by Sasha Pruett
“What is it Calynn, I know that look. What’s been happening, why haven’t you told me?”
“It’s nothing, at least I think it’s nothing. Sounds bother me more, like when I use to have a headache or when I get stressed and things seem to be amplified, but not every sound just random ones. Smells are different too stronger than before, but that is also a part of being pregnant. I can’t say for certain they’re powers or whatever or just another pregnancy thing. I haven’t been hiding anything, I just didn’t think…”
He wrapped his arms around her from behind burying his face in her hair feeling her pulse throb in her neck, “Okay, okay, I understand. It’s not as cut and dry as I’d like, but we can work around that.”
“I guess I’m not being very helpful.”
“Hey, it’s all right, this is far from normal even for me. I have no idea what to expect either, but I’m here and like I said we’ll figure this out together.”
“Normal, that’s a foreign concept of late.”
“At least for you.”
“Oh, so you fall in love and marry a quasi-human girl every year is that it?”
He hugged her tighter, wanting to hold her forever, always keeping her safe in his arms.
“Only the really special ones, but let’s face it you’ve never been normal Calynn or else we wouldn’t be here now.” There was something about that remark that burrowed into his brain and replayed over and over. She hadn’t been normal, not from day one. “Calynn?”
“Hmm?”
“You ran track in school.”
“Yes, that’s how I got my scholarship.” Asking him how he knew that would be pointless. She doubted there was much about her life that he didn’t know by now.
“You won quite often according to your record. Were you ever defeated?”
“No, one of my few bragging points in life. What does my old track record have to do with anything?”
“You said when you were stressed sounds affected you, was it always like that?”
She wondered if she would spend the entire night confused, but she did as he asked and tried to think back as the pieces began to fall into place. “The baby isn’t what started the change is it?”
“I don’t believe so no. I believe you’ve always had your abilities, our abilities. They were simply dormant unless you were sick or stressed and only in small ways like when you’d push your body in physical activities. That’s how you were able to sense danger when Devilicus led you here and then nearly outrun us.”
“But now my genes have been triggered on a grand scale and there’s no turning back.”
Drakon nodded.
Calynn took a deep breath and let it sink in, and he could feel her tense in his arms. “Then I guess it’s a good thing I’m here after all.”
It was Drakon’s turned to be confused. He was expecting her to shudder at the implications, but he should have known she was much stronger than that.
“At least if I’m here with you, you can help me learn to control what’s happening to me. If something had happened out there, with my family I never would have known what was going on. I could have hurt someone, someone I love.” This time she did shudder.
“Calynn, I would have spared you being dragged into my world, but knowing what you would have had to have faced alone.” He sighed, “I’m glad Devilicus brought you to us; to me.”
“Me too.”
“That may very well be what he sensed all along.”
She relaxed into him thankful for his strong presence and warmth, satisfied just to be in his arms and he wasn’t ready to let her go yet either. The two stayed like that, oblivious to the cooling night and the latening hour when Drakon came to a decision. “Come on, we’d better get back before they suspect we’re gone. I’ll tell them in the morning that I’m moving in with you.” She turned in his embrace to face him, her hands spread on his chest.
“Moving in? Isn’t that a bit forward, I’ve only known you a few weeks?”
“This is serious Calynn, I want to be there in case something happens. Now more than ever we have to be careful. If I’m with you I may be able to determine if it’s a power you’re developing or not and if something does come up I can help you deal with it. You don’t want to be alone, or worse with one of my parents or siblings and have something happen that you can’t explain and get scared.”
“It’s not that I mind you moving in, but Drakon you can’t be with me all the time twenty-four seven.”
“No, I know that, but I would feel better knowing that I could be there freely. Without raising my parents or siblings’ suspicions.”
“Wouldn’t moving in with me a few weeks before we’re married do that?”
“Not if I tell them that you’re growing more nervous and insecure over being around so many of us for the celebration gathering.”
“That would be an understatement.”
“See then.”
“That works for them, but what about Dr. Edme? Isn’t he still experimenting with my blood?”
“I’ve been taking care of the doctor don’t worry. He’ll be out of our lives soon enough.”
“Do I even want to know?”
“Probably best if you didn’t, at least not now anyway. The less you know for now the better, but you could always help by dropping a few hints here and there about how uncomfortable he makes you feel.”
“That wouldn’t be a lie. Consider it done, although I don’t see either of your sisters caring one way or the other.”
“No but you never know who might be eavesdropping, and if you ever need me or need to tell me anything without them listening in our arrangement still works.”
“They’re going to think I’m a dog if I keep talking about going for walks.”
He leaned in and kissed her, a fitting way to hush her.
Chapter Thirty-Four
He waited until she was sleeping peacefully beside him before sliding silently out of bed. He hated to leave especially now that she was so vulnerable, but he still had work to do and if he did it right she would be safe from at least one more member of this nightmare. The trip there and back would take about an hour. The rest depended on those still in the house, but he would be back in plenty of time before she woke.
