I turned my back to him, slipping off my tank and replacing it with his shirt. His shirt hung off of me. It was comfortable and smelled deliciously of him. “Thanks,” I said, facing him again.
He chuckled, his eyes sparkling. “It looks cute on you.”
I felt color filling my cheeks. I moved away, slipping on a pair of flip-flops. My hair was already off of my neck. My very casual ensemble was complete.
Kai slipped his arm around me, escorting me out to the living room.
Kellan’s features tightened at the sight of us. He glowered at Kai, but to his credit, he didn’t say anything. My bra hadn’t revealed anything a bikini wouldn’t have shown when I changed. Regardless, I was still a little ticked at Kellan for not telling me anything about his mission. If I’d done the same to him, he would have flipped out.
“How long will you be gone?” I asked, remaining at Kai’s side.
He swallowed hard as he faced me. “I’m not sure.”
Rage began rising within me. I rubbed my stomach. How could he leave us? My rambling thoughts hit me hard, jabbing between bouts of frustration. I wasn’t angry because he was leaving; I was scared that he might not come back. Why would he risk that? Why would he walk right into the arms of chance?
I ground my teeth. Why was he doing this? I scowled at him. “Well, I’m not sure if I’ll be here when you get back then,” I barked, stomping off towards the door.
I heard Kellan growl, clearly he was annoyed.
It became more and more difficult to breathe the closer I got to the front door. Distress pitted in my stomach, barring my body from working right. I closed my eyes and pressed my forehead against the door. As angry and hurt as I was, I couldn’t walk away from him. This wasn’t the way to get my point across. I would feel awful if something did happen to him while he was away, wherever he was going, with whomever he would be with. It would destroy me if my last words to him were that I might not be waiting for him when he returned - if he returned - implying that I could, and would, walk away from him. Two wrongs didn’t make a right, and sometimes you had to think ahead rather than remain stagnant in the moment.
I turned back around and met him at the corner. We stared long and hard into each other’s eyes. So many emotions passed through me, undulating over me in heavy waves. It was like I was being buried beneath them, unable to escape their powerful hold.
“You’ll come back to me?” I asked, lost in the depths of his emerald eyes.
“Of course.” He held my face. “I’ll always come back to you.”
Tears stung my eyes again. I blinked them away.
He ran his thumbs across my cheeks. He smiled wistfully. “I love you.”
He lips captured mine, and our souls instantly intertwined. His lips were soft, telling me all he didn’t say. They were things I knew but irrationally dismissed. His caress was gentle; sweet yet potent.
In his arms, my lungs worked evenly, in his arms, I felt safe and protected. His arms would always be my home.
I slid my tongue along the inside of his lips, tasting him. I tried to memorize the feel of him so I could easily recall it whenever I missed him, whenever I longed for him while he was away.
After a last brush of his lips against mine, he pulled back. He pressed a kiss to my forehead, my temples, my cheeks and then the tip of my nose. He smiled wide at me. “Take care.” He kissed my lips again, a quick, fleeting touch. “I’ll be back soon.”
“I hope so.”
Kellan squatted down in front of me. “And you.” He lifted Kai’s shirt that I was wearing, exposing my belly. “Behave and stay safe.” He pressed a kiss to my belly for the first time.
The baby rumbled inside me. It pressed outwards, like it was trying to get closer to him, but it simultaneously pushed on my organs, sending a tinge of pain shooting through me.
I scrunched my face; breathing through the sharp blow of what I was sure was a leg to my ribs. Absentmindedly, I rubbed my belly, as if it would soothe where I was hurt inside.
Kellan chuckled, rising to his full height. “Figures. I told it to behave and it does the exact opposite.”
“Well, it is yours.” I smirked.
He rolled his eyes sarcastically. “Have fun.” He yanked me into a tight hug, squishing me against him.
“Please be careful,” I pleaded, as I wrapped my arms around him. “I love you.”
