by K. F. Breene
“Does he count as human, though? Does his magic count as human’s?” I asked. If he veered towards Stefan’s race, it wouldn’t work in a large link.
“Could go either way.” A line formed between Jonas eyebrows in thought. “I have to ask Selene about the taste. Humans taste a little more savory and our kind a bit sweeter.”
“Savory, huh? Charles! Stop touching me! It’s getting weird. I don’t even have a bump.”
“Can’t help it. It’s exciting.” Charles put his hands in his pockets with an excited smile. “No one ever lets me around pregnant females.”
“You are like a damn dog, Charles. Did you ever realize that?”
“Get used to it, human. He won’t be the only one trying to touch you.” Jonas shifted in impatience. “Now, are you ready? Standing around out here is getting nothing done. We need to check in with the Boss, and arrange for you to see the doctor. Then we can decide what things you can still do.”
“What things I can still do?” I asked quietly, turning toward Jonas.
“That’s the look, right there, bro!” Charles pointed at my face and started laughing. “Get used to that one. You’re going to see that a lot.” Through chuckles, Charles continued with, “C’mon, Sasha, the father needs to know.”
Charles was right. Stefan didn’t deserve to be the last to know, and if Charles kept trying to shake hands with my unborn child, the whole house would know before Stefan did.
With another swarm of butterflies hatching, I headed into the house.
Chapter Six
Stefan sat at the head of the table in the hushed room. Jameson had gone through their territory and identified the efforts of the Mata. The beasts had been sighted all over the grid, often tracking and crossing back, on a trail that wasn’t a straight line. While Tim’s efforts and his call to arms was commendable, he was still learning his post. His people weren’t practiced. If this guy was half as good as he seemed, he’d be able to evade them.
“Have we identified the intruder?” Stefan asked, leaning back in his chair. A wave of nervous energy bled through the blood link from Sasha. Whatever she was doing, she wasn’t comfortable with it.
Probably a new spell that would piss Jonas off in some way.
“We have his scent and his shape. A black panther—Sasha was right about the big cat.” Jameson put a mark on the map to identify the sightings. “We’ve also run into scents from our own kind.”
Stefan sat forward. “What do you mean?”
Jameson marked the large map with red dots, all fairly well spaced apart. “I think our kind is checking us out, and using this Mata intruder somehow. We have no proof of this—and this is just me speculating—but the two scents meet up occasionally.” Jameson pointed out where a red and black dot met.
“Teamed with Cato’s growing concern and Dominicous questioning our defenses…” Stefan let the thought trail away. “Something’s coming.”
Jameson’s lips formed a white line. Everyone else around the table shifted. Take out one enemy, you gain two more. Is a quiet life so much to ask for?
“We need to know who’s in my territory,” Stefan stated, feeling Sasha drawing closer. “I want to leave Tim to work on his shifter problem, though. He needs the experience.”
“I’m thinking Sasha can be of some use at the sites of their meet-ups. See if they were working with anything magical.”
Stefan was about to agree with Jameson when the door to the strategy room opened. Sasha peeked in with large eyes. He stood and walked to her immediately, angling his body so she knew she was welcomed.
“Uh, Stefan, can I talk to you, please?” she asked quietly, traces of fear and uncertainty bleeding through the link.
“Privately?” he asked, using the same volume.
“Yes, please.” She smiled at Jameson, and then around the table at a few members of the Watch. “Sorry, you guys. This’ll just take a moment.”
“Of course, Mage,” Jameson said, bowing his head.
Another shot of anxiety pulsed through the link. Stefan followed her out into the hall, catching sight of Jonas and Charles at a distance. Which was unusual. Generally, if she was with him, they made themselves scarce without his having to dismiss them.
“Um. We’ll just…go to that bench, okay?” Sasha wrung her hands, not meeting his gaze.
“Are you okay?” Stefan wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
“Go to the bungalow, human,” Jonas instructed as if he were in charge of her decisions.
