He stepped back in shock. The voice that came from the woman’s mouth was otherworldly, as if he was listening to three people speaking at once. She met his eyes, her own were glassy, unnatural. As if her pupils had expanded to fill her eye sockets.
“Xander, give up the woman,” the voice continued. His head was filled with an image of slithering snakes. “Give her up, you are not worthy. You deserve to be damned. You will destroy her!”
“No!” he whispered. “No, I would never harm her. You’re wrong!”
“Are we?” the woman asked, face slack and expressionless.
We?
“Who are you?” Xander demanded, aware he was dealing with something dangerous to him, wanting to recoil. The woman began to laugh. The sound was an unholy jumble of disconnected voices.
“Who are we? Don’t you know, Anaxandridas?” Her face was bizarrely contorted now. “We are your guide to the path to your true destiny. Give up the woman. Choose the path…you belong with the Dark Lord. You belong in hell, Anaxandridas.”
He stumbled back, shaking his head.
“You are wrong!” he repeated. The woman laughed again, the horrific sound filling his head. And then it stopped abruptly. For long seconds she stood motionless, and then, as if she’d suddenly woken from a strange daydream, Stella blinked and shook her head.
“What…?” she muttered, now oblivious to him standing in front of her. She fumbled in her purse for her keys and stumbled towards a car as if they’d never said a word to each other. Xander simply stared as she started the vehicle and drove off.
What the hell had just happened?
***
“Well, Ms. North, it looks like you’ve come through a tricky situation unscathed,” the young doctor smiled at her. “And you’ll be pleased to know that your baby is still safe too.”
Becky stared at him, dropped the little paper cup of water she’d been sipping from, and gaped like a goldfish out of water. Rosie looked equally shocked.
“I…I…erm…” the doctor cleared his throat. “You knew, of course, that you were…erm…pregnant?” The warm brown skin of his face enhanced the amber tone of his eyes. Young enough to be rattled by the situation, he busied himself with straightening the sheets on her bed and fiddling with the tray of medicinal equipment beside them.
Rebecca shook her head in complete shock, mouth opening and closing as she sought words. She felt Rosie’s fingers dig into her arm but ignored the pressure.
“Wh…What…?” she stuttered. “Are you sure?” Her thoughts swirled so wildly she felt light-headed.
“Quite sure, Ms. North,” the doctor assured her. “You don’t seem… Are you in trouble? Would you like me to refer you to a counselor?”
She shook her head again, at a loss for words. Rosie took over.
“I’ll get Ms. North home, doctor.” Her ‘take charge’ nature was at the forefront, but there was a slight quaver to her voice. “Thank you for taking such good care of my friend.”
Her doctor gave a small smile and nodded.
“Thank you, doctor,” said Rebecca shakily, swinging her leg off the examination bed. She’d already been subjected to a plethora of scans and random tests, and she was eager to get out, back home, and into a bath.
“You’re certain you don’t need to speak to one of our counselors about…anything?” he asked gently. Rebecca shook her head…no. “Well, I don’t think it will be necessary to keep you in for observation for the night. You’re welcome to go home,” said the doctor, reaching for a clipboard and heading out of the curtained cubicle.
“Thank you, doctor,” Rebecca repeated as he left the space, then turned to Rosie. They shared the same wide-eyed expression of absolute astonishment.
“Pregnant??” they both yelled as soon as he was out of earshot.
“Oh. My. God!” said Rosie. “You didn’t know??”
“Of course I didn’t know!” shrieked Becky, her hand over her mouth, trying to stifle her own semi-hysterical voice. She let her teeth sink into her knuckles for a moment. “Oh, my god, I’m pregnant,” she whispered.
“I know!” Rosie joined in. “My god, it’s insane! A baby?”
“Fuck!” Becky breathed.
“Becky!” Rosie chastised.
“What? I can’t be surprised to the point of cussing??” Becky responded. “Holy crap, I’m having a baby.”
