Runs in the Blood, Chapter 69

Chapter 69

"You know what's weird? I kind of miss this place."
"Oh? Why is that?" Opening up the elevator grate in the warehouse, Anton headed towards the door to their old apartment. Since the next day would be company Thanksgiving feast, and Anton couldn't travel in daylight, they'd opted to spend the night in the loft. The bed he'd ordered arrived a little less than a week ago.
"I just miss the way it felt when I first moved in here...the excitement of it. Spending our first day together here, sleeping in each other's arms. Our first shower together, snuggling on the couch to watch a movie, sliding across the hardwood floors in our socks." She grinned, then shrugged. "I guess I just miss you. I know you worked a lot when we were here, the same amount as you do now, but it seemed like less because we were so close to your office here. If I wanted to see you, all I had to do was take the elevator downstairs. It's different now. I feel like we grew up or something."
"Maybe we have, my dear." Anton finished putting the sheets on the California King sized bed, lifting the mattress to tuck the sheets under. "We're having to plan things ahead of time now, not letting things happen spontaneously any more. Plus I'm gone an extra hour with the commute." Sheets firmly anchored, he sat down on the bed, patting beside it for her to join him. "Do you regret moving, Bryn?"
She sank down on to the bed next to him. "No. Well, I did the other night when I got attacked, that's for sure. But I like our house and I like where we live. I just wish...I wish we could be wild and crazy. Do something fun we didn't have to schedule. I don't know. I feel like we changed after we got married. I can't as easily see the changes in myself, but I know you've gotten more cautious. More serious. I miss being playful with you, Anton."
He gently stroked her cheek. "We've been through a lot since we got married, Bryn. The honeymoon, finding out about your past lives, the car accident, the Gathering, that attack earlier. Is it any wonder I'm more cautious?" He gently kissed her cheek. "But you'd like me to be more playful? Like this?" Before she could ask what he meant, he grabbed her around her waist and fell backwards onto the bed, pulling her to straddle him.
She giggled, settling lightly on top of him, sitting up. "It's a good start." She lazily slid her hands across his chest and down to his stomach. "What about you? Do you miss anything about living here?"
He grinned, kicking off his shoes as she started to unbutton his shirt. "I miss being able to sneak upstairs for a quickie when I've got a break at work." He slipped his hands under the hem of her sweater, stroking her stomach.
She smiled again. "That was very nice. Especially when things at work were slow." She slid down on top of him, her legs bent beneath her. "I miss being thinner, so I could have you on top of me. And so I could see you moving in and out of me." Kissing his mouth, she let out a soft moan.
"That will change soon. The question is if we'll be able to find time once Max is born." He kissed her, slipping his tongue into her mouth. His hands started pulling her sweater upwards, tickling her skin as he did so.
She squirmed against him, wriggling to avoid the ticklish sensations. Sucking at his tongue, she pushed her fingers into his hair and caressed his temples with her thumbs. When the kiss broke, they were both breathing heavily. "I want to suck your cock tonight," she said, breathlessly.
He let out a pleased rumble. "Only if I get to lick you dry." Pulling the sweater over her head, he began kissing her shoulders as he unstrapped her bra. Tossing it to one side, he began massaging her breasts, pulling lightly on her nipples. Kneading her while sucking on her neck, he purred like cat drinking cream.
She whimpered, rolling her hips back and forth to grind herself against his hardening cock. Sliding her fingers back and forth across his nipples, she softly murmured, "Tell me about one of your fantasies, sugar. One of the ones you had about us, when we were apart. I want to know what you thought about doing to me."
He arched beneath her touch. His voice was low and breathy. "I'd think about going down on you, about you going down on me. About how I'd suck on your nipples first, lap at your navel, tickle your thighs and then taste you while you were doing the same to me."
"Mmm. I used to hope you'd sneak in my bedroom at night, through the window like a burglar. You'd take your clothes off and carefully crawl into my bed...then you'd wake me up slowly by caressing my body. Sometimes I thought it would be nice if I didn't wake up until you were pushing inside me from behind." She kissed him again, her eyes heavy-lidded. "Then we'd spend the rest of the night making love, before you'd kidnap me and take me to your home."
"I'll have to remember that one." Anton's fingers gently began toying with her waistband, dipping his fingers beneath it and stroking her skin. "I'd fantasize that I'd roll over in the middle of the day, and there you were in bed beside me, naked. We'd make love all day, and long into the night."
She sat up again, working on the buttons on his jeans. "Sometimes I'd daydream in the shower that I could feel your hands on me. That when I was washing myself, it wasn't my touch but yours. You'd stand behind me and rub your body against me...and then you'd push me up against the wall and take me from behind while I stood on my tip-toes, with the water beating down on us. That's what I used to think about when I used the shower massager."
He gave a low moan at the mental image. "I want to see that, Bryn." He urged her to lift up so he could pull her pants and underwear off. "I want to watch you writhe while you think about me touching you. And when you reach the height of passion, that's when I'll touch you."
She grinned, sliding his pants and boxers off his legs. "I'm game, whenever you're ready." She coaxed him sat up to remove his shirt the rest of the way. "I love thinking about you touching me. Sometimes something I see will trigger a memory of us making love, and I'll have to bite my lip to keep from moaning in the check out lane of the grocery store. And then when I get in the car, it's all I can do to keep from finishing myself off right there in the parking lot."
"No fair," Anton murmured. "I want to be able to watch." He pulled her down for a kiss, tongue delving into her mouth. His hands wandered down her back so he could squeeze her ass. "I'm ready when you are, my dear. Turn around."
She turned on to her side, sliding down on the bed until her mouth was level with his cock. She encouraged him to bend his leg beneath her, so she could use his thigh as a pillow, doing the same for him and propping her other leg out of the way. Leaning in closer, she breathed in deeply, her eyes sliding closed, moaning at the heady scent of his arousal. Taking hold of his cock, she gave him a few gentle strokes with her hand until a drop of pre-cum started to appear at the tip. She lapped it away with her tongue then moaned as she felt his fingers opening her to his sight.
