by Eve Newton
“Thank you,” she says and kisses him, and then has to ruin the moment by asking, “Where is Cole?”
He shrugs, but it does remind him of that conversation they are going to have. “I will go and find him while you rest,” he says.
She smiles at him and she is fast asleep before he has left the room. Good, he thinks as he closes the door quietly. He doesn’t want any interference or possible interruptions.
Constantine finds Cole downstairs, about to head up to see Aefre. “She’s sleeping,” he says. “Leave her for a minute. There is something I wish to discuss with you.”
Cole looks back at him, perplexed and a bit wary. Constantine is quite looking forward to this. A nice bomb to drop out of the blue. You always get a nice, true reaction when no one is expecting the accusation.
He leads Cole into the library and closes the door. He indicates that Cole should sit, and he does, while Constantine remains standing.
“What is this about?” Cole asks with more than a hint of suspicion.
“You tell me,” Constantine replies glibly. “Got any secrets to share?”
Cole shakes his head. “Err, no,” he says.
“Wrong answer,” Constantine retorts. “I happen to know of a certain ex of yours that has a rather large secret that you are fully aware of.”
Cole pales and starts to sweat. Ha! Constantine thinks. Gotcha.
Cole stands and says, “How do you know about that?”
Constantine debates that point for a few moments. Reveal his source or not? Seems like it won’t make much difference in the grand scheme of things. “Nico,” he says and Cole, to his credit, doesn’t look surprised. “Certain members of his team oversee the mountains of fan mail that get sent to you. I cannot allow anything harmful near Aefre, so it gets sifted and discarded. This one letter, that I believe got passed on to you a few hours ago, is a very interesting read.”
“Have you told her?” Cole asks him quietly.
He isn’t at all offended that is the first question that gets asked.
“No, not yet. I thought it prudent under the circumstances to find out if it is, in fact, the truth before I hurt her with something so profound,” Constantine says, and Cole looks relieved. It gets replaced with an almost shocked expression and he sits again.
“I haven’t even had time to process this. Carolyn has been trying to contact me for months. I’ve been ignoring her as I had nothing to say to her,” he blurts out.
“Mm, perhaps you should have acknowledged this sooner,” Constantine says. “Does she speak the truth? Is it yours?”
Cole shrugs. “I have no idea. I mean if what she says about the dates is true, then it is a strong possibility. I was with her right up until the day I first went out with Liv,” he admits and has the grace to look sheepish about it. Constantine has a flare of rage go up in him that this man had dared to treat Aefre so badly, keeping this other woman around in case things didn’t work out. It is infuriating.
“Nico has checked the dates and they are what she says they are. Now all we need to know is if the baby is yours,” Constantine says.
“Fuck,” Cole says, dropping his head into his hands. “How can this be happening?”
Constantine shrugs. He has no experience in this area.
“How do we find out?” Cole asks desperately.
“Do you have anything from your former life that you could use as a DNA sample?” Constantine asks. It’s a long shot, but it’s the only way outside of casting a spell, which will most definitely involve too many people and Aefre will find out.
Cole thinks for a minute and then looks up. “Maybe,” he says slowly.
Constantine waits for more and then has to prod Cole for further information. “Well? What is it?”
He flushes and says, “When I made the decision for Liv to turn me, I put aside something that I hoped we would use one day.” He clears his throat, but Constantine has no idea what he is trying to say.
“And what was that?” he snaps, losing his patience.
“My sperm,” Cole says, his flush deepening. “I hoped that we could use it in the future and have a child that was at least half of ours…”
“Oh, for fucks sake,” Constantine mutters. “Is it possible this woman knew about it and used it?” He is angry that Cole had this foresight and the opportunity and means to carry it out.
“Maybe,” Cole replies insolently. “I doubt it though. No one knew. Not even Liv.”
“Hm, well give me the name of the place and Nico will do the rest,” he says.
