Into the Ether - Complete

Spring, When New Things Grow: Part 6

I had to hand it to the Mason and Eddie – since my pregnancy had become public knowledge I was never left alone. I'm pretty sure they'd worked out a roster, because there was always someone walking me between classes, to meals, or suggesting a study session. Celeste was with me from 6 pm. She'd spin past my dorm, and we'd walk together to morning training, then up to breakfast before heading to my morning combat lessons then lunch.

After lunch, I was with Eddie, Mason, Chelsea, Angela, Meredith or some combination thereof. Chelsea, Meredith, and Angela had been wonderful including me in their activities as though I'd always been a part of their group. From the first study night, they'd just accepted me. They'd not asked a thing about Junior's father, although Meredith must know there was at least some truth to the speculation that there'd been something going on between Dimitri and me.

Along with Eddie and Mason, the six of us now sat at 'our' table – regularly being joined by other Dhampir. It was funny; the whole pregnancy had brought out a previously latent Moroi/Dhampir schism. The Moroi and the Royal Moroi, in particular, saw a pregnant Dhampir girl as a source of amusement and derision. Dhampir, on the other hand, saw this as an unfortunate reality of what happened in our community and almost universally banded together to support me, even the Guardians. Not that I wasn't super grateful. I don't think I would have made it through the first few days without their help; the teasing and lewd comments from some of the Moroi were almost unbearable.

Alberta and I had eaten lunch privately in her office on Saturday, and I'd brought her up to speed on what had happened. She was beyond furious with Tasha and wasn't overjoyed with Lissa, Christian, or Brandon for the parts they'd played either.

"I can't throw Tasha off campus until she does something," Alberta said with annoyance. "But if she's this blatant about things, it will only be a matter of time. In the meantime, I've asked the dorm matron to make sure she doesn't enter the Dhampir dorms, and I'd like you to make sure you're always with someone else when you travel around campus."

Tasha had stayed the weekend, flitting from Moroi group to group spreading gossip and rumors about me. First of all, she claimed I was a slut, a fact all the Moroi guys agreed with although when pressed no one seemed to be able to name a single guy who'd actually slept with me. Then she told everyone I was a blood whore. Things were getting completely out of hand by Monday.

Over the weekend I'd suddenly 'popped.' Only the tiniest little swell, it could easily have been explained away had everyone not already known the truth. But I was feeling particularly self-conscious about my body, so Celeste and I had finished our session five minutes early so I could shower and be dressed again by the time the other girls hit the change rooms after Weight Training and Conditioning.

We were coming back out to the gym when we saw Tasha standing near the change rooms looking at the batch of students training and trying to locate me. She'd been trying to catch me alone all weekend, but as per Alberta's warning, I was always accompanied. Tasha must have realized that a one-on-one wasn't going to happen, because when she spotted me coming out of the change rooms beside Celeste, she squared her jaw and hissed, "Stop spreading lies about my Dimka. He wouldn't look twice at a whore like you."

"Tasha he's not your Dimka, and he never was. He did choose to be with me, and we're very much in love. He's never felt that way about you, and from what I've been told, neither did Ivan. You need to stop obsessing over men who just don't want you."

I knew she was going to try something physical as soon as I said that, and she didn't disappoint. She roared and jumped towards me, aiming punches at my head. The students finishing their lesson with Guardian Martinez at the other end of the gym spun around in time to see me jumping back defensively and Celeste deftly putting Tasha into a headlock as the latter tried to attack me.