He moaned, staring intently at her sex. He could see the moisture glinting off of her, and he slid his fingers through it as he spread her wider open. Leaning forward, he shuddered as he smelled her. Delicately reaching out with his tongue, he circled her clit before slipping his tongue inside of her.
She could feel her thighs starting to quiver even as she pulled his cock into her mouth. His familiar flavor made her moan again, and she slid her arm under his thigh to gently hold and stroke his balls. She took her time arousing him, leisurely sliding up and down his length, gently sucking, lapping at him. Hoping she could make this orgasm incredible. And since he didn't have to drive to work when they woke up, she knew she'd make love to him again. If at all possible, she wanted to keep him grinning all day long.
He probed deep with his tongue before pulling out to lap at her clit again. His hand came around her ass, fingers curling to her inside thigh to lift it to give him better access. He moaned at the feeling of her pressing her tongue against the large vein on the underside of his cock. He made sure his lips were pressed against her so she could feel the vibrations. He lapped and kissed at her sex, making sure his tongue lingered.
Pressing her thumb against his perineum, she rubbed in small circles...close to the same rhythm in which she was rocking her hips. She started sucking more firmly upon him, using her hand to stroke him as well.
His hips started moving as well, short strokes so he wouldn't unintentionally choke her. He let out little grunts of pleasure and he continued to lap at her sex. He pushed his tongue back inside of her, moving it in time to the rhythm of her bobbing head.
She could feel his balls starting to rise, and sped up her movements in response. Sucking harder, feeling and tasting his precum dribbling onto her tongue. As he started to gently rub her clit with his fingers, she tightened her muscles around her tongue. Her orgasm was starting to build and she was getting wetter by the second.
He groaned again, trying to stave off his orgasm, feeling her tighten around his tongue, he redoubled his efforts and gently pressed against her anus, rubbing her clit with other. He didn't penetrate her, just stimulate her. Listening to his moans, it was apparent it had the desired affect.
She squirmed, her hips moving almost independently. Taking a cue from her husband, she pressed her finger down over his anus and sucked hard. As his hips jerked and he started to cum, the sudden explosion in her mouth set off her orgasm. She squealed around his cock and rippled around his tongue, her thighs shaking violently.
He continued to lap at her, trying to draw out her orgasm as long as possible. He hadn't meant for her to cum so quickly, nor to cum quickly either. He pulled away from her mouth, a little oversensitive and her gentle laps.
Catching her breath, she settled her head against his leg and let him continue to clean her up. After a minute or so, she sat up and turned around to face him. Scooting as close as she could, she kissed him deeply, tasting herself in his mouth, tangling her flavor with his. She clutched his shoulders from behind, happily snuggling into his warmth.
He had a small smile on his face as he kissed her lightly. One hand stroked over her stomach. "I love you so much, my dear." He kissed her forehead. "Again in a few minutes?"
She smiled and nodded. "I love *you* so much." She pushed one leg between his and nuzzled his jaw. "I never thought love-making could be like this. I knew it would be passionate and pleasurable, but I didn't expect it to be so emotional. I never fantasize when we're making love, because I'm so busy thinking about how much I love you, how amazing you are, and what I can do to make you feel good. I love you so much it feel like my heart could just burst right out of my chest."
He took her head in his hands, thumbs stroking her cheekbones. He continued to press his lips against her face lightly, murmuring between kisses. "I love you, Bryn. I don't want to spend a day or a night without you." The hand that has been stroking her stomach moved to caress her back.
She kissed his mouth again, sucking softly on his lower lip. "I can't wait to spend Christmas with you...or Christmas Eve, rather. We could snuggle up on the couch together, with a big warm blanket, opening presents and watching A Christmas Story. We could have hot chocolate with candy canes in it and lots of whipped cream. Then we could just lie there and make out for a while." She grinned at him. "It sounds like the best Christmas ever, for both of us."
"That sounds perfect, my dear." He nuzzled her cheek, hands still sliding over her spine. "I think the only thing that could make it even better would be if Max were born to share it with us." His hand came back around to rest on her stomach, and he grinned when Max kicked where it rested. "See? He agrees."
She smiled, resting her hand over his and laying her head back on the pillow. "Honestly, I'm starting to get nervous. Not just about the labor, even though I know it's going to be terribly painful. But I'm also worried...well, because I'm going to be someone's Mom. I haven't had to greatest examples of that to refer to. And sometimes I feel like I'm barely taking care of myself. I'm not afraid of making some huge mistake, because I think I'll do okay...I'm more worried that the little mistakes will combine and become a rolling snowball."
Anton kissed her temple and then whispered in her ear. "Bryn, you are going to be a wonderful mother. You're warm and caring. You know your weaknesses, and I'm going to help you learn your strengths. And those poor examples, I know you won't emulate them. You'll learn from them instead. You have family and friends around you to help you. And besides, you've already been a wonderful mother, remember?"
She hugged him closer, squeezing him tightly. "Thank you. I'm so glad I have you." Kissing his mouth, she kept her eyes open and stared in his, warmed by their chocolate-y, dark coffee color. "I wish I remembered more about you as a little boy. I bet you were adorable."
"You told me that all the time, even when I got older, and thought I was beyond the age where I could be considered adorable." He gently stroked the side of her face. "You called me Antosha. And you were always able to make me feel better when I was upset, and soothe my fears when I was scared. Even when I wouldn't tell you why I was frightened."
She closed her eyes, pressing her forehead to his. "I wish you had, Anton. It would've broken my heart, but I swear I would've been there for you. I would've held you so close, and loved you so much. I'd have kept loving you until it didn't hurt anymore, and it didn't scare you anymore. And you never ever would've doubted how special you are."
"I should have told you then." His eyes were closed as he spoke. "I'm sorry. It was a burden I shouldn't have tried to carry alone. I shouldn't have done what father asked about not speaking about what happened. He nuzzled her cheek. "But you did help me then. Not the same way if you had known, but you did help."