Cole hands over the information and he emails it to Nico. “We will be able to find out for definite. Do not even think about saying anything to Aefre about this until we get a confirmation. She needs all of her strength at the moment.”
“Do you think she will be mad?” Cole asks quietly.
He wants to say yes, that she will be furious and never want to see him again, in fact it would be best he leaves now for his own safety and remind him of the destruction she caused in the poolroom over something more trivial than this. He really wants to say all of that and more, but he shakes his head. “I don’t know,” he lies. He knows she will be upset over this; hopefully so upset she will never want to see Cole again.
“Fuck,” Cole says again. He looks up and says, “Thank you, for taking care of it.”
Constantine is startled by the heartfelt thanks and it throws him off his game somewhat. He just nods back and says, “I’ll let you know the outcome.”
Cole nods and then he leaves, presumably to go and sit with Aefre. Most of him wants to go up there and interfere - that is, the man part of him - the Vampire in him knows he has to leave them alone for a short while because even he can see that Cole is slipping. Not that he cares about him, but he does care about Aefre and this will be affecting her too. Instead, he goes off to find the girl, Jess.
He finds her in the kitchen and says to her, “There is a new theory, go to the store and get a bunch of marigolds. As fresh as you can find.”
Jess nods at him and scampers off to do his bidding. He takes a moment to appreciate the fear that still emanates off her that causes her to jump at his every word. He needs more people around that will fall all over themselves when he speaks. Things around here are just too lax, there is no chain of authority anymore. He sighs and wishes that it was like the old days when Vampires knew their place. He considers the past morosely and then decides that enough is enough and he goes up to the bedroom to find Aefre. He is more than a little pissed to find her fast asleep with her arms wrapped tightly around her sleeping charge. Her haggard features are more relaxed though and he grudgingly allows them the contact. But only for a moment as he decides that he is in need of some contact of his own. She is still his charge after all, and even though he doesn’t have the same ties that lesser Vampires do, that doesn’t mean that he missed her any less, or is any less deserving of her attentions. He takes his shoes off and lies down gently next to her on the bed.
She turns her face towards him in her slumber, as he knew she would, and he feels a sense of triumph. His bond may not be as instinctual to her as hers is to him, but she needs him in a way that only he can provide. He stares at the ceiling wishing that Nico would hurry up and get back to him. He has to know if Cole had fathered a child before Aefre turned him. She will be furious and upset and while he doesn’t want her to feel pain, he hopes it will weaken her bond to Cole. Even more so if he assumes responsibility for the child. Although, how that will work is a bit of a worry, but there is no way that Aefre will accept a child that is not her own. Christ knows she will struggle to accept a child that is her own. He knows she gave him what he wanted, but he also knows that she thinks she came to that decision because of Sebastian. That is not the case. She decided it all on her own. He wanted to have this discussion with her after she came for him, but with this coma it has not been possible. He must find a time to bring it up without her getting upset with him.
She s
ighs and he looks at her, loving her more than he ever thought possible in that moment as she lets go of Cole and turns fully towards him, resting her head on his chest. He tangles his fingers in her hair and he is content as is she. He wants to sleep with her. He sleeps so little, even less so since she fell ill, not wanting to take his eyes off her for very long. He finds himself getting tired and he closes his eyes as he tightens his hold on his beloved wife.
He awakes as he feels her shift and kiss him lightly on the lips. He was dreaming of the past, an unpleasant dream of her and his right-hand man back in the thirteenth century. It has left a bad taste in his mouth, but he curves his lips into a small smile, and he opens his eyes to stare directly into hers.
“You are sleeping,” she accuses him gently and he chuckles.
“Well, it isn’t fair that Cole gets all of your attentions while you sleep together,” he says, hiding his bitterness behind his smile.
“True,” she says with a seductive smile and lowers her eyes at him. Oh, the gods, he feels himself go hard and he wants to flip her onto her back and take her again and again. “I wouldn’t want you to feel left out. That wouldn’t do at all,” she adds as she props her chin on her hands on his chest.
