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Ellida

Page 28

by J. F. Kaufmann


  Jack smiled. His honey-gold eyes shone with indefinite tenderness. “A daughter?” he whispered. “Really? I would love to have a daughter first.” He tucked his finger under my chin. “In spite of everything, I’d be the happiest man alive, you know that, don’t you?”

  “I know. Jack, don’t worry in advance. Let’s not jump to conclusions. Even I would need a week or so to be sure.”

  “I’d bet on my boots you’ve gotten pregnant tonight.”

  I sighed. “Okay, then. Fine. If you’re so sure, I have an idea now. How about testing the rest of the box? If another condom leaks, we can sue the manufacturer for child support.”

  He laughed. “How about let’s not? Enough stress for one evening. Let’s watch TV.”

  “HOW LONG before the whole town figures out you’re pregnant,” Jack asked me some time later. I was safely tucked beside him in the bed, watching a movie.

  “I may not be pregnant, Jack.”

  “Let’s say you are.”

  I sighed. I didn’t have the energy to argue with him. “I don’t know. I’m a half-wizard, so it might take longer to identify my condition through scent. Not very long anyway. And there are some other changes, too. Hair, skin… Some women look quite miserable at the beginning, some others get that glow.”

  “I bet you’ll glow. So, a few weeks, huh?”

  “If we are optimistic.”

  One glance at Jack’s face told me he’d already been adjusting his plans.

  THE NEXT morning, Jack informed Tristan and Livia about the newest development. For him, my pregnancy was a matter of fact. Apparently, he had a supporter.

  “Princess, you got pregnant on my watch!?” Tristan said shook his head in mocking disbelief. Then laughed and hugged me. “Well, congratulations, to both of you!” When he turned to Jack, however, his face was somber. “That complicates the whole situation, doesn’t it? What are we going to do now?”

  “I might not be pregnant!” I said angrily. “No matter what Jack says, it’s not very likely. Tristan, Liv, you are doctors. Try to reason with him.”

  “Is she pregnant? Could you tell, Livia?” Jack asked.

  She couldn’t, nor could Tristan, but that didn’t shake Jack’s conviction in the slightest. I was annoyed with his stubbornness and even more with the guilt written all over his face.

  “That’ll speed things up a bit,” Jack said to Tristan, answering his question and ignoring my anger. “Astrid must stay away from Red Cliffs until we’re done with Seth. I’m going to talk to Darius.” He turned to Livia, still avoiding meeting my eyes. “You’ll take Astrid to Gelltydd Coch. Take some of your people with you and keep her there.”

  Okay. That was it!

  “Tristan, Liv, I need to talk to Jack in private,” I said in a calm voice.

  They exchanged a look and went to their room.

  I walked to Jack, and, remembering my own advice for calming down, took his hand between mine. “Now listen to me carefully, Jack Canagan, because I’m not going to repeat it. Pregnant or not, I am not going to Wales, Alaska, or Galapagos, with Liv or without her. I am not going anywhere without you. Period. You better stick to your initial plan, and make sure when you go to Copper Ridge, you win the battle. Jack, I’m telling you this as your wife. Don’t make me assume my official role to tell you the same.”

  I was dead serious, and Jack instantly recognized it. There would be no negotiations this time.

  “You’re aware of the possible complications?”

  “Assuming that I’m pregnant, yes. I can’t leave my clan, Jack,” I added softly. “I’m their Ellida. And I certainly can’t leave you. I am not that strong. Those are your words, but they apply to me as well.”

  He looked at me for the longest moment, a thousand emotions written in his eyes: love, fear, respect, courage and determination. And then his muscles relaxed and the serious expression on his face gave way to a warm, sunny smile. My heart made a happy somersault.

  “Do you want to elope? It’s the perfect time and the perfect place.”

  I laughed, instantly at ease. “This is the third time you’ve tempted me with this. I would love to, but being the Alpha pair, aren’t we expected to have a big wedding at home, and not to sneak out to Vegas and get hitched? James would throttle us both if we pulled a stunt like this.”

  “My question is—what do you want?”

  “I want to marry you. I also want our family and friends to share that day with us.”