A blast of irritation welled up in Stefan. Before he could rectify the situation, though, Charles said, “Easy does it, Boss. This’ll all make sense soon. Nice and gentle.”
Another blast of nervousness came through the link from Sasha.
Tendrils of fear began to work its way through to him. Jonas and Charles were acting as if they needed to be there to protect her. From him? She was not comfortable with whatever she had to say and the males didn’t think he’d be rational about it. It couldn’t be good news.
Willing calm, he let his mate lead him out into the fading light of evening and to the concealed house. There, she sat him in the exact spot she’d accepted his offer to be his mate, and sat beside him. Silence descended around them. She wouldn’t meet his eyes.
“So, um.” Sasha cleared her throat and glanced up. Their gazes met and his heart started to thump, the reaction he always had to her.
A small, embarrassed smile lit up her face as red colored her cheeks. “Uh,” she tried again.
He leaned forward and brushed her lips with his. He couldn’t help it. Then, equally not able to help it, he deepened the kiss, forgetting entirely about his misgivings. His hands roamed up under her sweatshirt and over her perky breasts. She moaned into his mouth and leaned back. He let his hand slip low to her thigh and then up, rubbing her apex through her jeans.
He unbuttoned her jeans, shifted so he could slide her pants lower, and slipped his fingers along her slit. She was so warm and wet. So delicious.
Taking her jeans off the rest of the way, he leaned her back and settled between her legs, licking up through her hot core. He sucked at the top, making her mew like a kitten. He worked in two fingers and sucked, loving the rise and fall of her lips. And her panting. He worked her harder until she ran her fingers through his hair and gripped.
“Oh, Stefan,” she moaned, going rigid as she rode an orgasm.
Stefan pulled her up quickly and stripped off her sweatshirt and shirt. He discarded her bra and sucked deeply on one of her nipples. Her fingers were at his pants, tugging. Pulling them down. She stripped off his shirt. A trail of warmth followed her hands as they covered his body. She rose up so he could grab the base of his shaft and line up. Nibbling his lips, she sat down slowly.
Her body was so hot and tight. So welcoming and wet. He couldn’t contain his need. One hand cupping her breast, he put the other on her butt and lifted. He slid out of her before pushing her back down. His erection thrusting back in.
“Mmm,” she moaned.
Her hips began to rock, and then moved in circles. She created more friction as she bounced, squeezing his manhood as she sat down on him. She felt so good. Being deep inside her body was heaven.
With hands on her hips, he lifted her and sat her back down. Then again. Over and over. Their bodies slapped together. Her mews of delight grew louder. His tip started to tingle. His balls tightened up. He needed to finish.
He lifted her again, and then thrust as he was pulling her down.
“Oh holy—” Her head fell back.
He lifted, brought her down, and thrust again.
“Oh, my God. Oh, holy—OH!”
Stefan’s whole body blasted apart with the last thrust. Her core squeezed him tightly, milking him dry. He emptied into her completely, happily sated.
“Oh my God,” Sasha whispered as she laid on his chest.
“I love you,” he said softly, burying his face into her neck. “But I ruined your news. What d
id you want to tell me?”
“I love you. And we’ve had an accident. I’m pregnant.”
He felt a sweet kiss as the news sank in. Then his heart stopped.
“You’re what?” He froze. His heart started again, but now it was pounding erratically. Sweat erupted on his brow as his stomach started to turn. “Did you say you’re pregnant?”
Sasha pushed herself back slowly, fear creeping into her expression. Tears glistened in her eyes. “Are you mad? I didn’t mean for this to happen, Stefan! I swear. I was on the pill.” A tear leaked out, twisting his gut.
“No, no, no. Shh—shhh. It’s okay. This is my fault. I interrupted you. I shouldn’t have interrupted you.” Without moving her body, trying to keep her in exactly the same position, he got up with her wrapped around his waist and thrashed out of his pants.
“What are you doing?” she asked, clutching onto his shoulders. “Are you mad?”
