A Mate for Lazarus

by Charlene Hartnady

  Lazarus shook his head. “I want you to explain things to me and I hope to god I understand because I want you, Alexandra. That’s it.”

  She nodded, taking a seat next to him, her water forgotten. “I told you that my father died. I was still only a senior in high school. We had an amazing relationship. I loved him so much. He was killed in a car accident.” She paused, taking deep breaths. His death still hurt. The pain had dulled over the years but at moments like this it came back to the surface. “The brakes on a truck failed and it ploughed through a red-light, taking out two cars. My father was in one of the cars and a whole family of four was in the other.” She chewed on her lip. “I often used to wish that I was in the car with him. I actually envied the family because at least they all got to go together.”

  Lazarus’ body tensed. He made a growling noise at her admission.

  “It was wrong of me to have thought like that. I am glad to be alive. I was a hormonal teenager. Stuck living with my mother. Mummy dearest came from a wealthy family. She’s never worked a day in her life. I have money in a trust fund. I haven’t touched any of it.” And she wouldn’t ever dip into it if she could help it. “My dad worked hard. He was a top journalist, he won awards. I remember going to one of those awards ceremonies.” She paused.

  “People looked at him like he was some sort of god. I looked at him like that too. He was special. He looked at the world differently. His work was like a window through which, for just a moment, the rest of us could glimpse at things in the same way that he did. A special way.”

  “You wanted others to see you like some kind of a god? Is that it?” His brow was creased.

  Alexandra shook her head. “No. My mother never understood what all the hype was about. She didn’t get it. Can you believe that she even tried to talk him into giving up on his career because he didn’t need to work? She barely cried after the accident. Within no time she was seeing other men. Lots of other men. It was like our front door became a revolving door. It made me sick to my stomach. I don’t think that she ever really loved him…not really.” She swallowed hard.

  “She and I fought all the time and I moved out as soon as I graduated from college. I always knew that I would follow in his footsteps. After he passed away, the drive became stronger. Knowing my mom didn’t care made me want to succeed all the more. Not only for myself but also for him. Things somehow got twisted inside of me. I thought that if I could get a front page story, become a household name, maybe even get an award or two of my own that I would somehow be proving to him that someone cared…that I cared. No one remembers Peter Stone anymore.” She smiled. “I had this ridiculous fantasy of going up on stage and accepting an award, of telling the world that it was all in honor of him, my father, my mentor, my hero.” Her voice hitched.

  “It’s not ridiculous.” Lazarus put his hand on her thigh and rubbed.

  “The thing is, I’m not getting any younger. I still work for a small time press. I’m a nobody. I haven’t achieved a single thing. All the while my father becomes more of a distant memory. I’m his daughter, his only child, it’s my responsibility to continue the legacy, to make my mark on this world and I’m failing.”

  “No, you’re not.” A growl. Lazarus sat forward, he pulled her towards him. “That’s utter bullshit.”

  “I know it is. I’ve come to realize that I was wrong.”

  Some of the tension left him.

  Alex nodded. “I still love my father. I still remember him. He would not have wanted me to do the things I had planned on doing in order to get the story.” She smiled at Lazarus. “My father had this saying. Sometimes you need to sacrifice to get the story. If the story is big enough, you might even need to sell a piece of your soul. The best journalists are willing to do what it takes.”

  Lazarus frowned. “So he would have condoned your actions.”

  She shook her head. “He also often used to say…” She had to smile even though her eyes filled with tears. “That he wasn’t one of the best that he would never be one of the best. I never understood what he meant. I mean he was brilliant, he was one of the damned best but he would never sell his soul for a story. I know that now. I understand that now. My father injected his soul into his work…he would never have done anything so underhanded though. I lost track…I almost sold my freaking soul.” She took his hands in hers. They were so huge in comparison. “I really do believe that the world needs to know. It isn’t important to me anymore that I be the one to tell the story. My father would want me happy…he would want his legacy to live on in his grandchildren. This baby…”

  A single tear fell but she ignored it. “I should never have lied. I was wrong, but you need to believe me when I tell you that as soon as I started having feelings for you the story was over. I wouldn’t have cared either way. It wasn’t important to me anymore. You were. I love you so much. I love this baby.” She put her hand to her belly. Alex sniffed as the tears continued to fall. “I hate crying.” She tried to smile but her lip wobbled.

  “It is killing me to see you so upset.” Lazarus took a deep breath. He squeezed her hands. “Us non-humans are a simple bunch. We listen to our bodies. We are open and honest with one another. Such blatant lying and deception is completely foreign to us.”

  She had to close her eyes and look away for a second. Guilt still gnawed at her.

  “I know. I took advantage.”

  “I understand though. I believe you. Allison told me that you signed the contract even though you didn’t have to and that you refused to take the pills even though you could’ve made a lot of money.”

  “I have my own money. Plenty of it. This was never about money.”

  “I know that now. It means that you are sincere when you say that you want to keep the baby.”

  She felt her eyes widen. “Of course I want to keep him. I would never…” Anger welled up inside.