  LATER THAT day, thanks to some convincing statistics and a bit of compromising, we happily resumed our romantic holiday in Vegas.

  Thirty-Nine

  Astrid

  WE REALLY should be careful what we wish for. A good part of my life I’d wished I was a human. My wish had come true in the most inopportune moment.

  I didn’t turn into a human, of course. I was still a half-wizard, half-werewolf. Yet, with some of my abilities disabled, some others on hold, I was pretty much like any pregnant human woman. Only more vulnerable, thanks to the circumstances.

  I didn’t need the home pregnancy test to tell me I was pregnant. I started feeling funny soon after we’d returned from Vegas, but I kept it to myself. I didn’t want to upset Jack even more. True to his word he’d given me in Vegas, he didn’t mention our condom accident and its possible consequences, not even once, counting on time to confirm his suspicions.

  And then one fine morning, I woke up nauseated and barely made it to the bathroom. On my way back, I felt dizzy, my mouth tasted as if I sucked a penny, my breasts were tender and heavy, and yes, I was a few days late.

  Luckily I was home alone. I didn’t want Jack to get his proof watching me rushing across the room to the bathroom to hug the toilet bowl.

  Jack was surely right about one thing: the timing was wrong. I was about to create a whole bunch of trouble, mostly for Jack, but possibly for many other people around me. I was scared. And I’d never been happier in my entire life.

  I sat down on the bed, my hand protectively across my abdomen. Inside it a small dot pulsated with life. I closed my eyes and saw the swirls of orange, pink and gold, and I felt we were having a girl. She’d have Jack’s amber eyes, and his soft, brown hair.

  I wanted to phone Jack immediately, but I also wanted some short minutes just for myself, a few precious moments of pure bliss, unspoiled with fear and anguish.

  I’d been scheduled to work a day shift, but I was so consumed with happiness that I’d decided to take a day off and stayed at home. Jack would be back soon, and then I would tell him. He would be out of his mind with happiness. And worry, but I didn’t want to think about that now.

  I mentally skimmed through my schedule for that day. No appointments, no surgeries. Ahmed could easily cover me. I reached for the phone to call him, but my hand stopped in the middle of the motion.

  I realized several important things simultaneously. First, for now on, I had to be careful about using any of my abilities. Second, if I phoned Ahmed, he’d know something had happened; otherwise he would’ve gotten my mental message. Third, I was sure I wouldn’t be able to send it anyway. I somehow knew my telepathic software had been shut down.

  I was so sure of it that I tested it. My inner sensors could neither see nor hear Ahmed.

  “We’re back to the ankle monitor, Jack,” I said, glad about this spontaneous change. It was easier not to have my powers at all than to be constantly careful not to use them.

  I called Dr. Falkenstein and told him I needed a day off.

  WHEN JACK came home and found me on the sofa in the living room, still in my peach terry robe, the color drained from his face.

  “You are pregnant! Your period’s three days late,” he stuttered. He stood frozen at the door, happy and shocked at the same time. He walked toward me, as if in a trance.

  “I’m going to be a father… I am the happiest man alive,” he whispered and opened his arms. I hurled myself into his firm embrace.

  If he was worried, and I kn
ew he must have been, he was doing his best not to show it. It was one of the most treasured moments we had ever shared and I knew Jack wouldn’t do anything to spoil it. We were entitled to complete happiness, no matter how short. Soon Jack would start thinking about the possible implications and make plans to protect me. But now, for a brief moment of absolute bliss, there was only me, Jack, and his warm hand across my flat abdomen. Nothing else mattered.

  IT WAS a normal, easy pregnancy. At first I puked a lot and felt tired. My hair was flat, food smelled and tasted funny and I was emotional. But as the summer slipped into a rich early autumn, those symptoms diminished and soon I started feeling strong and full of energy.

  It was hard to keep a secret in Red Cliffs. Soon the whole town knew that Jack and I were expecting a child. Needless to say, the entire community was thrilled with the news. By the time I got pregnant, there were more than a dozen other expectant mothers in the town. I was afraid I had unintentionally stolen their thunder.

