THE IMMORTAL: A Novel of the Breedline series

by Shana Congrove

  They made love, gasping and panting as their intertwined bodies came together again, and again. Using her succubus-side, Yelena whispered in his mind that she belonged to him, the words nearly sending him over the edge.

  He held his weight above her as he slid in and out of her body, fearing he was too heavy for her. The last thing he wanted was to hurt the tiny life they had created. He thought, at this moment, he’d never experience something so beautiful. There were no words to describe how he felt.

  Yelena rose up, curled her arms around his neck and pulled until their lips almost touched. “I’ve dreamt of this moment every night,” she said, barely above a whisper. “Of us, together again.”

  He lowered his face to the crevice of her neck and inhaled her sweet scent, wanting it embedded into his senses forever. “We’re going to be together forever,” he vowed.

  As Yelena ran her hands over Apollyon’s wide, bare shoulders, he made a sound deep in his throat. Smoothing her hands from his shoulders to his neck, she sank her hands into his hair. The long waves were so soft like the most lustrous satin.

  After their blissful lovemaking, he went quiet for several long moments. Wrapped in his arms, Yelena could feel the beat of his heart as his mind worked through a tangle of thoughts. She could feel the tension radiating from him in waves. Apollyon was thinking of his promise to God. In order to stay on earth with his family, he had to help destroy the creature. It was going to be a difficult task, which also involved one of his biggest rivals, the Breedline Covenant.

  Forcing his mind back to focus, he kissed and nuzzled Yelena’s neck, enjoying the warmth of her skin. He murmured close to her ear, “I love you, Yelena. You’re everything to me.”

  Apollyon’s words made her heart squeeze. As she snuggled into his warm embrace, his hold tightened around her.

  “I love you too,” she whispered back, barely able to keep her eyes open. She felt safe in his arms... protected... cherished.

  He leaned in and kissed the top of her head. “Go back to sleep,” he murmured. “You need your rest. Soon this will all be over and we can focus on our future.”

  Yelena let out a small sigh and shut her eyes. She clung to Apollyon as though he was her lifeline, but in fact, she was his.

  Two hours later, pain splintered through Yelena’s spine, and she came awake with a gasp. For a moment, she thought she was just stiff from sleeping too long on her back. Then she felt it again, a stabbing ache that radiated from her lower back down to her legs.

  With all her strength, Yelena pulled herself upright in the bed, and breathed through the discomfort, bumping into Apollyon’s sleeping form.

  Apollyon’s eyes flew open and he quickly sat up. “What’s wrong, Yelena?”

  Her breath exploded from her lips in harsh puffs. “I’m not sure,” she said, barely managing to get the words out. “My back... it hurts.”

  A surge of panic burst through Apollyon like a beacon. Unsure what to do, he eased his arms around her and stroked her back, trying to comfort her.

  “Please, Yelena.” His hands shook as he pulled her close and slid one hand down to cup her belly. “Tell me what to do.”

  Her entire body started to shake and Apollyon realized with alarm that Yelena was in a great deal of pain. Then his mind took a turn for the worse. Was there something wrong with the baby?

  When Apollyon got no response from Yelena, he took control of the situation. He gently cupped her jaw and tilted her head to meet his stare. Her eyes were drenched with tears and distress. “Listen to me, Yelena,” he said as he rubbed her cheeks with his thumbs, wiping the tears away. “I want you to stay here.” He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to get help.”

  Yelena suddenly reached for his hand and gripped it with enough force to cut off his circulation. “Hurry, Apollyon,” she said as she took in several light breaths through her nose. “I think I’m in labor.”

  Panic hit Apollyon in the gut like he’d been punched with an iron fist. He could handle a battle single-handed with the least amount of fear, but the thought of losing his child, or worse, Yelena dying in childbirth, was like ripping his heart straight out of his chest. He felt sick just thinking about it.

  “It’s going to be all right, Yelena.” He prayed he was right. “I’m going to get Lailah. She will know what to do.”

  When Yelena’s contraction passed, she took a deep breath and exhaled. Then she released his hand and nodded.

