Chapter Twenty-five

Anton sat in their living room, arm around Bryn, as they watched The Outer Limits. He reached for the bowl of popcorn in her lap, feeding her a few kernels before snagging a handful for himself. His hand was halfway to his mouth when the phone rang on the internal line. [Odd,] he thought. During the weekends, he only had the security detail on duty to watch the building. All the restorers and other employees were off. Lindy and Nathaniel weren't supposed to be by for at least another two hours. Concerned, he dropped the popcorn back into his bowl, wondering what was going on. "This is Anton."

"Sorry to bother you, boss," came the senior guard's voice. Robert sounded calm, so when Anton heard that greeting, he knew it wasn't an emergency. "I've got a Mack Trenton and his girlfriend here to see you."

"Yeah, send them on up." He hung up the phone and turned to Bryn. "Mack and Chandra are here."

Bryn stretched, crawling out from under the blanket on her lap. Handing him the popcorn bowl, she gave him a sly grin. "I guess I should go put some clothes on, then."

He grinned back, watching her walk away and disappear into the bedroom. Setting the popcorn on the coffee table, he zipped up his pants and refolded the blanket to lay it on the back of the couch. A few minutes later, he could hear the elevator gate opening and a knock on the door.

"Come on in!"

Mack opened the door, grinning at Anton, allowing Chandra to walk past him. Frowning slightly, Anton looked at the squirming puppy she was holding and raised his eyebrows in question. "Babysitting?"

"Not exactly," Mack winked at Anton. "Where's Bryn?"

"Right here." Bryn walked out of the bedroom. "Hi guys! Oh, what an adorable puppy! Who does he belong to?"

"Actually," Chandra said, walking towards her, "she belongs to you."

Bryn's eyes widened as Chandra handed over to puppy, and she giggled as it turned and immediately started licking her face. Larger than the average pup, with huge feet and big floppy ears, it had an incredibly soft brown and black brindled coat. Snuffling her face, it squirmed around in her arms, letting out the cutest little whines.

"She's so cute!"

Anton couldn't help but shake his head, casting a glance in Mack's direction. His friend grinned back at him. Sabryn was immediately in love with the dog...and Anton could almost see the chew marks on his antique furniture already.

"What breed is she?" Bryn asked.

"Bullmastiff," Chandra answered. She looked in Anton's direction. "She'll get huge, but they're very sweet dogs. Protective of their owners, yet great with kids. I know we're kind of imposing, but I thought the baby could use a playmate to grow up with."

"Yeah, I guess every kid can use a dog." He walked over to Bryn and rubbed between the pup's ears. "So what else brings you by? Don't tell me you made the drive just to drop her off."

"Unfortunately, no," Mack said.

"Let's sit down," Bryn said, gesturing to the living room. With Mack in the chair and Chandra on the love seat, Bryn sat down next to Anton on the couch and giggled as the puppy leapt out of her arms to ran over and sniff Anton's hands.

"I've got some bad news," Mack continued. "I got a call from my mother yesterday. Dad's in the hospital and it doesn't look good. She wants us to fly back to Florida...which means we probably won't be here for the wedding."

"Oh no, Mack, that's horrible," Bryn said.

Anton nodded. "Go, by all means. I understand perfectly. Don't worry about it."

Mack sighed. "You know I don't have the greatest relationship with my dad, but I need to be there for Mom. I wish...well, I guess there really isn't a good time for this to happen at all."

"No, there's not." Leaning forward a bit, displacing the puppy in the process, Anton held Mack's gaze. "If there's anything I can do, don't hesitate to let me know. We're still family, you know."

"Thanks, Anton." Shaking his head, Mack watched the puppy jump off the couch to investigate. "I just wish there was some way I could make this up to you two. I hate to leave you hanging like this."

"Don't worry, Mack. We'll find someone. Go be with your family."

"Although there is one thing you can do for us," Bryn said. "Could you watch after the puppy when you get back? We'll be leaving for Europe after the reception, and I'd feel bad leaving her alone."

"Of course," Chandra said, watching the dog trot into the kitchen. "I'll give you her papers when you get back, too, so you can register her."

"Mack, I'm so sorry about your family. I really hope your mom gets through this okay."

"Thanks Bryn. I do, too." Looking over at Chandra, he gestured towards the door. "You ready to get going, Chan? We better hurry up if we're going to make that flight."

Chandra nodded. "Sorry to drop her off and leave."

"That's all right," Anton said, standing up. He hugged Mack, patting him on the back. "You take care."

"I will. Thanks."

Moving on to embrace Chandra, Anton watched out of the corner of his eye as Mack and Bryn hugged. She held on to him tightly, murmuring something softly into his ear, making him smile a bit tearfully at her. Anton had to admit he was a bit amazed. Bryn was much more relaxed and confident around his friends now. It was a welcome change.

Walking towards the door, her arm around Chandra, Bryn laughed as the puppy ran ahead of them, clumsily sliding on her huge paws across the hard wood floor.

"Like I said, if you need anything, let me know. If we're in Europe, just call Michelle or Lindy. They'll know how to get a hold of us. I'll call you back as soon as I can."

"Will do." Holding open the door for Chandra, Mack smiled bittersweetly. "See you later."

