He didn’t want her to become a science project, like his mother. He was sure that his father would document every breath she took, because they needed to study this pregnancy. It might hold the remaining piece of the serum puzzle.
Shauna’s steady and doubled heartbeat was comforting. He focused in on it and found his eyes becoming heavier with sleep. He drifted off. That night he dreamed of an exquisite little girl with Shauna’s dark eyes and long, curly hair. This daughter looked like an angel with a beautifully golden, flushed complexion.
* * * *
Shauna’s eyes fluttered open and Ascher grinned at her, happy that she was finally awake. “Hey, sweetheart, welcome back.”
Clutching her head, she sat up, only to waver and fall back onto the pillow.
“Easy there,” he cautioned, cushioning the slumping of her head with his hand. Ascher stared at her. Something was off, and her face looked different. He ran a hand across her forehead and found that her temperature was normal. The double thumping was still there. “Are you okay?”
Her expression filled with discomfort. “I have a splitting headache.”
“Maybe you’re hungry. Breakfast should be here soon.”
Her next attempt at sitting up was successful.
Ascher took in every minuscule change in her face. “Can I get you anything until room service gets here?”
“A glass of water, please. I’m so thirsty, and I still don’t feel well. Maybe I should go to the hospital.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m still so nauseous.”
“Olivia and I had a talk about you last night.”
Her brow rose. “Is that right?”
“She’s coming up to check you out.”
“I have food poisoning, don’t I?”
Ascher gave her a wide grin. “No, but I think what ails you will take a little while to go away.”
Her eyes flooded with tears as she clutched her chest in horror. “What’s wrong with me, Ascher?”
He gave her a disapproving glance. “Shauna, would I be happy if you were deadly ill? Don’t be so melodramatic, you're fine.” Wow, the hormones are kicking in, already!
“Well, if I’m not dying, what’s wrong with me? It isn’t normal to pass out on the street after throwing up.”
Ascher gazed steadily at her. He could see the worry swirling in the dark circles of her eyes. Caressing her face in his hands, he whispered, “Olivia thinks you’re with child.”
An excited flush rushed along her cheeks. “A baby, but how can she think that? Wouldn’t it be too soon to know?”
Placing their hands on her neck, Ascher said, “Feel this.”
She closed her eyes. “I don’t feel anything but your pulse and my mine.”
“Shauna.”
She turned to see that he was now on the other side of the room, but she still felt the distinct thumping of two hearts. “Whoa. How can this be?”
“The pulse you felt wasn’t mine. It was our baby’s.”
Shauna put her hand to her neck and felt for it again, as her face lit with happiness. “I wished for it, never thinking it would be possible.” She rifled through her purse, producing a calendar. Her eyes combed the pages until a gasp came from her mouth. “I’m not even late yet, are you sure?”
He nodded.
She leapt from the bed and into his arms. “We’re going to have a baby!”
Ascher gently cradled her in his arms. “I don’t think jumping is a good idea. You need to take it easy. None of us knows what this pregnancy will mean to you. Remember the slides of my mother and promise me that you’ll take it easy.”
“I promise.”
He carried her back to the bed, placing her under the covers. “I want you to stay here until breakfast comes. You’re going to give me a heart attack. Take it easy, please.”
“You can’t have a heart attack.” She flashed him a smile, to which he glowered. “Okay, lighten up, Ash. I’m fine.”
His expression turned serious. “This might be so dangerous for you.”
She continued frowning.
“I’ve been doing some thinking about things, and I think it might be better if you go back home. Olivia has agreed to look after you until I return.”
Her face turned to caramel colored stone. “No!”
“Don’t fight with me about this. It’s for your own good.”
“You said you were taking me with you! I want to be there when you find her. I want her to know that I never stopped looking for her. I need her to know that she’s loved!”
