“You talked to my doctor!” I yelled as Sebastian closed the door. He reappeared on my side opening the door.

  “Everything was extremely thought out, Gaby. There’s even several contingencies incase we’re followed. Which it looks like we’re not. So come on. Get up. Just go pee and we can get going. We’re almost there.”

  I groaned climbing out of the car with his help. “Do they know we’re arriving?”

  “Nope,” is all he said as he escorted me to the bathroom.

  He opened the door and walked in in front of me. “You’re not coming in with me!” I exclaimed.

  He rolled his eyes. “Watching you pee does nothing for me. I’m just making sure it’s safe.” His face turned grim as he continued. “If anything happens to you…” He didn’t say anything more as he turned and walked out of the room leaving me alone.

  Over an hour later, we pulled up to the Alexander’s home. I was nervous. It was strange to be arriving with Sebastian by my side instead of Grayson. It seemed wrong somehow. Like I was betraying my husband. Sebastian exited the car and came over to my side. When I hesitated, he leaned down to face me.

  “They were influenced to be prepared. Don’t worry.”

  “What does that mean?” I asked as Sebastian helped me from the car.

  “The moment they see you, Damien’s influence will kick in. They’ll think they were expecting you, but forgot.”

  “And you?”

  “You worry too much,” he teased. “Come on.” He walked to the trunk removing the bags. Sebastian was busy tugging on one of our bags when I heard Mrs. Alexander calling from the front door.

  “Gaby?” She was confused then I saw Damien’s influence take over. “Oh, dear.” She palmed her forehead. “We forgot you were arriving today.”

  I smiled as she approached. “We should have called to remind you,” I offered. Sebastian closed the trunk bring our attention to him.

  “And this is the friend Grayson said would be joining you?” Her tone was insinuating, but I did my best to ignore it.

  I nodded. “You’ve met Sebastian before.”

  “That’s right.” She eyed him questionably for a moment before slipping her hostess mask firmly back in place. I understood how Grayson was able to use his masks with ease. “Well, welcome Sebastian. Let me get Charles out here to help with the luggage.”

  “That’s not necessary. I’ve got it,” he stated.

  “Alright then. Let me show you to your rooms so you can put them down. Gaby, you remember where Grayson’s room is?” I nodded. “You’ll be staying there. And Sebastian you’ll take the room next to ours.”

  I couldn’t help but bite my lip to stifle a laugh. Mrs. Alexander was putting Sebastian in the room farthest away from me and where she could keep an eye on him. She showed us to our rooms and told us she’d have dinner ready in an hour, leaving us alone upstairs.

  Sebastian stepped into my room setting the suitcase down then closed the door securely behind him. I watched him wondering his intentions.

  “Damien influenced them so they know what you are.”

  “What?” I was stunned. My knees went out lowering me to the bed. Why would he do that, I wondered?

  “Blood, Gaby?” Sebastian answered. “There would be no way to explain it. You’ll need the fridge to store it.” It made sense and I didn’t know why I hadn’t thought of that. Lately my pregnancy brain was making commonsense things harder for me to grasp.

  “Of course,” I mumbled. “That makes sense.”

  “I’ll go out tomorrow and find the closest blood bank to get some, but until I do…” Sitting down on the bed Sebastian grabbed my hand pulling me closer.

  “Sebastian,” I sighed, but my mouth began watering. I struggled to maintain my fangs concealment.

  “Don’t make me guilt you into feeding Gaby, because I will. Just do it.”

  I groaned and debated on pressing the matter, but knew he’d not relent until I gave in. “Sit on the floor,” I commanded. It felt wrong doing it in Grayson’s room, but the least I could do was not feed from Sebastian on my husband’s bed. Without a word, Sebastian slid to the ground. Offering me a hand he helped ease me to the floor. I got down on my knees sitting on one of his legs so my belly was out of the way. His arm wrapped around my back to support me while the other found its way to my hip. “You fed from me earlier,” I stated nervously. I wondered if there was a reason to worry. “Is that… Will there…”

  “Nothing strange or supernatural will occur, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  I nodded. His words put me at ease. Finding my angle, I didn’t even hesitate before I sunk my teeth into his neck. I hadn’t fed all day and feeding him earlier had taken more out of me than I anticipated. A moan of pleasure sounded as euphoria flowed through me. Sebastian’s arm gripped me tighter. His fingers dug into my hip. I gripped his hair in one hand whilst the other held his shoulder.