She turned her head and kissed him, lingering for a moment. "I just don't like seeing you hurting, sugar." She softly kissed his closed eyes, then his forehead.
Although she knew she wasn't the greatest singer in the world, she figured she was going to have to improve sooner or later...unless she wanted to scare Max. Tucking Anton's head under her chin, she gently stroked his hair and quietly sang one of the songs that soothed her as a child.
"There was a boy, a very strange enchanted boy. They say he wandered very far, very far, over land and sea. A little shy, and sad of eye, but very wise was he. And then one day, a magic day he passed my way. And while we spoke of many things, fools and kings, this he said to me...the greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."
He pressed his head against her heart, to hear it beat. With his ear pressed against her sternum he looked up at her, a small smile on his face. "And you still know how to comfort me, Bryn." Pushing himself up on one elbow, he kissed her, catching her lower lip between his.
She surged up against him, kissing him passionately, awed by how much the song sounded like him. Her very strange, enchanted boy. Her ancient vampire lover, the man she'd loved for more than a millennium...perhaps since time began. The thought that they were so truly meant to be, perfect soul mates who could never let each other go, made her heart race in her chest. [We've already been together for an eternity, Anton. I will walk with you forever.]
She pulled away from his mouth suddenly, breathing heavily, with her eyes dilated. "I want you, now."
His own breathing was heavy as well as he kissed her neck. Rolling her onto her side, he gently rubbed her breast and stomach as he positioned himself behind her. He pressed his nose against the back of her neck, forehead tickled by her short hair. Placing feather light kisses on her skin, he pushed his cock into her wet sex.
"Mmmm..." She grabbed on to his arm, clutching it tightly to her. Rocking back against him, she helped to sheath him completely and then held still to savor the sensation of having him inside her. She reached behind her, cupping the back of his neck. [This is the only language we ever spoke that never needed translation.] "Show me how much you love me, Anton. Make me feel it."
He nipped at her ear, starting to set a slow, easy rhythm with his hips. He held her tight against him, pulling her waist against him with each thrust. His eyes shut in bliss. [I'm home.] Slowly his hand wandered down her stomach, but stopped with his fingers nestled in her pubic hair.
She bit her lip, holding him firmly inside her but not yet squeezing. She wanted this time to last, to make this feeling last forever. Wrapping her leg over his, she opened herself more completely to him. It felt so good to be so tightly embraced, to be surrounded and filled by him. She wished they could just mesh completely, until they couldn't tell who was which. "Love you so much, sugar. Ohhh, so much."
"Love you so much, my dear." He gently combed his fingers through her pubic hair. "Always have, always will." Still thrusting, he pushed his hand down lower, slipping his fingers between her sex. Holding his hand still, he continued to nip at her neck.
Part of her wished he'd bite down hard. Although it was too soon, and a serious risk, she wanted that bond with him more than anything. She wanted to be able to turn around and sink her teeth into him as well, to be joined in every way possible. Shivering at the mental image, she slid her hand down over his and back to his balls, just barely caressing him, her fingernails lightly scraping against his perineum.
He gave a sharp thrust and then forced himself to stay still. He wanted this to last longer than their earlier lovemaking had. He kissed her neck, working his way up to her cheek. And despite his intentions, his thrusts became more forceful, and his fingers began circling her clit.
She moaned, squeezing him inside of her. "Mmm, Anton. Oh that feels so good." Grasping his balls more firmly, she gently rolled them in her grip. She pressed down harder on his perineum, squealing as his thrusts grew more forceful still. Backing into the sharp strokes, she slammed herself against him and bit her fingernails into his arm.
He grunted, pushing hard and circling his hand around her clit. His breathing became heavier and heavier as he pistoned in and out of her. "Bryn," he whispered, his breath hot as it blew past her ear. His tongue snaked out to lick her earlobe as he rubbed directly across her clit.
"Uhhh!" She jerked back against him, shocked by the sudden onset of her own climax. She spasmed around him, gripping his arm almost as hard as she was squeezing his cock. "Oh God, yes!"
Anton arched back, letting out a hoarse cry as he came hard. The grip she had on his cock was incredible, wringing every drop from his balls. Trembling and breathing shakily, he snuggled against Bryn, pressing his face to her neck, trying to regain some control. "Love you, Bryn."
Panting, she loosened up her grip on him and gently massaged his arm. She could feel herself still quivering around him and smiled softly. "Love you too, Anton." She turned her head and kissed his forehead. "You think we can fall asleep like this? I love having you wrapped around me. Only problem is, I won't want to get out of bed in time for the party."
"Same here, Bryn." He nuzzled her neck again. "But I really do need to go." He kissed her neck, and the ran a hand over her stomach. "This year, I've got a lot to be thankful for."

"Will you at least tell me what city we're going to?"
Nate stifled his grin, not even glancing at Lindy as he shook his head. He was driving twenty miles per hour over the speed limit, weaving through the light traffic on the freeway. The only thing Lindy knew for sure about their destination was that they were traveling south, and they were in a hurry.
In the back of his mind, he knew she might not be up for this. But even if she didn't want to participate, he knew she'd want to watch. She'd thrive off of it.
"Let's just say we're doing some last minute shopping and leave it at that."
"Okay." She sat back in her seat, arms crossed over her chest. Three days after Thanksgiving and the night before her mother�s and Liam�s birthday party, Nate had announced there was one more gift to pick up. She watched the stars pass through the open moon roof. She didn't look over at him as he pulled off the freeway. "At least tell me who were doing this last minute shopping for?"
"Well, it's pretty much for your entire family." He raced around the corner, barely stopping at a red light before taking a right. He'd called before they left the house, and knew the guy was home. Nathaniel wasn't going to take the risk he might leave. Watching Lindy grasp wildly for the dashboard, needing something to hang on to, he made another quick turn. "You didn't feed tonight, did you?"
