say things like that. Not
ever. I love you , Blu. Good and bad. Thick and thin. Blood, howls and talons. I
would never hate you for any of your actions. Don’t you know me better than
that?”
She shrugged. “Then what’s your confession, my vampire
husband?”
He clasped her hands in his, and didn’t speak right away. It
was hard for him, and that troubled her. What dire news was he about to unleash
upon her?
“I, too, called a faery to this realm and asked for the boon
you might carry my child.”
“You did? When? How did you…?”
“I suspect it was on that same night you said you were going
for a run under the full moon, and stayed out until the morning. You usually
come in before the sun rises, so it was out of character for you.”
“That was the night. Sorry to lie to you.”
“Don’t apologize, Blu. I kept a secret from you as well. I got
a spell from Rhys Hawkes, who has access to some faery magic thanks to his
business, and the faery agreed to grant me the boon.”
“So we had double the power going into this. Go, Creed! Oh.”
Her breath hushed out. No boon was ever given without a return boon. Now she
understood his reluctance and his inability to look at her right now. “Our
firstborn?” she tried.
Creed swallowed and bowed his head, and shook it slowly.
“What then? What more could a faery want?”
“I thought it a wise deal at the time. That perhaps it would be
a bargain I might never have to make good on. But now it’s become the worst
thing I can imagine.” He met her gaze with watery dark eyes. All his one
thousand years seemed to crease upon his face and sadden his soul. “Blu, I
promised the faery our second born.”
Chapter Eight
His confession out there in the air between them, Creed
bowed his head to his wife’s belly. She stroked his hair, but he sensed it was
an absent gesture for he had taken the breath from her, and neither of them
spoke. He’d always enjoyed their shared silences. Now, the quiet felt like a
stake to the heart.
They had, each of them separately, promised the faery a child.
Neither could have known the consequences. Both must have been relieved to learn
Blu carried twins; their hearts would not be completely broken, because one baby
would be left in their arms.
Not so.
Why had he not promised the first? Because he’d thought it much
better to promise the second. Perhaps then they would only have one child, and
never have to face repaying such an unspeakable price.
“What have we done?” Blu’s voice shook. “Oh, Creed, both our
babies?”
“Blu, I’m so sorry. I had no idea you had also made a promise.
Hell, I had thought it my boon that had allowed you to conceive. But I won’t let
the faery take them both. She can’t. I’ll do what I can. I’ll give myself for
the babies.”
“No, Creed, don’t say that.” She bracketed his face with her
warm, slender hands. Too fragile, even in her abundance. “I need you. You have
to stay here with me, no matter what happens. Promise you won’t do something
stupid like give away your soul, or even your life? Promise me!”
He nodded. “I promise. I vow it to you.” And he took vows
seriously. A man was nothing without his word.
He couldn’t fathom being away from Blu. To lose a child he did
not yet know would be, not easier, but perhaps less devastating. Already,
though, he loved both children.
He swept a hand over his wife’s belly and she joined him. Blu
must see her family line carried on. And he, how would he ever learn innocence
if he did not have a child to teach him?
“This one is the fighter,” she said, sniffing at tears. Beneath
their clasped hands a tiny fist or heel nudged up her belly. “The other is
quiet. She’s kind of dark.”
“She is?” It was the first time he’d heard her label them as
boy or girl, beyond fantasizing about it.
“I know she’s a girl. My sweet, quiet one. I’ve been thinking
about names lately, but now…”
He clasped her head and
ever. I love you , Blu. Good and bad. Thick and thin. Blood, howls and talons. I
would never hate you for any of your actions. Don’t you know me better than
that?”
She shrugged. “Then what’s your confession, my vampire
husband?”
He clasped her hands in his, and didn’t speak right away. It
was hard for him, and that troubled her. What dire news was he about to unleash
upon her?
“I, too, called a faery to this realm and asked for the boon
you might carry my child.”
“You did? When? How did you…?”
“I suspect it was on that same night you said you were going
for a run under the full moon, and stayed out until the morning. You usually
come in before the sun rises, so it was out of character for you.”
“That was the night. Sorry to lie to you.”
“Don’t apologize, Blu. I kept a secret from you as well. I got
a spell from Rhys Hawkes, who has access to some faery magic thanks to his
business, and the faery agreed to grant me the boon.”
“So we had double the power going into this. Go, Creed! Oh.”
Her breath hushed out. No boon was ever given without a return boon. Now she
understood his reluctance and his inability to look at her right now. “Our
firstborn?” she tried.
Creed swallowed and bowed his head, and shook it slowly.
“What then? What more could a faery want?”
“I thought it a wise deal at the time. That perhaps it would be
a bargain I might never have to make good on. But now it’s become the worst
thing I can imagine.” He met her gaze with watery dark eyes. All his one
thousand years seemed to crease upon his face and sadden his soul. “Blu, I
promised the faery our second born.”
Chapter Eight
His confession out there in the air between them, Creed
bowed his head to his wife’s belly. She stroked his hair, but he sensed it was
an absent gesture for he had taken the breath from her, and neither of them
spoke. He’d always enjoyed their shared silences. Now, the quiet felt like a
stake to the heart.
They had, each of them separately, promised the faery a child.
Neither could have known the consequences. Both must have been relieved to learn
Blu carried twins; their hearts would not be completely broken, because one baby
would be left in their arms.
Not so.
Why had he not promised the first? Because he’d thought it much
better to promise the second. Perhaps then they would only have one child, and
never have to face repaying such an unspeakable price.
“What have we done?” Blu’s voice shook. “Oh, Creed, both our
babies?”
“Blu, I’m so sorry. I had no idea you had also made a promise.
Hell, I had thought it my boon that had allowed you to conceive. But I won’t let
the faery take them both. She can’t. I’ll do what I can. I’ll give myself for
the babies.”
“No, Creed, don’t say that.” She bracketed his face with her
warm, slender hands. Too fragile, even in her abundance. “I need you. You have
to stay here with me, no matter what happens. Promise you won’t do something
stupid like give away your soul, or even your life? Promise me!”
He nodded. “I promise. I vow it to you.” And he took vows
seriously. A man was nothing without his word.
He couldn’t fathom being away from Blu. To lose a child he did
not yet know would be, not easier, but perhaps less devastating. Already,
though, he loved both children.
He swept a hand over his wife’s belly and she joined him. Blu
must see her family line carried on. And he, how would he ever learn innocence
if he did not have a child to teach him?
“This one is the fighter,” she said, sniffing at tears. Beneath
their clasped hands a tiny fist or heel nudged up her belly. “The other is
quiet. She’s kind of dark.”
“She is?” It was the first time he’d heard her label them as
boy or girl, beyond fantasizing about it.
“I know she’s a girl. My sweet, quiet one. I’ve been thinking
about names lately, but now…”
He clasped her head and
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