Daemen flashed that devilish pure-white grin. "Your RBC count is in the normal range. Which means you're no longer anemic, Scotty."
Scotty gawked. "What? Seriously?" He ran a hand through his hair and laughed incredulously. "Malachi, you did it!"
I was honestly just as surprised as him. "I... I didn't know my fangs had such power. For my entire existence as a vampire, I only thought of them as tools of violence."
Daemen shrugged. "Who knows what kind of hidden power fated mates have? I wouldn't be surprised if there were even more surprises laying in store. Oh, and speaking of surprises... You're pregnant, Scotty!"
Scotty shot up, letting out an ecstatic yelp before fumbling out of his chair. I caught him and pulled him upright into a tight embrace.
"Did you hear that, Malachi?" he said, tears of joy glistening in his eyes. "We're gonna have a baby!"
"I heard, my love." I squeezed him as close to my chest as he would go. The happiness inside me was impossible to contain—I had to release it by doting on my mate. We broke into a passionate kiss right there in front of Daemen.
"Aww, look at you two. Reminds me of me and Miguel..." He checked his watch. "Now if you're done with your plethora of good news, I have a fated mate and baby of my own I'd like to return home to."
Without breaking the kiss, I waved Daemen away. He chuckled as he departed the room, leaving the two of us to our joy.
* * *
A few months later...
"Huh."
I glanced over to my pregnant mate, who was curled up in an armchair sipping on blood substitute, which he claimed tasted exactly like fruit punch. Go figure.
"What is it, my love?" I asked, kneeling by him.
Scotty tilted his head. "I just realized it's been a year since I broke up with Brayden."
The name had come up before—Scotty's foul, good-for-nothing ex-boyfriend. Since our initial courtship, Scotty told me all about that stupid man. I despised him more with every story.
But I reminded myself that Brayden's influence on his life was over. Scotty was mine now, in every sense of the word. No need to dwell on the past when my beautiful pregnant mate was glowing in front of me.
"Is that right?" I said idly as I stroked Scotty's swollen belly.
"Oh, I'm not upset about it or anything." He smiled. "Actually, I just realized I don't give a crap about it at all."
"Good." I lifted his shirt and pressed a kiss to his bare skin, making him squirm.
"Hey, that tickles!"
"Good," I repeated with a smirk.
Scotty squealed with relentless joy, writhing in the armchair as I kissed and tickled him. How could a vampire alpha resist when his human omega's pregnant skin smelled so incredibly good? A single moment didn't go by when I didn't want to bend Scotty over and impregnate him all over again.
But what I felt towards Scotty wasn't lust alone. It was the deepest, most intense form of love. I would do anything for him. All he needed to do was ask.
As our playful tickling winded down, Scotty laughed weakly and wiped the tears from his eyes. Then he caught my gaze and stroked my cheek. I never tired of the way his human warmth felt against my cool skin.
"Hey, Malachi," Scotty said softly as he stared into my eyes. "I just noticed something else."
"Hm?"
"Your eyes. Even though you drank my blood, they never turned red like other vampires. They're still pink." His thumb caressed the space below my eye. "A super bright, glowy pink."
"Interesting. I never noticed."
"I noticeeverythingabout you. That's my job as your fated mate, right?" Scotty teased.