“Be careful, my sweet,” he warns her. “You are tempting me into doing something a gentleman shouldn’t do to a lady of your delicate constitution.”
She snorts and says, “You are no gentleman.”
“I am wounded,” he retorts. “You think me but a cad who would take you wantonly without a care for your condition?”
“I am hoping that you are a cad that will take me wantonly,” she says, and he groans with absolute pent-up sexual frustration. She is killing him. He meant it when he said he would never be with another woman again and he hasn’t, even through this torturous three months when he could have done with a release for his worry, anger, and pain. But his wife is not well. She is trying and he loves her for it, but he won’t push her.
“Aefre,” he says seriously, and she rolls her eyes at him. The action wants to make him either take her across his knee and give her a resounding slap to her buttocks or kiss her sweetly. He is torn, as always, with her. She infuriates him with her impertinence, but he loves the challenge she gives him. “I will not take advantage of you while you are still so weak,” he finishes his thought and she sighs.
“You are not taking advantage if I am offering myself to you,” she says quietly. He knows her feelings are hurt that he has all but rejected her. He doesn’t understand it as such, but she has told him enough times how it makes her feel.
“My sweet, sweet wife. You have no idea how much I want you. I have been married to you for three months and yet I have only made love to you twice. I am desperate for you, but I love you and don’t want to hurt you. You need rest, not a roll around the bed.” He hates saying the words because he wants a roll around the bed, and the floor, and any other place she would be willing to have him. “You wouldn’t really enjoy it and I am not partial to doing all the work,” he says with a slight laugh, so she knows that he is joking.
Fortunately, she accepts the jest and says, “Fine, but the next time I say I am ready you will, without argument, take me where I stand.”
“Done, my beautiful,” he says without hesitation and she smiles her lovely smile at him.
Cole, who had been up to this point still sleeping, wakes up. He exchanges a fearful look with Constantine, and he basks in it. Aefre turns to Cole and gives him a quick kiss and then sits up. “Did you do as I asked?” she asks back to him.
“I did,” Constantine says. “Jess went to the florist. She should be back by now.”
“Give me a minute and then help me downstairs to find her,” she says.
“Of course,” he says and helps her off the bed. He watches her pad slowly into the bathroom and every cell in his body wants to go and pick her up and carry her in there, but if she wanted the help, she would have asked.
“Anything?” Cole asks quietly.
Constantine shakes his head, still watching his wife’s progress, ready, as always, to catch her if she falls.
Chapter 10
Buckinghamshire, England, September 2013 – Liv
I can feel CK’s eyes on me as I make my way to the bathroom. He is watching me in case I stumble. I try not to; I hate this weakness. I am not used to being so vulnerable. And I am not used to being refused sex. Although, I must admit that I don’t think I would enjoy it and it just sounds like too much activity for me right now. Still, I know how hard it is for him, both of them, and I felt like I had to offer. I will do the same with Cole later, when we have a minute to ourselves, as he is in desperate need of some intimacy and I will give it to him if he asks. Part of me hopes he doesn’t, but I doubt it. CK’s restraint, he does not have. I make it without incident and close the door, breathing a sigh of relief and relaxing my shoulders. I hadn’t realized I was so tense. I avoid the mirror as I go to run the bath. I turn on the taps and sit heavily on the side. Moments later my alone time is ruined as they both dash in with matching reprimands on their lips.
“If you wanted a bath, I would have done it for you,” CK says as Cole says, “Liv, just ask for help, we are here for you.”
Christ, I just wanted a bath. I am quite able to do it myself. This whole me-being-ill and these two hovering over me has now lost all of its appeal. “I can take care of it myself,” I snap at them and they look a bit lost that I seem to be getting back to normal. Appearances are deceiving though as I suddenly slip off the side of the tub and land in a floppy heap on the floor. I start to twitch and something about this is starting to feel familiar. Ah, crap. It hits me that my Dragon needs some TLC from her very special friend. I think Cole realizes this as well when he stamps his foot in a fit of temper and says to CK, “Help her up, I’ll have to go and contact Finn.”