“I’ll be back in no time.” He kissed my head as he retreated. He faced Kai. “Thanks for coming. Don’t make me regret it though.” He extended a hand to the vamp.
Kai shook his hand. “I’d do anything for her.” He looked towards me.
Drexel came out of his room. “You ready?” he asked Kellan.
“Almost.” He strolled to the bedroom.
“You going out?” Drex looked at me and Kai.
“Yeah. Need anything?”
“Nothing you can give me.” He winked.
“And on that note, we’re leaving.” I grabbed Kai’s arm, tugging him towards the door.
Drex laughed. “Have fun.”
Chapter 16
The mall was crowded for a Sunday afternoon. Kai kept a protective arm around me as we weaved through the throngs of people. The voices echoed off the tiled floor, their cadences blending into a single, voluminous hum. Scents overwhelmed my nose, occasionally sending my stomach whirling. On the flip side, the food court was completely intoxicating.
“Kai?” I bit my lower lip as we neared the source of the appetizing aroma. My stomach chose that moment to growl, and the baby’s movement seemed to echo demand.
His eyes twinkled, knowingly. “Come on.”
I ordered from a popular fast food chain specializing in chicken. I took the time to mix two packets of blood Kai had brought into the ketchup, before I dug in.
I ate with gusto, the meal satisfying me in every way. As I looked up from my nearly empty tray, I stopped short. There was something in the depths of Kai’s eyes, a seemingly untouchable emotion that I couldn’t identify. It sent a chill down my spine, spearing my chest and halting my stomach.
I swallowed hard, unable to stop staring, unable to control my desire to unveil that emotion. There was so much power in it; it’d grabbed hold of me, and wouldn’t let go.
“Holy shit! Look who it is,” a male cried.
I was instantly snapped back to reality - a reality I suddenly wanted to run from. I clasped my hands in my lap as I turned to face Jason.
He came up short, his eyes widening a bit as he looked me up and down. “I see you’re packing on the pounds again.”
Kai shoved out of his seat, his face drawn tight. His hands fisted at his side as he glared down at our intruder.
Jason, ignorant to what he didn’t want to see, gave Kai a once-over. “What happened to the other dude? Did he run when you started putting on the L-Bs?”
I stood up, suddenly losing my appetite. I just wanted to get away. I didn’t want to look at him, I didn’t want to speak to him…I wanted him gone. Since I couldn’t physically remove him without hurting him, I had to be the one to walk away.
I picked up the tray, strolled to the trash and dumped it, placing the tray in its place when I was done.
“What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue, Lexi?” Jason called out.
I closed my eyes, wrapping my arms around myself. I took a deep breath, trying to keep my thoughts and emotions from getting the best of me.
Inadvertently, Jason had just confirmed what I was afraid of earlier. I was gaining too much weight. I didn’t know what to do about it though. I didn’t know how to stop it. My body didn’t respond to diet and exercise like a human’s.
“Hey, dude, back off,” Jason fussed.
I looked back over my shoulder. Kai had Jason’s collar in his fist as he hovered mere inches from his face. Jason squirmed in Kai’s grasp, pushing on his chest. Kai waited until Jason eyes locked with his.
“You didn’t see us today. You never approached us; you never spoke to Le
xi. You’re going to turn around, be confused as to why you were in this part of the mall, and then you’re going to walk away and not look back.” Kai spoke clearly and concisely as he zoned in on Jason’s eyes.
I couldn’t take anymore though. I focused ahead of me. I strolled out into the crowd, wanting to be lost among the people for once. I didn’t want to be seen or found. I just wanted to be…to merely exist.
***
Kai
I released the twerp, watching to make sure he followed through with my command, before I went after Leka. I followed her scent through the busy walkways of the mall.
Anger coursed through me every time I thought about that asshole. I could tell she was having problems adjusting to her expanding waistline. As vamps, we were accustomed to our bodies being one specific way, one specific size and measurement. Any change in those dimensions was certain to mess with the psyche. Fear had to be a player, too; fear that your body would not snap back, that it would never be the same again.