"No. Didn't get a chance before we left." She looked around at the building complex they parked in front of. She recognized it from when she lived in Silicon Valley as a child. It was a set of modest, yet still overpriced, apartments. She got out of the car as he did. "Who do you know who lives in Santa Clara, Nate?"
"Actually, I don't know him." She gave him an odd look as he walked around the car, pushing her back against her door. She opened her mouth to ask him what was going on, when her words were smothered as he kissed her. The caress of his tongue was unexpected, but certainly not unwelcome. Clutching his jacket, she held on to him tightly. After a minute or so, he pulled back and reached into his pockets, retrieving two knit gloves on each side. Handing her one pair, he turned her around and said, "Put these on."
Confused, but certain she could trust him, she did as he asked. As she pulled them on, she felt him behind her pulling her hair into a ponytail and twisting it, then wrapping the whole mass in a knit cap. He then brushed a few shed hairs off her back and went to work on covering his own hair.
She looked over him, dressed all in black. Her slacks had been dark by coincidence, although Nate suggested she change the white shirt for a black sweater. She grinned at him. "Looking at us, you'd think we were going to rob a bank, Nate."
"Maybe later. I think we'd have to work up to that one." He tugged his own gloves into place, flexing his fingers to make sure he could still move easily. "Although, I do plan on taking something from here. And I don't want to leave any prints in the process. You ready to go?"
She wiggled her fingers as well. "Yeah. Lead the way, Nate." She followed Nate through the bushes around to the back of the building. After making sure there was no one around to observe them, he lead her upstairs. She had a slight misgiving about what they were doing, but it was more due to the fact that she didn't know yet exactly what they were doing. Nor why Nate was interested in if she had fed or not.
They stopped on the second landing, where he started looking at the numbers on the doors. Heading for the apartment closest to where they'd parked, he knocked on the door. "Lind, just do what I ask you to do, okay? I'll explain once we're inside, but I need you to trust me until then."
"Okay." She couldn't help but feel a little nervous, even if she did trust him.
She stood behind him, off to the side, and watched as the door opened. A tall man appeared in the doorway, giving them a questioning look, before Nate suddenly swung and punched him right in the face. Lindy jumped in surprise, gasping as the man staggered backwards and fell on his ass on the floor, holding his nose as blood gushed from his nostrils. In spite of herself, she felt her fangs starting to grow.
Grabbing hold of the back of the guy's shirt, Nate started dragging him further into the room and glanced back at Lindy. "Come on, close and lock the door behind you.
"You son-of-a--" Before the man could get any more words out, Nate wrapped his hand around his throat and hauled him up against the wall. The man's next words were choked and strained, barely a whisper, as he clutched desperately at Nate's arm. "Who...are...you?"
"Forgive me, I forgot to introduce my wife." Nate looked at Lindy. "Jake Farnsworth, meet Lindy Adrik...Jessica Leahs' daughter."
Lindy gasped in shock. She recognized the name right away, although Jake would have no clue as to who she was. From the stories Jess had told, she had expected a ten foot tall fire breathing monster, not a middle aged slightly overweight man with blond hair. And she now had an idea of why they were there.
Jake, gasping for air, glanced from Lindy to Nate. "Look, I don't know what that lying bitch told you, but there's no way I can be her father..."
Nate slammed Jake's head back against the wall hard enough to leave a dent in the dry wall. Eyes glowing and fangs bared, Nate glared at him. "God damn it, don't you dare call my mother-in-law by that name, you fucking piece of shit! You don't have the balls to be anyone's father--"
He cut off his tirade abruptly, glancing down as he felt a sudden rush of warmth against his leg. He gasped, backing up a step but still gripping the man's neck tightly, disgusted as he watched Farnsworth piss his pants.
Lindy watched with amusement as Jake's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water as he looked at both Nate's flaming eyes, and hers. She wished that her mother were here to watch and even participate in this. She bit back a giggle at the disgusted look on Nate's face. She smiled at Jake, revealing her sharp fangs as well. "Wha...what the hell are you?" he asked in a tremulous voice.
"Collection agents," Nate sneered. "We've come for what you owe us, Farnsworth. Unfortunately, I don't feel like raping you, the way you did to Jess. And beating the shit out of you would just be a waste of my time. So I guess we'll just have to kill you. Now you be a real nice boy and hold still, because my wife looks very hungry."
Lindy stepped forward, eyes still glowing. She grabbed Jake's hair and jerked his chin away from his throat. "I don't know, Nate. You know I haven't been eating much lately. There's probably enough for both of us here." Her voice sounded cold and calculating, but she was stalling. She knew the man before her deserved a lot slower and more painful death than he was about to be given. But she was still slightly hesitant.
Nate caught her eye, holding her gaze. He didn't say a word, merely waited patiently. His gaze was warm, filled with love, much like the kiss he'd given her by the car. [We're family, Lind. We take care of each other. Even if that means fighting each other's demons.]
Lindy's glance returned to Jake. Her blood hunger was stirring, and she eyed his neck as Jake swallowed. [This is the man who hurt your mother,] she reminded herself. [Jess wouldn't hesitate to pay him back for what he did to her. So neither should you.]
Jake looked at her, trying to bluff his way past his fear, thinking that he might be able to get the upper hand if he could keep her off balance. "What's the matter?" he taunted. "Afraid that I'm going to hit you like I did your mother?"
Her eyes flamed brighter at that. "Don't," she said to Nate as he drew back to punch Jake. She stepped closer, staring Jake in the eyes. She smiled wider, fangs gleaming. "Afraid that you'll die quicker than you deserve, you bastard." She ducked her head, and sank her fangs deep into his throat.
Nate held on to Jake as he started to fight against his grip with surprising strength for a mortal. He tightened his grasp on the man's hair, feeling several strands rip free in the process. He watched Lindy, feeling a strange surge of pride as she drank from the man's neck. She was feeding again--from a human--and somehow he didn't think she'd be feeling the same guilt afterwards. Maybe, if he was lucky, she'd feel a little bit proud of herself.
[He's never going to hurt you, your family, or anyone ever again.]
