A Forever Series Box Set: A Paranormal Reverse Harem: Books 6-10

by Eve Newton

  “Too late, my dear,” Drake says as he increases the pressure on my stomach, his sharp black nails digging into me. “You are already with child.”

  I stare at him in shock. How can he possibly know that after only a couple of days?

  “Oh, the essence is slight, Aeval, but it is there,” he says, reading my thoughts. Or, more likely, my face. “Return to Earth and get your affairs in order and return in two days,” he snarls at me as he moves his hand from my stomach, to my throat. “If anything befalls this child in the meantime, I will have your head.” He lets me go and I step back, my hand over my heart that is beating rapidly. He glances at Sebastian, who is staring at me, also in shock, and he adds, “You had better pray to whatever gods you worship that the child is a girl.” He stalks off, leaving me shaky, horrified, and afraid.

  “Aefre,” Sebastian says, taking my hand. “Is he right? Are you with child?”

  I shake my head stupidly. “I have no idea. It has only been a couple of days,” I say and gulp, thinking that I wasn’t even there at the conception. “Sebastian, we cannot have this baby,” I say.

  He looks at me in confusion. “What do you mean? It is our destiny.”

  “No,” I say forcefully, grabbing his hand. “You don’t understand, Drake is going to take the child and raise it Dark. He is going to cut us out of its life.”

  “No, we won’t let that happen,” Sebastian says. “He cannot take the child; my father will never allow it.”

  “He will find a way,” I say desperately. “We cannot let him take our child.”

  “We won’t,” he says again. “He can’t. The child is neutral. He cannot influence it either way. It is against the rules. Besides which, the baby has the full force of the Light blood behind it. No offense, my love, but you are only half Fae. If anything, the child will be more my side than yours.”

  I stare at him. No offense? “I see,” I say to him stiffly. “You are already staking a claim for it for your side.”

  “What?” he asks and looks askance. “No, Aefre, of course I’m not. This is our child, ours, and we are going to go home and raise it as we see fit. No one else. When the time is right, he or she will take their rightful place here.”

  I unfreeze slightly, but then I think back to everything that Drake said and shake my head. “No. This child is going to be nothing but the cause of war. I will not allow it. I need to get outside and Shift.” Meaning to my Dragon form, that is.

  “No!” Sebastian says as he grabs my arm in a death grip. “If you do that, you will kill it.”

  “I know,” I say sadly.

  “Aefre!” he says, shocked to his core. “You cannot do this. The child is destined to prevent war, not cause it, and…and it is ours.”

  “And already we are fighting over it. Don’t you see, if even we cannot agree, how is everyone else supposed to?” I ask desperately.

  “There is nothing to fight about, Aefre. This isn’t about choosing sides. This is about a new life, one that we created.” He caresses my stomach gently. “Destiny aside, I want this with you more than anything. More than a marriage, as this is ours. Something that you and I made together. Just us. You cannot take it away from us,” he says quietly, taking my face in his hands.

  “But if I don’t, then Drake will. This was his plan all along. This is why it is so important to him. He knows how powerful it will be and wants it firmly on his side.”

  “No. We will go to see my father at once. Aelfric will ensure that never happens. I promise you, Aefre, no one will take this baby from us.”

  I snuffle into his chest as he pulls me close. “Please, promise me that you won’t do anything foolish,” he begs me. “Please, promise me.”

  I nod. “Protect it, Sebastian, at the birth. I will be incapable, and I need you to promise me that you will keep it safe. Don’t let him take it,” I murmur to him.

  “I promise you, Aefre, with my last dying breath I will keep our baby safe.”

  I nod again and he kisses me. “Come, we must go to the Light. Aelfric will want to know of Drake’s plans.”

  Chapter 6

  “No, this isn’t the way it is supposed to be.” Sebastian is yelling at his father and I am thinking again what a bad idea this was to begin with. “Neither of you are taking this child. It is mine and Aefre’s and we will be raising it back at home. I expected better from you than from him,” he spits out furiously.

  “Kalen,” Aelfric says in a calming voice. “You must realize how precious this child is. You have been gone for so long and you are still not the son I wanted you to be. That cannot be changed, but the child can take your place,” he adds in that pseudo-soothing voice he has. Don’t let the fact that he is Light Fae fool you. He is just as conniving as Drake is, only less overt about it.

  “The child is not taking anyone’s place. It is supposed to make its own place. That is its destiny.” Sebastian is still yelling, and I am getting agitated. I want to go home and forget about all of this. Go away with Constantine before things start to show and he rebuffs me.

  “Sebastian, let’s go,” I say quietly, pushing my blonde hair out of my eyes in defeat, having been prudent enough to Shift to back my natural form before entering this Court, which is acceptable to the Light.

  He turns to me and I can sense his emotions going off the chart from where I am standing. He is about to have an apoplexy and that is not good news. I need to get him out of here before he does some damage.

  “Please,” I say. “I just want to go home.”

  He softens slightly at that and nods briskly. “Of course. We need to get you back home safe.”