Kellan wasn’t any help either. I could tell he loved her, but he didn’t have the maturity yet. He was too busy trying to get a handle on himself to recognize what Leka needed. She needed reassurance; she needed a boost to her confidence. She didn’t need him running off; she didn’t need him keeping secrets at her most vulnerable time, when her insecurity would certainly twist his destination.
My heart splintered when I caught up to her. She stood outside a maternity store, staring blankly at the clothes inside. Her hands were firmly resting over her burgeoning belly. Fear and anger knotted her brows.
I approached her cautiously, mindful of her lack of mental presence lately. She’d been distant, not as cognizant of what was happening around her.
I slid my arms around her, cradling her back into my chest. I bent down into her. “You don’t have to buy maternity clothes. You’re small enough to buy one size up in a regular store.”
She stood, quietly, in my embrace, but continued to stare vacantly into the store. I knew she’d heard me. I knew she was just thinking deeply, trying to deal with all the emotions and mental trip ups.
After several minutes, she finally turned away from the shop. “I want a new pair of sweats,” she stated.
I smiled down at her. She really didn’t know how pretty she was. I think that was one of the things I loved about her. So often, vamps were conceited. We’d had too much time to accept and fall in love with ourselves; we had too many years to build up our confidence, to raise our egos by taunting our power over humans. Leka was a breath of fresh air - beautiful air – she was so exhilarating.
She’d blushed profusely one day when she showed me an old picture of herself. I knew she thought it would turn me off to her, the way her hips were nearly double the size and her face was quite a bit rounder back then. She thought it would change the way I looked at her now. Instead, I found myself even more drawn to her. She had so many layers. While I wouldn’t have traditionally been attracted to her larger size, had I given her a chance and gotten to know her, I didn’t doubt my view would have been turned upside down.
“Let’s go get you a new pair of sweats then.” I pushed a loose strand of hair away from her face, caressing her silky skin along the way.
She gave me a shy grin. I could tell she was slightly embarrassed by her request because her cheeks became rosy, but she was feeling too brazen to take it back now. She slipped her hand into mine and led us towards Victoria’s Secret.
***
Kellan
I scanned the crowd in the hotel’s restaurant. It’d been a long flight to British Columbia. I’d barely had time to drop my bag in my hotel room before jetting downstairs to meet my informant.
He’d been a steady contact for the past six months. I’d yet to see him in person though. Essentially, I was meeting a ghost, following a ghost’s whispers.
I checked my watch. It was two minutes until eleven. The sky outside was dark, yet the city was still alive and bustling with activity.
“Excuse me, sir?” I turned towards the voice, heavy with a French accent. A male, dressed in a full dress service uniform, extended an envelope towards me. “This is for you.”
My eyes scanned the area again. I inhaled deep, but came up empty. There were no vamps, at least not in the restaurant.
I took the envelope.
The man immediately turned and walked away.
I glanced around nervously before I studying the object in my hands.
The envelope was a thick, white envelope. It was blank, no inscription. The envelope had been sealed with a heavy imprint, holding the flap down securely. Focusing on the image that had been imprinted, it took me a moment to recognize…it was the vamp army’s crest.
I tore open the envelope. A small piece of lined paper fell into my hand.
Outside. Right side of the hotel. Alley. Five minutes.
I glanced around once more. Not finding anything or anyone suspicious, I tucked the message inside my bomber jacket. I stood, threw down a couple bills, and headed for the door, for the alley on the right side of the hotel. It was time to meet my informant.
***
Lexi
Kai held the front door open to condo. I ambled past him to where Drexel was waiting.
The burly bodyguard studied me, a smirk teasing his lips. “I see you got a few things,” he ribbed, gaping at all the bags Kai set on the table.
“Not much.” I replied casually.