  “Gaby, I was…” A voice began as the door opened. Startled, I withdrew just as Mrs. Alexander appeared. “Oh, I’m sorry,” her face flushed. I knew how intimate feeding looked. I scrambled off of Sebastian quickly wiping the blood from my lips. She averted her gaze glancing anywhere but at us. “I just wanted to speak with you before dinner, but it can wait.” She started shutting the door.

  “No. We’re done here,” I hollered before the door shut.

  “No we’re not, Gaby,” he whispered. Sebastian had been feeding me long enough to know that I’d barely started.

  “It’ll be fine.”

  He looked like he wanted to argue, but kept quiet. With a curt nod he stood. He gave me a backward glance hoping I’d see reason, but I chose to be stubborn. Grayson’s mother already made me feel like I had been doing something wrong. I hoped by speaking to her that it would put her at ease.

  “Do you need help, dear?” Mrs. Alexander asked after Sebastian left and I struggled to get off the floor. I smiled and nodded. She attempted to help until I rested on the edge of the bed.

  “What did you want to talk to me about, Mrs. Alexander?” I kept my tone calm, when all I wanted to do was call Sebastian back and finish drinking from him. I was famished.

  “You know you can call me Josie and I wanted to talk to you about food, but it seems your friend already has that covered.”

  “That’s all it was, Mrs—Josie,” I corrected. “I would never betray Grayson. I hope you know that.”

  She nodded. “I wanted to tell you thank you.”

  “For?”

  “I know what Grayson is.” My body stiffened readying for a verbal attack. “I know you turned him.”

  “I—”

  She held her hand out to silence me. “Thank you.” That wasn’t the response I expected. She knew I turned her human son into a predator. “Without you we would have lost our boy. Charles and I are so grateful for what you did.”

  I offered her a smile, but it didn’t reach my eyes. I glanced away feeling my emotions get the better of me. “I love him, but you have to know my presence is what put him at jeopardy in the first place.”

  Giving me a motherly grin she only appeared sincere. “He loves you, Gaby. He understands the risks, but I know he’s a little less vulnerable now and can handle himself. So thank you. And I also wanted to talk about the blood situation. While you’re here if you need…” Clearing her throat she struggled for the word. “Charles and I would both be happy to offer what we can.”

  “Josie,” I spoke up feeling grateful for her offer, but knew I could never accept it. “I appreciate the offer, but I can’t accept. You’re Grayson’s parents. As you saw it can be rather…intimate.”

  “Darling it doesn’t have to be direct like that. We can donate it by a bag.”

  “Thank you. You don’t know what it means, but Sebastian will head to the blood bank tomorrow.”

  “Alright.” She placed her hand over mine giving it a gentle squeeze. “I just wanted to offer.”

  I laid in bed that night when my luggage started ringing. I crawled out of bed and dismembered the bag tracking down the ringing. It stopped and started for the third time when I finally found it.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, baby?”

  “Grayson? What? How?” I was grinning from ear to ear feeling so elated to hear from him. Of course I had just seen him earlier that day, but I hadn’t expected to hear from him so it made it so much more special.

  “The line’s secure so the phone can’t be traced. GPS was disabled on it too. You’re safe to use it.”

  I heard him shuffling around piquing my curiosity. “What are you doing?”

  “Getting into bed. You?”

  “Same,” I sighed sitting on the edge of the mattress toying with my shirt.

  “So…What are you wearing?” he teased.

  “Grayson!” I giggled.

  “You think I’m joking, but earlier wasn’t nearly enough. Tell me, if you were here, would you be content with just talking?”

