The Rise of the Fallen Queen

Chapter 54

CHAPTER 54

Rogue Lands...

Eesha didn't live all these years without being able to identify a poison when she encountered it. Thanks to Monica, she didn't eat the apple pie before noticing the off scent. The pie had been delivered to her office with a note of appreciation for all her hard work. Eesha didn't think anything of it but started to get hungry and was tempted by the sweet pastry. Mona knocked on the door just as she had grabbed a plastic knife from her bottom drawer. 

The heavy scent of the blonde woman's scent clung to the wrappings and Mona knew that she had made the right decision to inform Eesha sooner rather than later.  The vampire took everything with her to her room with Mona on her heels. It was surprising to see a mini crime lab in Eesha's walk-in closet instead of clothes. "I've worked as a detective on and off through my years. I still dabble in it and have connections to the cold case division."

Setting the pie on a granite counter, Eesha set to worked. "This is going to take a while so you might want to go do something else like tell Dameon to stop slacking. I swear that man has gotten worse since you moved into your new office. If this does indeed turn out to be rat poisoning then along with your testimony, it'll be enough to execute that fucking bitch under rogue laws."

Mona hesitated. Her wolf wagged her tail at the thought of seeing her mate but Mona was in no mood to deal with the man who has been causing her so many problems.

"Half of those problems are because you won't open your big mouth and tell him the truth," her wolf snarked. "We could be under him at this moment getting pupped but noooooo."

"Shut up!" Mona replied mentally.

"I think I'll go check up on Rudy." She told Eesha who looked completely engrossed with dusting the pan with powder.

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Ruby paused in her sewing and smiled as she felt a little thump on her side. Her belly was large and she loved to feel the little kicks and rolls. Happiness was always mixed with sadness. She missed Galen so much but knew that he would want her to live and raise their child with love. No matter how many times she told herself that he was dead, part of her just felt as if he were still alive. It could be his spirit watching over them and Ruby couldn't help but smile at the thought of her love being nearby.

A knock at the door of the bedroom she shared with Dameon startled her.

Standing, she opened the door and saw Monica standing there. Excited to see her friend, she pulled the girl inside. Mona eyed the scraps of fabric laying on the floor around a small cutting table and a half-finished tiny dress on the sewing machine.

"What are you working on?" she asked.

"Just some clothes for the baby. Come see." Pulling the lid off of a large tub that had fabric piled on the top, Ruby laid 12 outfits out on the bed.

"OMGoodness! So cute!" Mona exclaimed as she picked up a light green dress with pops of purple.

"Oh my gosh!" she laughed when she saw a watermelon outfit.

Ruby laughed too. "Stop! I couldn't help it! I had a crazy craving for watermelon. I made Dameon drive two hours at 1 in the morning to get me some. I cried the entire time. I swear that poor man deserves a metal."

They both gushed over the adorable clothes and talked about baby care in general. Packing everything back into the tub, they lay on the bed eating a jar of pickled okra.

"Thanks for eating these with me." Ruby said indulging in her new craving.

Mona shrugged and took another bite. "I like okra so it's fine with me."

"I usually hate okra but I saw these in the store and had to have them. Now I love them." Finishing off another bite, Ruby asked, "So Monica, what happened with your mate? You've been very vague and I'm probably prying more than I should but pregnancy hormones have me feeling bold."

Mona chuckled, "Sure blame the poor innocent baby."

"Don't argue with a pregnant woman!" Ruby joked.

They both laughed.

"There's not much to tell." Mona said. "He's a complete manwhore. Took one look at me and said that no one has to worry about him sleeping with this one."

Ruby gasped, "He rejected you?"

"No. I have no detectable scent that gives me away nor have we touched skin to skin so the telltale sparks that I've heard so much about never occurred. Safe to say he doesn't know that we're even mates."

"Oh my gosh! I mean I'm having a hard time smelling since pregnant so I just assumed it was me. You haven't told him?!"

Mona raised a brow at her friend. "And be rejected for real?"

"Oh shit!" Ruby said and then a horrible thought occurred to her. "So, wait, all those times when you said that you were sick or didn't show up for dinner..."

Mona sighed as a hurt expression crossed her face. Ruby wrapped her arms around the younger woman. "What's your mate's name?"

"It doesn't matter. I plan on leaving him behind, finding happiness and maybe someday, someone to have a family with."

Ruby wanted to protest but it would only cause her friend more pain. She wished she knew who it was so she could kick his ass. "I'm going to miss you."

"Same."

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Dameon leaned back in his chair staring at the empty corner where Monica's desk had sat. It made him uncomfortable and his wolf depressed. Phinn was refusing to talk to him. The phone rang and he sighed before answering the call.

"Hello?"

"Dameon?" a feminine voice said.

"Yup."

"This is Tracy Mason. The Plan is in progress."

"We're ready."

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So I have a clearer idea of how this book is going to end and have actually written some end scenes... it's definitely going to be a bumpy ride and a bit of a shocker.

Not going to lie... I'm still trying to figure out who's going to be killed off (if anyone). 

I also forgot that today was Friday not Thursday. Sorry about the late update.