Living Hell

by N. L. Hoffmann

  “You’re Vampire. Things are always more enhanced with you. Your sense of smell, sight and hearing for example. That includes pregnancy.” Mary walked back to the stove and started the bacon and sausage. She hummed to herself as if the bomb she just dropped on me hardly mattered.

  “So my pregnancy is enhanced? That means–”

  “It means you’re going to come to term a lot faster than a human woman.”

  I started pacing. “This can’t be happening! I’m not ready to be a mother. I can’t do this.”

  Standing, Ethan grabbed me by the arms and stared into my eyes. “We’ll get through this together.”

  “You’re not the one bringing an evil baby into the world!” I snapped, then felt guilty. He was just trying to make me feel better. Taking a deep breath, I forced out a smile. “Sorry. This is just getting to me, that’s all.”

  Pulling me in for a hug, Ethan ran a soothing hand down my hair. “I understand. I’ll be here to help you through it all. I promise.”

  “Until I go crazy on you again.”

  He chuckled. “I think it’s expected with pregnancy.”

  I groaned. “Now everything that happens is going to be because of this pregnancy. I’m losing my body to children!”

  Mary shook her head, an amused smile on her face. “You’ll come to love them, just like I do your mother. It grows on you, despite feeling like your freedom is slipping away.”

  “My freedom?” I squeaked.

  “You had to point that out.” Ethan shook his head, pulling me back over to my chair. “Breakfast is almost done. Just relax.”

  Taking a seat, I breathed in deeply, hoping my anxiety would disappear. I knew I was letting things get to me, but kids changed your life. There was no way in hell I was ready for it.

  Mary brought over a plate of food and set it in front of me. I stared at it, feeling myself getting queasy just from the smell. “I’m not hungry.”

  Mary put her hands on her hips. “Those babies need food.”

  “Everything is going to become about them, isn’t it?” I sighed, shoving the plate away. “My stomach is upset. I’ll eat in a little bit.”

  Mary walked back over to me, a smile on her face. “I have something to show you. You might find this strange, but it’s really fascinating.”

  “Please tell me you aren’t going to show me a childbirth video or something,” I groaned.

  Ethan’s face paled. “Yeah, please tell me that’s not what you have planned.”

  “Wimps. Both of you are acting childish. It’s a beautiful thing!” Mary sat down in the chair across from me and sighed. “I have something much better to show you, though. You’ll love it. I promise.”

  Reaching for my hand, Ethan gave it a squeeze, trying to comfort me. The longer he held my hand, the calmer I became. My body warmed and muscles relaxed. It was then I realized he was using magic. I gave him an alarmed look, but all he did was smile and pucker his lips, blowing me a kiss. Deciding I should just take the gift, I let my body relax.

  Mary nodded her approval, noticing the change in my posture. She rested her elbows on the table and held her hands in the air. Then she lowered her head, mumbling some words I could barely hear. A ball of magic appeared in her hands, raising several inches above them. Different colors flowed through it, changing from purple to green to red, reminding me of a rainbow.

  The magic slowly grew lighter in color until it became clear, like a bubble. It jiggled several times as images began to form within in. Ethan and I leaned forward, noticing two people in the middle. Both had dark hair, one a woman and the other a man. They looked awfully familiar.

  I gasped, then whispered, “This that them?”

  Nodding, Mary grinned. “These are your children as adults.”

  I didn’t know what to say. Smiling, I nodded. “They look like their dads.” The woman looked like Ethan, the man more like Drake. They appeared to be happy. Which, as a mother, was all I could ask. Maybe there was hope. Maybe binding the powers of Drake’s child could save him from a nasty future. Anything was possible, right?

  The ball squirmed violently, and Mary’s face scrunched. “Oh shit,” she mumbled as the ball exploded. Wet magic flew in all directions, some hitting my face.

  “What the-” I started, interrupted by Mary’s laughter.

  Ethan got up to grab me a towel. He started to wipe my face, a smirk on his own. Growling, I snatched it from him. “Well, that was a special moment, Gran, but why did you ruin it by bursting the bubble?”