The rest of our day went much smoother. Kai insisted on buying me sweats in every color and style as well as shirts to match. Then, we somehow went from casual attire to business wear for the office. I also grabbed a couple more maxi dresses that were on clearance. It was the end of September and still unbearably warm, but I knew the temperature would continue to drop. In the end, I caved and got a pair of maternity jeans. Everything else, from tanks to fancy tops, was from the regular section of the stores, just one size larger.
“I’m going to shower and change,” I announced.
I padded towards the kitchen table. Reaching into a bag, I grabbed a new pair of VS Capri sweats and a tank. I began gathering up the bags to take to my closet.
Kai swooped in, taking them from me. “Where do you want them?”
I frowned. “I was just going to put them in my closet to put away later.”
“Stop pouting and go shower.” He kissed my cheek as a send off.
I looked to Drexel.
He pointed at Kai. “What he said.” Mischief danced in his eyes. He was in a playful mood. I’d only seen fleeting glimpses of his fun side lately.
I darted my eyes at him.
He lifted a single brow. “Is that another mood swing I detect?”
I gasped, indignantly. I threw my clothes at him.
He laughed. “Yup. Look out, Kai. We’re losing her to the hormone monster.”
To Kai’s credit, he remained silent.
At vamp speed, I moved to Drex and slapped his chest. “Take that back!”
His laugh grew heartier. “You can’t fault me for speaking the truth.”
I lunged at him.
He caught me midair and pulled me to him, wrapping his arms securely around me to keep me from hitting him.
I fought to free myself from his grip, but he was too strong.
“Promise you’ll be nice if I let you go?”
“I promise to bite the hell out you if you let me go,” I snapped haughtily.
Kai cleared his throat. “I wouldn’t suggest you continue to antagonize the pregnant woman.”
“Yeah. What he said.” I stuck my nose up in the air.
Drex poked at the tip of my nose. “Where’s the fun in that?”
I decided standing my own ground wasn’t going to work. Drex was too much like the older brother I never had, and you could never reason with older brothers. You had to bribe them. “I’ll bake you whatever you want if you let me go.”
He suspiciously narrowed his eyes. “Cherry pie with homemade whipped
cream and a scoop of vanilla ice cream?”
“Sure.” I attempted to shrug my shoulders, but couldn’t move my arms.
“You’re forgiven.” He promptly set me down and handed my clothes back to me. “It’s good to see you laughing again, Baby Cakes.”
“Sucker.” I snickered. He yanked me back into him. I laughed. “I was kidding. I’ll make it, after I finish showering.”
“You better. Sanders is coming up in a bit, and he’ll want some too.”
“Well, for him, I guess I will.”
Drexel smiled wide, his face lighting up; the tension from the past week had left him. In moments like these, he seemed so freed from his past, from the weight ne carried on his shoulders. It was one of the reasons I liked to rile him, why I indulged his teasing. He deserved to be able to let go sometimes. I felt blessed to be one of the people he felt comfortable doing that with; Sanders being the only other one.
Drex was more than a bodyguard to me - more than a friend – he truly was like the older brother I never had. I didn’t doubt that he would take a bullet for me. He was brave, loyal and determined. He was resolute that nothing would happen to me under his watch. He was also a constant companion, a steady friend. I loved having him here with me. As much as it helped him to let go with me, it equally helped me to let go with him. We could be free with each other.
Gabi and Mel were amazing friends, but they didn’t indulge in immature play; they didn’t cater to the childlike release I needed from time to time, especially in the midst of stress. Drexel gave me something no one else did, something no one else could.
He set my feet on the floor again and turned me in the direction of my bedroom. He smacked my ass before giving me a tiny shove in the right direction.
“Hey!” I covered my rear, glaring at him over my shoulder.
“Go!” He pointed towards my room.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m going.” I rolled my eyes.
“See what I have to put up with?” Drex chided me by asking Kai.
I turned towards Kai. “He’s suffering. Homemade cherry pie, whipped cream and ice cream regularly, oh but he’s suffering.”
“You can torture me any time then.” Kai winked.
5 Darkness Falls Page 11