He snorted. They laughed, burying their mouths in each other’s coats so passersby wouldn’t hear them.
When they stopped laughing he said, “I came inside.”
He had a condom in his pocket, but once he started stalking her, it hadn’t crossed his mind again.
“I know.” The snow was falling harder now. A few flakes clung to her lashes. In the dark he perceived her eyes as luminous grey instead of amber.
She cleared her throat, choosing to speak aloud. “I’ve been thinking it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to get knocked up.”
He wondered if she’d ever stop surprising him.
“I need an heir.”
“Oh, I see. This doesn’t have anything to do with Alex and Helena?”
“Me, competitive?” Grinning, she toyed with the buttons on his coat. “No, like I said, why build an empire if it breaks into a hundred pieces when you die? I want our child to have it.” She gave him a sly glance. “If you’re good, I’ll make an heir for you, too.”
“I’m surprised by this sudden turn to the maternal.”
“Well, the second kid is conditional. We’ll see if I like the first one.”
“I told you, I don’t expect an heir.”
“But I’d like you to have one.” For an instant she turned sincere. “I want us to make a child together.” Love shone in her eyes, so honest and unabashed it hurt. It frightened him that he could love her so much in return. Fortunately for both of them, she retreated to safer ground. “Besides, considering the genes we’ve got between us, I reckon it’s our duty to breed super vamps and conquer the race.”
“The world will tremble before us.”
“Won’t it?” She grinned, satisfied at the thought. But she sobered quickly and touched his cheek. “But she might turn out to be a clumsy, nearsighted little bookworm.”
“And?”
“And I’ll love her anyway.” She spoke in a half whisper, the true weight of her decision settling in her eyes. He understood. She knew he understood. A prescient shiver passed through him.
“It might have started tonight.”
“It’s a good spot for it.” Alya rolled onto her stomach and pointed down the hill to a silvered pond and the stand of barren willows that framed it. He rolled over, too, and rested his chin on her shoulder. They’d first made love under those willows, long ago.
“Look at the moon’s reflection on the water,” she said.
“It’s a perfect circle.”
“You don’t suppose our kid would be a dork, do you?”
Mikhail nipped her ear and she rolled away, laughing.
From the other side of the shrubbery they heard a dreadful groan, like a bear waking with a hangover. Alya’s supper had finally come-to. Stealthy as ghosts, they slipped down the hill to skip stones in the pond.
About the Author
Many author biographies claim that the author has been writing stories since she could first wrap her stubby little fingers around a crayon. Not me. All my life, I’ve been an artist. If I picked up a crayon or pencil, I drew a picture with it. Now I'm drawing with words and have never been happier.
Please visit me at www.eviebyrne.com, or send email to evbyrne@gmail.com. I’d love to hear from you!