by T. S. Ryder
Ingrid shook her head. "I didn't. My lord, I didn't!"
"Arrest her." Rollon clenched his hands, resisting the urge to rush forward and shake the woman.
"Why?" Ingrid didn't resist as Zander moved forward and cuffed her hands with silver behind her back. "Why would I do that? After what Eva did to me, why would I help her?"
Rollon shook his head. "You love her."
Ingrid's eyes filled with tears, but she didn't deny it. It was probably best for her that she didn't. The rage was bundled so tightly in his chest that he might just explode if she tried to defend herself. After everything she had been through, she still chose Eva. And what about Hilda? Hadn't the child been through enough?
"I want her left in the women's dungeon. No communications with anybody but myself and Thor," he said to Zander.
The guard inclined his head. "My lord."
"I didn't do it, Rollon," Ingrid cried as the guards pulled her out. "I didn't—"
Rollon roared and flipped over a table, unable to keep in his fury. He had trusted her. She was more than a servant. She was the mistress of his house and she had betrayed him and everybody in the kingdom.
He grabbed a chair.
"Put that down right now!" Tindra's voice cracked like lightning. She charged into the room and grabbed the chair from him. "Don't you dare come in here, arrest my friend and start destroying my things."
Rollon took a step back. "I'm sorry." He glanced around. "Where's Hilda?"
"I had a guard take her to the kitchen for ice cream. Now, are you going to tell me what is going on?"
Thor grasped his father's shoulder. "Ingrid has been in communication with Eva. We have the phone records to prove it."
Tindra's jaw dropped. She swayed on the spot, then shook her head. "No. No, it's not true. What records do you have that prove it was her that made the calls? She leaves her phone all over the place. For all you know I could have made those calls. See, look!"
She charged across the room and snatched a cellphone from the sofa. She waved it around triumphantly, but Rollon couldn't reply. The proof pointed toward Ingrid. Maybe more evidence would come forward to clear her name but he couldn't act on hope. After a moment, Tindra seemed to see his expression and her hands dropped. Her shoulders slumped and she shook her head.
"When Eva attacked, Ingrid didn't want anything to do with her. Do you really think she'd be involved in trying to take you down? If she was involved, why not just kidnap me and deliver me to Eva instead of that big show about breaking in? Eva wouldn't have risked getting caught if she could have just snatched me."
"Ingrid will receive a fair trial," Rollon said at last. "But I can't risk the fact that she isn't loyal. I don't expect you to understand."
Tindra's jaw tightened.
Rollon turned abruptly to Thor. "Go make sure that Ingrid is being treated fairly."
With a nod, Thor left. The king stepped forward. He knew it was stupid, but he wanted to reach out to Tindra, to tell her that he was sorry and it wasn't going to end like this. He wanted to tell her that he was certain Ingrid would be cleared, but what good were lies? Instead, he shook his head and looked away.
"Hilda has grown very fond of you. I would like it if you would accept being her guardian for the time being."
"That's not exactly what I had in mind when I told you that I wanted children."
"I'm not—" He shook his head. "Will you take her or not? It will be temporary. Until Ingrid's trial, and then other arrangements will be found, depending on the outcome."
Tindra's shoulders slumped. She moved forward and touched his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I know you wouldn't be doing this if you had a choice. It's just that I'm shocked and angry—"
"Yeah. Me too."
She moved as though to embrace him and he stepped back. Her arms dropped. After a moment she nodded. "I'll watch after Hilda. But you have to be the one to tell her what is happening."
He flinched. He knew she was right, but that didn't mean he wanted to have to break Hilda's heart again. This was going to hurt.
Chapter Thirteen – Tindra
The thick, sweet liquid poured over her tongue, filling her with heat and life. She pressed herself deeper into her lover's arms, wanting more. Wanting it all. He groaned, his body moving with hers.
He entered in one smooth motion and she took him all in, still sucking in his sweet blood . . .
Tindra wasn't sure when she woke from the dream, images of her and Rollon still filling her mind. Her hand moved between her legs and she let out a throaty moan.