  Apollyon gathered her hand back and brought it to his lips. “I love you,” he said against her soft skin. He released her hand and got to his feet. After he scrambled to get dressed, he left Yelena alone in the room to go for help.

  A few minutes later, Lailah entered the room with Apollyon.

  “Please help her,” Apollyon said, sitting on the bed next to Yelena and gathering her hand.

  Lailah nodded at Apollyon, although her eyes focused on Yelena. As she moved forward and stood on the other side of her, she could see the anxiety etched in Yelena’s expression.

  “May I?” Lailah asked with her hand hovering close to Yelena’s rounded belly. “I need to see if your child is in danger.”

  Apollyon put his arm around Yelena and lightly squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. “It’s okay, Yelena. You can trust her. I give you my word.”

  Yelena grimaced and nodded at the beautiful yet intimidating angel who towered at least ten-feet-tall, with enormous black wings.

  As Lailah placed her palm over Yelena’s stomach and kept it there for several minutes, Apollyon silently waited, his patience getting the best of him. “Is the baby okay?” He asked.

  “He’s just fine,” Lailah said in a calm voice. “He has the heart of a lion and he’s ready to come into this world.”

  Apollyon looked over to Yelena at the same time she turned toward him. Her entire face lit up and Apollyon could see the tension ease in her expression.

  “We don’t have a name for him yet,” Yelena said, looking to Apollyon as though she was searching for an answer.

  He studied her for a moment and then laced his fingers with hers. “I would like to call him Tobias.” He smoothed his hand over her swollen belly. “It was my grandfather’s name. My mother told me it means goodness of the Lord.”

  Yelena nodded her approval and leaned in to kiss him. “It’s perfect,” she said softly.

  A commotion coming from the doorway caught their attention. Apollyon breathed a huge sigh just as his mother Sonya, and sisters, Electra and Callisto, stepped inside.

  “Yelena?” Sonya said as she moved next to Apollyon and peered down at Yelena. “Are you all right, darling?”

  “I’m just fine, Sonya,” Yelena told her. “The baby is ready to be born.”

  Sonya immediately covered her mouth. “Oh, my,” she muttered into her palm. Tears spilled from her eyes as she lowered her hand. “But the baby...” She wearily shook her head. “He’s not due for three more weeks. Is he okay?”

  Lailah patted Sonya on the arm. “No need to worry. Your grandson is going to be fine.”

  “Thank goodness,” Sonya said, exhaling a deep breath.

  “Congratulations, brother,” Electra said as she came forward, her diamond eyes illuminating the room.

  “What are you going to name him?” Callisto asked, standing in the doorway with a big grin on her face.

  Yelena turned to look at Apollyon and said, “We’re going to name him Tobias.”

  “That’s wonderful,” Sonya said, and then looked at Apollyon. “You’re naming him after your grandfather.”

  Apollyon nodded and smiled at her.

  “I hate to interrupt,” Lailah said, “but we need to prepare Yelena for delivery. I’ll need everyone to wait outside the room.”

  Apollyon swallowed. “I want to stay with Yelena... to see my son born.” He tried to keep the nervousness from his voice but knew he failed miserably.

  “Of course you can stay, Apollyon,” Lailah said. �
�I was referring to everyone else.” She raised her voice, peering over her shoulder at Frigg, who was peeking into the room. “And I’ll need your help, Frigg.”

  Frigg rolled his eyes and cursed under his breath, wondering how in the hell he’d gotten himself in the middle of childbirth.

  As Frigg ducked under the doorway to assist Lailah, Apollyon took Yelena’s hand and said, “I’ll be right here with you, my beloved. I’m not leaving your side.”

  “Thank you, Apollyon,” Yelena whispered, resting her head rested on his shoulder.

  “What for?”

  “For loving me,” she simply said as she drifted into a peaceful sleep.

  An hour later, Lailah placed a small bundle into Apollyon’s arms. As he looked down into his son’s eyes, the same color as his own, his heart skipped a beat.

  “I have a son,” he heard himself say. “Welcome to the world, Tobias. I’m your father.”

