ChapterTwenty
Yesenia had fully expected Leo to avoid her for days, like he'd done previously. She'd actually hoped for it, truth be told, given how awkward their next meeting would inevitably be.
However, after a mostly restless night of thinking, she'd barely been asleep for an hour when there was a knock on the door, followed by Leo's muffled voice. "I'm coming in, Yesenia."
She placed a pillow over her head as he entered. "I don't want to talk to you right now. I'm tired."
"I need to address this, and now. It can't wait." He plucked the pillow off her head and she blinked up at the vampire sitting on the edge of her bed.
As he came into focus, she noticed the bruise on his cheek. "What happened to your face?"
"The bruise doesn't matter. First, I need to apologize. I didn't mean to surprise you by spilling my seed inside you."
With a sigh, she closed her eyes. "You already said that. It's partly my fault for not saying anything before we started having sex."
"No, it's my fault. I should've been the one to ensure you knew what the claiming entailed instead of handing over the task to Nora." She opened her mouth, but he continued before she could say a word. "But there's something else I want to tell you straightaway before you try to argue some more: if you need one, I'll find a fae witch to help you, if you don't want children."
She opened her eyes again, studying his, trying to discover what he wanted when it came to kids.
But the stupid arrogant, emotionless Leo was back. "Is that what you want, Leo? To get rid of any child?"
"It's not what I want that matters, but rather what you desire. I won't have you forced into a situation you don't want. Ever again, if I have any say in the matter."
The ferocity of his last sentence had her sitting up slowly and leaning against the headboard of the bed. She studied him a second before asking softly, "I appreciate that, I really do. But why are you so upset about this? It's as if you'd broken my arm, or stabbed me, or something much more extreme than us both getting lost in the moment and each assuming we knew what the other expected."
As he always did when he was either uncomfortable or about to leave, he straightened his waistcoat. "I'm not upset."
The lingering awkwardness faded and she couldn't help but snort. "Don't make yourself faint again from lying."
He leaned closer, and it took everything she had to focus on his words and not his proximity. "I'm not upset, Yesenia. No, I'm furious. At myself."
It was on the tip of her tongue to tease him about word choices, but something about the flash of shame and self-hatred in his eyes, only for a second, made her forget about everything except wonder what the hell was going on inside his head. "Then tell me why."
He moved away a few inches. "It's not important."
She raised her brows. "If you want me to forgive you fully, then you'll share why. Otherwise I'm going to have to stay mad at you."
He tapped a finger on his thigh, but she merely crossed her arms over her chest. His gaze dipped to her plumped-up boobs, but quickly went back to her eyes. He stared. She stared back.
Truly by now he should know his lordly vampire persona wasn't going to work on her.
At least when it came to intimidation. Her traitorous body wanted more of him inside her, touching her, and all the other dirty things she'd briefly dreamed about.
Focus, Yesenia. Lust can fade. Get to know the male so you can make more informed decisions.
It was true—she hadn't yet decided what she'd do if she ended up pregnant. Not to mention once Meadow and River were safe, she had to determine whether she wanted to stay and be Leo’s bride in truth, as well as if he wanted her as she suspected he did.
But she damned well knew if he continued to keep his distance, there would be no real choice at all; he'd push her away for good. Some females might keep chasing someone who didn't want them, all for the faint hope they'd finally give in, but she wasn't about to become one of them. She'd lost ten years of having magic in her life and Yesenia had far too much to accomplish to pine away for a male who didn't want her.
As soon as he sighed and stopped tapping his finger, Yesenia knew she'd won. However, she restrained herself from smiling smugly so she could protect his lordly male ego. Vampires, in particular, didn't like to lose.
However, his first words surprised her. "You know how Lenora has a son." She nodded, her curiosity piqued, and he continued, "Did your vampire studies explain how a female vampire is at her most fertile before she enters her frozen state?"
She shook her head, not liking where this was heading. "No, they missed that one."
"Well, it's true. Whilst it's changing, and not as common any longer, in the past many fathers would collect fees to let older, blooded vampires impregnate young female vampires and take away their resulting offspring."
She sucked in a breath as her heart skipped a beat. She'd never heard this before, but she instantly knew Nora had gone through it. Not only that, but it was probably the reason why she didn't leave the gaming hell building. Given what little Yesenia knew of the late nineteenth century, others would probably shame and ridicule Nora for something that had been beyond her choice or control.