Dancing With the Devil

Chapter 21

Dedication is to that lovely lady right up there AND applesauceonranbows! You both rock. Stay awesome :)

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 Xavier and I were torn about returning home or staying with Seth and Eva. The vampires had generously offered us a room to stay in for as long as we’d like, but I was anxious to get back to Willy. Xavier, even though he had similar worries, pressed for us to stay away a little longer for my own safety.

I had tried everything to get him to change his mind: begging, seduction, anger, more pleading, and finally the silent treatment. The last one frustrated him the most, but everyone else who saw us found it hilarious. I might sound childish, but my maternal instinct was kicking in. I had to protect my son.

Xavier was just as stubborn as I was, and in the sexist way that mates worked, he had the final say when it came to my safety. I had tried to get Eva to help me, but even though she admitted to understanding my need to see Willy, she agreed that males had the right to make the ultimate decision.

So what did I do? I sulked.

The rest of the day with the vampires dragged. After I had resorted to not speaking to Xavier until he agreed to take me home, I didn't know what to do. I had already worked my body into an aching pile of mush after dancing with Eva, so I bid adieu to everyone except a certain demon and retired to the room my mate and I were supposed to share tonight. I prayed that he wouldn't follow me in there, and my prayers were answered when I saw the empty quarters.

I huffed onto the bed, burying my face in the multitude of pillows. My plan didn't go any farther than irritating Xavier until he cracked and complied to my wishes, so until then I was left with a glaring amount of free time. As I looked around the room—finding nothing that would capture and hold my interest—I ran my fingers through my hair and sighed. I was quickly coming to the realization that mates usually entertained each other. With everyone else paired up in the castle, I couldn't help but wonder if Xavier was having the same bored, lonesome problem of finding something to do as me.

The room was beautiful, undoubtedly. The bed was huge, much larger than even a California king size. The sheets were a dark, deep red with black accents and pillows. The curtains were equally as dark, cloaking the room in shadows, just not the shadows that I was looking for. Xavier’s shadows. The pictures decorating the walls were of gorgeous scenes and stunning angles of ordinary objects to make them not appear so ordinary, but I barely glanced at them before averting my attention to something else. They looked lifeless to me; there were no dimensions or purpose. The landscapes were flat and too bright. The other objects appeared just as bland as if the picture had been taken carelessly and without an intention. I eventually stared at the wall blankly, lost in thought to pass the time.

Eva was the first one to come see me. She sat beside me silently, and we shared a comfortable silence.

“The boys are together, so I figured I’d come be with you,” she explained, even though I hadn't requested her reasons. I was happy enough with her presence, and I didn't care of the reason behind it. “Seth yelled at me too, so he’s pouting with Xavier.”

“What did he yell at you about?” I wondered.

She grinned shyly, rubbing her stomach. “According to him, dancing puts too much stress on me.”

Every little clue fell into place: her worry over my future pregnancy, her hysteria and maternal instinct, Seth’s warning to stay within the castle grounds because of her condition, and now the stress she endured because of dancing and possible stretching a muscle. “You’re pregnant.”