  As Yelena came around, feeling lightheaded from the dreamlike sleep Lailah had magically placed her in during the process of giving birth, she looked beside her when she heard Apollyon’s voice. He was sitting in the bed next to her, holding their son. Tobias was beautiful, the spitting image of his father. In that instant, nothing in the world seemed to matter but this moment... this very precious interval of time.

  “He looks just like his father,” Yelena said in a weak voice.

  Apollyon looked over at Yelena and smiled. “He’s perfect.”

  As Yelena reached for Tobias, Apollyon carefully placed the tiny bundle in her arms. Tears trickled down her cheeks when she saw his eyes. The pupils were the same beaming, honey-yellow as his fathers. “You are so beautiful,” she whispered to her son.

  “Congratulations,” Lailah said, her eyes looking between the new proud parents. Her gaze settled on Yelena. “You’ll need to rest today. Tomorrow you should be fine as long as you take it easy for a few days.”

  “Thank you, Lailah,” Yelena said, and tacked on, “you too, Frigg.”

  Lailah smiled and Frigg said, “It was no big deal, but if you want, you can name the little bugger after—”

  “We were honored to help,” Lailah cut him off. “We’ll give you some privacy.”

  When Lailah stepped out of the room with Frigg following behind her, Yelena said, “Apollyon, you should tell your family. I’m sure they’re dying to see the baby.”

  Apollyon nodded, and then he found her mouth, kissing her. “I love you, Yelena.”

  “I love you too.” She stroked his face. “I love you both.”

  Seconds later, Apollyon got out of the bed and rushed into the hallway where his family was waiting. A smile hovered over his mouth, the corners lifting as his eyes sparkled with excitement.

  “Yelena’s had the baby!” he announced.

  Sonya looked over at Apollyon and then reached out. “Oh, son,” she said with a wide grin. “I’m so proud of you.”

  Apollyon embraced his mother. “Would you like to meet him?”

  “I’d love to,” she said in a trembling voice. “Are they okay?”

  “Yelena and our son are doing fine.” He motioned everyone inside the room. “Come, and I’ll introduce you to Tobias.”

  When everyone came into the room and crowded around the bed, Yelena was cradling the baby against her chest. As Yelena looked up, Sonya was smiling so wide and proud. Her hands covered her heart as though she was dying to hold her grandson.

  “Would you like to hold him?” Yelena asked her.

  Sonya put her hands up to her face. “Oh, yes.” She sniffled. “I would love to.”

  That’s when Apollyon teared up. Witnessing his mother holding her first grandchild was pretty much the best thing in the world next to witnessing the birth of his son.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  He watched with cunning eyes as the moon was just beginning to peek over the edge of the trees. Lying on the cushioned forest floor, his thoughts of Jena and the tantalizing pleasure they shared only moments ago consumed him down to his core. She was so naive, so foolish, so careless. There was no turning back now. He sealed her fate with a simple kiss. The blood kiss of eternal life. Finally, the curse was set into motion, and Jena was forever his.

  As he inhaled a deep breath, the scent of pine needles and distinctive green things invaded his senses. He closed his eyes, and for a second, he thought he heard voices. His lids flipped open and a sinister smile came over his face. He felt his skin crawling with a tingling sensation. Then the hunger in him instantaneously came to life, releasing the monster within. The transformation rapidly took over. His clothes ripped apart as his chest expanded, and his limbs began to stretch and lengthen. Thick, black fur sprouted from his pores, spreading like wildfire. When he rose to his feet, he stripped the remains of his shirt away and brushed off the torn fragments of his pants. The transition had taken full possession of him, bringing with it the inevitable doom. Nothing in his path would survive.

  He flexed his powerful thighs and perked his lupine ears to listen more carefully. The voices grew louder now, the chorus rising and falling as they moved closer to him.

  Using his razor-sharp claws, he climbed a large oak with a long leap and moved as fast as he could to the top. As he peered down from above, he caught a strong scent, something flowery that mingled with the smell of a man’s cologne.