  My face flushed. “No,” I thought about what he was asking and it was the truth. I would never get enough of him. “What if someone hears?” I questioned. What if Sebastian hears? I thought quietly. It was my real concern.

  “Gaby,” he groaned. There was a beep on the line, but it wasn’t from my phone. “Hang on.” I heard more shuffling. “Sebastian just texted me. He said he’s going to be searching the perimeter for thirty minutes.” I exhaled a deep breath. I wasn’t sure if it was in relief or guilt. Of course he heard our conversation. His senses weren’t muted like mine since I’d been poisoned. “So…what are you wearing?” I debated on the situation and if Sebastian was out of ear range then I should make the most of it.

  “Hang on.” I heard him huff before I set the phone down making me smirk. It took only a few seconds before I picked up the phone and crawled into bed. “Absolutely nothing,” I replied teasingly. This time he groaned for an entirely different reason.

  I sat up straight, covered in a sheen of sweat causing my t-shirt to cling to my body. My heart pounded erratically behind my ribs as my chest heaved while I tried to catch my breath. I clutched at my throat feeling it ache just as Sebastian burst through the door. He was shirtless, but even the sight of his well-muscled form did little to sate my panic. He glanced around the room looking for what had frightened me. Little did he know that there was nothing present.

  Hall lights flipped on illuminating behind him making him look like a true angel.

  “Gaby?” Mrs. Alexander called out coming up behind him. Sebastian blocked the doorway. His arms were outstretched clutching the frame as if he was preparing to launch off.

  “I’m fine,” I called out when I saw Mrs. Alexander duck under Sebastian’s arm to glance at me. “Just a bad dream.” I tried smiling reassuringly. I’m not sure how effective it was, because neither one of them budged. “I promise.”

  “Can I get you anything? Water? Tea?” she offered.

  “No,” I shook my head. “I’m sorry I woke you all.”

  “Don’t worry about that dear. You just get back to sleep.” She turned to go, but peered over her shoulder when Sebastian didn’t follow. She heaved a heavy breath, but retreated back to her room. I smirked to myself when I never heard the door click shut. Sebastian seemed to notice it too because he huffed before padding across the floor to me. Kneeling down beside me he reached for my hand and I clutched his for dear life.

  “What happened?” he asked.

  “Like I said…”

  “What were you dreaming?” he asked cutting me off knowing I’d be evasive to put everyone at ease.

  I inhaled sharply. When I gazed at him I felt the first tear begin to fall. Sebastian was on the bed beside me in an instant scooping me up in his arms. My head buried into his chest finding comfort I didn’t even realize I sought. Gripping him like he was my lifeline I cried because the ominous dream I’d awoken from was one I’ve had before. It was one I had already shared with Sebastian. One I had hoped to never experience again.

  The words, you can’t save them both and you just have to choose who, rung loudly in my head.

  “I can’t,” I whispered against Sebastian’s chest.

  “Can’t what?” he asked.

  “Lose you both,” I cried curling into him more.

  He didn’t ask me anything else, just held me as I cried myself to sleep. When I woke the next morning I was alone. I wondered if the visit from Sebastian had been just a dream too. But neither the visit from him nor the one from Clive and Anton were easily forgotten.

  Grayson

  I spoke with Gaby every night before bed. There were times she’d call me earlier. On one such occasion she called because she felt like the baby did a summersault. Both my mom and Sebastian explained to her it was the baby getting into position. That scared the hell out of me, but my mother made clear that it didn’t necessarily mean the baby was coming anytime soon. Gaby wasn’t far enough yet. It gave me little relief. I knew I should be by her side, but it wasn’t in the cards.

  My mother called me about her reservations with Sebastian. I was both grateful and annoyed with her meddling. I groaned listening to her complaints.

  “I know about her relationship with him while you were gone, Grayson. That didn’t escape my notice, even here. I never condemned her for it. Now they’re here together and what if those old feelings start to arise. Do you know she’s been feeding from him even though there’s blood in the fridge?”

  “Mom!” I groaned stopping her rant. “Nothing ever happened between them.”