Her core was so tight she thought she might burst. She swung out of bed at once. After Ingrid's arrest she had been moved to the vampires’ apartment, so Hilda wouldn't have to go through the upheaval of moving on top of everything else. Her charge was sleeping soundly in her room, so Tindra stepped out, ordering a guard to stand outside the door in case Hilda woke and needed anything, and rushed toward Rollon's apartment.
It wasn't until she was there that she realized that he might not want to see her, especially this late at night. A throbbing ache filled her, though, so she pushed aside her doubts and strode towards the doors. A couple guards stood outside them but smirked knowingly when she approached. Neither of them said anything or tried to stop her as she slipped into the king's apartment.
Once inside, Tindra stopped. She leaned against the door, heart pounding. Should she really be doing this? After all the upheaval that was going on . . .
Another throb in her lower regions. She nearly moaned with need. The dream came back full force and she jogged to Rollon's bedroom door. It was closed, but not locked, and she slipped through eagerly. A light flicked on and she saw him lying in bed, blinking confusedly as she raced at him. He caught her when she threw herself onto the bed, bouncing slightly. She ground herself against him through the blankets as she straddled him. Rollon let out a surprised laugh.
"Well, this is unexpected." He smirked at her. "Although I'm going to have to have a couple of guards whipped, I'm glad to see you're speaking to me again."
Tindra grasped his wrists and pressed her weight into them, pinning him to the bed. At least, she pretended that she was and that he couldn’t push her off with the flick of his little finger. The ache inside was getting even tighter. She dropped her head to nestle into his neck. He smelled divine, pure man, and a growl erupted as her tongue flicked over his throat. She could actually feel his pulse. Strange. She hadn't considered them having heartbeats before.
"Had I stopped talking to you?" she moaned.
"You haven't talked to me since Ingrid was arrested."
Tindra shook her head. "Nope. You haven't talked to me. I was waiting for you to come to me, but you didn't. I wondered if you were still mad at me."
"For what?"
"Seducing you."
She moved to his mouth, thrusting her tongue in at once. She rocked herself against him, her sensitivity heightening quickly. A moan, an answering groan, and Rollon freed his hands. He grasped her hips and lifted her enough to kick off the blankets, then rolled so his big body pressed her into the mattress. Her hips continued to move as though with a mind of their own, grinding.
Rollon tore her top down the front and moved to kiss one breast. "We can't. There is no future for us. You're human."
"Does it really matter?" Her eyes drifted shut, but even as she spoke she knew it did matter. It mattered for her and for him. Finally, she was able to get her body under control and stopped her rocking. She ran her fingers through his hair. "I want to see Thor's mother."
Rollon tensed. "No."
"Yes."
He pulled back and frowned at her. "You've gotten awfully lippy, there. I shouldn’t tolerate the way you speak to me."
"You like the way I speak to you." She wrapped a strand of hair around her fingers. "There is something between us, Rollon. You can't deny it. You and I . . . There is something here. I know you're scared. I'm a bit scared, too. That's why I want to see her. I want to kno
w the risks."
"The risks." Rollon pulled away. Even though he still knelt over her, their bodies were no longer touching. Tindra whimpered from the loss. Her eyes trailed over his form. All muscle. Just the right amount of hair. She pushed herself onto her elbows and he drew back further. To her surprise, he looked angry. "The risks of becoming a vampire, you mean?"
What were they talking about? Right. Thor's mother. She nodded. "Yes."
"You told me you don't want to be a vampire."
"I've been reconsidering. Maybe being a vampire isn't such an awful thing."
Rollon shook his head, withdrawing further. "It doesn't matter what the risks are because it's not happening. It's illegal on pain of death."
Tindra sighed as she sat up. She pulled the ruined nightshirt off and thrust out her chest. Even though she knew she needed to calm down and not act like this while they were having a conversation of this magnitude, she couldn’t seem to help herself.