“It’s okay. This is probably okay. You’re human, so hopefully I didn’t totally fuck up. I should’ve waited. Just stay calm, baby. This is fine.” Still in her body, afraid to come out lest he witness first-hand what he’d just done, he walked to the door with his heart in his throat. Trying not to jar her, he opened the front door gingerly and, as calmly as possible so as not to frighten her, he stepped out onto the porch.
“Stefan?” she asked with uncertainty. She turned around to see where they were going.
“It’s okay.” He was reassuring himself more than her.
Jonas turned at the sound of the door opening. He took one glance at them and yelled, “Charles, go get the doctor!”
“What happened?” Charles ducked around the corner. “What the fuck, Boss? What the fuck—“
“Get the doctor!” Jonas yelled with a ferocity usually reserved for battle.
“What’s happening?” Sasha whimpered, tears running down her face. Fear bled through the link.
“No, no. It’s okay!” Stefan said in a soothing voice. “It’ll be fine. Is she bleeding Jonas?”
Stefan couldn’t look. He couldn’t look down. If he’d just destroyed his unborn child he would never forgive himself.
“Bleeding?” Sasha asked in confusion.
Jonas ducked down next to them.
“What is he doing?” Sasha screeched, dropping her hand to try and push Jonas away.
“It’s okay, baby. He’s just checking to see. Are you cramping? How does everything feel? Is there pain anywhere?”
“She’s okay,” Jonas proclaimed. “We’ll get the doctor in and have a look just to be sure.”
Stefan closed his eyes with a huge sigh.
“Stefan, what the hell has gotten into you? It was just sex. That’s not going to shake anything loose.” Sasha threw up a magical barrier between them and Jonas, making it a deep black. It was a censor bar. “Take me back inside, please. This is ridiculous. How gross is this? I can’t have Jonas checking out my junk! Especially like this! God, this day goes from weird to weirder.”
“Boss, do you want me inside?” Jonas asked.
Suddenly, his behavior earlier made perfect sense. Here was a male that knew his job, and would do it regardless of Stefan’s reaction.
A warm feeling of confidence infused Stefan’s stomach as he turned into the house. He thought his baby had a protector for life outside his or her immediate family. Stefan wished he’d been so lucky when he had been a kid. Sasha probably did, too.
Back in the house, Stefan settled them gently onto the couch. He was still afraid to take himself out until the doctor got there, which was all cowardice in case something had happened and no logic, so he sat with her still clinging to him and gently restrained her from moving off.
“Stefan, I can still have sex when pregnant. I don’t know much, but I do know that much.” Her eyebrows were low over her eyes, berating, but elation tickled their link. Her eyes sparkled and her cheeks turned red. “You’re happy, though?”
Stefan couldn’t speak. He didn’t want to cry like a little girl. Instead, he laid his palm on the side of her face. Then, shaking, he moved his hand slowly downward between them until he was gently resting it on her flat stomach. He felt like the luckiest male in the world. It was not only his baby because she was his mate, but it was actually his baby. From his body. His blood. Their mingled blood.
He couldn’t help the lump in his throat. Nor the stinging in his eyes.
Sasha’s smile was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. “I love you so much,” he said, choking up and falling silent. It was the safest way to maintain his manhood.
What he would tell her, when he could, was that this baby would want for nothing. Not ever. If he died tomorrow, this baby would always be taken care of. As would she. Forever. Not one person on this earth would ever touch a hair on their heads. Not one. He had loved no one like he loved Sasha, and now he couldn’t imagine even what the word love meant. It was too small a word to encompass his feelings. Not the swelling that started in his heart and ran the length of him, so deep, so pure.
“I love you,” he tried again, his voice shaking.
Nope, not ready yet.
He could wrangle his past and come out on top. He could stare a demon in the face and growl. He could take on an army of overwhelming odds with nothing more than a grimace. But he couldn’t hear that his mate was having his baby and not sob like a child.