“I’m sure she’d understand why you couldn’t make it. She wouldn’t be angry with you for protecting her niece or nephew. That is your priority now—protecting our child. Let us take care of this. Please don’t—”
“You promised that you’d protect me, Ascher. Not Olivia! You can’t do that from Romania.”
“That’s what I’m trying to do! It’s going to be so dangerous.” He paused, realizing that he was shouting. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he grasped her hands in his. “Sorry for shouting. I’d rather have you somewhere safe. I’d never forgive myself if something happened to you or the baby, especially when it could’ve been avoided.”
“No place is safe with those things hunting me. If you send me back, I’ll go crazy. Please don’t send me back, Ascher.”
He sighed with frustration as he answered the knock sounding on the door. Room service was there. The portly woman, with graying red hair, wheeled in the delicious spread, smiled at the both of them, collected her tip and left just as quickly as she’d come.
“We’ll talk about it later. Eat now!” he ordered, his voice edged with tension.
Ascher watched her eat. Things were even more complicated. He realized she was pregnant when she’d raged on the lawn at Bonheur and hoped the stress didn’t harm the baby. She might rage again, if he attempted to send her back. No matter what happened, he had to keep her calm.
When she’d scarfed down the whole breakfast—four scrambled eggs with cheese, a stack of pancakes slathered in butter and maple syrup. She then proceeded to finish the bunch of grapes, milk, and juice, hiccupping with satisfaction and rubbing her tummy. “That was delicious!”
His eyes widened with surprise. “Wow, I’ve never seen you eat so much!”
“I’m eating for two now,” she said with a wink.
* * * *
Shauna was nervous and Ascher’s frightened stare did nothing to calm her. Olivia came up to their room after breakfast, to check her out. She’d had a female exam with their family physician, Dr. Miller, every year since age sixteen.
He and her parents were old friends and she always wondered if her parents chose him to keep a check on her virginal status. She was sure a hymen report accompanied her annual lab results. While she thought the world of Olivia, she was hesitant to have a friend examine her.
“Okay, Shauna, I want you to relax as much as possible. This will be a little uncomfortable, but only for a second,” Olivia promised. “Scoot your bum down to the edge of the bed for me.”
Ascher tightened his hand around hers as he stared into her eyes. Could he tell her mind was racing? She was sure that he felt her thudding pulse. She most certainly felt the throbbing in her head.
“I know it’s uncomfortable to have someone other than your physician examining you, but we need to confirm your pregnancy. You know I’d never let anyone harm you,” Ascher promised.
* * * *
Glancing down at Olivia, Ascher then focused on Shauna, closing his eyes to channel her mind. He searched until he found the place that housed her fear. Stroking her hair, he gave her a calming subliminal to relax her. Her doubled pulse slowly fell, as her eyes became glassy with calm.
He watched her mind like a television show. It transported him back to her seventh birthday. Little Shauna wore a rose-colored dress with pink eyelet lace and matching ballerina slippers. She was riding a white pony near the ocean, her pigtails ornament
ed in ribbons and bouncing with her excitement. It was a precious image of a child, and he wondered what their child would look like. He secretly hoped it wouldn’t be a monster.
“Okay, Shauna. We’re all done. You did beautifully.” Olivia stood. “We’re going out to talk about a few things. You stay calm and we’ll be right back.”
Ascher smoothed his hand across her face to intensify the calming subliminal.
When he closed the door behind them, the concern in Olivia’s eyes became apparent. She had something to say and he was sure he wouldn’t like it. “Speak your mind, Olivia,” he finally said after the suspense became too much for him.
“From what I could see and feel, it appears to be a half-blood pregnancy. Her uterus hasn’t changed that much.”
“But she is pregnant, right?”
“She is definitely pregnant. The stick turned bright blue. I’ve never known a home pregnancy test to pick up a four day pregnancy.” She paused. “Then again, we aren’t exactly dealing with a human pregnancy.” She gave him a flustered glance as her eyes narrowed into mean slits. “She has some bruising and a little swelling, Ascher. Try to be more careful with her.”
