Riley Hayes | A Vampire Novel | Book 2

Chapter 32 -one plus one equals...

Leuca's heart pounded as he dashed up the stairs, his breath quick and shallow. The distant murmur of voices drifted down the hallway—his son talking with his mother, Rayna, and even Christina. The scent of worry hung in the air, thick and suffocating. Christina had already alerted Riley of his return.

Bursting through the door, Leuca's eyes fell on the group gathered around their bed. "What happened?" he demanded, his voice sharp with anger, eyes blazing.

Christina knelt before him, her posture humble. "I was distracted by Dean," she confessed, her voice trembling. "Aziz snapped my neck while I was out. They tried to kill Riley and Damian." She seemed to withhold something, but Leuca's focus shifted to Riley. Her eyes scanned him, a mix of relief and worry etched on her face.

He moved towards her, but Damian stepped in his path, his expression hard. "You reek. Take a proper shower before you touch my mother." The words were cold, anger simmering just beneath the surface. Where did that confidence come from?

It was probably in his DNA as much as in mine. Damian stood there, his newfound confidence radiating as he gave me orders. "Such a future Lord," I muttered, ruffling his hair affectionately before making my way to the bathroom.

Riley avoided my gaze, her eyes downcast. My ears instinctively tuned into the faint heartbeat from her belly, a subtle reminder of new life. It was alright; I shouldn't care about it yet, I told myself.

As the hot water cascaded over me, I realized how badly my suit had deteriorated. I had been without it for over a week. Time slips away differently for vampires; it's not as tangible as it is for humans.

Stepping out of the shower, I saw the suit's ruined state. There was no point in putting on another one. I opted for a comfortable sweater and slacks instead. I had worn that suit for too long. It felt good to finally slip into something more relaxed.

I walked out and gently nudged Damian aside. "Stop being in protective mode. I'm here now," I said, my voice firm yet comforting. Damian hesitated, his eyes full of concern. "Seriously, I can't be on edge all the time like you are now. It gets exhausting." I scooped him up under his armpits and, with a burst of vampire speed, placed him gently next to his mother at the other end of the bed.

As I sat down, Riley immediately bombarded me with questions. "Why did you go away? Where were you? Why were you covered in blood? Why?" Her voice trembled with a mix of worry and anger. I hushed her softly, cupping her cheeks with as much gentleness as I could muster.

But it only made her cry more. Were the pregnancy hormones kicking in already? I missed her first pregnancy, so I wasn't sure if human pregnancies were more intense than vampire ones.

"I'm sorry, Riley. I won't go away again. I had to leave for a bit to blow off some steam. Your lovely son went against everything I ever said," I explained, my voice laced with regret.

She huffed, a small smile tugging at her lips despite her tears. "Your son too," she corrected, taking my hands from her face and placing them in our laps. "I'm on bed rest. Christina said the heartbeat is very faint. And you just make me worry more. Why were you covered in blood, both old and fresh?"

"You don't want to know," I murmured, hoping to spare her the gruesome details.

"Leuca, please," she insisted.

"It was all human blood, Mom," Damian chimed in, earning a glare from me. He shrugged nonchalantly, "Payback for you slapping me."

I pointed a finger at him. "You deserved it, little punk."

Riley grabbed my finger, tugging it gently. "Why were you covered—and I mean covered—in human blood?"

I sighed, feeling the weight of her worry. "Fine, if you want to know. To blow off steam, I took it out on some humans. Better than on my son or you, right?"