  “You aren’t going anywhere,” Aelfric says, motioning to the Light Guards to block the way out, which normally wouldn’t be a problem, only we are unable to Teleport or Astral over here, so we are either stuck, or will have to fight our way out. “There is no way that this child is going to be raised by Drake. I will not allow you to leave here and be vulnerable to attack and kidnapping by the Dark.”

  “We are capable of looking after ourselves,” Sebastian says through gritted teeth.

  “Be that as it may, you aren’t leaving. You will stay, be married, and have this child here,” Aelfric says.

  “And what of my husband?” I ask, now getting highly irritated with everyone telling me what to do. “Am I just supposed to leave him to wonder where I am?”

  “Your husband?” he scoffs. “Your husband will be Kalen. There will be a Holy union before this baby starts to show, make no mistake about that.”

  “I cannot leave my Empire,” I say, trying a different tactic, as duty means something to him whereas family clearly does not. Or at least my family does not.

  “I am sure it will be fine left in your Halfling’s hands,” he says dismissively, and if anything, he was going to say was going to anger me to the point where I am about to kill, that was it.

  “Halfling?” I yell at him, stepping forward. “How dare you call my daughter that?” It is the biggest insult he could use, and I will not allow my precious Cassis to be slandered in such a manner.

  “Father!” snaps Sebastian at the same time, also angered.

  Aelfric holds his hands out. “It is the truth, is it not? Much like you.” He points to me and says, “Her true heritage is most confusing.”

  I am boiling with rage now and this only leads to one thing. “Get me out of here,” I say to Sebastian and he catches on that it is now a necessity.

  “Father, you have to let her go. If you don’t, she is going to Shift and that is going to be the end of everything,” he says quietly, as my breathing gets more and more ragged. I am trying to relax. Even though I briefly thought this was a good idea a few hours ago, I have very definitely changed my mind. I drop to my knees and Sebastian drops with me. “No, Aefre. You cannot do this. Calm yourself. Please, my love, please,” he begs me, and I am trying to regain control, but it is taking me over.

  “What is she doing?” Aelfric asks thunderou
sly, standing up and striding towards us. He is glaring down at us from his towering height, his long blonde hair floating gently around him.

  “She is reacting to your insults to her family. Her fury is controlled by her Dragon. Let us out of here now to go home, otherwise it’s the end,” Sebastian explains.

  “The end of what?” Aelfric asks.

  “The baby,” Sebastian says as I grip his hand tightly as a lifeline.

  “What?” he bellows. “No! Make her stop. Now!”

  “I am trying to. You are not helping,” Sebastian snaps back at him.

  “If anything happens to that baby, I will have her head,” he snarls.

  Like Dark, like Light.

  “Then let us go,” Sebastian snarls back, helping me up, as Aelfric, with fury on his face, waves the Guards off to let us leave.

  “Get her under control and get back here by the full moon,” he says as Sebastian picks me up and carries me out of the Court, as I stifle the cries of agony that holding onto the Shift are causing.

  “Aefre, please be okay,” he mutters as we exit into the fresh air and sunshine and he puts me down carefully.

  “How is it that he manages to rile me up more than Drake does?” I ask as I sit heavily, breathing deeply.

  “Two reasons I can see. One, he doesn’t frighten you like Drake does and two, Drake just ignores your family so no insults necessary,” he says wryly. “I’m so sorry, Aefre, I thought he would help. It never even occurred to me he would have the same plan. I should have guessed it though.”

  “You once said to me, never trust a Faerie. I guess you are right. Please take me home. I need to get back to my home,” I say to him.

  “Of course. But what are we going to do? Both Courts want us back here soon,” he says, helping me up and I stand, a bit shaky, but at least not about to Shift.

  “I am not coming back,” I say forcefully. “This baby stays with us.”

  “But what about the marriage?”

  “Sebastian, I can’t think about that right now. I need to focus on getting home and then Constantine and I are going to go away.”

  “Where are you going?” he asks slowly.

  “Away. From everything.”

  “Just the two of you?” he asks sadly.

  “For a time,” I say, taking his hand. “I want you to join us, but Constantine wants some time alone, and I have to give it to him. Especially now, as he doesn’t want anything to do with me when I start to show,” I add cautiously as I know this will both anger and delight him.

  His eyebrows go up and he tries to hide his conflicting emotions. “He told you that?”

  “Yes,” I say as I keep my eyes straight in front of me.

  “He is sending you away?” he asks in disbelief.

  “No, I will still be at Ponte, but he won’t share a bed with me, and he won’t be with me,” I explain.

  “Then you will be with me,” he says, taking my hand more firmly.

  “No, Sebastian. I can’t disrespect him that way. He is hurting, not trying to deliberately hurt me. I will sleep alone.”

  “He is a fool if he lets you sleep alone,” Sebastian says heatedly.

  I smile wanly and he looks at me, concerned.

  “We have walked a distance today, my love. I need to rest,” I say.

  “No, Aefre, we need to keep going. We can’t leave anything to chance.”

  “Sebastian, I haven’t fed for two days and holding off the Shift has worn me out. I need to rest.” I stop and sit on a large rock. I look out into the distance and see the beautiful forests and mountains and wish that I could appreciate its beauty, but all this place is to me is increasing demands, humiliation and hate.