She sucked strongly on his neck, feeling him struggle. She wanted him to struggle, wanted him to resist, wanted him to feel powerless. She knew that feeling all too well, and wanted it to be the last thing he felt. Lindy could feel his struggles start to weaken, but she didn't let up.
Loosening his grip on Farnsworth, Nate maneuvered him away from the wall. He couldn't stand just watching anymore. After giving Lindy a little wink, he bit into Jake's neck from behind on the other side. He didn't particularly care if he hit one of the major veins or not. He had plenty of time and he liked the idea of the bastard being in pain for a while longer.
She felt Jake jump as Nate's fangs sank in. She let out a low growl as surge of instinctive jealousy went through her, legacy of a wolf reluctant to share her kill. But she still drank, concentrating on the salty taste of Jake's blood, and his weakening struggles. His breath rattled in his throat and then was silent. Lindy found herself helping Nate hold up 250 pounds of dead weight.
Nate stepped back, letting the body slump to the floor. Stepping over the corpse, his own pulse racing, he wrapped his hand around the back of Lindy's neck and pulled her closer, kissing her deeply. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, soothingly rubbing her back.
She kissed him back, clinging tight to him She could taste the blood on him, the same blood she had been drinking earlier. When the kiss broke, she stared up at him, breathing heavily, emotions tumbling through her. Too much for her to process at the moment. "Nate, you said you wanted to take something?"
"Huh? Oh yeah..." He looked around the room for something that would identify Farnsworth easily, finally deciding to roll over the body and pull out his wallet. With the gloves on, he wasn't able to remove the identification, so he just pocketed the whole thing and flipped off the kitchen lights. "Let's go home. Then we can wrap this up and give it to your Mom as a birthday present."

Anton and Bryn lay in bed, watching a movie with her snuggled by his side. One arm was around her shoulders, the other hand resting on her stomach. Every so often, he'd lazily pressed a kiss into her hair. He frowned a little as Bryn shifted against him for the third time in as many minutes. "Are you all right, my dear?"
"I don't know. My stomach is doing weird things. I don't know if it's gas bubbles or if Max is just shifting around, or what. It just..." She grabbed his hand and pulled it over to one side, pressing her hand over his. "Can you feel that? It feels like it's rippling."
Anton frowned, feeling her stomach. "I can, Bryn." His voice grew worried. "Are you having a contraction?" [God, please don't let it be a contraction. It's too early.]
"I don't think so..." She held still for a moment, realizing that it did feel a little like a small menstrual cramp. Getting a little worried herself, she tried to feel Max moving, but he seemed to be sleeping...or otherwise occupied. Frowning, she said, "I thought they were supposed to hurt? Maybe it's just going to keep getting worse. God...we need to call Dr. Anne."
He immediately reached across her for the phone and hit the speed dial for Dr. Leahs' pager. When her voicemail came online, he entered their phone number and added the number 911 to it. He hung up the phone and turned his attention back to his wife. No sooner than he did when the phone rang and he picked it up. "Dr. Leahs?"
"No, Jess." The female werewolf sounded concerned. "Something�s up. What's going on?"
"We're not sure. Can you get over here?"
"On my way."
He heard the line go dead and hung up the phone, hoping the doctor hadn't called while he was on it. "Bryn, Jess is on her way over."
She settled down flat on her back, shivering slightly, and took hold of his hand. "Thank you, sugar." After a moment she sat up and pulled back the covers, crawling beneath them. "It stopped for now. It feels almost like muscle spasms." She looked up at him, her eyes large with trepidation. "I'm not ready for this, Anton. I thought we had more than a month left. He'd be able to survive, but he still might have complications."
Anton shivered at the thought, but tried not to show it. "Maybe It's a false alarm," he said. But his reassurance sounded hollow to him. [Damn it! Call back!] Almost as soon as he had thought that, the phone rang. He picked it up and practically yelled into the receiver. "Hello?"
"Anton, this Dr. Leahs. You paged me?"
"Bryn's having contractions," he said, quickly, his words almost melting into one.
"Calm down. Even if this labor, you have a long wait ahead of you. Now, tell me about her contractions...how frequent are they? And are they regular?"
He put a hand over the receiver. "Bryn, have you had another contraction?" When Bryn shook her head, he turned back to the phone. "No."
"Okay, Anton. I'm on my way up there. Keep a close eye on her and page me if anything changes. I should be up there in about half an hour."
"Okay." Anton hung up the phone when Dr. Anne disconnected. He turned back to Bryn as he heard a pounding on the front door. "That'll be Jess. I'll be right back, Bryn." Climbing out of bed, he hurried downstairs and opened the front door.
Jess stood there, concerned but not nearly as agitated as she had seemed in the past. "What's going on?"
"Bryn had a contraction," Anton said, leading her upstairs. "Dr. Anne's on her way."
Jess nodded as they stepped into the bedroom. "Bryn? How are you doing?" she asked as Anton stepped back over to the bed, hovering over her nervously.
She took a deep breath. "Okay, but I'm worried. I don't want him to be premature--" She frowned, rubbing her stomach, and closed her eyes to concentrate. "I think I might be having another one." Cracking her eye open, she muttered, "Anton, sit down and quit hovering. You're making me nervous."
As Anton sat down, Jess frowned. "Think? Bryn, you would *know* if you were having one." She rested her hand on Bryn's stomach, watching the clock. "Let me know when you think it lets up."
Anton sat down as well, moving so Bryn could rest his shoulders against him. He gently stroked her head and shoulders. Bryn's words earlier kept echoing through his head. ['He'd be able to survive, but he still might have complications.' Please no, God. Please let him be born okay.]
Breathing deeply, her eyes closed, she reached up and grabbed on to his hands, holding on tight. After a moment or two, she took a final deep breath and opened her eyes. "It's done. That one wasn't as strong, but it was longer." She glanced back at Anton, her eyes traveling over his face, before pressing her forehead against the side of his neck. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be a brat earlier."
