Chapter Five: Three Months
It didn't escape Naya's notice that half a dozen vampires were always around whenever she left her room, but as they never interacted with her unless she made the first move, except to offer her food and water, she quickly got used to their presence. They'd been hanging around for a few weeks, anyway, and when Naya asked Gabriel about it, he had told her they were there to make sure she had everything she needed.
The sun shone in the sky, and Naya lifted her face to its light as she made her way around the small artificial lake Gabriel had within his castle walls. It was a beautiful day and, as it was one of the few times this month when she hadn’t felt like she was going to throw up at every movement, she had decided to take advantage of the good weather and go for a walk while Angel watched Ivanna. The clear, fresh air bolstered her spirits.
As she paused on a small dock overlooking the water, a man in a tailored suit caught her eye. He was staring at her and, when she turned towards him, a smile lit his face and he hurried towards her. He moved far quicker than her eyes could follow, and it wasn't until he was standing right in front of her that she recognized him. It was the vampire that had taken her to that isolated room on the night of the party. She shivered.
"Hello," he said, beaming. "I thought it must be you that the king chose to bear this child. And you're pregnant already. I can hear the heartbeat."
Naya narrowed her eyes at him.
The vampire held up his hands at her look. "The king claimed you. I'm not going to try anything. Actually, I was hoping that I would run into you. I'd like to apologize for my actions doing that party. I recognize that I crossed a line, asking you to undress."
"You didn't ask." She contemplated him for a moment. He hadn't done anything that she didn't agree to first. And his apology did seem to be genuine. "Thank you. But the fault isn't entirely yours. I was uncertain what I should be doing, and let things go farther than I was comfortable with."
"But I ought to have recognized that. I could scent the fear on you. I'm so sorry."
Naya didn't want to talk to this vampire anymore, so she strode off the dock. The vampire followed her, keeping several feet between them. Her escort, which usually kept their distance and pretended not to watch her, now had all eyes on the two of them. One was speaking into a cellphone. Naya frowned at them.
"Are you going to mate the king?"
"What?" Naya turned to the vampire again to find bright blue eyes burning into hers. She shivered at the hungry look in them.
"If you're not going to mate him, then after the child is born and he releases his claim on you perhaps you and I can get to know each other better? I'll admit that I want to be a father myself, and I made sure to freeze my sperm during the Blood Moon, so that when I find a willing female she can bear my children."
Naya was so startled that she laughed. What was it with these vampires? They only wanted supermodels for their parties, but somehow she was still a hot commodity? Was it just because of her blood?
She shook her head. "I don't think so. Now if you'll excuse me, I should get back inside. Gabriel was going to meet me for lunch."
He wasn't, but she was certain that her escort was talking to him, and that they would soon see each other regardless. The vampire she was talking with looked disappointed, but bowed to her and bid her a good day before he strode off, whistling.
Naya headed back to the palace. She considered asking her escort for a cell phone so that she could speak with Gabriel herself, but decided against it. This conversation had brought up some rather unpleasant thoughts that she needed to figure out so she could talk to him about it.
Gabriel wanted her to bear him a child. The vampire she had just spoken to wanted the same thing.
Was that all she was to vampires, a blood bank and broodmare? Did Gabriel care about her at all, or were the expensive gifts that he lavished on her–diamonds, cars, a new house, even an advanced copy of the next book in her favorite series which wasn't due to come out for another three months–designed to keep her contrite, part of the payment that had been promised to her? When he came to bed with her, undressed her, kissed every inch of her body and sent her writhing into throes of pleasure, was that because he cared for her, or because she was a shiny new toy that he would eventually grow bored with and discard?
Would he treat her the way her father used to treat her mother?
The thoughts made her shiver and, though she wanted to reject them outright, she forced herself to examine what she did know. Gabriel had laid claim to her like she was his possession. But that claim didn't need to be forever, and many times possessions got put into a closet and forgotten about.
They had not yet discussed what would happen with the baby after he was born. It was something Naya was afraid to have answered if she was honest with herself. She didn't want to think that she would be sent away and never have a part in her son's life. In Gabriel's life.
Even though he had claimed her, she had no way of claiming him. What exactly was their relationship? Was he sleeping with other women? Angel? She always wore those tight dresses but somehow magically never had a panty line. Was it because she didn't wear any? With her perky breasts and tight ass, she was the epitome of gorgeous.
Gabriel met her at the entrance to the palace. His eyes narrowed as he strode towards her.
"What were you doing with him?"
Naya blinked, but the unspoken accusation made hot anger fill her belly and she threw her head back and slapped away the hand that reached for her arm. "What are you doing with Angel when I'm not around?"
Gabriel's eyes widened and his jaw dropped, but Naya wasn't done with him yet.
"I was talking. But if I decided to do anything else, you'd have to deal with it. Because you don't own me. I agreed to have your baby. I did not agree to be your property. I'm my own person and until I know exactly what we are, I'm going to do whatever and whoever I want. Understood?"
She glared up at the vampire towering above her. He could crush her with one hand, but he actually looked a little shocked as she put her hands on her hips and waited for a response. He glanced around, and Naya remembered that her escort followed her everywhere. Blood rushed to her cheeks.
"We should discuss this privately," Gabriel muttered, taking her hand. She let him lead her back to her suite, where Angel was reading.
The vampire woman looked at their joined hands with a grin and stood as Gabriel approached. "Ivanna is still sleeping, but I can wake her if you two want some time alone."
"Angel, when was the last time we slept together?"
Naya's heart plummeted. So it was true. The king was sleeping with the bombshell. She didn't know why she was so disappointed; she knew she had no right to be. They never said they were going to be exclusive.
"About four months, I think," Angel replied. "Why? I thought that you and Naya were on your way to becoming mates."
"What?" Naya burst out. She stared between the two vampires. "He has never made any indication that he wants anything from me but a baby!"
"I have slept beside you in your bed every night. What do you think that means?" Gabriel turned on her. "I laid my claim on you, do you think I take that lightly?"
"How am I supposed to know what that means? I don't even know if you're going to let me be part of the baby's life after he's born!"
Angel flapped her hands at them. "Not so loud! You'll wake Ivanna."
Naya winced and her head swiveled towards her daughter's room, but no sound came from it. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and turned back to Gabriel. His dark eyes glittered and his mouth was pressed into a thin line.
Naya rubbed her eyes. "I truly enjoy what's between us. I haven't said anything because I didn't want to wreck it. But I need to know what we are. Is there an us? Am I anything to you other than a warm body?"
"Naya…" Gabriel sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair. "I forget sometimes that humans don't know vampires well. I have only slept in your bed since we met. I have only drunk your blood. That might not mean anything to you, but it means a lot to me. And as for after our baby is born, of course I want you to be part of his life. I want you to be my lover, just as you are now."
His lover. But not his mate? No, of course not. She was human. She would die while he lived on. But a lover was better than nothing, wasn't it? She considered him for a moment, then nodded. "Then I will be your lover."
A sigh brought the attention of both of them back to Angel. The vampire woman was fairly beaming, her hands pressed over her heart. "So beautiful," she murmured, then sighed again. "I can take Ivanna out if you two want the room."
Gabriel grinned and nodded. But even as Naya let him lead her into the bedroom and gave herself to him, she couldn't help but realize–he wanted her for his lover. He said nothing about him being her lover.