Drakon made his way throughout the house listening, breathing, hunting. He refused to allow his anxiousness over Calynn and his desire to complete his task as quickly as possible to cause him to make any mistakes. Once he was sure there was nothing worth listening to and his actions were still hidden to everyone, he made his was down to the lab and to the doctor.
It was no secret to him what Dr. Edme had been up to this entire time. In truth, he probably knew more than his own father did about the doctor’s experiments, he’d seen to that. From the day her life had been spared Drakon had been playing both his father and Dr. Edme. Soon he would bring these two to a head and he knew exactly which one would come out victorious. There were two things he could always depend upon when it came to the doctor.
First was his sense of self-importance; his ego. It was what had gotten him banished from his home country centuries ago. He thought himself a god and above the laws of man as he experimented on his unwilling patients. He was brilliant no doubt. Where others saw superstition, he saw science and when others turned to rituals and totems to keep their kind at bay, Dr. Edme began a series of medical and scientific experiments to find a weakness in them. Exactly the kind of man to attract his father’s attention.
Soon the doctor’s thirst for power overcame every other desire and by the time Sir Drake stepped in the man was more than willing to sell his soul to the devil that was his father for a taste of immortality. His father saw a use for him as he did with every human he ‘employed’ and the doctor was no exception. Sir Drake would use the man’s genius to extort whatever advantage his brilliance would gain him and as the decades marched on Edme became the family’s personal physician so to speak. It was indeed a rarity to have a servant as
anything other than a physician to the other servants on the rare occasion one was needed. Usually servants were disposable. Though some became attached to their help like one would a favorite pet, but Sir Drake saw more than that. Their kind were reluctant to share any breakthrough even with those of their own clan. No one dared give an inch when it came to power, but a servant had no such advantages. As the human race advanced in technology other clans began using laboratories and human scientists as well, but his father had pioneered the idea.
Unfortunately for his old man he tended to stay stuck in those days. After all if it wasn’t broke why fix it and that left Dr. Edme’s pride and megalomania unchecked; easy pickings for Drakon. A little manipulation here, a slight push there and it was nothing to get him to deviate with his experiments. Like any magician he’d keep the doctor looking left while he was manipulating the right.
Another thing Drakon could depend on was the doctor’s greed, not for money, but for glory. Any discovery he made would have to be his own with absolutely no help or possible help from any of his assistants. If something went wrong or wasn’t progressing as it should they, naturally were the reason, but they would never be given the chance to show him up or get any credit. Drakon knew Edme would be alone in the lab, only calling for another servant if they were needed for some menial task. All he had to do was wait until the doctor left the room, it would only take seconds and the switch would be seamless. Any notes would be read, any threat known. The doctor would soon be gone, he’d outlived his usefulness anyway.
When he was through he made his way to the study, back into the den of the beast and knocked. His father tended to disappear during the day, understandably and he needed to speak with him now.
“Is everything alright son? I hope dinner with the future in-laws wasn’t too much for our Calynn?”
“No, but I believe there is something bothering her.”
“Go on.”
“I’m not quite sure what, she’s reluctant to discuss it with me, but I sense a growing uneasiness within her. I can’t discern whether it’s the upcoming ceremony or something else entirely.”
“The human’s call it ‘cold feet’, something to do with regretting or questioning the decision to marry at the last moment. It’s a normal human weakness, it will pass, but you must make sure she has no qualms about your match.”
“That’s why I’m moving in with her.”
Sir Drake arched his brow.
“I believe it would be the best way to allay any natural hesitation and if there’s something deeper I will be more likely to discover it this way. It may be that she’s uneasy about being surrounded by so many of us come the celebration, but whatever it is I will not allow anything to upset her or the child.”
“Would you care for a larger suite?”
“I don’t believe that’s necessary. I’ll be shipping my belongings to the villa soon anyways, I’ll only move a few things to her room.”
Drake nodded and Drakon turned to leave, but his father stopped him. “Son, if you do find anything or anyone has been bothering her it will be handled.”
“I won’t hesitate to bring it to your attention… if I don’t handle it myself that is.” That earned a proud nod from his father as he left the room, returning to his bride to be.
Chapter Thirty-Five
It had taken her half an hour to convince Drakon that she didn’t need a babysitter while she was with his mother for the afternoon. Finally, with multiple promises that he’d be nearby and she would immediately ‘take a walk’ if she ‘felt ill’ he relented. Returning to giving the servants orders for his new status as roommate and making an appointment with his father to go over the plans for their own home in Switzerland.
The afternoon may have started out a little on the rough side. She hadn’t spent enough time with Lady Anula to know which personality might work best, but Calynn soon enough settled on a role she hoped would suit. Truth be told she wasn’t all that different from any other perspective mother-in-law; at least in this form. From what she’d gleaned from Drakon his mother liked to reinvent herself every generation or so. It seemed that this go around she had decided on the persona of a southern belle; a lady of sophistication, of grace and of ease. As long as Calynn acted as much like a lady as she could things went fairly smoothly. It wasn’t all that difficult, she had been born and raised in the south and the idea and history of the southern belle was nothing new to her.