"It's okay, Bryn." Anton held her, watching as Jess clicked the button on a stopwatch she had brought with her. He gently stroked her head and shoulders, waiting worriedly for the doctor to arrive. He watched Jess, who was watching both the stopwatch and Bryn's expression intently. Her face was unreadable.
About three minutes later, Jess looked up at Bryn. "Is that another one starting?"
"Yes." This time Bryn didn't move, just kept her forehead pressed against Anton's neck, breathing his scent, lulled by his presence. She felt slightly detached somehow, almost in denial about what was happening, even though she felt horrible for worrying them so much. In the back of her mind, she shivered constantly, fearing everything that was to come. Up front, it was as if some stronger, calmer, braver part of her had taken over...and she had no clue where this person came from.
Anton held on to her tight, murmuring softly hoping to soothe her. He was afraid that he was going into labor early, afraid that Max would be born too soon and there would be problems. And although Anne had said there would be a long wait, he was afraid that Bryn would deliver before she got here.
Jess still waited and watched without making a comment. Her head turned a few seconds before Anton heard a car pull into the driveway. "That's Anne. I'll go let her in." She gave Bryn a half smile. "Hang in there. I'll be right back."
Bryn nodded, then looked at Anton. "It passed." She caressed the side of his face. "Are you okay? Sugar, you look really pale." She turned slightly, wrapping her arms around him and pressing a light kiss to his mouth. "It's gonna be okay. No matter what happens, we'll be okay. I'm sorry this is scaring you, Anton."
"That's okay, Bryn. It's not your fault." Anton held her tight, pressing his nose against her hair. [Things were going too easy,] he thought. Other than the accident that had almost claimed both their lives, Bryn's pregnancy seemed textbook. [Not now,] he prayed. [Not when we're so close. Please let my son be born healthy.]
He could hear the two women heading back up stairs. [Come on, what's taking so long?]
When she walked in the door, Anne was smiling. "How are feeling, Sabryn?"
"Nervous," she said, holding on to Anton's arms.
"Are you in any pain?"
"No, not really. It's more like I'm having cramps."
Anne nodded, sitting down on the bed. As she opened up her medical bag, she said, "When was your last contraction?"
"A few minutes ago."
"And how long before that?"
"Three minutes," Jess supplied.
"All right. Sabryn, I'm going to check your blood pressure now. Let me know when you start feeling another contraction."
Anton watched, trying to not show his nervousness as Anne checked over Bryn. He watched the doctor take her pulse, check her blood pressure, and listen to her heartbeat. She started feeling Bryn's abdomen. "Let me know if you feel any sore spots, Bryn. Anton, would you get off the bed so she could lie flat?"
He got off the bed and stood by Jess. The werewolf female looked calm. "How is Max?"
Jess shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not picking up any pain. He's like us. Wondering exactly what's going on."
Settling down onto her back, Bryn stared up at the ceiling. She hoped Anne couldn't feel the slight tremors moving through her limbs. And she wished Anton hadn't had to move. She felt even more jittery without his touch.
After a few gentle manipulations of her belly, she felt her abdomen tightening again. "It's starting again."
Placing her hand low on Bryn's stomach to feel the contraction, Anne glanced back at Jess, who shook her head, shrugging her shoulders again. Anne frowned. "Well, your water hasn't broken, and this doesn't feel so strong. There's one more thing I want to check, Bryn. I need to see if your dilated."
Taking a deep breath, Bryn started pushing her pants down under the covers. Jess headed for the door, giving them some privacy. "I'll be in the hall."
Once her pants and underwear were off, Bryn flipped the covers out of the way and held Anton's gaze as the doctor positioned her legs.
Anton watched as Anne pulled a small flashlight out of the bag she had brought. Bending down, she looked at Bryn's cervix carefully. She grabbed a pair of gloves and put them on and began a physical examination. "You don't appear to be dilated at all. Go ahead and put your legs back down." She sat back up and pulled the sheet over Bryn. "How's the contraction?"
"It's coming down. I mean, it's almost finished."
Anne nodded, slipping her gloves off and tossing them in the garbage. "Well, it's my suspicion that you're experiencing false labor. Your body has no doubt been having these little contractions before, throughout your pregnancy, but they become more noticeable and frequent in the third trimester. Basically, it means your uterus is trying to adjust to Max's rapid growth and movement. These contractions should gradually diminish. If they don't, or if they get stronger or painful, that might be a sign of true labor starting."
She started repacking her medical bag. "At this point, I'm not worried. Just keep note of how things progress, and if there are any major changes, page me right away."
"It's completely normal?" At Anne's nod, he sat down again beside Bryn, giving a big sigh of relief. The worry slowly ebbed out of his body, but he held onto her tightly, as if afraid she'd disappear. "Is there anything else we should watch out for?"
"Most obviously, if her water breaks. Any vaginal bleeding. An urgent need to push." Anne smiled. "Relax, both of you. This is completely normal. If we weren't already here, I'd send you two home. I might be a little more vigilant if she was dilated at all, but she's not. Like I said, you have a long wait ahead of you."
Anton gave another sigh of relief, still holding Bryn. "Thank you for coming so quickly." He started to get up to see her out.
Anne shook her head. "I've got to talk to Jess about her birthday, so I'll see myself out. Just rest tonight, Bryn, and I'll give you a call later tomorrow to make sure everything's okay. But don't hesitate to page me if you need to."
Both Anton and Bryn called out goodbyes to Anne as she left. They could hear her talking to Jess as they walked downstairs, and then heard a door close. At that point, Anton pressed his face against Bryn and squeezed her tight, shaking lightly.
She scooted up and sat upright, reaching for him. Wrapping her arms around him and breathing in the scent of his shirt, she gently kissed his neck. "I love you, Anton." She slipped her hand under the hem of his shirt and gently rubbed his back. "Thank you for taking care of me."
He gently stroked her side, just breathing in her scent. "I was so scared, Bryn. So afraid that there was something wrong with Max. So worried that he'd be born early." His hand came to rest on her stomach.
