Origins Unkown

chapter 8

I woke to Drake lying beside me.

"Morning." He said stroking my hair.

"Morning?" I asked yawning.

"How are you feeling?"

"Good. Drake am I really pregnant?" I asked averting my eyes.

"Yes, love, you are. Are you okay?"

"I think I will be." I sighed.

"Good. I took the liberty of setting the wedding for tomorrow afternoon. Do you want to invite your family?" He asked quietly.

"I doubt they would come, but I would like to tell them." I said sadly.

"We will go see them as soon as you've had some breakfast and get ready." He said rolling out of bed and heading for the kitchen. I closed my eyes and tried to think. How could I be far enough along to hear the heartbeat when they only made love for the first time a few days ago? I knew from my mother's pregnancies that it took weeks to hear the baby's heartbeat.

"Here we are." Drake announced entering the room carrying a tray covered with food. I snapped out of my trance and smiled at him as he sat the tray down on my lap.

I ate my food like a zombie. Not really tasting any of it. I finally finished and got dressed.

"Drake, I'm ready." I yelled.

"Out here love." I heard him yell back. I walked out to the front door and opened it with a gasp.

"What is that?"

"It's our coach. I've been working on it for days. It was supposed to be a wedding gift, but we need it today." He said beaming at me.

"Oh Drake it's wonderful." I said as I circled it.

We rode to my parent's farm and I hesitated.

"You can do this, love. Just go in there with your head up high." He whispered in my ear. "Do you want me to go with you?"

"No, you're right, I can do this." I took a deep breath and gathered my courage. I stepped out into the bright sunlight. Drake watched as I walked cautiously up to my parent's front door and knock. The door opened and I stepped slowly inside.

Drake let the breath he'd been holding out slowly.

"You must tell her soon." Drake snapped his head around towards the voice.

"What the hell are you doing here? If she sees you.."

"She can neither see nor hear me. Now, why have you not told her? She will figure it out soon. I sense she has questions already."

"I know. I just can't seem to find the right time or way. She's not going to take the news well. I may very well lose her." Drake said sadly.

"That matters not to me, only the child matters. You knew that when you made this bargain, Drake."

"Dammit, I know that!"

"Oh my, you're in love with the human." The dark shadow teased bitterly.

"Yes." Drake answered quietly.

"You must not continue this. You have to separate yourself from her emotionally."

"I don't think I can."

"You can and you will! She is human, Drake. She is not your mate. It's impossible."

"How do you know? Many centuries ago our kind found their mates among the humans." Drake spat out the words as his anger rose.