Chapter 27 – Emerson
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Emerson
“ I 'm so sorry,” I say, gently handing Ember to Atlas. “Would you hold her for just one moment? There's something I need to take care of outside...”
The orc looks horrified as he studies me. I glance down and realize I’m covered in dried and drying blood.
“I'm fine,” I assure him. My head bobbles as I frown.
I'm pretty sure I shouldn't be fine right now, but I totally am, so I'm not going to stress about that fact too much.
I brush a hand over Ember's head, and she barks.
“Be right back.” I kiss her head and bolt back out the door.
The heavy steel pops open with very little effort.
I jump back, dancing around on my heels, because that was super unexpected. “Oops.”
My head twists as I stare at it in shock. Opening that door was never that easy in the past.
I'm several steps out toward the parking lot when Atlas grumbles, “No worries, I've got this.” He pulls the door closed.
I call out a quick, “Thank you,” and head for Meena and Aline. They're huddled close together, talking while chaos ensues.
“You two were supposed to go inside,” I grumble, shoving a finger at them. “Dread needs to know we're safe, so he can focus on whatever he's trying to do.”
“Are you feeling all right?” Meena asks, stretching out a hand and squeezing mine.
“I'm okay. I have serious questions about what happened, but I also need to handle Alix...I mean, Carson.”
My eyes fly to where his body is. I have plans to repeatedly kick him in the balls while he’s incapacitated. I continue to scan, but he’s freaking missing!
I definitely remember Laithe snapping his neck as Brayden was slitting my throat.
A weird shiver slides through my entire body, and I toss a hand up to feel for any severed skin.
There is no wound, and my eyes immediately search for Laithe.
He's kicking back some type of creature I don't know the name for.
It stands on two legs but has several more appendages that branch out from its waist and touch the ground like tentacles.
His head is mostly humanoid, except for the tiny appendages that flow around his mouth.
The guy staggers back, looking completely annoyed.
Laithe must have healed me , I decide.
Dread is in human form, currently fighting with a tall, extremely lithe...I'm not sure, but I think the man must be fae. He's slender, but his muscles are defined.
Dread pulls the man's head down and slams his knee up into the fae's face.
“You motherfucker. You've broken my nose,” the fae hisses, sounding completely indignant.
It's so bizarre that I can't help the awkward chuckle that escapes my lips. Life has never been as strange as it has since moving to Haven.
Dread spots me and does a double take. He immediately kicks the fae in the chest with both feet, lands in a crouch, and hurries to my side. “Gods, Emerson, I thought I asked you to wait inside.” Dread kisses my cheek and steps in front of me.
“You truly can't help yourself, can you, Ali?” the creature with tentacles asks. “The council won't let whatever she is exist for long.”
Dread releases a roar that echoes around the parking lot. It's a disturbing sound that causes goosebumps to pop up all over my arms.
“She's carrying a fledgling,” Aline says in a disgusted tone. “The gods wouldn't have given me my gifts if they didn't want me to use them.”
“Let's negotiate,” the slender fae says, grinning predatorily.
“Give us three months to prove we can be excellent mates.
Don't run from us. We'll keep our mouths shut about whatever the hell you created and even help defend her if the need should arise.
You know how powerful we are. I wasn't fighting at full capacity, because I didn't want to injure your friends.”
“Whatever abomination she's carrying will need protection,” the tentacle-covered one adds. “A newly turned pregnant creature? You're just asking for the council to strike her and her pup.”
“What?” I gasp.
“Not necessarily a pup,” Arsyn says, appearing at my side and wrapping an arm around my back. “It might be my spawn or even belong to the gargoyle.” His other palm comes to rest over my stomach.
“T-that's not possible,” I stutter out, but even as I say the words, I know it's quite possible.
I remember Nadia walking me through the basics of how every spell has a countermeasure. I can't even pretend like I didn't know, because I was aware.
It never clicked in the moment, but this is why human birth control is so much better than magic.
It never fails just because you both wish it would.
Only when shifter sperm overpowers it.
I frown, shaking my head, because my life is really freaking bizarre.
I glare at Dread's back so hard, I hope he can physically feel it. That jackass and his breeding kink. I think it became contagious, and I caught it.
Dread turns around, offering me a chagrined smile. He shrugs his broad shoulders, and I have the irrational urge to bite him.
Laithe eyes the two of us and chuckles.
I gently shove Arsyn's arm off my shoulder, and before I can even acknowledge what's happening, I'm chucking myself at my hellhound. His red eyes glow as he catches me with ease.
“Are you hungry, love?” he asks, running one hand over my lower back as his other palms my ass.
“Yes,” I hiss.
The next thing I know, fangs I didn't realize I had are digging into his throat.
“Well, fuck ,” Arsyn says.