"I know. I'm just glad it's not happening today. I should've known this was false labor. I haven't been reading my books." She lifted her head and kissed him, lingering against his mouth. "If anything, I guess this should make us think more about the actual delivery. Where it's going to happen, what to do if I go into labor during the day, what hospital is the best...things like that. And we'll need to get a carseat strapped into the car, too."
Anton nodded. "Maybe we should talk to the werewolves to see if they'll cover during the daytime. We'll get the carseat tomorrow." He kissed her forehead. "And I think the both of us need to sit down and read those books."

Nate unlocked the door and stepped aside to let Lindy enter. He slipped his keys on to the hook on the utility room wall and headed towards the kitchen. "Lind, are you hungry?"
"No. Aren't we going to go get Liam?"
"I asked your parents if it would be okay if he spent the night." He looked up from where he was staring in the fridge. "But you can go get him if you really want to."
"No, they're probably having too much fun playing with him. We can get him tomorrow." She walked around to the Island in the middle of the kitchen and leaned against it. She had a few questions for her husband after what had happened earlier this evening. "Nate?"
"Yeah, Lind?"
"How long have you known that Jake Farnsworth was living near here?"
"For a couple of months. But I didn't know exactly where until a few days ago. He's not listed in the phone book...probably figured someone would track him down and kill him a hell of a lot sooner." He grabbed a can of coke from the refrigerator. "Why did you ask?"
Lindy wasn't sure why she had asked herself. "Curious, I guess. I was just kinda wondering why you asked me to go instead of Mom. Or Alex or Walter. I know they would have loved to get their fangs into him." She walked over to him and put her arms around him. "When did Mom tell you about him? She doesn't talk about him that much."
"She told me when she was apologizing, just after I Transformed you. I think she needed me to understand where she was coming from." He put his own arms around her, kissing her nose. "I didn't ask your parents to go because I thought things might've gotten a little out of hand. With as much as they're hurting for her, they might've gotten a bit frenzied. I just wanted to go in and finish it, without a lot of mess. And I asked you to go, because I felt like you needed it. Jess has watched over and protected you since you were a kid. I thought this could be your chance to do the same for her."
She leaned her head against his chest. "I appreciate that you gave me that chance, Nate." Lindy was silent for a moment before continuing. "I don't feel guilty that I killed him, Nate. I do have one regret."
"What's that, Lind?"
"That it was over so quickly." She looked up at him. "He got off way too easily. But I don't feel guilty about feeding on him. He was scum who deserved to die."
He nodded, keeping his arm around her shoulders as he led her to the couch. He set his Coke on the coffee table, then sat down and pulled her onto his lap. "Even if we'd chained him to a wall and tortured him for months, it still wouldn't have felt like long enough...and we would've been worse off for being in his company that much longer. I don't know about you, but I wanted to get away from him as soon as I could. I just wanted him dead and gone."
"You're probably right." She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Don't be surprised if Mom freaks when she finds out what we did. I think the only reason she hasn't taken matters into her own claws before is that she's tried so hard to forget." She kissed his cheek lightly. "But I do appreciate what you've done."
"Well, if you want, we can just tell Alex and Walter. Your Mom doesn't need to know. I think it will be enough to know that the rest of us have some peace of mind. And if Alex and Walter think she should know, they can tell her."
"I think she should know. I just don't know the best way to tell her." She snuggled closer to him, her hand running over his chest. "So how did you know that I'd actually feed from him? I wasn't certain I could for a few minutes, until he got me mad."
"I didn't know for sure. But I thought you'd probably want to be there even if you didn't participate." He pulled her along with him as he settled down the length of the couch. Propping a pillow under their heads, he held her closely. "I wouldn't have forced you to do anything, Lind. If you weren't ready for it, I would've done the job myself."
She snuggled closer to him. "Thanks for giving me that chance, Nate. I don't know what will happen next time, since I'll be feeding from a stranger, but I think I'll be able to do it." She gave a small sigh. "It's still early. What do you want to do for the rest of the night?"
"Hmm...well, you know what sounds nice? A hot shower, and then we curl up in bed to savor the time we have alone. I think it's our turn to be naughty and refuse to go to sleep, don't you?"
Lindy giggled. "I'd definitely say it's our turn." She sat up, straddling his thighs. "Although it might be difficult to get me into bed if I don't want to go. You might have to chase me all over the house."
"Hmm...and then I'll have to spank your little butt." He slid his hands up her thighs, squeezing her ass. "I was proud of you today. Not because you fed, although that's part of it. I was mostly proud of you because you didn't let him intimidate you. You were so strong, and very sexy. Now what do you say we go take that shower, and wash the rest of him away for good?"
"The sooner, the better." She stood up, watching him sit up. With a sly smile, she offered him his hand. She helped him to sand up, and then pulled him close to kiss him, the way he had kissed her in front of Jake's apartment. Deeply and lovingly.
She couldn't believe he was real sometimes. He made her feel strong and sexy, something she wasn't used to feeling. And he acted like he wasn't the worthy one. "Beloved," she whispered.
He jumped slightly, staring at her. Even her face, the way she was looking at him, looked familiar--but not in the way Lindy was familiar to him. No, she looked like Lindara, his first love, Lindy's identity in a former life. Startled, but not the least bit displeased, he pulled her closer and kissed her deeply, his hands cradling her jaw. When he drew back, he was grinning widely.
"Ya tebya liubliu, solnyshko moyo. Ya tak liubliu tebya. Tee maya sud'ba."
She blinked, frowning over her his words. Most of the Russian she had learned from Alex had to do with creative cursing, but she thought she recognized a word or two there. "Did you just call me your sun?"
He nodded. "Solnyshko moyo, dama moyo. My sun, my lady. When you were Lindara, you called me 'beloved'. I have not been called that name since then. You were my sun, my daylight, and you still are. You are the beauty I long for, such perfection I almost can't bear it. But unlike the sun, I can bask in your glow whenever I wish. And I can't tell you how grateful I am for that."