  The pungent odor of humans quickly ignited his hunger. Every muscle in his body wanted to leap, to spring out and devour them instantly. Instead of killing them outright, he watched and listened to the couple below, who spoke in low voices. They were seemingly oblivious of his presence as he waited for the right moment to attack and end their worthless lives.

  “This looks like a good spot,” Chad said, spreading a blanket over the ground. “There’s not a single person for several miles.” He turned to look at the wide stretch of nothing but a vastness of trees, plants, and a grassy meadow sprinkled with bright, colorful wildflowers. Although the darkness surrounded them, the star-filled sky lit up the woodland like a canopy of sparkling lights. The peaceful quiet in the urban forest of the Presidio National Park compared to the sounds of the city made him feel as though they had magically discovered their own private world.

  “I hope you brought something to cover up with,” Debi said as she began to undo the buttons on her blouse. “It’s a little chilly.”

  “Don’t worry, babe.” He dropped his jeans to his ankles and batted his brows. “I’ve got something that’ll keep you warm.”

  Debi arched an eyebrow as she caught sight of his enormous erection hidden behind his tight-fitted briefs.

  “I’m serious, Chad,” she smirked. “If you want me naked...” She paused with her fingers on the last button. “...you better promise to keep me warm.”

  Chad wasted no time stripping off his shirt and slipping out of his shoes. When he stepped out of his jeans and came forward, he looked at her seductively. “Oh, I promise.” Sincerity rang clear in his voice as he wrapped his arms around her and lightly squeezed. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”

  “Oh, you,” Debi said reproachfully, as she reached around and smacked him on the butt.

  They both laughed, but then Debi’s face suddenly went rigid and the hair lifted at the back of her neck. As she quickly turned away, Chad asked, “What is it, baby?”

  She held up a hand to silence him. “Listen.”

  After a few moments of stillness, Chad shook his head. “I don’t hear anything.”

  “I could have sworn I heard something rustling,” she said, her fearful eyes probing through the darkness.

  “It’s nothing, honey,” he said. “It’s probably just a rabbit, or maybe a squirrel. Remember, we are miles from the hiking trails, and it’s the middle of the night. I’m pretty positive we’re the only ones here.”

  Debi didn’t respond right away. Her eyes continued to glance around wildly. Finally, she looked up at him. “I don’t know.” She released a deep breath. “I have this weird feeling
that something is out there, somewhere... watching us.”

  Chad shook his head again, amazed at how beautiful his fiancée looked, although she was stoned and paranoid. “Honey, it’s just your imagination. I told you not to smoke that joint before we left.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Whatever,” she groaned. “It’s not the pot. I’m being serious, Chad. I think we should go.”

  He blew out an aggravated sigh. “Jeez, you’ve got to be kidding me, Debi. You’re the one that dragged me all the way out here. Didn’t you say we should put some adventure in our lovemaking?”

  She drew back from him. “I know, I know. It seemed like a good idea at first, but now, I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I guess I was wrong.” She noticed the disappointed expression on his face. “I’m sorry. It’s just... I’m spooked, that’s all.”

  He took her hand. “Come on, baby. Let’s get out of here.”

  “You’re not mad, are you?” she hesitantly asked.

  Chad put his arm around her and gave her a squeeze. “No, I’m not mad, honey. I just want you to be happy. Hell, the last thing I want is for you to get bored of me before we tie the knot.”

  She smiled a little. “I could never get bored of you, babe. You always make me feel wonderful.”

  As they gathered their things, Chad caught sight of something that looked like pieces of clothing lying in the grass. He pointed toward a tree a few feet away. “What the hell is that?”

  Debi looked in the direction he was pointing and spotted the bits of clothing scattered around a tree. “Are those someone’s clothes?” she asked.

  Chad moved forward to get a closer look. “They look like they’ve been through a shredder. I wonder where they came from.”

  “Okay, this is really creeping me out,” Debi said. “I think that’s our cue to get the hell out of here.”

  He turned to face her and replied, “Yeah, I think you’re right.”

  Suddenly, the full moon emerged from behind the clouds, drawing Debi’s attention. Her mouth opened as the light shined down on them. “Oh my, it’s so big.”