The Fall of Leor

Safe

   "I'm perfectly safe now, where is she, I want to see her...she must have realized by now..." he mumbled and trailed off, had it been long enough for her to realize she was with child?

"You have to be approved of by Enrick first; Lillith said you were not to come within 50 feet even of Miss Aria unless you were perfectly safe and sane." Bastian stated narrowing his eyes at him.

"What the hell is this, a prison and you're my guard while Enrick plays the part of the warden?" he snapped, feeling very angry he was being denied the right to see her, "I'll see my fiancé if I want." He snarled.

"I wouldn't attempt it..." Bastian began only for him to ignore him as he flitted past him and out the door.

"Aria!?" he hollered as he went down the stairs noting briefly he was still in Pandora's house. Searching the house high to low he found her nowhere. Just as he rounded the kitchen door he saw Lillith and Pandora enter the main room with Aria in tow.

Lillith's head snapped up as he took a step in their direction and he suddenly found himself pinned flat against the wall a foot off the ground her gaze holding him in place.

"Lillith..." he seethed, "what the hell?" he felt pained that she had attacked him.

"I'm sorry my wounded one...I am only doing what you asked of me." She said in a sad tone, "I am keeping her safe...and I will continue to if you insist on attempting to harm her." He watched in a bit of heartbreak as Aria placed both hands protectively across her abdomen and lowering her gaze hid behind Lillith, "I really must insist that you stay away from Miss Aria until you are deemed safe." She said as another touch of pain crossed her face; looking past her he felt his heart ache at Aria's fear.

"Fine, let me down...I promise I won't come near her until told otherwise." He mumbled feeling disappointed in himself, angry that he had lashed out towards her and finally pain that he had frightened her. He looked at her longingly, more pain added that he had not been conscious or in a sane state of mind when she had realized the gift she held for him within her womb.

Keeping Aria safely blocked between them they let him pass to return upstairs where Bastian sat still with a look of smug satisfaction on his face.

"I told you...you'd think Lillith were the mother...she won't let any of us near Aria if we are even slightly hungry." Bastian stated, he merely glared at him.

"Shut up Sabastian." He seethed.

"If it'll ease you any Miss Aria hasn't spoken a word of her assumptions to any one of us...though we all already know." Bastian said with a shrug.

"Did we lose anyone...on the battlefield..." he began then trailed off as Bastian frowned deeply.

"We lost Miranda and Sinclair...Enrick arrived near the end...they were too damaged for him to revive...the bastards paid though." Bastian snarled, his gaze darkening yet a sense of pleasure cutting through his eyes.

"How did I even get back here?" he question which caused Bastian to shift.

"I carried you back...Enrick forced me to leave the battlefield after I tortured the leech that killed Miranda..." Bastian muttered then looked away, "If it helps you any I'm under stricter surveillance than anyone else apart from you."

"Why?" he couldn't fathom Bastian being more of a danger than others; he reminded him of himself more often than not.

"Enrick feels I'm...unstable...he's afraid a madness is setting in...he wants me to go to rest." Bastian said, "I don't want to go to rest...how do you do it Able...how do you...move on?"

"You fall in love again...that is the only thing that saves me from the madness despair brings...though...I have gone to rest a couple times to let myself heal both mentally and soulfully." He said as he sat down on the edge of the bed and placed his forearms on his knees.

He desperately wanted to see Aria, he wanted to apologize, nay he wanted to beg her forgiveness on his hands and knees his face pressed to the floor if he must. She would develop quickly and he hadn't even told her everything yet about baring a vampire's child; how quickly it grows. He felt his despair deepen, he was missing her grow and change; how badly he wanted to raise her shirt and kiss her abdomen where she carried the greatest gift she would ever give him apart from her love.

"She doesn't know any of that yet?" Bastian questioned.

"No...it happened sooner than I was planning...I was planning on telling her all about it after our wedding...I don't even know if she'll still have me now..." he trailed off; pain like someone stabbing a knife deep within his chest.

"Oh, I don't think you have to worry about that, she asks each and every one of us as we come off shift if you are better." Bastian said with a slight laugh, "You don't know how many times she's been caught trying to sneak away; useless really when surrounded by vampires." He guffawed.

His laugh was contagious, when is the last time he'd heard Sabastian laugh, so, Aria affected others other than himself. He felt a triumphant smile cross his face just as Enrick entered the room.

"You really are a fool...Lillith is in nesting mode...leave it to you to go and try and step on her tail feathers. I've just endured 20 minutes of her ranting and ordering me to keep you in your place." Enrick snarled then threw his hands in the air which sent a few papers he'd had in hand flying, "And it's not even her that's carrying the child!" he continued then glared at him, "Why must you always act so brashly and be so damned spoiled Able Leor?" Bastian and he both burst out laughing at Enrick's frustration.

"I'm sorry...I really will try to do better." He muttered which caused Bastian to snicker.

"You don't know how to be anything other than a brat my Lord." Bastian snickered harder and soon they were all 3 in a riot of laughter.

"Let's get this over with so you can return to Aria...which you owe the deepest apologies to that you've ever given in your entire life and Lillith can ease up a little." On Enrick's final word he heard a tear then the scent of warm, luscious, fresh blood filled the air; he felt his hunger spike but he fought it back. The next sound he heard was the familiar sound of opening up their own veins, while still very tantalizing this scent he felt no need to fight back his hunger.

Enrick waited for a few minutes as he wrestled with keeping himself under strict control, feeling satisfied Enrick handed him the blood pack which he swallowed down eagerly but not so eager that he seemed still dangerous.

The door opened suddenly and Lillith stood there with Aria in tow, after eyeing him she stepped in the room with Aria; Bastian, Lillith and Enrick all on guard. Peaking around Lillith Aria stared at him wide eyed, her scent permeating the very air, tempting him, calling to him like the drugged artificial blood used to; she was his new addiction he had no doubt. Fighting back the hunger he regained control of his venom and stared on at her allowing her scent to wash over him like a fresh summer breeze.

Stepping aside Lillith allowed him to have full view of Aria, her skin was flushed with the glow of motherhood and her pulse and heart raced to keep time with each other. Finally she stepped from behind Lillith tentatively, he smiled at her broadly and held open his arms, heartbeat hitching she hurried to him and threw herself in his arms trembling.

Enclosing her tightly he kissed her headfirst, "I'm so very sorry, please forgive my madness...I'll spend eternity trying to be right with you again if I have to." He whispered then he lost it, lifting her off her feet partially he crushed his mouth to hers plunging his tongue deep within it, tasting and relishing the feel of her body pressed against him.

  ©  Eva Henderson, 2016