Lindy swallowed, looking up at him. She wasn't certain where these words were coming from, but she couldn't help but say them. �Ti ochen' nuzhna mne. Lyublyu tebya vsem sertsem, vsey dushoyu. Dlya nashey lyubvI net pregrad. Nasha lyubov' ne prayduot s gadami.�
[I need you so much. I love you with all my heart, all my soul...] It wasn't so much her words, but her voice that suffused him with joy. His Lindy, his Lindara, his gorgeous lady and sweet sunshine baby. He felt he could explode with the happiness in his heart. Lifting her up, he waited until she wrapped her legs around his waist and then headed towards the bathroom in their bedroom. "I love you, too, Lind. More than anything. And I'm never going to let you go again."
"And I'm not going to let you go either, Nate. We're going to be together forever." When they reached the bathroom, she began unbuttoning his shirt, pushing it off of his shoulders. Then she undid her ponytail, shaking her golden hair free. She then reached up to pull his head to hers and kiss him deeply.
"Mmmm." His kissed her back enthusiastically, pushing her up against the wall. He sucked at her tongue, his hand moving down yank open her jeans. He moaned as her hands slid over his chest, and he pulled her body tight against his, pushing his hands into her panties, then shoving her clothes down her legs. Breathlessly, his voice hoarse, he said, "God, you're so pretty, baby. I want you so much."
She whimpered, running her tongue over kiss swollen lips. Her hands were also at his waist, undoing his belt. She tugged his boxers and jeans down, growling a little in frustration as they tangled with his shoes. Kneeling in front of him, she felt wanton, especially still with her shirt and bra on. Catching his eyes with hers, she reached out and ran her tongue and lips along the length of his cock.
Nate moaned, bracing his hands against the wall and resting his forehead against his arm. He watched her, mouth slightly open, as she lapped at the head of his cock. He felt the urge to thrust into her open mouth, but he gritted his teeth and held still. [Not yet,] he thought, [or you'll be cumming before we ever even hit the shower.]
He jumped slightly as she caressed his balls, letting out a shaky breath. "Damn, Lindy...you're so hot."
She continued to lap at his cock and stroke his balls, and used her free hand to start pulling off her blouse. She pulled away to lift it over her head. Still staring into his eyes, she stood back up, reaching behind her to undo the clasp of her bra. Turning slightly and giving him a view of her ass, she started the shower running.
He let out a low rumble, turning to follow her. He attacked her at the shower door, nibbling at her neck, his arms lifting her off the floor. She squealed, giggling as he rubbed himself against her from behind. Setting her down, yet still holding her, he pushed her hair out of the way and began lapping at her neck. He purred softly, before delicately and gently sinking his fangs into her flesh. She couldn't help but jerk against him, especially as his hand slid down to cup the mound of her sex. He covered her sex completely, rubbing in a slow circle, barely slipping his finger inside her to test her moisture.
She moaned, shifting her hips side to side slowly to rub against his cock and his finger. One hand came back around to cradle his head, hers tilting to the side to allow his fangs to go deeper if he wished. Her other hand slipped behind them, traveling down the well defined muscles of his back and side until she reached his ass. There she clutched him tight against her body, giving a slight gasp.
He used his free hand to check the water temperature and adjust it. Temporarily pulling away from her neck and picking her up once more, he walked into the shower and closed the door behind them. Then, turning her to face him, he lifted her until she wrapped her legs around his waist.
"Hold on tight," he murmured, waiting until her grip was secure. Holding her with one hand, he carefully guided his cock inside her and let her slide down its length. Breathing heavily, shaking slightly, he returned his fangs to her neck and merely stood under the hot spray of the shower head.
She moaned, clinging to him tight as the water sluiced over their bodies. She couldn't move without threatening to topple them over. Panting by his ear, all she could do was squeeze her sex around his cock.
He groaned, clenching his fingers around her ass. Slowly withdrawing his fangs, he lapped at her skin. Enjoying her flavor. Almost without warning, he started lifting and lowering her on his hard cock. He kept his legs spread wide for balance, one hand under her ass and the other against her back. Shuddering as his muscles strained.
Breath moving more rapidly past his ear, she reached out to claw her fingers along the shower wall, seeking purchase to help support her weight. Whimpering, she pulled herself as tight as she could, breasts pressed against his chest. Giving up on trying to hold on to the wall, she reached down and grabbed Nate's ass, trying not to upset his balance.
He grunted, shifting her weight. "Just hang on...to my shoulders...Lind. I've got you." Panting, he spend up his movements, eyes locked on her bouncing breasts, moaning every time he sank into her completely. "God...you're so tight...."
"And you're...so...big..." She grabbed his shoulders, whimpering every time he rubbed against her clit. She nipped at his ears and jaw. Squealing with each bounce, she squeezed his cock tighter. She could feel herself on the brink of orgasm, but she wanted him to tumble into bliss with her. She dug her nails into his shoulders, and scratched his spine lightly.
"Ohhh..." He stumbled slightly in his haste to get to the wall, but quickly recovered, hissing as her fingernails dug into his back. The pain didn't deter him in the slightest as he pressed her against the wall and started thrusting into her in earnest. Holding on to her thighs, he spread her legs wide and pounded himself into her, letting out a loud cry as she started to ripple around him.
She cried out in orgasm, shaking hard against him. The heat of the water splashing on her body and the heat of his cum splashing inside her body reduced her muscles to a sagging mass. She leaned limply against him, trying to catch her breath. Pressing her forehead against his, she lightly pressed her lips against his. "Ya tebya lyublyu."
He smiled against her mouth. "Lyublyu tebya vsem sertsem, vsey dushoyu, Lindasha. I love you with all my heart and soul. And I always will..." He kissed her again, then let her slide down until she was standing on her own feet. "But right now my back is killing me. How 'bout you let me stretch and get my vertebrae back in line, and then I'll wash your hair?"
She reached up to massage his shoulders. "That sounds like a wonderful plan, beloved."
End Chapter 69

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