Anton patted Mack on the shoulder as he passed. "Hang in there, Mack. Call us when you arrive." He watched the pair retreat to the elevator as he shut the door. He turned around to look at Bryn, and couldn't help but grin. She was on the floor, the puppy in her lap, licking her face. "What are you going to name her, my dear?"

She glanced up, blushing slightly. The puppy looked back at him, its head cocked to the side. "I don't know. I hadn't thought about it yet." She winced slightly as the dog sank its sharp little teeth into her finger. "I'm sorry about Mack. I know you wanted him to be there. I hope his parents are okay."

"I hope so too, my dear. He's close to his mother, but I've never managed to get him to tell me about what happened between him and his father. Maybe, if nothing else, some old wounds will finally heal." He sat down on the floor beside her to also play with the puppy.

Bryn leaned against his shoulder. "So what are you going to do for a best man?"

Anton shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe John will stand in?"

She watched him for a moment, an odd little smile on her face, before shaking her head and saying, "He probably wouldn't mind."

"What did you shake your head for?"

"Nothing."

"Bryn--"

"It's nothing. I was just thinking." Quickly changing the subject, she said, "Do you have any names in mind for the puppy? With all of the baby names we've discussed we ought to be able to come up with something."

"Puppy names... hmmm." He cocked his head and looked at the puppy, which cocked its head back "How about 'No! No! Bad Dog!'"

Bryn shook her head. "Anton..."

"Just kidding, my dear." He ran his hand over the puppy's back. "How about Petunia for this dainty little flower."

Just as the words left his mouth, the dainty flower turned around and sank its teeth into his palm.

"Ow!"

Bryn laughed out loud. "Petunia sounds perfect." She looked at his hand, which had little needle points of blood on it. "I think she likes you."

"Yeah, I'd hate to see what she does to people she doesn't like."

"You think she's housebroken?"

"God, I hope so." He glanced around the room, a frown crossing his face. "Just in case, she sleeps in the bathroom."

"Aww. You poor thing," she said, pulling the dog into her lap once more. "Your daddy isn't very nice."

Anton snorted. "That's not what you told me last night, my dear." He looked at the puppy, chuckling. "I wonder how Lindy will react to her, and vice versa."

"She's okay with dogs, right?"

"Oh, she'll either growl at our little Petunia and scare her out of her wits, or fall head over heels for her."

"She better not scare her," she said, holding the dog against her chest. "We need to get food and bed for her. You think they'd let us take her in the store, or should one of us stay home?"

"Nathaniel and Lindy are supposed to be here in an hour or so."

"That's right." She looked down at the dog, and then back up again. "Do you want to stay with her while I go?"

"Yeah, why don't you go." He got up off the floor and walked over to the desk. "I'll have to remember to start the paperwork to get you put on my credit cards once we're married." Opening one drawer, he pulled out some folded bills. "How much do you think you'll need, my dear?"

"I--I don't know." Standing up as well, she left Petunia to follow her. "Anton, I know this is a subject that most people don't like talking about, but it makes sense. I mean, you have a lot more money than I do, and you might want to...protect yourself, I guess."

"What are you talking about?"

"A prenuptial agreement. I'll sign one if you want me to. It just kind of makes me nervous to spend your money, and...I don't know. I'm babbling. I just wanted you to know that I would be willing to sign one if that's what you want."

"And why would I want that, Bryn? Why are you nervous spending our money?"

"Because it's not 'our' money, Anton. It's your money."

"No, it's not. I'm a firm believer in 'what's mine is yours' when it comes to my wives, Bryn. And I don't like the idea of prenuptial agreements. Seems to me you're expecting to fail when you sign one of those." He reached out and took her hand. "Look, if something happens to us, which I really doubt it will, I'll take care of you and our child financially. You have nothing to worry about."

Bryn looked unconvinced. "So what about what I have? If what's yours is mine, who does my stuff belong to?"

Anton smiled and squeezed her hand. "That's still yours, Bryn."

"That doesn't sound fair to you at all."

He pulled her closer, pressing his lips against her forehead. "You know what's not fair? I'm getting you and our baby for nothing. You are priceless to me. I would pay a king's ransom just to keep you, but since you're giving yourself to me, I'd rather put that money to better use. I know you, Sabryn. You're not going to go out and buy a mansion in Beverly Hills. And even if you did, we could afford it. I'm not worried about money, so I don't want you to worry about it, either."

She let out a sigh, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love you."

"I love you, too, my dear."

They finally pulled away from each other when the dog sat down at their feet and whimpered. Grinning, Bryn took the money Anton handed her.

"Guess I'd better hurry up. Looks like the delicate flower might be hungry." Picking up Petunia, she placed the puppy in Anton's arms and reached for her keys. "I'll be back soon. Tell Nate and Lindy I won't be gone long."

"Will do, my dear. Hurry back." He kissed her lightly on the lips before watching her leave the apartment. He looked down at the puppy, which reached up and licked his nose. "Oh no, this is the last thing I need now, another charming female in my life."

Nate glanced over at Lindy as the elevator lifted, feeling a bit of surrealism. He was about to willingly walk into Anton Rudenko's home, without malice, and sit down for a somewhat friendly conversation. It was something he never thought would happen. Reaching for Lindy's hand, he smiled as the elevator stopped and reached forward to lift the gate.