It was obvious that Drakon’s mother had been born into wealth and had known nothing but. Her idea of a storage room was an underground warehouse stacked with isles of furniture, brick-a-brack, and anything and everything a person would need to set up house. Many of the items were hundreds, even thousands of years old. She wasn’t kidding when she’d said she hated to give up any of her belongings. There were miles of items all arranged by era, style, and use and it would take any normal person days if not weeks to sort through it all. Fortunately, they weren’t forced to walk, although for his mother that wasn’t an issue. Golf carts were used for not only Calynn’s convenience, but for the servants as well. They spent hours riding around in the back of the cart while Lady Anula sipped one southern concoction after another pointing out some of her favorite pieces, urging Calynn to do the same and after a few minutes of awe she finally did. It didn’t take long for her ladyship to pick up on Calynn’s style. Simple, classic, sturdy, functional with a draw to history and the unique and was soon able to direct them to areas of the warehouse that made Calynn’s eyes widen with admiration. Anula snapped her fingers and the car drew to a halt, allowing them to step down. The ladies made their way down another aisle followed by more servants as she recited each piece’s history and marking which items Calynn could not help but run her fingers across.
“That piece I picked up oh, about three hundred years ago in the East Indies. I had quite an exceptional time hunting that day, I really must make it back there some time. I’m sure they must have something new to interest me by now; at least I’d hope. Everything these days is so cheaply made and mass produced.”
“It’s exquisite.”
“Yes, I quite agree.”
That’s how the afternoon passed until Calynn let out a deep breath, it was time to kick this mother daughter bonding thing up a notch.
“My dear, is something the matter? I’m not tiring you too much am I?”
“No not at all Mother Anula, it’s just that… well it’s all a bit over whelming is all. I mean, I think it’s finally starting to hit me that I’m going to be responsible for an entire household and unlike you I don’t have the wisdom or grace for it. I don’t see how I could possibly handle it all, at least not unless I have someone to help teach me how. Would you… would you consider teaching me how to be a lady like you? I know it won’t be easy, but I don’t want to disgrace Drakon or you and Sir Drake for that matter. I hope I haven’t overstepped my bounds.”
Lady Anula beamed. Handing her mint julip off to one of the servants before throwing her arms around Calynn’s shoulders.
“Oh my dear, you have nothing to be concerned about. With Drakon by your side and my guidance it will be as if you were born to us. I can teach you everything there is to being the lady of the house Calynn and I have every confidence that you’ll master it in no time. Believe me when I tell you that you’re quite special.” Anula stroked Calynn’s hair speaking almost to herself at times.
“You already have a very well-developed taste in décor and with my influence you’ll be every much a Drake as any of us. There’s more to you than you think, but first things first. We need to get your items shipped up to the villa, then we can concentrate on other things.”
“My items?”
“Yes dear, the ones you’ve chosen.”
“But I haven’t chosen anything.”
“Oh yes you have. Every piece that made your breath hitch, your eyes dilate, or your pulse quicken even those you’ve touched have been marked for transport. You forget my dear I c
an sense these things.”
“Touché, Mother Anula.”
The two continued until Calynn began to tire and Lady Anula gave the order to return them to the house.
“I know my son is taking the best of care of you, but if you will indulge me… how are you feeling Calynn?”
“A little tired from time to time, but other than that I’m doing alright.”
“And Dr. Edme, he’s been treating you appropriately?”
Calynn hesitated just enough.
“There is no wrong answer my dear, anything you say will be fine you have my word. Alright?”
Calynn nodded.
“So, Dr. Edme?”
“He hasn’t done anything… wrong per se. It’s just…, well the way he looks at me, or touches me, even when he draws my blood… I don’t know. Maybe I’m imagining it, but there’s something in his eyes and the look on his face that makes me uncomfortable, very uncomfortable really. Still he hasn’t done anything.”
“Have you discussed this with Drakon?”
“No, I didn’t think it was right. He’s just been told that he has to marry me. I didn’t think complaining about how Dr. Edme makes me feel creeped out would be the right way to start off our relationship.”
Anula gave a knowing smile. “You absolutely should my dear. After all he’s responsible for your care. We all are.”
“Can he even do anything about it? It’s not like I can go to just any doctor. No one can know about me and Dr. Edme is the only one that can deliver this baby isn’t he?”
“Not necessarily. How would you feel about a midwife?”
“A midwife?”
“Why yes, they have been used by our kind for generations. Long before doctors were ever considered. Would you be more comfortable with a midwife, someone you could choose to aid in your pregnancy and delivery?”
“Yes, absolutely. Thank you, Mother Anula, but would Sir Drake be all right with that?”