He smirked and flushed bright red. “When will it come? Can you pinpoint a due date?”
“I want to give her a sonogram when we get back to the States, but it looks like August. I may give her one every week to check development. This is new to us, so we should document it.”
He nodded. “We’re meeting in the plane in an hour.”
“Aaris and I will be ready to go.”
Twenty-One ~ Rage
Somewhere over Romania
Shauna sat cuddled in Olivia’s arms, crying her eyes out. She couldn’t remember ever being so conflicted. She wanted her sister safe but she didn’t want her love, or any of his family, killed in the process.
“There, there now,” Olivia whispered in a voice heavy with love and concern. Her voice was surprisingly soothing for one who’d never mothered a child. “Are you hungry?” Olivia asked, holding up a backpack.
Shauna shook her head. Swaddling in Olivia’s arms was an amazing thing. She felt like a young child wrapped in a blanket to warm Olivia’s cold embrace. Her voice was both lovely and haunting, reminding her of her grandmother, Amy’s, pure unadulterated Irish accent. Only, Amy McCutchin wasn’t really her grandmother, now was she? Shauna sighed.
Olivia pulled her tighter. The soft cashmere of her pink sweater glided against Shauna’s face, tickling her cheeks. Shauna glanced up. “Olivia, how old were you—when you were changed?”
“Twenty-four.”
“What happened to you?”
“I lost my first born during childbirth—a little girl. My husband, Paul, and I named her Tiffany. She was such a beautiful baby. I almost died myself, but the doctor who pronounced me dead was a vampire. He took me to his home and I was well in three months. During that time, I mourned my daughter and recovered from a complicated delivery. Armand Santos was beautiful, mysterious and so charming. I’d never met anyone like him.
“He adored me, as Ascher does you. He wrapped the world up in gift-wrap and gave it to me. After six months, he revealed himself, giving me the choice to be with him forever. I, of course, chose him.” Her eyes danced with blue fire. “We sealed a month after his confession. He changed me on our sealing night.”
Shauna gasped. “How did he change you?”
Olivia gave her a suspicious glance. “He hasn’t told you that?”
“No.”
“I’m not sure if I should. He should tell you.” She smiled a reassuring smile. “I will tell you this, I never regretted my decision. I never had children, but Armand gave me so much more. He gave me eternity, and I’ll always love him for that.”
“What happened to Armand?”
“His family was in the middle of a bitter quarrel with an opposing clan.” The light dimmed in her eyes. “He was lost in battle, impaled by a silver javelin.”
Shauna sniffled.
Olivia smoothed her face with an icy and comforting touch. “I know you’re worried about Ascher, but he’s so much stronger than Armand was. The Rousseau bloodline and his genetic code make him stronger. You needn’t worry about him. He’ll be fine.”
“You sealed again.”
“Yes. I grieved Armand for forty years. One night, I was walking the streets of Rio. I spent a lot of time there after Armand’s death. I went to a place that Armand and I frequented. It was a magical mountain where he shared the truth about his origins with me. Aaris was mourning his brother, Alex, that particular night.”
“Alex,” Shauna breathed. “Quinn’s son.”
“You know about him?”
“Quinn told me about him once. What happened to him, Olivia?”
“Alex didn’t adjust well to the change. He was too young when Quinn did it, and he suffered for a long time. Then one day, I guess he’d had enough of all of it and he committed suicide, impaled himself with a silver dagger.”
The pain on Quinn’s face when he spoke of Alex made sense to her now. In an attempt to lighten the conversation, she whispered, “What happened after the two of you met?”
Olivia smiled. “Aaris reminded me so much of Armand and we sealed four months after we met on that cliff.”
“Does it ever get redundant, having to pretend to be something you’re not?”