"Ready for this?" she asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be."

With a deep breath, he reached out and knocked on Anton's door.

The door opened and a brown and black blur shot down the hallway. Both jumped back, especially when they heard Anton shout "No, no! Bad dog!" Lindy and Nate stared at each other as Anton ran past them to pick up the puppy that was now sniffing at the elevator. He walked back, dog held securely in his arms. "Sorry about that."

Nate shook his head. He watched the dog squirm around before turning in her master's arms and licking him repeatedly on the face. [Yep, surreal.]

"Come on in," he said, holding the door open.

"You got a dog?" Lindy asked, walking in the apartment in front of Nate.

"Uh, yeah." Anton closed the door, letting the wildly squirming puppy down. It immediately ran off into the hallway, disappearing around the corner. He started to follow it, then turned and remembered his guests. "Mack and Chandra stopped by and gave her to us. Early wedding present."

Nate watched as the dog peeked back around the corner at them, lowering down onto her front legs before letting out a little bark. Laughing, he said, "Wish I'd thought of that."

Lindy gave him a warning glance, before turning back to Anton. "Where's Bryn?"

"She went to get Petunia some food and a new bed."

"Petunia?" Lindy winced. "Poor dog."

"Well, Bryn didn't like the first name I suggested."

Lindy lowered her hand to the floor and whistled softly. Petunia bounded over, eager to make friends. She looked up at Lindy before flopping over to expose her belly. Lindy reached down and stroked her stomach. "Good girl."

The dog waved its front foot in the air, whining softly, and Nate shook his head. "You've got her submitting already, Lind. Looks like we don't have to worry about who's boss."

Anton watched the two of them, shaking his head. [Lind?] He couldn't help feeling a slight irritation at the way Lindy turned back to smile at Nathaniel. Her husband. But he didn't bother to pursue the thought. Heading towards the kitchen, he said, "Can I get you guys something to drink?"

"No, thanks," Nathaniel said, quickly looking away from his gaze.

"Lindy?"

She looked up from petting the dog. "Got any iced tea?"

"Sure." Getting their drinks, he joined them in the living room, sitting down across from Nathaniel. He handed Lindy her drink, before sitting back on the couch. He grinned as Petunia trotted over and tried to climb up next to him. She struggled for a few minutes, unable to get her clumsy paws to work together, before he reached down and picked her up. Finally happy, she sat down casually next to him and watched over their conversation like a queen on a throne. Shaking his head, Anton said, "So...I guess we were going to talk about how the wedding went. Did your family have a good time?"

"Uh, yeah." Lindy shifted a little uneasily. "Except for when Mom got food poisoning on the last night we were there."

"Yeah," Nate added. "Poor Jess was sick as a dog during the flight back. Uh, no offense meant, Lind."

Lindy rolled her eyes before looking at Anton. She had to admit, his calm demeanor was starting to creep her out a bit. Almost like the calm before the storm. "We, um, brought the tape if you'd like to see the ceremony."

Anton sat back a bit. "Maybe when Bryn gets back."

Noticing Lindy's discomfort, Nate decided to shift the attention to himself. "Hawaii was nice. What little of it we could see in the dark anyway." He laughed a bit nervously at his own lame joke. "We brought some things back for you and--"

Before he could say her name, Bryn walked in the door, carrying a large dog bed topped with several bags. Anton got up from the couch, murmuring 'excuse me', before hurrying over to help her.

"There's a bag of dog food in the elevator," she told him, before turning to Nate and Lindy. "Hi! I'm sorry I'm late."

"That's OK," Nate said. "We were just about to show you the gifts we brought. You're just in time."

"Good." Bryn set down the dog bed next to the couch, grinning as the puppy walked over to that end of the couch to sniff her hair. Pulling a bunch of toys out of the bags, she tossed them onto the bed, giving one to the dog, and took the other bag into the kitchen. Once the food was inside the apartment, the puppy 'wee pads' were on the floor, and the dogs dishes were full, both Anton and Bryn sat down on the couch once more and returned their attention to Nate and Lindy. "So, I take it you guys had fun in Hawaii?"

"Yeah," Lindy said, nodding. "Uh, we brought a video of the wedding, if you want to watch it."

"Oh, cool." Bryn glanced at Anton, trying to gauge his reaction. "Uh, yeah, let's watch it."

"Okay." Anton reached for the remote and exchanged it for the tape that Lindy offered. He put the tape into the VCR and let Lindy take care of cueing it up. He was quiet, making himself watch how Nathaniel treated Lindy before he passed judgement. Silently, with an arm around Bryn, he watched the ceremony unfold on the screen. The ceremony was simple and heartfelt, he had to admit. He could easily see the love the two shared. And he also had to admit that he was surprised when he heard Nathaniel's wish that his brother were present.

Once the video stopped, Anton cleared his throat. "Could I have a few minutes alone with Nathaniel, please?"

Sniffling, Bryn nodded and wiped the tears off of her face. Picking up the dog, she gestured to Lindy to follow her into the bedroom. Once inside, she closed the door behind them.