“Holy crap,” Rosie repeated. “And I never thought I’d be asking you this question, but do you know who the father is?”
Becky sat stupefied.
“It’s Xander,” she whispered.
Chapter Sixteen
Xander was elated.
He was terrified…and then horrified.
He was elated again.
Rebecca was having his child.
Was it even possible?
Obviously, it was possible. The doctor had just told her it was so. Yet still…it seemed impossible.
Xander clenched his fists. He remembered how his woman had instinctively curled her body to protect her belly from her attacker’s blows, even before she knew about the baby.
The body knows.
He was awe-struck. Already a soul resided in her body, and it had let her know that it needed protection.
‘These humans…what a miracle their bodies are,’ he mused as he recalled those moments. Then felt his train of thought derailed.
Miracle?
How could something like him possibly be part of a miracle? He was cursed. An abomination. A sense of dread began to grow in his chest. What if the baby he’d help create was an abomination too? What if she gave birth to some nightmare beast?
“What if it destroys her?” His heart raced, and he felt panic begin to surge. He fought it down. He could not allow himself to expect the worst. This was his chance of atonement.
This was his chance to get it right.
Could he get it right?
The encounter with the woman in the car park unsettled him. Something supernatural had spoken to him. Something wanted him to give up his soul, to choose damnation.
Was that his true path? Should he let her go? Was there no hope for his soul?
He hovered in the space above her, looking down at her. His woman.
No! He knew where he needed to be right now. With Rebecca, keeping her safe. Protecting their child. Once he was confident they would be ok, he would face the Council. He didn’t really care what their decision would be – heaven or hell – it didn’t matter to him anymore.
‘I won’t forsake you,’ he vowed silently, ‘not this time. This time I will be there for you.’
He felt his heart swell with love for her, with the love that already existed for the precious life within her. He knew at that moment that there was nothing he wouldn’t do to protect both of them.
Provide for them. Kill for them. Die for them.
It didn’t matter what it took. He would make sure that this woman and his daughter – for he knew it would be a girl – would be safe.
Always…
His mind whirled with the memories that had haunted him for so long – those fateful hours when he had allowed his daughter to die. Three millennia later, he finally understood the selfishness and stupidity that had led him to that place.
“For such a smart man, you take a fucking long time to learn a lesson,” the voice of Lilith intruded into his thoughts.
He shook his head, turned to stare at her.
“I was wrong. I should have been there for her. Nothing else mattered,” Xander whispered.
“Of course,” she replied. Lilith was never one to pull a punch. “She needed you. Your family needed you. Yet you couldn’t see beyond your ego, your selfishness.” She tutted. “If it’s any consolation, half the male spirits in this place have committed crimes based on the same motivation. Though I imagine that ego of yours will make it hard to accept that your ‘crime’ isn’t particularly special.”
She chuckled, but there was little humor in the sound.
“So, Warrior…King….” she said the words as if they were insults, “do you have any ideas on how you could do things better this time?”
He shook his head, soundlessly, and she chuckled again.
“Thought not. Bet you wish you’d considered that before getting your earthly savior knocked up, huh?”
He shook his head again.
“I won’t let her down.” His jaw set, words gritted out between his teeth.
“Glad to hear it. Though I’m not going to hold my breath waiting for you to do the right thing.” She rolled her eyes, still managing to look every inch the divine temptress while doing it. “So, what do you propose to do?” she asked with barely contained contempt.
“Whatever it takes,” replied Xander.
“Pfft,” Lilith hissed dismissively, turning to face Cain, who had emerged from the mists alongside her. “He’ll never get it right!”
Cain seemed to agree.
“I will do whatever it takes,” Xander insisted, turning to seek out the presence of Salazar. He’d always been as close to an ally as he’d ever had here. The spirit formed before him, taking shape. His face was grim.