  She huffed. “I saw the paper, Grayson. There was clearly something going on.”

  I sat up straighter preparing to enlighten my mother. “Listen to me mom. Not that it’s any of your business, but they never slept together.”

  “Now you’re just being naïve.” I almost laughed about that, but I thought it unwise. Grown or not, she was still my mother. “That man is delicious. If I was twenty years younger…No way were they platonic.”

  Feeling grossed out by her statement, her intrusion was also infuriating me. “Mother,” I hissed. “I trust Gaby not to lie to me.”

  “You asked her?” She was obviously skeptical.

  “I did.” I decided to finish this conversation now. I was done listening to my mother prying. “Gaby’s different about sex, mom. She was a virgin when we got together.”

  “A virgin,” she said it like a foreign word. “You’re sure?”

  This time I did laugh, a deep humorous chuckle. “Positive.”

  She sighed and I could almost picture her rolling her eyes. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt or her to be taken advantage of.”

  “He loves her mom. I know that, but I trust him with her life and I trust Gaby not to betray me.”

  “I’m coming to see you this week.” I stated when I called Gaby Monday. It had been just over a week since she left and I was missing her like crazy.

  “You are?” I could hear the hope rise in her voice, but there was a reservation. She wanted to believe me, but also thought I might not be serious. It’d been too long since I laid my eyes on her. It’d be almost two weeks by the time I’d finally be able to.

  “Friday. I’m going to spend the weekend.”

  “And it’s safe?” I had made a big deal about us being apart to keep her protected so I didn’t take her reluctance personal.

  “It will be.”

  “Good,” she sighed. “I miss you so much. One week and I swear I’m as big as a house. I wish you could see me.”

  I grinned to myself. “Send me a picture.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah,” I shrugged. “It’s still a week before I can lay eyes on you. You’ll look different by then too.”

  “Okay, hang on.” I could hear some movement over the line. It took longer than I expected before she was back. “Sent.”

  I pulled my phone away and saw a new text. My mouth fell open when I saw it. “Why, Mrs. Alexander, did you just send me a nude?” I grinned so huge that I thought I might get stuck like that. It was a picture of her laying on the bed at my parent’s house. My bed. Her shirt was missing and her arm was draped barely covering her breasts. I could see just a hint of her nipple poking out from between her fingers. Part of me wondered if she’d showed it just to drive me crazy.

  “Damn I meant to send that to my other husband. Hang on and I’ll send you yours.”

  I growled when she went quiet. After several seconds, she came back on just as my phone alerted me. The second one had me straining against my zipper. She was completely naked. Her legs were parted but her hand was covering between her thighs. Covering wasn’t the right word because she was clearly playing with herself. Her other hand was busy pinching on of her nipples. My eyes fluttered to her face where she was biting her lip.

  “How’d you take that? No one else better be seeing you.”

  “You think I asked your mom to come help me take nude pictures to send to her son?” She giggled at the obscenity. “It was timed.” She paused. “Did you…like… them?”

  Even after all this time together, she was still a little insecure about her sexuality. “Do you want me to send you a picture showing how much I liked them?” I asked rubbing my palm against my straining erection.

  “Grayson,” she moaned.

  “Touching yourself, baby?” I growled.

  “Yes,” she moaned again.

  “Good,” I undid my pants and began stroking myself. “So am I.”

  Thursday, when I called Gaby, I was prepared for her disappointment. “I can’t make it Friday. Something came up.”

  “Oh,” she sighed. There it was. In that one word she broke me.

  “I’m so sorry, baby. I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

  “You don’t…”

  “I do.” I cut her off. “I told you I would be there Friday and now I can’t. I promise I will make it up to you.” I smiled when she believed me.

  Saturday morning around breakfast, I pulled up outside my parent’s house. Even from the car I could hear my parents up and busy in the kitchen. That didn’t surprise me. They were always morning people. I heard the voices of both my mom and dad along with Sebastian, but not Gaby. I had timed it to get there before she woke. I was glad that in the two weeks we’d been apart that her sleep pattern hadn’t changed.