Still staring at the television screen, Nate couldn't quite bring himself to look at Anton. He hadn't really wanted to bring that tape along with them. It made him feel weak and vulnerable. And that was exactly the opposite of how he needed to feel, sitting here. He was ashamed to feel his eyes stinging. [You've got balls, kid. Act like it.]

Breathing a heavy sigh, he finally turned at met Anton's gaze. "What do you want from me, Anton?"

Anton also breathed a heavy sigh. His arms were crossed over his chest, a defensive position. "Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?" Nate asked cautiously.

"Everything." He gestured with one hand at the TV. "What you said about loving Lindy forever. What you said about not getting to know Father. What you said about wanting me there with you."

Nate laughed mirthlessly. "I may have been a liar in the past, but I don't lie to my wife. And I don't lie to her family. Ever. If I said it that night, I meant it. It was my wedding, Anton, not a Dear Abby letter."

Anton leaned forward, expression curious. "Why, Nathaniel. Why now? What's the difference this time?"

"This time?"

"You're going to love Lindy forever? Why not the others?"

"What others?" Nate shook his head, before comprehension dawned. He wasn't so sure he wanted to reveal this. [Screw it.] "You may be on your seventh wife, Anton, but I'm not. When I fall in love with a woman, she stays mine. Not for a few years or decades. Always. Learn from that what you will."

"Are you saying that I loved my other wives less because I didn't Transform them? I respected their decision to stay human."

"What?" Nate was starting to get a little irritated. [Anton needs to be slapped upside the head. Maybe it'll knock a few brain cells back into place.] "I wasn't talking about you. I was talking about me. I've never Transformed, or even had, a wife before because I've never been so in love before. Lindy is my first wife, my only wife, and she always will be."

"You're telling me that you've never married before."

"Yeah." Nate really wished he had something strong to drink at the moment. "Yours isn't the only chain that Natasha likes to yank."

"And you meant it when you said you wanted me to be at the wedding. But you didn't ask me."

This time Nate did laugh with absolute humor. "Would you have invited you to my wedding?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Jesus, Anton...with the way you hate me, I'd have to have the patience of fucking Gandhi to invite you to my wedding. Instead, I had to ask myself which I'd rather do--marry Lindy, or fight with you all week."

"You didn't answer my question--"

"Yes, I wanted you there! You're my brother, God-damn it!"

"Then why? Why the last nine hundred years of the hatred, the torment? You're telling me that meeting Lindy has changed all that. I'm having a hard time believing that, Nathaniel, no matter how much I want to."

"I don't expect you to understand."

"Then explain it to me."

Nate sighed, rubbing his face. "I don't know how to explain it, damn it. Call it a downward spiral, stupidity, whatever you want...the thing it all boils down to is that I made a mistake. And I spent nearly a millennium paying for it." He looked up to meet Anton's gaze, his expression hardened. "You aren't a damned saint yourself, Anton. You fell for her first. I was just stupid enough to keep bashing myself against her like brick wall."

"You're telling me this is all about Natasha?"

"Isn't it? Isn't that why you've hated me all this time--because I took that slut away from you?" He laughed bitterly. "Anton, I did you a favor. You may not think so, but I can guarantee it. If she hadn't slept with me, it would've been someone else. And then someone after that, and so on, and so on."

"I know that now, Nathaniel. And I had my suspicions then, but I didn't want to admit it. But that's not all that's happened between us. There's also what happened to Father, and your role in it."

"I didn't kill him."

"How am I supposed to know that?"

"I guess you'll just have to take my word for it." Nate stood up, pacing behind his chair. "I started the rebellion. I was a jealous kid and I made a mistake. I told those villagers something I had no right to reveal, and if that means I'm a murderer, so be it. But I didn't kill him with my own hands."

"You expect me to feel sorry for you?"

"No! God, no. I never meant for that to happen. I didn't know...I never thought they'd get so violent. I should've known, I should've thought. But I didn't."

"What the hell were you trying to accomplish, Nathaniel?"

"I don't know." He ran his fingers through his hair, making it stand on end in places. "I tried so hard to make him like me. I tried everything to get his attention. But the only son he ever wanted was you." He held Anton's gaze, bracing his hands on the back of the chair. "I tried to be nice, to make him proud of me. And when that didn't work, I lost it. I threw a tantrum like a spoiled little boy, and I did something I will regret for the rest of my life. But if you think I haven't punished myself for it, you're wrong. I've been punishing myself ever since. That's why I stayed with Natasha. That's why I let her ruin my life. And Lindy is the only reason I'm standing here right now. She saved me. She saved my life, Anton. I only wish I could've done the same for Ivan."

"Why, Nathaniel?"

"Because he saved my life. Because he Transformed me."

"No, Nathaniel. He didn't," Anton said with a sigh. "I did."

Nate blinked. "What did you say?"

Now it was Anton's turn to get up and pace. "You were barely alive when you were brought back to the keep, Nathaniel. Lady Gisele and I asked Ivan for your life. He told me that if I wished you to live, I should Transform you."

Nate stared at him for a long while, before lowering his head. He couldn't seem to think of a single thing to say. He should've known Ivan would never touch him. Should've known that even in death his stepfather didn't want him. He felt his eyes misting over and blinked rapidly to clear them. It made perfect sense...except one thing.