  Our family was delighted and, putting aside their concerns, lavishing me with care. They phoned constantly, cooked for me, did my grocery shopping and my housework and came to be with me when Jack wasn’t at home. Most of the time I enjoyed their attention, although there were times I thought they went a bit overboard.

  To their credit, I have to admit that they tried their best not to make it too obvious that I’d been put under a sort of surveillance.

  Jack would take me to the Clinic, where Ahmed, who was my prenatal caregiver, would take over babysitting me. Eamon would come at some point and spend a part of my shift with me, sitting in my office. Then James would join him after a while. Whenever he was on duty, Mike Kowalski, our Deputy Sheriff, would pop up to say hello. Maggie, Betty, Morgaine and Peyton were my faithful lunch companions. All of a sudden, Ella and Arnaldur became very fond of afternoon tea at my house. Together with Jack’s grandparents, they were apparently scheduled for the 2-5 p.m. watch on my days off. They were usually replaced by Takeshi and Athena, or the guys from the band, or Alec, Drew and Lily, and they would stay with me until Jack came home.

  It was hard to imagine Seth could harm me as long as I stayed in Red Cliffs, but my family and friends were circling the wagons nonetheless.

  In spite of Jack’s protest, I’d decided to continue singing every Friday and Saturday night. Safety-wise, a bar full of my town folks was an excellent idea. Besides, I kind of liked being a star.

  Between my work and singing, our house constantly full of people and Jack’s busy schedule, there wasn’t much opportunity to be alone with that sexy father of my child. Not until late in the evening, after the last visitors left, did we have time just for us.

  Those peaceful evenings reminded me of our few weeks in Rosenthal. Jack would make us supper, and then we would talk, watch TV, have a walk or retire to our bedroom and—a great improvement on our Rosenthal days—make love.

  At first, I had to convince Jack it was okay, even preferable, to maintain a healthy physical relationship.

  “Of course I know that,” he’d said. “At least theoretically. But are you sure it’s okay for you? I mean, I can wait.”

  “This pregnancy is as healthy as they come, Jack. And in a healthy pregnancy, sex drive can increase, decrease or stay the same. I think I’m in that first group.”

  “Well, if you say it’s safe, who am I to question it?” he added, but I felt he still wasn’t one hundred percent convinced.

  I had a solution for this. “If it will give you peace of mind, talk to Ahmed. He’ll tell you the same.”

  “You must be kidding! How can I talk to Ahmed about my sex life with my pregnant wife?”

  I laughed. “What’s the big deal? If memory serves, you used to discuss my monthly cycle with him.”

  Jack braced himself on his elbow, slanting his mouth over mine. “That was different. You know what? I’m gonna trust you with this. You’re a doctor.”

  “Relax, we’re fine right to the moment labor starts,” I murmured kissing him back.

  JACK’S LOVE was my shield against fear and uncertainty. His own defenses were the thorough preparations for the upcoming battle.

  For my part, I’d decided to obey everything he asked. I didn’t make a single complaint about my sudden lack of privacy, extensive social life and various guards that surrounded me. I focused on the child growing inside my body, my little girl who started tickling me with her little arms and feet.

  Often, I’d stop in the middle of a sentence, dazzled, feeling her quickening. I was certain she knew somehow when Jack was around. She could be quiet all day and then suddenly move as soon as Jack put his hand on my bump. I was surprised that Jack could actually feel her little acrobatics under his fingers—she was only 16 weeks old—but then I remembered that his bonus abilities hadn’t been shut down like mine. “Oh, we already have that special father-daughter bond,” Jack said to me. “You can’t understand that.”

  Evenings and nights were her favorite time. We would lay awake for hours, with Jack’s hand placed on my abdomen, and let her play.

  “Have you thought about the name?” I asked Jack one night.

  “Let’s wait until she’s born. Let a name choose her.”

  Jack smiled and patted my stomach. “Okay than. For the time being, we call her Miss Canagan. Or Miss Mohegan-Canagan?”

  I pressed my hand over Jack’s. “Miss Canagan is perfect.”