“Who is Finn?” CK asks, seriously not happy to be out of the loop.
“Her Guardian,” Cole snaps and stomps off to go and call him. Not via the phone, of course, but the magick mirror Tiamat sent him back with once he was ready for active duty. Yeah, I cringed at that fairy-tale wannabe as well.
“Aperio!” I hear him yell the spell to reveal Finn.
“What is a Guardian?” CK asks, now in a temper to match Cole’s, as he drags me roughly to my feet. So much for treating me like a China doll and not wanting to hurt me. I think I would definitely have preferred sex.
“He looks after her Dragon Powers,” Cole says, returning with the mirror. He shakes it a few times and says the spell again. “It’s not working,” he says in frustration.
“Are you even capable of using that to call him?” CK asks in derision, and I would smack the pair of them if I could lift my arm high enough.
“Of course,” Cole sneers back. “Who do you think Tiamat meant this for? Liv?”
I take massive offense in my pitiable state to that comment. So, I don’t ask for help, so what? Doesn’t mean that I should be scorned in such a manner.
“Humph,” CK says as he appears to completely accept that explanation. Wow, feeling the love here all of a sudden.
“It’s not working,” Cole says again. “Why is he not answering?”
I really don’t care right about now. V.A. is violently flapping Her wings in protest and it actually hurts.
“I’m here,” Finn says as he Astrals in behind Cole. “Get out.”
CK grabs him by the throat and growls at him. “Who the Hell do you think you are talking to?”
Finn looks nonplussed by the assault on his person and says, “If you don’t let me attend to her now, she is going to be in even more of a mess. Now get your hands off me and get out so I can work.”
CK reluctantly lets him go and steps back, crossing his arms. “I am not going anywhere. I have no idea who you are, and I will not leave you alone with my wife.”
Finn looks to Cole, who, now that he has a powerful buddy on his side, also stands his ground, arms crossed. “
I suggest you fill him in quickly. I cannot be disturbed once I start.”
“Start what?” CK snarls, getting more irate by the second.
Cole gives him a quick rundown on the operation and to say that CK’s face goes thunderous would be an understatement. I am going to be in such trouble later. Finn turns me around and disrobes me to my waist. I can hear scuffling and swearing and yet more growling as Finn removes his own attire. He places his hands on my back and V.A. calms instantly and emits a golden glow. Finn peels Her off my back and takes Her into himself to soothe Her. She is clearly agitated because of my lack of Power and it has caused an overreaction. The scuffling stops behind me as my husbands both watch what is happening. Cole has seen this before, but despite his complete un-acceptance of this ritual, I know he is dazzled by it. It appears that CK is as well. A few minutes later, Finn returns V.A. to my back and he quickly gets dressed again. Before he can leave or anyone can say a word, I spin around and ask him, “Where is my Mother? Does She know that I am ill? Does She know what Remiel did to me? Why didn’t She come to see me?”
“She knows,” Finn says, and I feel a pang of betrayal from the woman who is supposed to care for me. “She will be along to see you in the next couple of days. She will explain everything to you then.” He Astrals out before I can say anything else.
“Oh,” I say to nobody and once again sit heavily on the side of the tub which is now on the brink of overflowing.
CK steps forward to turn the taps off and to pull the plug out before he says, “Oh, you have some explaining to do, Aefre.”
I shrug. “What do you want me to say? I hadn’t seen you for weeks, we were together for two days before Remiel took me. What was I supposed to do? Come to you in a dream just to tell you about my Guardian?” I am snarky and he knows it, but I am not finished. “If you want to blame anyone, blame Cole.” I point the finger unfairly. “You spent all this time together; you’d have thought it would come up.”