“This is up to you now,” Salazar said. “What happens next is up to you. You have sown this seed, created this life – you made this choice.” Xander’s head jerked up, and Salazar smiled. “Yes. You must surely have known it? Felt the moment the spark ignited?” Xander couldn’t deny the truth of the statement. The instant their DNA had entwined, he’d felt it like a bolt of lightning, had been aware of every quickening cell…and yet he still questioned.
How could it be?
How could life be created when he was…undead? A mere gathering of energy that had once propelled the body that had been him.
“Is it possible?” he whispered. “Rebecca can bear my child?” Salazar nodded, his features a mask of concern. Xander shook his head, not understanding.
“Of course it’s possible, fool!” sneered Lilith. “A woman can bear the child of an incubus. But it may destroy her.” Xander’s mind reeled.
“No!” he shouted. “That can’t happen. I won’t allow it!”
“How do you plan to stop it?” Her laughter was cruel.
“I already told you! I will do whatever it takes!” he raged. Never had he been so insolent with the Council. “She will not die because of me!”
“Then you will die for her,” Cain interjected smoothly.
“If that’s what it takes, I will not hesitate!” Xander barked, turning on his heel.
***
The Council remained silent for long moments after his departure.
“I think he can do it,” Salazar’s voice broke the silence.
“You say this because your fate depends on it,” snapped Lilith. The clouds swirled about them as the voices of the others murmured and whispered among themselves, the hissing of wind.
“He may be right,” Arawn mused. “This may be the turning point.” More voices murmured in agreement.
“We’ve seen it before, and it has been a disaster!” Lilith hissed.
“Well, not a complete disaster,” interrupted Cain. “A child of ours gets to walk the earth. One of us.”
Imentet released a hissing sound that drew Lilith’s attention. The other woman met her eyes and raised a brow.
“It may be at the expense of an innocent,” added Calliope. “You know this could happen. You know she could die.”
“If he fails,” Salazar said.
“Yes. If he fails,” intoned Lilith. “And why should he not? He has failed at every other challenge set for him. Him and his stubborn pride. The fact that he has found ways to continue does not mean he is successful, merely that he is resourceful.”
“It is different this time,” Salazar argued. “I feel it. Somehow, there is light in him now that was not there before. Surely you must see it too?”
“Pffttt!” Lilith hissed again, but there was a murmur of agreement from the others.
Yet, in the background, there was a sense of wrongness a shifting of energies. Salazar frowned and glanced around the group. For a moment, he, too, glanced at Imentet, for once without Azazel at her side.
Something was not right.
A thought nagged at him…the image of the woman in the parking lot. Something had taken hold of her. Something from their world. As if reading his mind, Lilith met his eyes.
“Let us see how he fares,” said Cato. As gatekeeper to Purgatory, his word held the most weight. While the others may not fully agree, all would respect his final decision. “Remember that we are ultimately here to see souls cleansed, not damned. If there is a chance he can be redeemed, let us fight for that, rather than the alternative.”
Lilith bowed her head, conceding. “You are right, of course. Let us see how he fares. But if he fails…if the woman is lost…” she clenched her jaw, “then it is Salazar who must answer for his failures.”
The mists swirled, hissed, whispered…and the spirits dissipated, leaving just Lilith and Salazar remaining.
“Do you…?” he began.
She nodded. “I feel it too. It’s the same surge I felt before. With the woman.”
“There is something dark at play,” his voice was somber.
Lilith nodded grimly.
Chapter Seventeen
Becky managed to convince Rosie to let her go back to her apartment that night, despite some pretty heated arguing against it. As it was, the woman insisted on getting her settled in, ran a bath, and whipped up a light omelet while she soaked in the tub. The warm soapy suds eased some of the aches out of her bruised body. Drying herself off and wrapping a soft bathrobe around herself, she emerged feeling a thousand times better. Although it was all she could do to pick at the dinner that Rosie insisted she eat.