  As if she could hear us—“Of course she can,” Jack said, convinced—she started kicking. “I think Miss Canagan agrees.” He kissed my little bump and said to her, “Now would you kindly go to sleep? Your mother and I need some private adult time, if you don’t mind.”

  Forty

  Jack

  WE WERE going to raid Copper Ridge on the night of October 27th. If we were lucky, it’d be over in a few hours. I’d sent a message to Darius and he agreed. I’d spoken to Bessim Nimmani, the Winston Einhamir. He’d said he’d send his men right away, just in case we had to move the date of the attack up. They arrived the following day and stayed hidden in the forest one hour from Red Cliffs.

  James, Ahmed, the Blakes, Adam and Ingmar also knew the date. I didn’t tell Astrid, though. The longer I could keep it from her, the better.

  I pushed the date of the attack a month and a half forward. Crazy as he was, Seth Withali was essentially a clown, like those super-villains from Batman movies; a highly intelligent screwball with a cruel sense of humor. His modus operandi was deeply ingrained in his current mental state. I suspected he was planning some kind of attack on Halloween night, taking advantage of the festive atmosphere Red Cliffs was famous for. Darius couldn’t confirm nor deny my suspicions. He’d informed us that Seth was indeed planning to do something soon. He’d been training his squadron and spending hours and hours with some of the vampires he’d hired and kept in his private quarters.

  He could still decide to make a move any time before October 27th so I’d tightened the security around Astrid.

  For once she didn’t complain about being under a 24/7 watch. Our baby put everything into perspective.

  Our baby… My daughter. My little Miss Canagan.

  We hadn’t talked about it yet, but I suspected Astrid would like to continue working after Miss Canagan turned one, so I had a plan: I would be a stay-at-home dad. An Einhamir position wasn’t exactly an eight-to-four job. The two of us could travel short distances and attend unofficial meetings and receive people at our house. Mom, Dad and the rest of the family would pitch in when necessary. I would need to learn a few girly things, though: how to do braids, polish her fingernails, play with dolls and dress Miss Canagan in complementary colors. It shouldn’t be too difficult. We could also watch football together, build a tree house and ride horses.

  My daughter and I had already established a special relationship. As soon as I put my hand over Astrid’s stomach, she would start moving. She felt like gentle bubbling under my fingers. I knew she could recognize my voice. She liked music, and her
little maneuvers would become more prominent if we played it. So far, I could say she wasn’t very keen on opera, but liked good old rock, like her Daddy.

  IT WAS supposed to be the happiest time of my life. I was in love with the most beautiful woman that ever walked the earth. She was my bond-mate, my partner, my friend and my lover. And she was pregnant with my child. I should have felt as if I’d conquered the world. Yet, Seth was set to take that happiness from us, and ruin God knew how many other lives in the process.

  Well, over my dead body.

  If only Astrid had agreed to go to Gelltydd Coch. Our relatives and Livia’s Tel-Urugh friends would keep her safe there until we took Seth down. Here in Red Cliffs, she was a constant challenge for Seth, a lure he was madly and blindly attracted to. But Astrid had stuck to her guns, resolutely refusing to leave Red Cliffs.

  No matter how much her decision complicated my life, I understood her. And I knew that I would’ve been lost without her. She was my sun and moon and all my stars. She was bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh, as I was hers.

  I braced myself on my elbow, hovering over the sleeping woman that I loved with all my heart with my every thought, every breath, every fiber of my being. Her hand was placed across the soft swell of her stomach, where our little daughter was sleeping, safe, warm and protected. Astrid looked more beautiful than ever. Pregnancy had slightly curved her hips, her breasts were big and swollen, getting ready for nursing, her rosy nipples became darker and larger, her firm, round bum got heavier. I smiled: now I needed both my hands to squeeze it. Her face shone with the beatific glow reserved for pregnant women.

  She looked like Mother Earth herself.

  “You won’t take this from me, Seth,” I grunted through my clenched teeth. “You killed my father, her father, you turned my mother’s and Rowena’s lives into hell, but God help me, I’ll stop you before you harm my wife and my child.” I kissed my sleeping wife and placed my hand over her round swell.

 

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