  “We needed some laughter in here!” She got up and reached over to tweak my nose. “You’re so cute when you’re pissed off. And I like being called Gran.”

  Sighing, I got to my feet and wiped off my robe. I had to change now. Grabbing a piece of bacon, I gave Ethan a quick kiss and headed into the bedroom, thinking about what Mary just showed me.

  Closing the door, I fell back against it and pressed my hands to my stomach, staring down at it. I couldn’t believe I was already showing. And seeing what they would look like as adults was even more amazing. It didn’t help my nerves, though. The magic Ethan passed to me helped a little bit, but I still felt on edge.

  Munching on the bacon, I walked to my closet. I wanted to stay in my pajamas all day, but at some point, I’d need to make an appearance at the office. Word had to have gotten out by now about the demons coming to town, which meant people were going to start freaking out. Maybe an evacuation was in order.

  Nodding, I grabbed some clothes and walked into the bathroom. After my shower, I would announce my decision.

  Chapter Twelve

  “You can’t make us leave our homes!” Harry Baxter yelled as he paced my office.

  Ethan watched him carefully, afraid he might attack me. Harry was so upset that he repeatedly shoved his hands through his hair as he went back and forth. It probably didn’t help that I accidently called him Mr. Bastard once. It was a complete accident, but it only seemed to make him more furious. He went off on a rant about how I didn’t know how to do my job. That pushing people out of their homes was a bad idea, considering most of them didn’t have anywhere else to go. When I explained that the Council would be more than happy to refund anyone’s money for hotels if it came down to it, he only got angrier, claiming it was a waste of tax dollars and people would take advantage of it. I concluded that nothing I said would make this man happy.

  “Look, Mr. Baxter,” I said slowly, just to make sure I said his name the right way. “Leaving is optional, but it’s highly advised. Demons are coming, which means safety is a huge concern. Brian, the leader of the Nightshades, says it’s status red. Everyone is in immediate danger.”

  “Brian?” Harry scoffed. “He’s got his head so far up his ass, it’s a surprise he can lead that army of his.”

  Annoyed, I stood, pressing my palms to the desk. “Look, you can either do it or not. I’m telling you what’s recommended. Now, do you have any other concerns?”

  Harry’s face reddened, obviously having a hard time controlling his anger. One look at Ethan, though, and he took a deep breath, nodding. “We will stay in Heaven. I can protect my family.”

  “That’s your choice. If you decide to ignore the warnings we have issued, do not expect us to come running to help you. We have priorities. Protecting people who won’t heed our warnings is not one of them.”

  His mouth dropped open. “You would refuse to send help if we’re in trouble?”

  Nodding, I clasped my hands behind my back and walked around the desk. “That’s exactly what I’m saying, Mr. Baxter.”

  “You would leave your people in the hands of the enemy?”

  I shrugged. “You forfeited our aid when you decided to go against our recommendations.”

  “You bitch!” He lunged at me, grasping my neck.

  Ethan started toward me, but I was quicker. I kneed the man in the crotch, and when he fell to his knees, I delivered a punch to his face. He fell back, groaning.

  �
�I can’t believe you did this,” Harry said, holding his nose.

  Ethan’s eyes widened, surprised and impressed all at once.

  I rubbed my throat, glaring down at the man on the floor. “See what a night in jail will do for your manners, Mr. Baxter.” I turned to Ethan. “Call Brian so he can personally handle him.” I looked back at the man, narrowing my eyes. “Since he’s a big fan and all.”

  Nodding, Ethan pulled his phone out of his pocket. I knew he would handle the man, but having Brian do it when Harry obviously disliked him gave me more pleasure. Harry glared at me as he slowly rose to his feet. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Taco flying toward us, breathing fire. Everything seemed to go in slow motion as I reached out.

  “Taco!”

  Harry’s eyebrows went up in flames. I heard Taco laughing in his high-pitched voice, taking off before I could snatch him by the wings.