"Your laws are too strict. You don't have any allowances for personal choices. Make classes and therapy required, whatever. But shouldn't I be allowed to choose whether I want to be a vampire or not? Who are you protecting when you say no human is allowed to become a vampire regardless of the circumstances?"
Rollon looked torn. He ran a hand through his hair, deliberately not looking at her naked body. Eventually, he sighed. "Maybe you're right. But the risks are still very great and if humans thought it was just a convenient fountain of youth — what are you doing?"
Tindra had moved forward again so she was pressed tight against him. She nuzzled into his neck. His scent was so delightful, he just couldn't get enough of it. Why had she never realized just how delicious he smelled before? It was like she had had a cold her whole life and her sinuses were clear for the first time ever.
"Hey. We're trying to talk."
"We can talk after."
Rollon gripped her hips and pulled her away, firmly putting distance between them. She kept her arms wrapped around his neck, though. His brow furrowed as he studied her. "Are you drunk?"
She didn't remember drinking anything and her head was far too clear for it, anyway. She shook her head. "Completely sober."
"I'm not so sure. You're not acting like yourself."
Tindra moved to kiss his neck again.
"Listen to me! You're not yourself. Did somebody slip you pot brownies?"
"No." Tindra shook her head and rolled her eyes. "I'm not drunk and I'm not high. I just had this really great dream and I really want you. I want you so bad I feel like I might catch on fire if I don't have you. If I don't get to taste you." Her gaze dropped to his neck. Was that a fluttering pulse she saw there? "I want to know what your blood tastes like."
Rollon stiffened. His hands gripped her shoulders and held her in place as he stared at her. Slowly, his nostrils flared. When he moved in closer, Tindra wanted to nip at his neck, but he wouldn't let her close enough to it. She mewled in frustration. Why was he teasing her like this?
He buried his face in her neck and she gasped, only to groan in disappointment when all he did was take one sniff and pull back. He all but leaped out of bed and put a fair distance between them. Tindra jumped in surprise.
"What's wrong?"
Rollon shook his head. "You don't think it's odd that you want to drink my blood?"
"No . . . oh." Her eyes widened as she realized that she wanted to drink his blood. Where had that come from? The desire holding her loosened its grip. "Am I turning into a vampire?"
"No." Rollon's voice was rough. "No, it's not that at all. If I had been paying closer attention, I would have . . . Your scent is unmistakable. You're pregnant."
What? All the air left her lungs, and she was left staring slack-jawed at the king. It was impossible. Pregnant? No. No way. She almost started to giggle, but the look on his face . . . He was serious. Dead serious. She was pregnant. Her hands moved to her stomach. Was it just her imagination or was there a slight bulge there?
Her head spun and she collapsed back on the bed. "But after the miscarriage, they said I couldn't. The doctors. There was something that . . . Oh, my . . . Are you sure? How can you tell?"
"Your scent." Rollon slowly moved to her side again. He wrapped his arms around her. The overwhelming desire from before was completely gone. Her fingers dug into his arms and she shook as everything crashed down on her. "It's okay. Everything is going to be fine. We'll figure this out."
Pregnant. Tindra's eyes filled with tears. Suddenly, all the years she had spent protesting that she didn't want to have children just faded away. Warmth filled her chest, bringing with it a determination she hadn't known she was capable of.
"It's going to be wonderful," she whispered. "My baby. Our baby. Rollon . . . " She rested her head against his. "This baby is going to have more love than they will know what to do with."
Chapter Fourteen – Rollon
Any worries he might have had disappeared the moment he saw Tindra's smile when the doctor confirmed that she was pregnant. Unexpected pregnancies were difficult to deal with, even under the best of circumstances. But Tindra laughed and cried and when Rollon tried to comfort her. She told him that she had never been happier. It had eased his heart substantially.
Rollon walked with her in the gardens afterward, unsure of what to say. With Eva's attack and Ingrid's betrayal, he hadn't had much time to think about much else. Now he was going to be a father again, and he really didn't know what his relationship with the mother was. He didn’t know how to bring it up, either.
