Blood Ward

Chapter 39

Traveling with an army provedextremely time consuming. I was eager to return to Reif and they wereslowing me down. One night after we had crossed to Dravin, I decidedto take a walk and clear my head. Beast followed, my ever presentshadow, and I was visited for the first time in two and a half monthsby Stefan. "It's hard to catch you alone anymore, my lady," hesaid.

"I've been busy," Ireplied.

"I can see that," he lookedknowingly down at my swelling abdomen.

I touched the bump and couldn'thelp smiling. "It's a strange thing," I said. "I'm sorry weweren't able to share this, but I'm not." I still had mixedemotions on the subject of my miscarriage.

"It's alright. Our babywouldn't have had a father," he said. "But that's not why I'mhere. I think I've found a way to prove I'm not just in yourimagination."

"Truly?" I asked.

"In my things, there should bea leather bound book wrapped in an old shirt. I kept a journal. Findit and that will be your proof," he promised and then vanished.

My heart leapt. Was it possibleStefan was truly visiting me? I had to know. I hurried back to ourcamp and found Stefan's things. I'd kept all of his stuff, unableto bring myself to part with it. Tearing through the pack, I found abook, just as he'd described. Opening it, I recognized Stefan'sscrawling handwriting and read a few lines that were dated back whenwe'd first met. I hugged it close to my chest and wept. That'show Anders found me.

"Blimey, Ana! What happened?"

"He's real," I said,handing him the journal.

Anders flipped open the pages andafter reading a few lines as I had, his eyes widened. "What do youmean, luv?"

"Stefan," I said. "He justtold me how to find this. I never knew he kept a journal until hetold me ten minutes ago."

"This is disturbing," hesaid, handing back the journal.

"You're not the one seeinghim," I protested.

"Why do you think you are?"he asked.

I shrugged. "I need to askReif, but I'll wait until I see him."

It was another month before thathappened. I cut back on my sparring as we traveled, limiting it toswords, in case hand to hand got too close. I still wasn't readyfor anyone to know about my pregnancy. Anders kept a close,protective eye on me, but I didn't mind as much as I thought Iwould. It was sweet. My skin would tickle every now and then when hethrew an unexpected protection spell over me in a moment of panic andit gave me a rush. Instead of limiting me, he let me take charge andlisten to my own body. It was interesting, finding my ever shiftingcenter of gravity and adjusting my footwork. It was a good challengeand it distracted me from the familiar tingling of my skin that grewas I got closer to Reif.

The day we got close to therendezvous point, I couldn't contain myself. I kicked War Chaserinto a gallop and rode ahead. When I spotted Reif, I rode up to himand clambered off Chaser, running to throw myself into a wondroushug. "Blimey, I've missed you." I sighed as he held me close.

Suddenly it hit him. He pulledaway and frowned. One of his hands went to my stomach and he gasped."Stasia! What is this?"

"Surprise," I said.

"Indeed." There was a happylittle smirk on his face.

"No one knows," I said. "Iprefer it that way."

"I understand," he agreed,pulling his hand away. "We will talk later." I nodded and hehugged me again. "I've missed you."

"So, what's been happeninghere?" I asked, excited for news.

"I have set up a perimeteraround Lunda and boxed Genovia and her people in. With our 30 andyour 200, we should be able to keep her trapped for some time. Herforces were greatly weakened at Banaila. My under cover scouts tellme she has no more than 100 vampires within the city," heexplained.

"Why don't we simply attack?"I asked in frustration, liking our odds.

He smiled and tsked. "Stasia,you of all people should not be running headlong into battle."

"I can still fight!" Iprotested.

"We've planned a siege and itis our best option. Why fight an unnecessary battle? Genovia is nothreat to us any longer," he reasoned.

I crossed my arms over my bellyand huffed. "Fine."

"That's my girl," Anderssaid finally catching up on Snowflake and hopping off. "Reif, it'sgood to see you."

I uncrossed my arms, letting myshirt loose as the rest of our party approached. "So we wait forhow long?" I asked.

"As long as it takes," Reifsaid with a sharp tone.

I huffed again, but didn'targue. This was one battle I wasn't going to win no matter what.Reif led us to his camp and showed us around while he sent some ofhis men to get the prince's army settled. He had built a sort ofmini city. Four months had afforded him the time to take control andsettle his people. Every vampire he spoke to looked to him with asort of awe. He was a good leader and they respected him, even likedhim.

"You're kind of amazing," Icommented with a smile.

"It is not all me," headmitted. "Your influence is felt around here a great deal. Yourstrength is mine."

"But they look to you, not me,"I pointed out.

"Semantics," he said, thelook of devotion and love on his face clear.

That night, we sat down togetherand had a long private talk about my pregnancy and the fact that Iwas truly being visited by Stefan's actual ghost. "I just don'tknow what he might want," I sighed, relaxing with my back againsthis chest.

"He's never alluded to why heis visiting you?" Reif frowned, massaging my shoulders gently.Being back in his arms was a euphoria I just couldn't describe.

"No. Usually he shows up, makesa few annoying comments, and then goes away," I shrugged.

"How strange," he said. "Haveyou read the journal?"

"Bits and pieces," I said."There's nothing to really explain why his spirit would bestaying around."

"I suppose he'll tell youwhen he's ready," Reif said, his hands ceasing their massagingand his arms circling my waist. He had developed a strangefascination with the baby and I put one hand on top of his over myabdomen. "This child is a happy thing," he said out of nowhere.

"I was afraid at first," Iadmitted. "But Anders was so excited, it caught on."

"It must be killing you to beunable to do things your way," he said nuzzling my neck.

"It does chafe a bit," Isaid. "But it's a sacrifice I have to make."

"I don't know what it wouldbe like to have a child, but I can imagine sacrificing quite a bit tohave the chance," he sighed.

Then I understood thefascination. "You can't father children?" I said turning toface him and looking into his lilac eyes.

"Vampires do not possess thelife to create life," he explained.

I rested my head on his chest."I'm sorry," I said.

 "I will live vicariouslythrough you," he said, hugging me tightly.