No one had told him it would feel like this. No one could’ve possibly prepared him for this moment.
With a deep breath, he clutched her to his chest and just held on. His wildest dreams were coming true, and he’d rip apart the world to make sure these two people were safe.
Chapter Seven
I blinked into the murkiness of our bedroom. Judging by the light, it was a couple hours before nightfall. I registered the warm palm on my stomach, sending the vibes of safety through my core. Stefan’s heat lined my right side. His even breathing was the only sound in the room.
I closed my eyes again, so contented with his presence I didn’t want to leave it.
It had been four months of quiet since we found out I was pregnant. No one had heard or smelled the strange lurking shifter around. It was as if he had done some homework on Charles and me, and then taken off. While that brought up a lot of questions and speculation, it was actually an extremely good thing, because like Jonas and Charles had said, everything changed once Stefan and the Mansion found out I was pregnant.
I was no longer allowed to do much. And while that would usually piss me off, for a wonder, this hadn’t. In fact, I wasn’t having the reactions Charles and Ann thought I would to all the change. Well, not as far as Stefan was concerned, anyway. When he had me sit in on one of his boring meetings because he didn’t want me out of his sight, I would normally have rolled my eyes and tried to blast him across the room. For the last four months, though? Meek as a lamb.
I went willingly, almost gladly, when he insisted we compromise on duties so we could be in each other’s presence constantly. I allowed him to carry me up stairs. I didn’t baulk when he held my plate to collect dinner in the common eating room. And yes, I even allowed the guy to cut my meat.
My mate cut my meat like I was a child, and for some reason, I was not only okay with this, I was comforted by it.
Comforted by it!
I cringed from myself every time I thought of it. But when I was in the moment, it all seemed so natural.
Toa had given me one of his long lectures on the phone, explaining that my sudden desire to be treated as a princess was to do with our blood link, and with my understanding of his primal need to take care of me and protect me. And that was probably true. This certainly seemed like animalistic behavior. But I still couldn’t think about it with a level head without blinking in confusion. I hardly even knew myself.
This was only the case with Stefan, though. With anyone else, I was still a cranky ol’ sod who didn’t want to be told what to do. I was surprised Jonas hadn’t had a heart attack!
>
I soaked in the waves of love and safety promised by Stefan’s presence. I felt my body hum with his touch. I felt the soft flutters of our baby as it swirled within my growing belly. And I felt a peace I’d never known settle on me like a soft, warm blanket. My sigh expressed my absolute bliss of this moment and of the million moments I’d had in these past four months.
Unfortunately, I also felt like I was going to wet the bed.
I eased myself out of the covers so as not to wake Stefan. I knew I only had a short time before I could get back in bed without him waking up—any distance had him looking around, wondering where I’d gone. I hurried to the bathroom, did my deal, and came back to find his eyes open and his gaze monitoring my progress.
“Good morning, beautiful. How do you feel?” he asked, rising.
“Oh.” I stopped halfway to the bed. “Are you getting up?”
He froze. “No? Are you coming back to bed?”
I smiled like an idiot and continued my journey to his side. He stood and opened his arms for me to fill. “I thought maybe we could take a walk before we started our day,” Stefan said, laying his cheek on the top of my head.
I rested my cheek against his chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart. I let my eyes drift closed as his strength surrounded me and held me close. “Sounds good,” I murmured.
“Cato is getting antsy, so I also thought we should work with the humans, today. Get some more people in that link, and then try and merge with me.”
“Sounds good,” I murmured again.
His chuckle was deep and pleasant. “Okay, let’s brave the halls.”
I leaned back and tilted up my chin, losing myself in Stefan’s deep and dark eyes. He leaned down slowly and brushed his lips against mine. Then he deepened the kiss, opening my mouth with his and slipping in his tongue. Before I knew it, I was moaning and holding onto him, feeling his hard length push against me. I lifted my leg and hooked my thigh around his waist. Needing him. Needing his body inside of mine.