"There's my new mommy!" Thor bounded into view. He picked Tindra up and swung her in a circle. "I just got your message, Dad. This is so exciting!"
He beamed as he set Tindra back on her feet and patted her stomach. The human giggled a little nervously as she slipped her hand back into Rollon's. Thor fell in step next to them, a smile beaming over his face. If Rollon didn't know better, he would have said his son looked a tad bit smug. Like he had been hoping this would be the outcome.
"So, should I start calling you Mom now?" Thor continued elbowing Tindra.
"I'm not old enough to be your mother."
"Nobody is, really. But whatever you want." His son shrugged. "Did you know that it was my birthday yesterday?"
"Shit!" Rollon could have kicked himself. "Thor, I'm so sorry. I forgot—"
"I did, too, until just now."
"Happy birthday," Tindra said with an uncertain smile. "What do vampires do to celebrate their birthdays?"
Thor glanced over her head at Rollon. He could see the question in his son's eyes. His first reaction was to say no, but it was his birthday and Tindra had asked as well . . . It was time to face the past. Slowly he nodded, his grip tightening on Tindra's hand.
"Usually we have a few drinks and a present exchange, but this year . . . " Thor looked back at Tindra. "This year, we're going to see Mom. And you are coming with us."
***
The room he had put together for Thor's mother was the most high-tech, comfortable hospital room that money could buy. The doctors quickly updated him as to her situation while he and Thor stepped into the room. Tindra was staying in the waiting room for now. Ariel was once a vibrant woman, but the years of this curse had wasted her away. Her hair was white, and there were deep wrinkles in her face. Her bones were wasted and twig-like.
"I was young, arrogant and selfish when I was with her," Rollon whispered as Thor sat on Ariel's other side. "She could have lived a full life if I hadn't been in it."
"Dad, she loved you. And she loved me, too. There's no point in holding onto guilt for something that isn't your fault."
He stroked the back of her hand. The machines that kept her alive beeped and whirled, but Rollon could still smell death hanging in the air. If he had come more regularly, would his guilt at her state still be eating him up on the inside? He sighed. There were no answers for what might have been. Slowly, he rested his other hand on Ariel's forehead. After all these years . . .
/> "I didn't love her. I knew how much she loved me and I used that for my own ends. But I didn't love her. That more than anything else . . . How could I treat her like I did?"
Thor sighed. "Dad . . . She knew you didn't love her. And I don't know what would have happened if she had been stronger. But you didn't treat her badly."
"I didn't treat her well."
"You can't change that. But you can change yourself. I'm going to get Tindra."
Rollon wanted to protest but was silent. Moments later, Tindra entered. Thor stayed out. The human gazed at Ariel, a crease in her brow. She moved to Rollon's side and leaned against him. He wrapped an arm around her and kissed the top of her head. Even though the proof of why they shouldn’t be together was right there, he didn't want to let her go.
"I didn't expect her to be old."
"She's aged as the years go by. Slower than humans, but . . . I don't think she's going to last much longer. And I'm not sure she would want to."
Tindra touched Ariel's hand. "I'm sorry that you had to go through this." Rollon thought she was talking to him at first and opened his mouth to reply, but she continued. "Don't worry, though. I'll take good care of him. I won't let him wallow forever. All he needs is a good kick in the pants."
"Talking about kicking the king . . . " Rollon shook his head. "Odd little human."
"Don't odd little human me. I know how these things work. You need someone who will tell it how it is, and I'm telling you: you need a kick in the pants to knock some sense into you." Her smile was short-lived. "How often does it happen like this?"
"Ariel's the only one I know about."
Tindra's brow furrowed. "If she is the only one in thousands, then why are you so worried about it happening again? It was just a tragic fluke."
"I'm worried because . . . because I didn't want to fall in love and have this happen." He stroked her face. "I'm worried for you. Terrified. I feel this fear in my bones. It's a fear I've never felt before, something so deep and strong . . . I'm not sure I could live without you, now that I've grown to know you."