by C. G. Powell
Mae gave him a quick kiss and left to find Gemma. Before she could make it half-way down the hall, she ran into Meredith. “Are we doing lessons today?” she asked.
Meredith started to fidget, reluctant to answer. “No, Gemma and I were headed to Waterville. She said she had a couple of things she wanted to pick up before she leaves.”
Mae began to feel miserable again; she knew Beck would not allow her to go with them because of the danger. “Is Aidan around?” Maybe she and Aidan could work on the lighting spell that had given her so much trouble this week.
“Beck has him doing recon today with Alexis, in Killarney. I just hope he doesn’t come home in a foul mood this time. He was unbearable to be around last time they spent the day doing recon.”
Mae laughed, “I have no doubt he was seeing the profound effect she has on him.”
Mae followed Meredith down the hall, up the stairs, and down another long hall, to Gemma’s room. It was quite evident that she’d been packing and lucky for her, she and Nikola would be taking a private jet to China. She already had a mountain of luggage and was still not finished packing. “Has Nikola decided when you’re leaving yet?” Mae asked, sitting down on one on the ottomans.
Gemma looked at Mae as she packed the last of her shoes in a large Louis Vuitton trunk that Nikola had given her. “Day after tomorrow. He has some personal business to take care of. I would stay, but I fear we still have a certain attachment to one another and the separation would be too much for either of us.” She could read the sadness on Mae’s face. “Mere and I won’t be long; I just have a couple of things I need to get. Why don’t we all have tea on the patio when we get back? You know how much I love Chef’s finger sandwiches and scones,” she smiled, trying to lighten Mae’s mood.
Mae forced a smile, not wanting to guilt trip Gemma into staying on her account. “Tea sounds great. Maybe I can talk Chef into making those lovely sausage and cheese quiches again.”
“Mmmm…those were to die for, weren’t they?” Gemma grabbed her purse then helped Mae from her seat before heading out the door. “Is there anything you’d like me to get for you while I’m out?”
“If you can find any, could you please bring me back some RJ-45 connectors? A hundred pack should do.” Mae was hell-bent on finishing the wiring job she started; only now, she would have to do it behind Beck’s back.
Both Meredith and Gemma laughed at her. “Good Lord Mae, you’re such a geek…I was thinking those sexy, red panties at the lingerie shop, not a trip to the computer store!” Gemma added as they made their way out the front door.
Mae stopped and thought for a second. “Good idea, Gemma. If I wear the red panties with a short skirt next time I’m on the ladder wiring, maybe Beck will forget I’m working on the network again.”
Gemma was laughing so hard, her eyes started to tear up. “Stop it before you make my mascara run! I’m sure Beck would appreciate the sight, but I don’t think it’ll make him any happier to catch you in the maintenance closet again.” Gemma and Meredith climbed into Meredith’s black Prius.
Mae laughed back, “Have fun, I wish I could go with you.”
“We’ll be back soon.” Meredith said driving off, leaving Mae alone once more.
True to their word, Gemma and Meredith were not long. By the time she’d made arrangements with Chef and helped him make sandwiches and quiches for tea, Gemma and Meredith were back from Waterville. They all sat at the table on the patio, enjoying what was left of the day. Soon the sun would start to set and Gemma would be one day closer to leaving. Beck and Nikola were walking back from the guest house and met the girls on the patio.
A month had passed since Nicola had turned Gemma. He agreed to stay a while longer, training Gemma at Beck’s, mostly because it was getting harder for him to tell Gemma no, especially since Mae’s wedding. For as much as Nikola enjoyed his seclusion, he had come to appreciate Gemma’s company. The sun was setting, they all gathered at the patio table under the oak Mae had grown. “Shouldn’t you two be on your honeymoon?” Nikola asked, pointing to Mae and Beck.
“Mae refuses to go anywhere, knowing that she only has a couple more days to spend with Gemma before you carry her off to China,” Beck replied.
Mae was thankful that Gemma had been so preoccupied with Nikola that she spent little time planning the wedding. Consequently, she and Beck’s wedding was small and simple just how she wanted it Only a handful of selected people from Beck’s work were invited and Alexis made sure security remained tight. As soon as Mae signed the marriage certificate she became half owner of Beck’s wealth; which, according to his lawyer, was somewhere between eight and nine billion dollars. Apparently, he’d been amassing his wealth since the time of the Trojan War and kept a place in Monaco where he enjoyed tax-free status. It was not what Mae expected, but Beck insisted on it, so the deal was sealed.
“I promised him we could go as soon as you two leave. Besides, I haven’t been feeling well the last couple of days; I think I have a stomach bug or something,” Mae said, still feeling queasy from the morning.