"Why?" He cleared his throat, still staring at the chair. "Why would you do that?"

Anton walked over to the chair where Nate was sitting. He had asked himself the same question may times over the centuries as well. And he always came back with the same answer. He reached out and placed a hand on the younger vampire's shoulder. "Because, Nathaniel. You're my brother."

Nate bit the corner of his lip, closing his eyes. The touch of Anton's hand seemed to burn right through his shirt, searing his skin, like a white-hot brand. He shuddered, knowing his brother could feel it, but unable to hide it. He couldn't--wouldn't--open his eyes. Not now. Not with him standing so close, in the same room, in the same city. Only the fear of tripping and falling on his face kept him from getting up and leaving the room.

[Oh, Lind, why did we come here?]

Anton withdrew his hand, sensing that Nathaniel wasn't handling his touch very well. "Look, Nathaniel, I know we won't become best friends over night. But there are two women who are very important to us who seem to be determined to end our feuding. That and now we have a common enemy. Are you willing to give it a try, Nathaniel?"

"Y--" He had to clear his throat to get the word out. "Yes." He finally opened his eyes, daring to meet Anton's gaze. His eyes burned but, somehow, for the moment at least, remained dry. "You should've let me die, Anton. I wouldn't have blamed you."

"What's done is done, Nathaniel. We can't change the past. We can only move forward." He looked to the closed bedroom door. "I suppose Bryn and Lindy are wondering if we've killed each other yet."

"You should probably end their worrying."

Anton nodded and walked over to the bedroom. Knocking softly, he opened the door. Despite trying to look interested in her conversation with Bryn, Lindy was sitting nervously on the end of the bed. Bryn sat up from where she was playing with the dog.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"Yeah. You two can come out, if you'd like."

Lindy didn't even wait for him to finish his sentence before brushing past him. He glanced back to see her walk over and sit down next to Nathaniel, taking his hand. He gave her a weak smile but didn't make any other moves towards her. Sighing, Anton walked into the bedroom and sat down for a minute. He patted Petunia's soft belly, as she lay stretched out on the bed.

Scooting down towards him, Bryn placed her hand on his thigh. She spoke softly, so only he could hear. "Is everything really okay? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Bryn. And things are as well as can be expected." He sighed heavily and put an arm around her. "We just got nine hundred years of bad feelings cleared, so neither of us are that chipper at the moment."

Leaning against him, she wrapped her arms around his waist and nuzzled his neck. "Well, as long as you're both chipper nine hundred years from now, it'll all be worth it." She grinned at him. "Come on. I'll make all of us some fresh strawberry ice cream. That's got to pick some spirits up at least a little bit."

Standing up, she reached for his hand and pulled him off the bed. Petunia whined for a moment, looking down from the bed as if trapped on a cliff. Shaking his head, Anton grabbed her and put the dog on the floor. They followed her as she trotted out the door and back to the living room.

Bryn smiled when she saw Lindy and Nathaniel sitting on the couch, holding hands tightly. "Who's up for ice cream?"

Lindy looked up at Bryn. "What kind?"

"Strawberry." She was puzzled why Lindy started blushing bright red. "I got a craving for it yesterday, so I put the strawberries in the freezer. Shouldn't take long."

She walked into the kitchen and set up the food processor. A few grinds, some cream, and a short while later she was dishing up the ice cream with chocolate sauce. Handing out the bowls and spoons--placing the remaining ice cream on the floor for Petunia, without the sauce--she took a seat back in the living room. For several minutes she didn't speak, just silently ate her ice cream, her toes curling in delight.

"God, I've been looking forward to this all day!" She giggled. "I feel like body isn't my own anymore. I swear I would fly all the way to Philadelphia right now just to have a really good cheese steak."

"Would that be an infamous pregnancy craving, my dear?" Anton ducked the punch Bryn threw to his arm. "So did you bring back any tacky souvenirs? I believe that's a state law."

Lindy looked at Nate and squeezed his hand. When he didn't speak, she answered. "Well, we did bring you something." She picked up a gift bag that she had placed by her purse earlier that night and passed it to Bryn.

Still enthralled with her ice cream, Bryn took a chance and passed the bag over to Anton. Judging by the look on Nate's face, he wasn't entirely pleased. Then again, his expression hadn't changed much in the last twenty minutes anyway. Opening the bag, Anton pulled out a tissue-wrapped bundle and set the bag on the floor. Unwrapping the package further, he revealed the driftwood-framed picture, pretty seashells embellishing each of its corners. Bryn sat forward and looked at the picture, taken some time after Nate and Lindy's wedding ceremony, where the couple was dancing and looking quite longingly into each other's eyes. She glanced up at Anton, not quite able to figure out his expression.

Looking back at Nate and Lindy, she said, "That's beautiful. Where did you find the frame?"

"Nate made it," Lindy said softly.

"You made this, Nate? Wow. I'm impressed. It's very pretty."

"It's just stuff we found on the beach," Nate muttered.

"No, Nathaniel, this is impressive," Anton said. "I don't think I could have done this."

Lindy nodded. Nate didn't seem inclined to answer any questions. "Look, I hate to cut this short, but since Bryn and I are going to have our dresses fitted tomorrow, I think we should head on home."