“I'm coming,” Laithe says.
“Command her as her maker,” the slender fae snaps.
“That'll never happen,” Laithe replies. “She's like a feisty kitten, not a shark.”
The taste of Dread's blood filling my mouth is something I've never experienced. It's warm and rich, like deliciously thick hot cocoa.
“Yes,” Dread groans. “Take all you need.”
“She's a baby,” Laithe says, appearing behind him. “She'll gorge herself and end up sick.”
I take several more long pulls of Dread's blood and pull back because that sounds kind of gross. Blood continues to bubble from the wound, and I slap my hand over it.
“Lick it to seal it in the future,” Laithe says in a soothing tone as he nods to my hand. “But I'm sure he's already healed himself.”
I pull my fingers back, and the wound has closed.
Ryktus comes into sight in the distance, and I frown. I have no idea when he left or what he was doing.
“I love you,” Dread says, bumping his cheek with mine. “I'm so fucking glad you're okay.”
“We all are,” Arsyn says, coming to join us.
Laithe nods his agreement.
“I love you too,” I assure them all. I glance between my monsters, so they know I'm including all of them.
“Not to be an interrupting dick, because it's clear this is an important moment, but did you decide to take our deal?” My eyes fly to the voice.
It's familiar, but different. The slender fae stands with a tall, broad-shouldered man at his side.
He has curly brown hair, and I'm pretty sure that's the guy with tentacles.
“Today sucks,” Aline grumbles, shaking her head. “Three months, then you fuck off back to nowhere.”
“Of course,” the slender fae agrees, bowing at the waist.
“The mutt escaped,” Ryktus says, slowly gliding until he touches down close by. His feet hit the ground as I untangle myself from Dread. “Raisa and her mates are rallying Dread's pack to mount a search.”
I aim for Ryktus. He doesn't turn away or look disgusted, despite the fact I'm pretty damn sure I'm a vampire now. A new vampire saturated in blood. And also pregnant.
Ryk pulls me into him and lifts me so I'm close to his face. He nuzzles his cheek to mine and murmurs, “I love you, little one.”
I stretch up, giving him a kiss on his smooth cheek. “I love you too,” I assure him. “But I'd really like to get my kid, go home, and take a shower.”
“What do you wish to do with the child?” the slender fae asks. His eyes glow a pastel lime green as he meets my gaze.
“Give her a bath, cuddle her close, and pray she's not traumatized for life from this shit show of a night.” The words pop out, and there's no holding them back.
“Don't mind fuck my beloved,” Laithe snarls, stepping between me and the fae.
“Promise or not, I won't stand by and let some creature you all played God to create kill an innocent child.” The slender fae has blood drying on his face from Dread's knee, and he still manages to look haughty.
“You fucking dick,” I hiss. My legs kick as I struggle to get down. Ryktus doesn't release me. “How dare you even think something so ridiculous?”
“You're looking a wee bit murdery,” Arsyn says, coming up to our side. “I don't think it's likely helping our case that you’re a harmless kitten.” He runs his hand over my face, and I slap it away.
“What are you doing?” I ask, turning to face him.
“Trying to return your eyes to blue from white,” he murmurs. “Although, for the record, I find both wildly arousing.”
“Okay, weirdo,” I say, squinting at him. Arsyn simply beams in response.
“It’s time to go home,” Dread says, moving to stand by Aline. “Are you good, or would you like to return to the house with them?”
“I'll be fine,” Aline says, glancing at me. “Those two aren't used to the human realm. If anything goes awry, I'll have the upper hand.”
“Call if you need to,” Arsyn says, smirking over at the beautiful fae.
The strange bubbling of pure rage that hits me is unexpected. He shouldn't be smiling like that at any woman but me.... Which is a totally bizarre thought to have.
“Where's Meena?” I ask no one in particular to distract myself from the weird, murdery feeling I get when I wonder if Arsyn and Aline were ever intimate.
“She's in with Ember,” Dread says. “Laithe, you drive the witch and the pup home.
I'll send them out. Ryktus and Arsyn, you two fly Emerson to the house.” He comes over, kissing my cheek and rubbing a hand over my stomach in a tender caress.
“We'll meet you there as soon as possible.
I need to call my mother and schedule a cleanup of all these bodies, but I'd prefer you were gone when the council officials show up.”
“Okay,” I agree. My eyes fly to Laithe. “Take care of my kid.”
“I'll always protect our daughter,” he says, giving me a cheeky grin. “You keep that bun you've got baking in your oven safe.”
“That was awful.” Arsyn chuckles.
With that, Ryktus takes off, and I try not to obsess about how uncomfortable I am being away from Ember with everything that happened tonight. It's easy to trust Dread and Laithe to look after her, but it's been a fucking day.