  “What the fuck is that?” Harry screamed, patting his eyebrows, trying to contain the blaze. When it finally went out, he was left with crispy, black brows. With his blond hair, it was an odd look. Wailing in pain, he kept pointing to his face.

  At that moment, Brian entered the office. I sighed in relief, not sure how I would calm down Harry.

  “Brian, before you escort Mr. Baxter to the jail, you may want to take him to the infirmary.”

  Ethan turned away, trying not to laugh. Taco probably should answer for his misuse of his fire abilities. But once the door closed, I couldn’t help but laugh with Ethan. It was amusing, and Harry definitely deserved it.

  WITHIN A FEW HOURS, everyone in Heaven knew they should evacuate. I was relieved to only receive a few complaints. Most everyone realized how serious the situation was after the news had started reporting unusual deaths in the city. Things were getting worse, the number of demons entering our territory staggering. Some of my men would go out and come back wounded. There were even a few deaths. I had to make several stops that day to report the bad news to families. All the tears had started taking a toll on me. I hated seeing people in pain, especially when I was the cause of it. I was the reason those men went out to fight. Though it was their job, that didn’t ease my guilt.

  I lay in bed, thinking about what I had to do the next day. The men were out again tonight. Once the sun went down, the demons tended to come out and wreak havoc. I wanted to be out there helping, but I knew I had to think about the babies. Would they only be Witches, or would they have a bit of Vampire in them? I wasn’t sure, and Mary had left before I could think to ask her about it.

  Ethan had gone out on patrol for a couple hours. I didn’t want him to, but having a Mage out on the street gave us a huge advantage. Carlos went with him, Mikey was out and Jenna was still recovering. I was finally alone...if you didn’t count the Magicteers standing outside the doors of my house. They were trained to sense magic. Not like Mikey did as a Radar, but they were sensitive to it. So if anyone with magic was near, they would know. There weren’t many who could sense it so easily.

  I placed my hand on my stomach, wondering when I’d be able to feel the babies move. If this was quicker than a typical pregnancy, it had to be soon, right?

  Frowning, I poked at my belly. Then it happened. They poked back. Was that a foot or a hand? Maybe a head? Who knew, but they responded. I pressed a hand to my stomach again and something pressed back. It was a strange feeling that sent an unfamiliar happiness through me.

  “Are they moving?”

  I shot up in bed, seeing Ethan standing in the doorway. Pressing a hand to my chest, I glared at him. He was really good at sneaking up on me. At least he wasn’t a pain in the ass like he used to be. That could be because I didn’t fight my need anymore. Seeing him sent a thrill through my body.

  Nodding, I lay back down, motioning for him to come closer. Placing his staff against the wall, he slowly began to unbuckle his sword and guns. It had been a while since I’d seen his staff. He didn’t carry it around much. It had a blue stone on top that glowed whenever he held it, like it was ready to heed his commands at a moment’s notice.

  Ethan crawled into bed next to me and rested a hand on my stomach. He immediately pulled it back, surprise appearing on his handsome face. I grabbed his hand and placed it back onto my stomach.

  “They must know you’re here.”

  “Impossible.”

  “I don’t know. I have a feeling they know more about what’s going on out here than we do about in there.” I grinned when one pushed out again. It wasn’t hard, but I expected that would come the longer I was pregnant.

  Placing his head on my stomach, Ethan rested a hand on my thigh. I closed my eyes, enjoying the sweetness of it. I wasn’t one who usually liked these kinds of intimate moments. I often felt awkward. Now that I had to share my love with two tiny Witches, I’d have to get used to more moments that required me to openly show my love.

  “We need to think of names,” Ethan said, his voice rumbling against my stomach.

  The babies really started moving around then. Why were they moving around so much now? Was it because I was thinking about it?

  Shaking my head, I ran my fingers through Ethan’s soft hair. He sighed. “I have no ideas for names. We know one is a girl and one is a boy.”

  Ethan moved up the bed to lay right next to me. He started kissing my neck. I chuckled, scooting away from him.

