Vanessa isn’t fazed by my lack of response. She takes my vitals, checks my eyes and ears, and then gently guides me to my back. Oh god, the nausea issomuch worse on my back. Did I eat something bad?
She frowns while pushing on my stomach. “That’s odd.”
“What?”
“I can hear another heartbeat.”
My vision tunnels as my ears clog up with water.
Did she just saytwo heartbeats?
Christ. Almighty Alpha and Omega who I don’t give two flying shits about.
Has it really been that long since I started screwing Darius?
I’m just a human. I didn’t even think about it. Shit, I really didn’t consider anything, did I? I just banged away like it was the end of days and I had nothing left.
Time flies when you’re being reckless.
It’s been eight weeks since I got here. And now I’m staring at this vampire nurse like she’s got two goddamn heads.
While her lips move soundlessly, I try to get myself under control. Two heartbeats. Fuzzy teddy bear dreams. Nausea, cravings, desires out of control—that meanspregnant.
“Amber? Are you alright? Hello?” Vanessa waves a vial under my nostrils. The room comes slamming back into sharp awareness. She nods once and offers a small smile. “I can see that’s alarming news. What would you like to do?”
“I don’t know.”
She helps me sit up and holds my shoulders. “You have time to make a decision. I’m required by the kingdom to inform your vampire of any changes to your health. If you tell me what you want to do, I can make sure you get the right treatment.”
Changes to your health. Sweet and merciful gods, what if that change isbecauseof my vampire?
This was exactly what I had been avoiding at Onyxias. King Marr, his grubby hands, his disgusting leering, his interrogations with my sister…
I blink rapidly. “I should go. Thank you, Vanessa.”
“Wait, I have to tell your—”
But I was already out the door and down the hallway before she could say anything more. I ran up the stairs until my lungs burned, until my muscles ached, until the nausea was so bad that I nearly fainted from it. I darted into my suite, locked the door, and hopped into bed, wrapping myself repeatedly in my sheets.
I know he’ll come looking for me. I know he’ll want to know what’s going on. I know that vampire nurse will rat me out.
That application review can fuck off. I just want to hide until I can’t hide anymore.
Trumpets announce the return of the king. It’s not odd to hear fanfare in the middle of the night, but it is strange that Darius doesn’t appear to collect me himself. I run to the balcony and whip open the doors, night air soothing my clammy skin. I’ve been sweating in my sleep. But I’m not sure for how long.
A few lanterns illuminate the black Mercedes in the driveway. It empties, revealing Tessa and Quinn. Her eyes immediately rise to my balcony. But I’m not really looking at my sister. I’m looking at her husband holding up a case—no, it looks more like a small cooler with latches on it. Runes glow around the lock as Quinn invites Aerial forward. She waves her hand over the lock and a small flash of light erupts.
My heart twists in my chest and I practically cry out when I see what Quinn holds up—the head of the king who hurt us and thousands of other creatures.
I clutch my stomach. She can’t come up here. She’ll notice the other heartbeat, too. I can’t exactly hide a pregnancy in this place.
And we have magical blood. Did King Marr know that? Was he planning on getting me pregnant so he could use my child as a weapon?
Alarms blare through my body.
Shit, what if Darius wants to do that? His kingdom would just be so powerful with a vampire child that has magical abilities, wouldn’t they?
Fuck me. What the hell am I supposed to do?