Chapter 51
As Jager and Wade pressed soft kisses to my cheeks, I felt cocooned in warmth.
They'd just arrived home from work, and I was getting ready to head out for my own shift.
They leaned in again, brushing their lips against my skin, and I shut my eyes, savoring the moment.
I looked forward to this part of the day—when they'd come in, greeting me with those familiar kisses and asking how I'd spent my time.
I hadn't lifted a finger all day, yet here they were, fresh and energized despite their own long hours. Vampires always looked that way—eternally vibrant.
"We'll get changed so we can drop you off," Jager said, offering a small smile.
I nodded and leaned in to kiss them back. "Sounds good."
"Why didn't you join us for lunch today?" Jager asked.
I brushed a soft pink blush onto my cheeks, blending it with the pale tones of my makeup to create a doll-like effect. I shrugged, not really wanting to go into it. "My head was hurting from all that walking around," I replied casually.
Wade nodded as she kicked off her shoes and shrugged off her jacket. Jager was probably in the shower by now, but I couldn't help stealing a glance at Wade as she pulled off her shirt. Their allure was undeniable; something about them was always mesmerizing.
"We got a call about your passport."
"When will it be ready?" I asked, running a small comb through my eyebrow.
"Around next week. That vacation is coming up sooner than you think."
I shrugged, unconvinced. I didn't feel like I needed a vacation. What I needed was to keep working and taking life one day at a time. I was already going from store to store, indulging in upscale food, watching Netflix—basically living better than before. What more could I ask for?
By the time I looked up, Wade was standing close, her arms wrapping around me.
The independent woman in me—the one who always handled things alone—seemed to slip away.
Over the past few months, I'd started allowing myself to lean on them, even if just a little.
I didn't want to burden them too much, though.
Would they tire of me? I pushed the thought aside, knowing I was overthinking.
Wade's arms slid down to my thighs, effortlessly pulling me closer. I tilted my head to the side to continue applying my makeup, but it only served as an invitation for her to kiss my neck. I cleared my throat to mask a small sigh, though I couldn't help but grin.
"Don't you want a little getaway, bunny?" she murmured.
"I'm afraid of heights," I lied.
"We could travel by sea," Wade murmured against my warm neck, a chuckle in her voice as her fangs grazed my skin. "Or drive all the way to Canada. We could even travel on horseback."
I grinned wider. "We both know that's impossible."
"That's how they used to do it in the old days," she teased, squeezing my thigh.
I couldn't hold back a moan, and she noticed.
The memory of the past few nights flashed through my mind—nights where I barely made it to work because they'd worn me out to the last breath.
It was all I could do to keep up with them.
"How long did you hold the princess title for?" I asked, genuinely curious. Despite my research, that detail was a mystery.
"Well, my parents—the king and queen—still expect me to reclaim it one day. But I held the title for about three centuries before I ran off to the U.S."
"And that's where you met Jager?"
"Not exactly, but we did meet here eventually."
I was curious to hear more of their story. "Will you tell me everything someday?"
"Skip work tonight, and we'll tell you now."
"No, Wade. I want to make a little money tonight. I feel guilty I haven't earned anything lately."
"But we give you money every day."
"I know, but I mean my own money."
Wade gave me another squeeze, and each time she did, it felt like they were squeezing the independence right out of me. "We love having you with us, especially when we're all curled up on the couch," she said softly.
I glanced at her outfit, noticing she was still in just her black t-shirt. "Weren't you supposed to be getting dressed?"
"I was trying to convince you to stay wrapped in our arms tonight—and every night, really."
"Why? When I'm at the club, I'm still in your arms, aren't I?"
"Yes, but then we have to share you."
I smirked. "You're already sharing me."
Her hand slid up from my stomach to my neck, sending a warm shiver through me. "This kind of sharing is different. We love feeling our bodies close to yours, that connection. God, I wish you weren't so stubborn and independent."
The blush on my cheeks deepened; I was already pink enough. "Aren't you worried you might get tired of me?"
She shook her head, holding my gaze firmly. "We could never get tired of you. Ever. That thought would never even cross our minds."
Later, I counted my tips, separating the bills one by one. It felt strange accepting tips from Wade and Jager, especially since I was practically living with them now, with access to more comforts than I was used to. But I swallowed my pride and took it.
Girls filtered in and out of the dressing room, and I rolled my eyes, nearly losing count as Shay burst in, looking panicked.
She rushed to her locker, rummaging frantically, and when it seemed she couldn't find what she needed, she turned to me.
I quickly looked back down at my money, hoping she'd look elsewhere.
"Code red!" she practically shouted.
"What?" I grumbled, frustrated that I'd just lost my count and would have to start over.
"My period—I don't have any tampons."
I reached into my pink locker and pulled one out. "Here," I said, handing it to her.
"You're a lifesaver!" she said, grabbing it and hurrying off with her thighs pressed together. I always kept two tampons on hand; my period had a habit of showing up at work. It must've surprised me at least eight times on the job in the past year.
I glanced down at the single tampon left in my locker.
When was my last period? I put my money aside, glancing around the room as if any of the other girls would know the answer.
Some of them—those scheduled to give blood tonight—were relaxing, chatting.
But I tossed my money into the locker, suddenly losing the mood to count.
Come to think of it... hadn't it been two months since my last period? I stood up, feeling unsettled.
"Are you going back to serve?" Alley asked, noticing me standing.
"No, just stepping out back. Be right back," I said, trying to sound casual, though my mind was racing.
I needed to check my calendar, to be sure.
Maybe I'd had my period and just forgot.
That thought comforted me until I was outside, staring down at my Google Calendar.
I'd missed a few cycles. Three, to be exact.
I paced back and forth, feeling the lingering warmth of the day rising from the ground and walls around me, mixing with the stale air. This probably wasn't the ideal place to realize I might be pregnant.
I quickly searched for possible reasons for a missed period.
Pregnancy was the obvious answer, but there were others—stress or a hormone imbalance, for instance.
I tried to convince myself I might be stressed, but it didn't fit.
I felt content, happy even. In the past, when I was actually stressed—eating poorly, barely resting—I'd never missed a period.
So why now?
Yes, I'd been having sex without a condom.
A shiver ran through me. No, I couldn't be pregnant.
Maybe I was just too happy, and somehow that threw things off.
But as I stood in the same spot where I'd once been jumped, it felt like my own thoughts were jumping me now, one after the other.
Denial was the loudest of all. I wasn't pregnant.
This was just... a strange side effect of happiness.