Nikola and Beck turned and stared at her. “Why are you two looking at me that way?” Mae asked, somewhat alarmed.
“Honey, we do not get sick like that unless we feed off someone who has Nauss blood and even then, it only lasts for a few hours. But that should not affect you because half of your blood is Nauss blood,” Beck explained, sitting next to her.
Nikola put his hand on his chin as though he were deep in thought. “Beck, I know Dr. Thomas has been keeping an eye on her since the shooting, but I think he still needs to run a few more tests because something is not right here.”
Beck got on his phone and called the guest house where Aaron was staying for the past couple of weeks. It seemed, in his case, persistence does pay off. Alexis finally caved and was now the proud owner of one doctor. “Aaron, I need you at the main house. We are sitting on the back patio and Mae is not feeling well.”
“I’ll be there in a couple of minutes. Did she say what was wrong?”
“She is complaining of a stomach bug,” Beck mused cryptically, hoping the doctor would understand his meaning.
“I see…I will bring the necessary equipment to check her out. By the way, thank you for the golf cart. It makes going back and forth to the house with equipment so much easier.”
“You are welcome and we will see you in a minute.” Beck hung up his phone and looked at Mae. “He will be here in a minute.”
Mae sighed, “Beck, it’s no big deal. You didn’t have to call the doctor. I’m fine, just a little under the weather.” Since the shooting, Beck had become so overprotective it was driving her nuts. For as beautiful as the house was, Mae saw it as a virtual prison. If not for her friends and her love for Beck, she would have already planned her escape.
Beck could overhear her thoughts. He hated keeping her locked up in her own house, but it was a necessary inconvenience and the only way he could keep her safe for now. “Mae, as soon as Nikola and Gemma leave, I will take you somewhere to do a little shopping.” He hoped his offer to leave the house would lighten her mood.
“What? Are you going to take me to your computer room, so I can shop on line?” she said sarcastically, raising a brow in jest.
Beck laughed, “No, I promise wherever I take you, you will have the satisfaction of taking your purchases home with you immediately. I know how much you hate waiting for packages.”
Gemma walked up to Mae and gave her a hug from behind. “Nik promised if I trained hard, we would visit in a couple of months. Maybe by then you’ll have a little more freedom.”
Dr. Thomas pulled up in a golf cart and unloaded his gear. For the sake of privacy, he planned to examine her in the makeshift bedroom next to Beck’s computer room. Mae lay on the bed while Aaron removed stuff from his bag. “What seems to be bothering you?” he asked, checking her blood pressure.
“Besides being cooped up in this house?” she laughed. “I seem to be in a perpe
tual state of nausea and if I let my stomach get empty I throw up.”
Next, he checked her ears, throat, and glands. “That all seems to be fine; I want to draw some blood and do one last test.”
Beck sat nervously on the end of the bed as the doctor drew blood. “Do you think it could have anything to do with the damage from the bullets?” Beck asked.
“I have one last quick test and if that’s negative, we will have to take her in for a head scan.” He pulled a small machine with a screen on it out of the case; it had a long wand on a cord connected to it. “Do you want Beck to stay in the room while I do this?” he asked Mae.
Mae looked at him, completely confused by what he meant. “What exactly are we doing, that I would want my husband out of the room?”
“I’m sorry,” he laughed. “I should have explained. I need to do an ultra sound and the best way would be vaginally.”
“Oh…I guess he can stay, it’s nothing he hasn’t seen already,” she laughed. It was a very uncomfortable exam, but within minutes the doctor had his answer.
“Beck, come here!” Aaron said, enthusiastically.
Beck walked to where Aaron was holding the screen. “What is it?” he asked, not able to discern one part of the picture from the other.
Aaron pointed to the screen, “Do you see that?” then moved the wand slightly “And that?” Aaron asked.
“Yes?” Beck was still a little confused as to what he was looking at.
Aaron smiled at Beck, “Those are your children,” he divulged, turning the screen for Mae to see and then removed the wand.
Beck felt his knees start to buckle, so he sat on the bed next to Mae. He was getting worried because she had not said a word the whole time. “Honey, are you okay?”
“He said children!” she squealed. “Oh my God, we’re going to be parents. I didn’t think this would happen so soon, Beck. I know you didn’t want kids, but you would make such a good father! I always wanted children, but when you said witches and vampire’s couldn’t have them, I kind of figured we could adopt later down the road…He said children!” Mae was rambling on so fast that Beck could hardly tell what she was saying.
“Slow down, Mae…Breathe.” He put his arms around her shoulders and hugged her. “I love you,” he said before he kissed her cheek. “Nothing could please me more, than raising children with you, Mae.”