  “I will carry you then, we cannot stay here a minute longer than we have to.” He gives me his wrist to feed from and it gives me enough energy to stand up again.

  “If only we had our Powers, we could just get to the Faerie Ring,” I say, gesturing in annoyance at being so helpless.

  We disappear in a puff of smoke and find ourselves right next to the Faerie Ring, staring at each other in wonder. “Did you do that?” he asks me.

  “I think so. Or, more to the point, it was…” I say and run my hand lightly over my stomach. “She is a powerful little thing, isn’t she?” I say with a shy smile.

  “She?” Sebastian croaks, also running his hand over me. “She is a she?”

  I nod and his eyes fill with love as he drops to his knees and kisses my stomach. “My daughter,” he says in awe. He looks up at me with a renewed determination. “They aren’t taking her away from us. Never,” he says and stands, pulling me into the Faerie Ring and transporting us back to the forest in our world where he Teleports us home.

  Chapter 7

  As we land in the Entrance Hall, I say to Sebastian, “Don’t say anything yet. I don’t want to upset him any more than I have to right now.”

  He looks pained, eager to share our news with the world, but he agrees and kisses me before I got to Constantine’s office.

  “You’re back,” he says with a soft smile as I open the door. “I didn’t think you would be so quick.”

  “I couldn’t stay. I had to get out of there, and back to you,” I say.

  He looks at me concerned. “Is everything okay, my love? You look exhausted.”

  “I haven’t fed in two days. Drake wouldn’t allow us.”

  “He stopped you from feeding?” he asks in disbelief, already picking the phone up to call Ramon.

  “He is a horrid, horrid man. I am never going back there, Constantine. Please don’t make me.” I start to cry, and he is at my side in an instant.

  “I won’t, my love. You never have to set foot near him again,” he reassures me.

  Ramon knocks, and I am on him feeding hungrily before he has even walked through the door. I feel better, stronger, and dash the tears from my eyes, standing straighter. I wave my hand at him dismissively and he goes.

  I turn back to my husband and his eyes are fixed on my hand, which is absently stroking my stomach. I pull it away quickly, but he already knows and looks at me sadly.

  “You know already?” he asks quietly.

  “Yes,” I say just as quietly. “Drake knew. He said he could sense her.”

  “Her?” he croaks.

  I nod slowly. “I’m sorry, my love. I know this hurts you.”

  “Don’t worry about me,” he says, taking my arm and leading me to the chair. “You need to take care of yourself now.”

  “Oh, Constantine, everything is going so wrong,” I say and start to weep again.

  “What do you mean?” he asks, stroking my shoulder.

  I tell him of the Fae Kings’ plans and his face hardens. “No, we will not allow them to take your child.”

  “I don’t know how we can stop them. Drake, especially. He wants this child and he wants me back there in two days. I can’t go back.”

  “Two days? He wants you back in two days?”

  I nod sadly.

  “What happens if you don’t go back?” he asks, concern etching his handsome face.

  “I don’t know. I suppose he will come looking for me,” I falter as I look up at him and he shakes his head.

  “No, Aefre, we cannot allow him to come here. Our daughter…she won’t be safe from him. He has used her once before to get to you. You will have to go back,” he says forcefully.

  “What?” I ask in disbelief. “No, you said that I didn’t have to go back.”

  “You must. To protect our own, my love,” he insists.

  “No,” I say, shaking my head. “I am not going back there. I will go away. He will be looking for me, if I am not here, he will leave.”

  “Aefre, no. That reasoning isn’t logical. He has taken her once, he will do it again,” Constantine says.

  “Constantine, please. This is the only way. Tell Sebastian I’m sorry. He will see me again one day, as will you.” I cross over to kiss him, knowing this is the best way, the on
ly way to protect my unborn child. “I love you. Please promise me you will keep Cassis safe.”

  “Aefre, no, you cannot leave,” he says, desperately clutching my hands as he sees my resolve.

  “Promise me, Constantine, that you will protect our daughter,” I say again, needing to hear him say it.

  “Of course, I will. I will not allow him to take her again, but Aefre…this isn’t the way. You cannot leave me. I love you. Please,” he begs.

  “I will return, my love. I love you too much to be apart from you for too long.” I brush the tears from my eyes, missing him already, and I daren’t even think of my sweet Sebastian. I hope he forgives me in time. I step back from him and he shouts, “Aefre, no,” as I Astral off, cloaking myself so that no one will ever find me.

  I know exactly where I am going. I open my eyes carefully, hoping that I have landed here alone. The suite is empty and looks just like it did the last time I saw it. I smile in anticipation as I change my clothes and alter my appearance just slightly so that I look exactly like the woman he fell in love with. With a feeling of sadness, I pull my wedding rings from my fingers and put them on my right hand. It feels awful and unnatural, but Cole will never agree to anything if he knows I am married.

  I exit the suite, knowing I am risking a lot by going out a different way to which I came in, but also knowing that it is worth it. Worth it be a sire, worth it to stay off the grid until my child is born and hopefully by then I will have some idea how to protect her so that I never have to see Drake again.