The Fates must have had a hand in things with how we met our current love interests. We went out drinking about seven months ago at a local bar, just to get out of our houses. One of those nights to just blow off steam, play darts, and listen to the dive bar’s live music. A group of four human women walked into the bar and sat down next to our table. One thing led to another and we all started talking. It turned out they were best friends and they wanted a girls night out. Except for Carl, each of us hooked up that night.
Who knew that one night would end up with us getting them pregnant by chance? But Carl became friendly enough with the younger one. Of course, we couldn't tell them what we were. If they knew, they probably would have run away screaming. It’s something I’ve been putting off, but I’ll have to tell her sooner rather than later because the child she’s carrying will most likely be a Shifter also.
Finishing up my light stretching, I take off in a familiar loop around the border of our property to run some of the angst and steam out of my body. Hopefully, I can clear my head enough to power through another day.
Matthew
Leaning back in my chair, I sip at my tea, watching the light pinks of the early morning sunrise peek over the eastern mountains. It’s peaceful in this secluded section of our paradise together. Lilith would have loved this, even though she was made for city life. She was so eccentric and thrived with people. I enjoy the simple life, it also helps that I’m not around all of the hustle and bustle, otherwise I have to constantly block people out and hold my mental shields tight. In other words, I’ve been lazy, but what else do you expect, we’ve been on vacation. We have ten more years here before we have to go back to Purgatory to step into the roles we’ve been selected for.
Jessup makes his final lap and slows down to a walk as he approaches the back deck of my bungalow. “Couldn’t sleep again?” I inquire. He’s been more restless than normal lately.
“Yeah.”
He starts stretching as we both enjoy the comfortable silence. I wonder what’s really going on with him because he’s been on edge more than anything. I wonder if it’s the fact we’re on Earth, or if it’s the babies that are getting closer to their due dates. We had to take a ‘guys’ weekend a month ago just to get him out and run his aggression into the ground. Daniel and him sparred for hours until both of them dropped from exhaustion. I think we all needed it, to be honest. It’s been stressful lately, with all of us being on the fence about what to tell our girlfriends, if anything, about us being supernatural creatures. Jessup has been taking it harder than the rest of us, warring back and forth between keeping quiet or having full disclosure.
Carl is completely against it because he still believes Lilith didn’t leave us. Though, that didn’t stop him from trying to have a child like the rest of us. He wanted his child to grow up with the rest of ours, yet I bet he didn’t go about it the conventional way. I’m curious as to how he actually did it while still being faithful to Lilith. He wanted to be faithful no matter what.
Jessup was on the fence about the whole thing since Lily would more or less leave him. She was very religious oriented and didn’t believe in anything occult related. Lanna, Daniel’s girl, was all about the occult. Even though she’s well into her twenties, she still dresses like the typical goth schoolgirl trying to find herself. Of course, that causes issues in their relationship since Daniel is vying for a senate seat and has an image to keep. I can’t tell you how much resentment I catch rolling off of them. That’s a recipe for disaster. One of them has to give a little to make that work. I’m surprised it worked out for this long. I’m sure the only reason they are together is that she’s expecting a little Vamp herself. Though, she doesn’t know that part.
Cocking his head to the side, Jessup freezes and listens for a moment before sitting down on the edge of the deck with me. “Layla’s up,” he announces.
Nodding my head that I heard him, I take another sip of my tea, finishing it up before answering. “She’ll be busy with her morning routine. Want to talk about it?” I nonchalantly question, placing my cup down on the end table as I change the subject. He’s not one to be pressured into talking, but I’m hoping he’s finally at the point of opening up a little bit. He throws his feet out in front of him and bends over to stretch out his legs. I wait patiently as his feelings war within him until he settles on resignation.
“I don’t know what the right answer is, Caldron. Every time I think about coming forward with Lily, I get this sharp?”
“Pain in your chest,” I interrupt him as I rub at the same spot he's absent-mindedly rubbing.
“Yeah,” he admits. “I think it’s from Lilith, our bond, and I don’t know what it means. It’s been getting stronger and more frequent lately.”
“Maybe we should get the guys together tonight and see if they’re experiencing the same things,” I suggest. We haven’t had a guys night in a while, so it’s about time anyway.
“I doubt Dan will be down for it,” Jessup growls out and stands up, looking over my shoulder. I know he’s sensing Layla in the kitchen, probably making hotcakes before I have to go to work.
It’s her way of trying to make up for the fact that she’s cheating on me. Though, can you really cheat on someone when you’re only with them because they got pregnant from a one-night stand? She tries her best to make it work between us, but the fire isn’t there. It doesn’t help that I can read her feelings that she’s not happy with me like she’s yelling in my face. She’s having an affair with her boss and is convinced she’s in love with him. A few times, I’ve noticed that she’s not happy with the idea of being a mother and that might work for me in the long run. I might be able to have her sign over rights and let her go off and live the life she wants.
“Don’t worry about Daniel. I know what to say to get him hooked and wanting to join us for some guy time,” I say while I pull out a stack of post-it notes and a pen from the pocket inside of my chair. I quickly scribble out two notes inviting everyone to poker tonight at 9pm and lay them in the palm of my hand. With a puff of air, they go up in green smoke. Feeling my pockets in my pants getting heavier instantaneously makes me smile as I pull out their responding notes.
We really needed to get a handle on these cell phone devices that are becoming the new rave. We all have them, but it’s taking us forever to get the handle on them. We simply have them for the girls and emergencies, but we mostly rely on our magic to communicate between all of us.
“We’re on for tonight, just meet up at our normal spot,” I say and wiggle my eyebrows at Jessup, making him laugh. He waves as he takes off around the corner and back to his house. Maybe we can work this shit out tonight. If anything, maybe it will help confirm I’m not the only one going crazy with this phantom pain.
CHAPTER12
Moody Women
Daniel
Clomp, clomp, clomp! I swear you would think I was living with a herd of elephants, but unfortunately, it’s just Lanna stomping around. Slipping a small pack of post-it notes and pen back in my pocket after replying to Mattie, I glance up and find Lanna at the top of the stairs. She stomps down the stairs with her blocky black boots, black jeans, a flowy black tank top protruding over her swollen belly, and a suitcase dragging behind her.Not this again! She’s driving me crazy to the point of despising the thought of her, but I can’t let her leave carrying my heir.
“Where are you going now?” I sigh in defeat. There’s always some kind of drama with this woman.
“Well, since you’re so busy with work and you’re never here, I figured I would do better on my own,” she pouts. Talk about being dramatic, she would give the damn Brownies a run for their money when they didn’t have anything to fucking clean.
“Well, how about we do this? I have to meet with the guys tonight, so let me book you a massage and then tomorrow you can have a girls' day here at the house. I can have caterers come in and spoil you and your friends. Deal?”
She reaches me and crosses her arms under her breasts, lifting those big cans for my inspection. She knows how much I enjoy nice breasts, and before I can think of anything else, a jolt of pain hits me in the chest, right where my dead heart lies.FUCK! This shit is getting annoying.
I wince but easily turn it into a quirk, waiting for her answer. “Does that sound okay?” I ask again and give her an impatient look.