“Well congratulations, you two!” Aaron said, shaking Becks hand. “I will have to watch her like a hawk, this is a medical first for both vampire’s and witches. But, it looks like you’re off to a good start.”
Mae was finally calm, “We need to make an announcement. Do we have enough time to get everyone together for dinner?” she asked Beck. It was hard to keep anything a secret with so much telepathy in the house. She wanted to make sure everyone got the word at the same time in order to avoid slighting anyone.
“I think that can be arranged,” he said, picking up the phone and calling the kitchen.
Aaron packed up his stuff. He waited for Beck to get off the phone before he talked to him. “I will need an exam room and some equipment.”
“Get what you need. I know Alexis has been keeping you busy, she is breaking those poor men with all of her training,” Beck commented.
“I’ve seen more broken bones, gunshot wounds, and concussions in the last month, than I have in an entire year at the hospital. I’m sure her men would appreciate better medical care.”
Beck laughed, “I really need to have a talk with her before she makes them all quit.”
Aaron began to walk out the door. “What time is dinner?”
“In about two hours. I needed to give the chef enough time to come up with something fantastic,” Beck replied.
Now that Aaron was gone, he could talk in private with Mae. She had already put her clothes back on and was sitting on the edge of the bed. “How are you doing?” he asked.
“Other than feeling violated, I feel great,” she answered, leaning back on her hands.
Beck laughed, “I apologize. I could have left if it made you uncomfortable.”
“I’m glad you stayed,” she could see how happy he was and smiled.
Beck placed his hand gently on her belly. “Mae, I can feel their energy!” he clasped her hand and drew it to her stomach. “Do you feel that?”
Mae could feel the life force of the two tiny beings inside her. Their energy was a strange mixture of hers and Beck’s. It was so minute that had she not known she was pregnant, she would have missed it altogether. “I feel them,” she whispered.
“You know this means no more ladders for you.” Beck was quick to start laying down the rules.
Mae let out a deep breath, “Wow, Beck! It only took you like five minutes to start making rules…How ever did I survive without you?” she said sarcastically.
“Let us not get into it. I am too happy to argue with you right now.” Beck would have to back off for now. He would talk to Aaron about it later. Mae would be more likely to follow the doctor’s rules than his anyway.
Mae knew she would soon have her hands full. Beck had become an over-protective husband and this could only increase his resolve in keeping her and the babies safe. She just had to get used to it or it would stress her out; which would be bad for the babies. She got up from the bed and looked at her husband’s long hard body stretched out. It was hard not to think the most pornographic thoughts with such a sexy beast laid out on the bed in dormant bliss. His happiness just added to his sex appeal.
He looked at her and smiled, “What naughty things are you thinking, Mrs. Worthington? He laughed as he sat up.
She smiled back at him and laughed, “Whatever do you mean, Mr. Worthington? Can a woman not ogle at her husband for the mere joy of it?”
He took her hand and pulled her gently on top of him. “Mae, I have seen that look before and the only joy you were thinking about is the kind you get when you have your legs wrapped around my waist and your eyes rolling to the back of your head.” Her constant lust for him was one of the things he loved about her.
“Was I that obvious?” she laughed. He was the one man who always had her in a state of arousal and she felt grateful that the feeling was mutual. Sometimes the housekeeping staff wished they would exercise a little more discretion when it came to their trysts during working hours. More than once, they had been interrupted by one or more domestics during their lovemaking. However, hiding from the staff had become an added thrill and challenge.
He moved her hair out of the way and kissed her on her lips, at first gently, then with the passion of a man who just found out he was going to be a dad for the first time.
After the second kiss Mae pulled back, “We need to get ready for dinner and if you don’t stop now, we’ll lose all track of time, leaving our guests to wonder why we’re late for our own announcement party.”
Beck jumped off the bed and gave Mae his hand, pulling her close to him once more. It was going to be a long evening, but he hoped to be satisfied later in full. Some things were just worth the wait and Mae was one of them. “I love you,” he whispered to her as he walked her out of the room.
“I love you, too,” she whispered back.
As a teen C.G. Powell was selected as a member of her school's newspaper staff. After her first article the editor decided the darkroom was a more suitable place for her skills…or lack of. Since then, she has traveled everywhere—thanks to her innate curiosity about the world and the Navy. In her life time, she has learned: aviation electronics, CCNA networking, Gemology and how to get bloodstains out of the carpet (you never know when you might need that). But her latest, all-consuming, endeavor is storytelling. When asked why, her response was "I live to challenge myself; I like to be pushed outside of my comfort zone and writing is one of those things that pushes my boundaries. Besides it was the only way to share all of the crap bouncing around in my head!"
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