“You know I wish you would come over to my place,” Rosie griped, concern etched into her features. “But since you insist on staying here, I want you to promise you’ll go straight to bed and rest up, okay?”
Becky nodded her assent. “I promise, Rosie,” she reached out and hugged her best friend. “You really are a life-saver, hon. Thank you so much for coming to my rescue.”
Rosie brushed it off. “It was the least I could do. I think we have more important things to discuss.
Becky nodded. “Yes. The baby…” Her voice trailed off. She’d was still trying to get her head around this news. Apparently, so was Rosie.
“Yes, about that…” She crossed her arms over her chest and took a determined stance. “Hon, I’m not going to argue with your story about having a ‘demon lover’. That’s your shit, and you’re clearly sticking to it. Maybe he’s really some dead Spartan guy, maybe he’s actually some married dude you’ve been keeping secret. Either way, you’re pregnant.”
Becky heaved a deep sigh of frustration. “No, Rosie, I swear I haven’t been lying to you. I know it’s impossible to comprehend, but this is actually happening. This man is in my life. I don’t know where he came from. I don’t know where he stays when he’s not with me. But when I need him, he’s there. And I’m having his child.” She shrugged. There simply wasn’t anything more she could say.
“And he picked Stella up and threw her across the parking lot,” Rosie added. “So, I’m guessing he’s pretty real for others sometimes.”
“Well yes, that too,” Becky admitted.
Rosie rubbed her face and gave a chuckle. “I have to admit, as boyfriends go, he’s probably better than half the guys I’ve dated, so I guess I should cut you some slack here.” Becky shared her moment of humor.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” She yawned and stretched, suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of exhaustion.
“Okay, hon, I can see you’re tired, and now is not the time to interrogate you.” Rosie reached for her bag, though not before casting a disgruntled glance at Rebecca’s half-eaten meal. “I’m going to head home. Get to bed and call me in the morning. Or before morning, if you need me for anything at all, right?”
Becky nodded and stood up to hug her friend. “I really don’t know what I’d do without you, Roseanne.”
“Probably have to start learning how to throw a punch, which is totally not within your nature!” Rosie pulled a face and headed for the door. She wasn’t buying any of it, but at least she was giving Becky a chance to breathe.
***
The light was off as Rebecca walked into her bedroom. Still, she didn’t feel compelled to reach for the switch, instead, standing in the doorway and letting the darkness envelop her.
The room was silent, but she knew she was not alone. She stepped past the threshold and stood, motionless. She felt the air change around her before she felt him move up behind her. And then he was pressed up against her back, strong arms enveloping her. She felt her breath leave her lungs in a great, shuddering breath.
He dropped his head and buried his face in the curve of her neck, arms tightening around her. A warm sense of safety washed over her.
Sanctuary.
“Nobody will ever harm you again,” he murmured into her neck. She could feel his lips moving against her skin and shivered. “I am sorry you were hurt.” He turned her in his arms, pulling her against his chest, his hand slid up her shoulder, curling around the back of her head, cradling her against him.
She gave a muffled sob, and it was as if the sound rumbled through him, allowing him to feel the fear she had felt. He stepped back and took her face in his hands. Even in the dark, she was aware of the intensity of his eyes, could feel them searching her face. He dropped his hands to the front of her bathrobe, untied the belt that held it closed, then reached up and slid the garment from her shoulders. Her skin was still warm and flushed from the bath she’d managed to take, unable to consider sleep without washing the night’s events from her body.
She stood naked in the soft light that filtered into the room from the streetlights outside. His eyes trailed from her face down the length of her body, caressing every inch of her. As her own eyes became accustomed to the darkness, she watched his face. Saw his expression change from tenderness to anger as his gaze trailed over the rapidly forming bruises that marred the skin of her ribs, hips, thighs. His fingers brushed those spots, so softly she could barely feel his touch.
Saved By Her (Soul Searchers Book 1) Page 15