"Oh, I'm sorry to see you go so early," Bryn said. All four stood up and walked over to the doorway. While Bryn hugged Lindy good-bye, exchanging last minute notes about what time they'd be meeting up, Anton offered Nathaniel his hand to shake.

It took him a moment or two to lift his hand, but once he did his handshake was firm and brief. Both Lindy and Bryn watched silently as the two brothers shook hands like civilized men. They glanced at each other, exchanging a secretive smile, before Nate reached for the door.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," Bryn said. "You don't have anything to do afterwards, do you?"

"No, why?"

"Oh, I, uh...I wanted to go over some things with you about the rehearsal stuff?"

"Okay." Glancing at Anton, Lindy said, "See you later."

"Bye." He grabbed the dog before it rushed out the door, lingering for a moment before he closed the door behind them. He saw them get into the elevator, Nathaniel holding his gaze as he pulled down the gate behind them. Closing the door, Anton walked back to where Bryn was picking up the bowls and spoons. "What's going on tomorrow after the dress fittings?"

"The surprise party, remember?" She paused to look at him. "You did remember to put my invitations in the outgoing mail, didn't you?"

"Uh, yeah." When her eyes narrowed, he nodded again. "Yes, I did."

Putting the bowls on the counter, she turned to face him. "I know he didn't exactly look very pleased when he left, but I think whatever you said might have helped things with Nate." She walked over and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. "Sexier every day, sugar."

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. "Mmmm... can't wait to see what you'll do when we actually started acting like brothers." He kissed her forehead, swaying his hips from side to side. "So what were you and Lindy doing while Nathaniel and I were talking?"

"I was asking her for details about her ceremony. She was more interested in keeping her ear against the door." Bryn reached up and kissed him again. "So what did you and Nate talk about?"

Anton slowly started guiding her back to the bedroom. "About the wedding, about Father, about her," he said. "I told him that I was the one who Transformed him, not Father. I think he's taking that hard."

"Why?"

"I think he wanted it the other way around. To prove that Father didn't really ignore him."

"Did he?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

She stopped when her thighs hit the bed, frowning slightly. "Poor Nate."

Preferring not to think about it anymore than he already had that night, Anton cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. Intent on wiping the frown off her face. She responded quite eagerly, allowing his tongue to tease hers, following willingly as his hands guided her back on to the bed. For several minutes, the whisper of their breath and the softness of their kisses were the only sounds in the room.

Until Petunia placed her front feet on the side of the bed, threw her head back, and howled in utter despair.

Both looked down, sighing a bit. "I guess we should get used to it, my dear," Anton said. "Only in about six months, it will be a baby's cries, not a puppy's." He reached down to scratch behind Petunia's ears. He lifted the puppy up on the bed, wincing when Petunia started licking his face.

Bryn giggled, especially when the dog's rapidly moving tail smacked her in the cheek. After a moment, Petunia turned around and gave the same treatment to Bryn, licking her repeatedly while making little grunting sounds. Eventually, the dog walked over to the pillows, plopped down, and was content to watch them from where she lay.

Shaking her head, Bryn pulled Anton back down and kissed him again. "Do you have any idea what a good father you're going to be? I can't wait to see you with our baby."

"Actually, Bryn, the thought terrifies me."

She arched an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Yeah." He stroked her hair, frowning thoughtfully. "I've heard it said that you parent by example. Ivan was a good father to me, but he could be cold and distant at times. And practically ignored Nathaniel. I want to be a good father, but I'm afraid that I may take after him."

"Well, I think it's basically true that you learn by example...but I also think you choose your own path. You can either decide you agree with what you were taught, or you can disagree and do exactly the opposite. It's how some families stop the cycle of abuse that gets started. Once you understand what's right and wrong, you don't just sit back and let it happen to you. You make your own results." She stroked the side of his face. "Anton, you aren't cold and distant with me, and you won't be with our children either. Even if you wanted to, do you really think I'd let you?"

He caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. "You're right, of course, my dear. But did I hear you right, Bryn?"

"What, Anton?"

"You said 'our children,' my dear." He cupped the side of her face. "Do you want more than one child?"

She swallowed heavily. "Well, I--I don't even know if we can--"

"But you would?"

She glanced over at the dog, which had its eyes closed. "I think it might be nice, especially if we could have both. I love my brother so much. I don't know if I would've survived being an only child." Looking back at him, she blinked a few times. "Yes, I would want more than one child. If you did."

"I haven't thought about it, my dear. I'm still trying to get used to the idea of one child. Although the idea of having a large family does have appeal." He bent down to kiss her lips. "Let's just concentrate on getting you through this pregnancy, and then maybe a little down the road we'll see if we can plan the second one."

She gave him a luminous smile, pulling him closer. "I love you," she whispered, "and I'm very proud of you. And I can't wait to be your wife and the mother of your children."

"Mmmm...I like the sound of that, Bryn." He ran his hand up and down her side. "Why don't you show me just how proud of me you are, my dear."

"In that case..." She pushed on his shoulder, rolling him over onto his back and climbing on top of him. She laughed as Petunia walked over to lick his face a few more times before laying back down. Leaning over him, Bryn kissed him again. All the while working on the buttons of his shirt. She lapped at the skin she bared, kissing his neck and collarbones, nipping at his chest, sucking lightly at his nipples. He arched beneath her, his hand lifting up to cradle her head. But she quickly pushed his hand back to the comforter. "Just relax, sugar."