  “I thought we were discussing names?”

  “Any time we’re alone, all I can think about it being deep inside of you.”

  I snorted. “You have a strange mind.”

  He grinned. “You don’t have the same thoughts?”

  “I think about you a lot. It’s kind of hard when you keep popping up everywhere.”

  Slowly, he ran his hand up my side, lifting my shirt at the same time. I shivered in anticipation, loving the feeling of his fingers on my skin. His hands were rough, callused. He turned, kissing my chest just above the neckline of my tank top.

  “You’re so amazing, Sophie,” he murmured.

  “Show me how amazing.” I grinned when he looked into my face and smiled softly. My smile started to waver when I realized there was a bit more to what he said. “Ethan...”

  “I know this is too fast for you, Sophie.” He kissed me softly at first, then more urgently. I dug my nails into his back, wanting him closer, but he pulled away. “Just know that I’m starting to fall in love with you.” He raised my shirt over my head, pulling it off. “I’m sor–”

  “Shut up, Ethan,” I laughed, kissing him again.

  Grinning against my lips, he moved between my legs, pressing himself against me. I moaned, wanting to feel his skin against mine. I slipped my fingers under his shirt and lifted it over his head, throwing it to the floor. I kissed his chest, feeling the smoothness of his body beneath my lips. He growled when I licked one of his nipples. He unbuttoned his jeans, pushing them down his legs so he was only in boxers. Grinning, I grabbed his length, making him gasp in surprise.

  Running my hands over his back, I slid them into his boxers and gripped his ass. He was so beautiful. Desperate to have him inside me, I pushed my boy shorts down my legs. Ethan helped me take them off completely, the tips of his fingers sending shivers through my entire body. He removed his boxers, then slid into me slowly, meeting my gaze. He leaned down, kissing me softly as he rocked into me. I moaned in pleasure, loving the slow pace. Desire curled in me like a white-hot fire.

  I’ll never get enough of him.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “You know, you never did tell me what the Mages wanted from you. Why did you have to go back to...wherever it is that you come from?” I asked, running my fingers down his back as he lay on top of me.

  Raising himself onto his forearms, Ethan looked at me and smiled. “Just now remembering that?” He rolled off, allowing me room to breathe. “It was nothing.”

  “How could it be nothing? You were gone for a couple days.” I rolled over onto my side and propped my head on my hand. “You know how I f
eel about secrets, Ethan.”

  He rolled to face me and smiled. “I don’t ever want there to be secrets between us, Sophie. So, I will tell you what they wanted, but I don’t want you to get upset.”

  Suddenly feeling anxious, I nodded slowly, not liking the direction the conversation was going. It had to be bad news, but he didn’t act like it was a big deal. He was smiling, so that was good, right?

  “They wanted me to return because the job here was completed. When I refused, they said I didn’t have any choice. So I resigned.”

  My mouth fell open. “What?”

  Climbing out of bed, he started to put his clothes back on. “It’s not a big deal. I’ve been thinking about doing it for a while now.”

  “But you have been with the Mages for a long time. Why would you leave? I’ve never heard of a Mage being on his own.” I thought for a second, trying to remember if that was completely true. I came up empty. They were all part of that group. To be honest, I had no idea what they did when they weren’t helping Witches. If the last time we called upon them was three hundred years ago, what did they do in the interim?

  I climbed out of bed, dragging the sheet with me. I clutched it to my chest, walking up to him. “Why would you do that, Ethan? It’s what you do. How can you just leave?”

  He shrugged. “They weren’t going to let me stay here, despite you being pregnant with my child. They wanted me to abandon her. I refuse to do that. If that means I give up my position within the Mages, so be it. I will remain here. I have plenty of money.”

  “Money from where?”

  He grinned. “I can’t say. Most of my work is confidential.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “You aren’t a spy, are you?”

  Shrugging, he threw on his t-shirt. “How about I make us something to eat? I bet you’re hungry.” He walked out of the room.