Hidden One

Chapter Twenty-Three

I was in pain. My headaches were getting worse and I was starting to get sick from the pain. Twice today I'd thrown up, and it was barely ten o'clock on the morning. It wasn't like the others were helping much, anyway.

"-Something strange near the Shifter Headquarters. I think we need to organize everyone for an attack." Alexander was saying, pacing back and forth. We were sitting in my private parlor, me stretched out on the couch and the others in various spots of unease throughout the room.

"They've got twice as many people as we do. How will it ever work?" I croaked, clutching loosely at my stomach. Someone had draped a blanket over me while I slept, though now it was bunched up around my feet. Alexander placed a hand on my head, stroking my hair back.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" He asked. "Lucy's here for you. Will you let her help you?"

I nodded slightly, dejected and just wanting the pain to stop. Lucy knelt in front of me, putting a hand on my cheek.

"Just relax, sister. Everything will fade in a moment." She whispered, closing her eyes.

There were a few beats of silence as I felt her power scan my body, passing quickly over my stomach before coming back, and scanning slower. She called for Maria.

"Maria! Scan Kate's body for thoughts." I looked at her curiously. What was wrong? Could they not hear me?

Maria, who was standing behind the couch, seemed to be having the same reaction. "Dios mio...Katerina..." She looked up at me, dark eyes wide. Luciana finished for her.

"Kate, you're pregnant."

My eyes widened and I sat up, exchanging a look with Alex. "What? No, there's no....no..."

Luciana nodded grimly. "Yes. You're probably about three weeks along. Kate, you're in no fit condition to do much of anything, especially not now. The headaches and weakness are because your power is slowly leaving you. In almost eight months, you'll have no power at all."

"Then the time to act is now!" I said, swinging my feet over the edge of the couch and pushing them out of my way, standing straight on my feet. "I've not even got a baby bump yet, and I'll only get weaker from here. I might as well go out with a bang."

I took a few steps toward the door before Alex caught my elbow, stopping me. He looked at Maria and Lucy. "How can you be sure it's a girl? Is it at all possible it could be a boy?"

A small surge of hope washed over me at the idea. Not that I wouldn't be happy to have a girl, but having a boy meant I could keep the power a little longer and I would  be able to keep fighting this battle with Tessa. But Maria shook her head, squashing any sliver of believe I might have had.

"No. Es una hija, and your power will be gone soon. Maybe Katerina is right, Alex..." She looked at Lucy. "The birth of a new Seer of All marks the beginning of a new generation. Maybe we should all go out with a bang."

Tessa slowly pried herself from the grasp of sleep, feeling soft breath against her face and fingers against her bare back before she finally opened her eyes. The first thing she caught sight of was the tattoo, made of  two circles that curled around one another and a star in the middle, each of the five points touching part of the circle. It was placed neatly on the left side of his chest, prarallel to the circle of stars on her own left shoulder. It was about the size of her palm, and only a few hints of black showed when she covered it with her hand. It was exactly where she'd bitten him last night.

Sun shone at an angle through the open windows downstairs, though the loft was still cast in shadow. Tessa did not remember turning off the twinkling lights last night, but they were off now- seeing the switch next to the pillows, she assumed Demetri had turned them off before falling asleep.

It was hot, but not uncomfortably so. She was lying half on top of him, one hand on his chest and her head on his shoulder. Everything from the waist down was covered in a brown fleece blanket, leaving her back and shoulders bare to the air. It was quite comfortable, actually, and she didn't want to move quite yet.

So of course Demetri shifted, his arm tightening around her waist. He buried his face in her hair, breathing deeply.

"Good morning, Love." She murmured, resting her chin on her hand and looking up at him. The arm around her back stroked lazy circles, and she giggled softly at the ticklish sensation of his fingers brushing her waist.

"I could get used to this." His deep voice was husky with sleep, though his eyes were alert as he looked at her. She smiled, resting herself up on her elbows to look down at him. "How do you feel?"

Her soft smile turned into a full-blown grin. "Wonderful. Warm, comfortable, pleasant, content..." He kissed her nose. "Happy."

A contented rumble sounded in his chest. "I'm glad you're happy, Tess. You've not seemed very joyful recently."

"I've got every reason to be, now. I've found family, and people who accept me, and a beautiful mate to keep me company." She murmured.

Demetri rolled, trapping her underneath him and leaning close. "Mmmmm." He sighed against her lips, his eyes closed. "And keep you company I shall."

An hour later, they'd met up with Cecilia at the main cabin and were working their way toward the room they were keeping Kasper in. She would allow Tessa an hour alone with him, Demetri just outside the door, before they decided what to do with him. Everything he said in the next hour she would take carefully into account, using her best judgement to decide if he was with them or against them.

She would protect her family at all costs, she realized, even  at the expense of someone she'd once thought she might be able to spend the rest of her life with. It was a sudden, intense thought, but not one that surprised her overmuch.

"If you even for a second think you're in danger..." Demetri said, cupping her face in his hands. She reached up and gently removed his hands, holding them between hers tightly.

"I'll call for you. I promise." She said, reaching up to kiss him gently.

"Your hour starts now." Ceci murmured, opening the door. "Good luck."

With only slight trepidation, Tessa walked in and softly closed the door behind her.