Olivia’s face froze as if she were thinking. “Most times, I’m just so grateful. When I sealed to Armand, I never went out in the daytime. It was only after Aaris gave me the bloodstone that I was able to go out, and it is a wonderful feeling. While some vampires hate humans, I don’t. I chose to turn because I was in love.” Olivia paused. “Is something wrong?”
Shauna shook her head. “Not really, Ascher’s unwilling to change me. He says that he’s afraid of what I’ll be.”
“That’s a valid concern for him to have. He loves you.”
“I’m so afraid, Olivia.”
Stroking cold fingertips through her hair, Olivia whispered, “I know you are, but you have to shove the fear down, Shauna. Ascher needs you to be so strong. You’ll have to be stronger than you’ve ever had to be, for you and your child.”
* * * *
Ascher stared into space, looking out through the small door in the cargo area of the plane.
“Ash man, you okay?” Tristan asked.
He shook his head.
“This is his first war,” Aaris reminded them.
“It’s not that. I can handle the war.” He continued to stare out of the plane. “I can’t handle deserting her if I die, especially when she’s carrying my child.” His gaze roamed an intense circuit around the area. “Shauna is pregnant.”
“Congratulations, bro!” Tristan patted him on the back. “I knew you had it in you.”
“This is another reason for us to kick their asses and get back home.” Quinn smirked. “Uncle Quinn—has a nice ring to it.”
“Okay, guys,” Ascher shouted over the plane’s engine. “We’re going to do this as clean and as simple as possible.” He lowered his voice just in case Shauna was listening. “In the case that we find Katy dead—Aaris can you be responsible for making sure her remains make it back home safely? I’m sure Shauna will want to give her a proper burial.”
Aaris nodded.
The sky grew darker. They were just outside of the drop point. From there, they’d free fall into the thick foliage surrounding the grounds, and then trek twenty miles through rugged terrain up to the castle.
The women came into the cargo area to join them, Olivia pulling Shauna along, her arms securing her waist. Shauna’s tanned face was pale and lifeless, her eyes downcast.
Olivia deposited her into Ascher’s arms.
Max, their pilot, came over the loud speaker. “We’ve reached the drop point boys. Ascher will channel me when it’s time to come back. Now get out there and whip some darkling ass!”
The men let out a collective hoot.
They grabbed their mates, preparing to descend. Quinn’s mate would be the heavy packs of weapons and supplies.
Ascher pulled Shauna into his arms, cuddling her against his chest as he prepared to free fall from the plane.
One by one, they dropped in pairs.
Olivia and Aaris were first. Aaris carried her in his arms—much like Ascher carried Shauna—his eyes burning into hers as they floated down.
Tristan and Kara dropped next, their bodies belly to belly as their lips pressed against one another. Kara’s face was different, the scowl replaced with a genuine smile, her golden hair swirling and forming a fluid crown atop her head.
* * * *
Shauna thought how beautiful and solemn the scene was. They were soldiers, dropping to what could be their inevitable deaths.
“Hold on tight,” Ascher warned, stepping them from the plane and into the dark night.
Even though they floated down and it barely felt like they were moving, Shauna’s tummy still dropped. She resisted the urge to vomit. It would have been a pleasant and leisurely descent were she not so queasy.
Her fear of heights resurfaced and she closed her eyes to lessen the nerves. With her eyes closed, she only felt his arms around her and the wind whooshing past. She snuggled her head into his chest, listening to the steady beating of his heart and his calm, effortless breaths.
“Are you okay?” he questioned, his arms tightening around her.
“I’m fine, just a little nauseous.”
“Did you eat?”
“I couldn’t. I’m too nervous.”
“Olivia packed some things for you. Quinn has the pack. Please try to eat something when we get to the ground.”
“I’ll try. How long before we touch down?”
“Ten or fifteen minutes.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“You can ask me anything.” He glanced down at her at the precise moment her eyes opened. “What is it?”
“Are you afraid?”
The Progeny (The Progeny Series) Page 25