her grinning as she wiggled out of her panties. “No, sweets. I deal with blood, not babies.”

“I don’t understand how you do it now that I know the hunger.”

“It takes time to control it, and I also drink from a bag before each patient. Ready?” I asked, holding the rod up.

She nodded.

After I got the device inside of her, I turned back to the machine. There in black and white was a dot. It wasn’t large, but with my increased vision, I could tell what it was. Calla was definitely pregnant, and by my calculations, it was the size of a four-week fetus.