  Lazarus cupped her chin. “I know that. We have both made it clear that we want this child.”

  Alex nodded. “You say that you believe me yet you name all of the reasons why you should and can. You’re stating facts instead of listening to your heart and that worries me. Are you doing this for the right reasons?”

  “I am looking at the facts and I believe what I see. The trust between us has been damaged. It is not gone, just broken. I think that in time, it will slowly heal.” He sighed. “I don’t think that we can mate and move on like this never happened but I am willing to work on our relationship.” His eyes bore into hers. “We said that we wanted to date for a time. If I remember correctly you were adamant about it. I think you said lots of dating.” He smiled.

  “That was when I was trying to keep my distance. We were never supposed to become intimate with one another.”

  He frowned. “That would have been a crying shame.”

  She nodded. “Yes, it would have.”

  “You may have had different reasons back then to want to date for a time but I think that it would be a good idea now. Let’s get to know one another. We can take things slowly.”

  Alex swallowed hard. She bit down on her lip for a second or two. She needed to get this off her chest and right now. “I tried to ask this earlier in a roundabout way, but I really need to know. Are you doing this for the baby or because you really want to be with me?”

  His eyes darkened up. “I loved you from that first picnic. I knew then that you were special, that if I allowed you in that I would be fucked. It’s why I was adamant about checking that you really wanted to be with me. I knew I would fall and in a big way and I did. I seriously fucking love you, Alexandra. As much as I wanted to stop loving you, I couldn’t no matter how hard I tried. I just can’t.”

  “I’m glad that you love me and that you can’t stop because I feel the same. I had to leave because I couldn’t be near you and not be with you. I just couldn’t.”

  “So it’s agreed then? You are coming back and we are going to date one another?” His jaw was tense. It was real
ly cute. It was almost like he half expected her to decline.

  “I have a question and a condition.”

  His eyebrows shot up and his mouth dropped open. “You have got to be kidding me? Only you, Alexandra…fuck.” He grinned and leaned back, folding his arms. “I’m listening.”

  “The question first…” She licked her lips. “Um, do we get to keep having sex even though we are dating?”

  “Most definitely…in fact…as soon as we finish this conversation I’m going to insist that you fuck my mouth, I’m going to show you how much I’ve missed you with my tongue buried….”

  She giggled. “Okay, good. I was a bit worried that taking things slow meant no sex.”

  He shook his head, looking disgusted at the thought. “We couldn’t keep our hands off one another even when I was pissed at you. About that…” his whole demeanor changed. “I should never have said those things. I didn’t mean them…I was just so torn up. I’m sorry.”

  “That’s fine. I under—”

  “It’s not fine. It won’t happen again.” His eyes narrowed. “Now what is your condition?”

  She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. “My condition is that you tell me what your condition was and that there be no more conditions between us.”

  Lazarus grunted. “That’s technically two things.”

  She shrugged. “So?”

  He smiled. “My condition… You passed by the way.” His smile widened.

  “Tell me…please.” She leaned towards him.

  “That my dick would fit inside you.”

  Alex slapped his arm. “You can’t be serious.”

  He laughed. “I’m deadly serious.”

  She slapped him again, it was like his arm was made from steel. “No damned way. That you would fit inside me? What kind of a condition is that?”

  He shrugged. “You’re just so small, I was worried. It wouldn’t have been much of a relationship otherwise.”

  Alexandra had to laugh. When she finally found her breath, she locked eyes with Lazarus. “No more conditions or agendas or anything else…okay?”

  “That’s fine by me.” Then he turned really serious. “What have they told you about the pregnancy?”

  “I went and saw one of your healers, she said I was in good health. The plan is to go for a visit every two weeks for the foreseeable future. I know that I’m having a boy.” She smiled broadly.

  Lazarus put a hand to her belly. “We’re having a son.” He smiled as well. She could see that he was worried about something though.

  “What is it?”

  His smile widened further, but she could still see tension in his shoulders. “There is a good chance that you may be carrying twins.”

  Her heart pretty much stopped beating for a while. “What?” She finally shrieked. “No.” She put a hand over her mouth. “That can’t be right.”

  He nodded and pulled her into a hug. “I know that it is a lot to take in. I know that you might be a bit scared but know that I am here and that I love you and everything will be okay.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “We will take it day by day. No human has ever had a twin pregnancy, but…fuck…if anything happens to you…or the children.” He pulled her onto his lap, his big arms tight around her.

  She made a noise of discomfort. “You’re squashing me.”

  “Sorry.” He released her a smidgen.

  “Human women have twins all the time.”

  “I’m fucking huge and you’re tiny. I’m freaking out. We need to get you back to vampire territory. I will carry you.”

  “No…wait…Lazarus. Do we even know this for sure or is it speculation?”

  “We don’t know for sure but it’s very likely. You craved blood so quickly and you seem to crave it so often.”

  Alex nodded. “Yeah, I woke up thirsty.”

  “There you go…” He looked nervous as hell. “It’s likely then.”

  “We will deal with this…together.” She cupped his chin. “I’m tough. We both want this child. These children.” She swallowed hard. “We’ll be okay?”