She flashed him a grin, scooting back to work on the button and zipper on his jeans. She tugged the denim past his hips, placing lingering kisses just above the waistband of his boxers. When she finally started peeling the flimsy fabric out of the way, he was already quivering below her.

She licked a long stripe up the underside of his erect cock. "Do you have any idea how much I love the taste of you?"

He twitched, an aborted thrust, before answering you. "I have a bit of an idea, my dear."

Bryn stroked the inside of his thighs, causing him to squirm. "You're absolutely delicious." Her fingers went a little higher to caress his balls. Anton moaned and shifted against her. She smiled and moved her fingers in little circles while planting light, openmouthed kisses on his cock.

She lapped at the tip with her tongue, dragging away a drip of precum that was just about to roll down the side. She moaned at the taste, opening her mouth to suck his cock inside, moving slowly down and up again, his hips following her movements. With most of the length of his cock slick, she wrapped her hand firmly around him and then lowered her mouth to his balls. Tickling them lightly with her tongue until he was undulating below her. Lapping at him, feeling the little hairs brush against her lips before opening her mouth and sucking one of his testicles inside.

Anton gave a sharp yelp, making Petunia look at him in concern before the puppy settled back down. Bryn slowly slid her hand up and down the length of him, sucking at his testicles in time with her motions. "God, Bryn!"

He couldn't help the thrusting of his hips, fucking himself into her fist as she pulled at him with her mouth. She moved from one testicle to the other, sucking it into the warmth of her mouth, leaving the other wet and quivering. Just as she felt his balls start to pull back against his body, she released them from her mouth and moved up to suck at his cock. He arched beneath her, cumming with a shout, watching her rapidly suckle from him and swallow everything he gave her. She gave him a few more laps with her tongue, before pulling back and giggling at the way the puppy was looking at them--its head cocked to side in wonder.

He laughed at the puzzled expression on puppy's face, and then gave a sigh of contentment. "Get up here, Bryn." As soon as she was in reach, he started unbuttoning her blouse, and then pulled her on top of him to kiss her. "What inspired that particular demonstration of pride, my dear? I want to know so I can be sure to do whatever it was more often." He reached over to rub Petunia behind her ears, who was still watching them curiously.

She laughed again, draping herself over his chest, laying her head on his shoulder. "Maybe I just had a craving of a different kind."

He grinned down at her. "Oh yeah? Think you'll have it again?"

"Of course. I still have six months left." She kissed his chest, rubbing her cheek against him. "Besides, I'm very proud of how you're handling things with Nathaniel. I think you're going to be very happy when you two aren't fighting anymore. Maybe you can even make up for the damage Ivan did by ignoring him all that time?"

"Maybe. Depends on if he'll let me." He rubbed his fingers back and forth just below her shoulder blade.

"What do you mean maybe?"

"He told me that he'd been going back to Natasha as a form of punishment. Said he left her for Lindy. I half wonder though if he's just going to go looking for a new way to punish himself."

She rested her chin on his sternum, looking up at him. "He won't hurt Lindy. I think he'd rather hurt himself than ever hurt her."

"That's what I'm afraid of. What if he does something stupid, trying to hurt himself, and ends up hurting her as a side effect?"

"Well, I guess you'll just have to keep working on him, Anton. Tell him to stop punishing himself. If you forgive him, maybe he can forgive himself."

"If he'll listen to me." His hand slid down to trace around the vertebrae at the base of her spine. "But you know, right now I don't want to discuss him."

Bryn arched an eyebrow at him. "Oh?"

"No. Right now I want to show you how proud I am of you."

"Really? Of what?"

"Well, there's the fact that you're carrying my child. The fact that you're stubborn enough to make me face some hard facts. And the fact that you love me and you're going to be my wife."

"Wait, wait...wait a minute." She was smiling, but her tone didn't sound so pleased. "Did you just call *me* stubborn?"

"Yeah..."

"Me? Stubborn?"

"You are stubborn."

"Well, if that's not the pot calling the kettle black! Anton, you have to be the most bull-headed, obstinate, ornery, stubborn man I've ever met! You would stand stock still in the middle of a tornado if you thought it would serve you--"

Ending her tirade quite effectively, he pulled her tight against him and smothered her mouth with his. He rolled her onto her back, sliding one leg between hers. One hand went to her breast, circling her nipple with his thumb. The other hand cradled her head as his tongue swiped across hers.

She moaned against his mouth, clutching at his upper arms. Tangling her legs with his, she arched her back and pressed her breast more firmly against his hand. Sucking at his tongue, she wriggled beneath him, trying to get him where she wanted him, her hands sliding down to grab his bare ass. When he finally pulled back to look at her, she stared at him breathlessly.

"Ohh...and you're also a really good kisser."

Anton grinned, squatting backwards and tugging off her shorts and underwear. "I'm glad you approve." He lay back down beside her, hands slipping behind her back to undo her bra. He flipped it out of the way. Sliding one hand to fondle her far breast, he lowered his mouth to her erect nipple, flicking at it with his tongue.

She whimpered, closing her eyes to concentrate on the sensation. The next thing she felt was the drag of a wet tongue across her cheek, accompanied by tickling whiskers and soft snuffling sound. She popped one eye open to see Petunia looking down at her and she pursed her lips to blow at the puppy. Perking her ears up, Petunia barked at her and tried to pounce, thinking it was a game, her tail wagging wildly. Until Anton reached up and moved her back towards the pillows. Plopping down on her butt, the puppy cocked her head at him again.

"You mind?" he asked, shaking his head when the dog actually seemed to listen to him. "I'm working here."

"She just wants to make sure you aren't hurting me."

He flashed her a grin. "Looks like she needs to learn the difference between good moans and bad moans."

Bryn stretched beneath him. "Why don't we give her an example of good moans."

Anton smiled at her. The hand on her breast slid down her body to cup between her legs. One finger slowly began circling around, but didn't directly touch her clit. "An example like this, my dear?" he said teasingly.

"Mmm...that might work." She raised her hips, opening her legs further, seeking firmer contact. Not content to stay still, she reached out and ran her fingers up and down the inside of his thigh, teasing his cock just as he was teasing her. "Although, this might work better."

Anton shivered. "Yeah, that would work better." He continued to stroke between her legs, spreading her moisture around. "You ready to moan, Bryn?"

She licked her lips, nodding silently. She couldn't take her eyes off of him. She didn't think she'd ever told him, but he had the most amazing eyes she'd ever seen. Intense brown with little flecks of gold, the slightest bit of green just around the pupil. But it wasn't just the color, it was the way he looked at her. He practically had her moaning already, with just his gaze.

"I want you, Anton."

Slowly he pressed his cock into her. And equally slowly he pulled almost completely out. Slowly repeated the motion, all the time looking into Bryn's blue eyes. Balancing his weight on one hand, he reached out and rubbed his thumb against her nipple. He was panting heavily, wanted to just plunge into her with reckless abandon, but was also determined to draw this out as long as possible.

Bryn held his gaze, letting out a soft moan with every thrust he gave inside of her. She could feel herself getting wetter as he hit all of her sweet spots, and her thighs quivered around his hips. Pressing her hands over his ass, she lifted up slightly to kiss him, tangling her tongue with his as slowly as he moved inside of her, sucking lightly at his tongue. She couldn't possibly imagine another day without him; without his touch, his gaze, his body moving against hers, his love wrapped around her.

He nipped at her lips. He loved the reactions he was able to coax out of her when they made love. But more importantly, he loved her. He felt warmed in her presence, giddy when she smiled at him, and ecstatic when they just kissed, let alone any other touching. Starting to give in to his wants and Sabryn's urgings, he moved faster, lying down fully on her body.

She moaned louder, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, and hooking her heels together behind his thighs. Pulling away from his mouth, she pressed her lips against his ear, first as just a kiss and then as a whisper.

"Do you know I've had a crush on you since the first time I saw you? You made me shake, my heart race, and I couldn't wait to be with you. I'd never seen anyone so gorgeous, and when I talked to you I found out I liked you even more. You were so gentle, and so considerate, and I wanted to hold your hand just seconds after meeting you. I liked you more and more with every passing minute and by the time we reached your hotel room, I was so in love with you I could barely speak. And it might have scared me then, but I wish I could show it to you now. I wish there was some way to tell you exactly how much I love you, because I'd do it every day for the rest of my life."

He freed one hand to stroke her hair. "All you have to do, Bryn, is fall asleep in my arms, and wake up with me holding you. I love you more than life itself, and would die without you." He sped up his thrusts even more. "I love you so much Bryn, and am so grateful for all the time we've had together so far, and hope we will be together for a long time." He lunged down and kissed her fiercely before pulling his lips a fraction of an inch from hers. "Now cum for me."

She gave him a wet laugh, blinking moisture out of her eyes, before rocking her hips against his. She tightened her vaginal muscles, flexing around him, and arched her back to press his body exactly where she wanted him. Holding his gaze, she watched him grow closer to his own orgasm, thrusting rapidly inside her, while gently dissolving into her own. She shook beneath him with a violent spasm, before quivering with release. Clenching tightly around him, she pulled him into climax right behind her, marveling at the intense pleasure on his face as he came.

Anton sank down on Bryn, burying his face against her neck. He just lay on top of her, trying to catch his breath. Eventually he pulled up to look at and lightly kiss her. "God, Bryn, do you have any idea how wonderful you are?"

She giggled. "Well of course I am."

"I'm serious."

"Hmm...well, if I am, it's only because you make me feel wonderful." She kissed him again, letting out a contented sigh. "I don't want to move, but I think I should take Petunia outside before she decides to pee on the bed."

"Can't have that." Anton rolled off of Bryn with a contented sigh of his own before sitting up. "Let's take her out together," he said, reaching for his discarded slacks. Both dressed quickly, thinking that the sooner they got back, the sooner they could undress each other again. Bryn put the collar and lead on Petunia, and Anton held the front door wide open. "After you, my dear." Watching her walk through the door, he smiled sappily. In a little over a week, she would be his wife. And he couldn't recall ever being happier.

End Chapter Twenty-five