  He inhaled deeply and then nodded. “Okay, but I’m not leaving your side and I’m carrying you if you—”

  “Stop. I’m about to fuck your lips with my mouth and I can’t if you keep talking.”

  He smiled. “I’m all yours.”

  Chapter 21

  Four months later…

  The other woman lifted up her top and all three of them giggled.

  Cassidy rubbed a hand over her stomach. “I look bloated…you my dear”—she pointed at Alex’s stomach—“look huge. You look seriously freaking pregnant, of that there is no doubt.”

  Alex absently rubbed the curve of her belly. “I still can’t believe that I’m having twins. It’s crazy. No human woman in vampire history has ever had a twin pregnancy.” She swallowed hard. This wasn’t without risks but it would be worth it in the end.

  “Are you sure there aren’t three inside there?” Jenna’s eyes were wide. “You look at least three or four times bigger than Cass even though the two of you conceived around the same time.”

  Alex shook her head. “You go and wash your mouth out with soap right now. There has never been a vampire birth with more than two babies and that’s rare as it is.”

  “Oh…” Jenna smirked. “So you’ve researched it. Does that mean what I think it—”

  “Don’t say it. Don’t you dare say it.” She pointed a finger at the other woman. “If Lazarus hears you, he’ll make me stay in bed with my feet up. I’m perfectly fine yet he insists on carrying me up and down the stairs. I manage just fine when he’s not around.”

  “Which is hardly ever.” Cassidy giggled. “York tells me that he’s working less and less. Pretty soon he’ll be at your side twenty-four-seven.”

  “No way.” Alex shook her head. “I won’t allow it. At least not for the foreseeable future.”

  “I can’t believe he is letting you work.” Jenna sipped on her juice.

  “Just because we are mated does not mean that he is the boss of me. We discuss things, we sometimes argue but we are equals. I can’t just sit here. Like I said, I’m fine and so long as it stays that way I will keep working.”

  “You love your job.” Cassidy smiled. “It’s so great. I’m so happy that it worked out in the end.”

  Alex felt like she was smiling from ear to ear. Her team was small and handpicked. Her job was public relations. Already, much of the bad press surrounding the vampires and The Program had died down. The hate mail had dried up to a trickle. Brant was thrilled. He wasn’t such a bad guy. The two of them worked closely together.

  “I heard that you’re going to some gala dinner in New York?” Cassidy picked up her juice.

  Alex smiled. “Yeah.” A lump formed in her throat so she picked up her own water and swallowed it down.

  “It’s some or other awards ceremony,” Jenna gushed. “I can’t believe that you managed to get permission.”

  Alex shrugged. “It’s important to me, both Lazarus and Brant know how much going means so…” She shrugged again. “Lazarus is coming with me, along with half of the elite team.” She had to roll her eyes.

  Both of the other women laughed.

  “My father has been awarded a lifetime achiever’s award. It’s a huge honor. I’ve been asked to accept it on his behalf.” A tear somehow escaped and she quickly wiped it away. “Damn, these hormones. I don’t know how I’m going to get through the speech.”

  “Yeah…” Jenna giggled. “It’s hectic and the whole blood drinking thing is…sheesh…too damned much if you ask me.”

  “How would you know?” Cassidy leaned towards Jenna.

  “Yeah…how the hell would you know?” Alex looked pointedly at the other woman who blushed profusely.

  Jenna played with the tie on her pants. “I’m pregnant.”

  “What?” Both she and Cass shrieked in unison.

  “That’s wonderful news.
” Cass went and hugged her first.

  “Amazing news.” Alex hugged Jenna close. “How far along are you?”

  Jenna blushed some more.” “A couple of weeks already.”

  “And you didn’t think to tell us?” Cass wagged a finger at Jenna, who pulled a face.

  “I’m pretty nervous about the whole thing. Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m so happy…so excited but I’m also pooping my pants.”

  “Save the poop for the baby. You’ll have plenty of dirty diapers to change.” Cass smiled.

  Alex touched Jenna on the arm. “It’s normal that you would be a bit nervous. Gideon will be there for you and support you. Vampires can be seriously over protective of their women.”

  “I’m sorry.” Cassidy looked upset. “I didn’t mean to be flippant. I forgot about what happened…you know…with your first pregnancy.”

  Jenna smiled. “Don’t worry. I’m glad that you treat me normally. It’s still hard sometimes. I’m going to worry until I’m holding him in my arms but I know it’s going to be the best day of my life so I will hold on to that thought.”

  “We’ll all do the same.” Alex touched her belly. She and Lazarus were newly mated. They had dated for over three months before finally sealing the deal. The longest unmated relationship in vampire history. Alex had to smile. It looked like they were going to be the first at a few more things before too long.

  A Mate for Griffin is available for pre-order now

  Author’s Note

  Thank-you for reading the third book in the series. Writing this book felt a bit like trying to get water from stone. I really had to work hard at it. I must say though, I’m thrilled with the end result. I love Lazarus. I think he might be my favorite so far.

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