“I need to speak to you,” Kalen says in a rush to me and I nod and tilt my head to the side.
“Aeval,” he says, reaching for me but then pulling back quickly. “I am so sorry…”
“I know,” I say with a soft smile.
>
He peers down at me curiously and I take his hands. “I know you didn’t mean a word if it, you were hurting. I love you, Kalen, and I know you love me. I forgive you,” I say. I link my hands on the back of his neck and pull him down to my mouth for a lingering kiss.
“Uh…” he says as I pull away. “I do love you,” he says and crushes me to him in a strong embrace.
I disentangle myself and say, “I will speak to you later, Drake is waiting for me.”
“Okay,” he says and puffports out quickly.
I walk back over to Drake but stop to look back over my shoulder to where we had been standing. I rub my shoulder, as it feels like my forgiving him has lifted off an immense burden. I smile happily and link my arm through Drake’s. He is beaming down at me, clearly happy that I have made amends with Kalen.
Kalen?
Why do I suddenly think of him in that way? Must be this place messing with my head.
I shake my head absently and say to my father, “So, what can I help you with?”
“Not here,” he mutters and if I didn’t know better, I’d say he has gone a bright shade of puce. Whatever it is, he is embarrassed to tell me.
He ushers me into the stairwell that leads up to his tower bedroom and closes the door. With his finger to his lips he says, “I will not pretend that you turning into a Vampire again is pleasing to me, Aeval.”
Oh, brother. A lecture? This is so not what I need right now.
“Look, Daddy. I know you don’t like it, but…”
“Shh,” he says to me with a stern look for interrupting him. “Vito has made mention that you may be able to help Maurelle now.”
“Vito?” I ask. “Why, what did he say? And more importantly, where is he?” I haven’t seen him since I got back. I wasn’t sure if he was avoiding me or not, but I guess he is.
“He said that perhaps if you fed her your blood, she might get stronger, strong enough to deliver this child and live,” he says in a rush.
“Oh,” I say after a beat. I was not expecting that at all. “Uhm…well in theory maybe? I have never tried it.”
“Try it,” he says shortly and then takes the stairs two at a time, leaving me to trail in his wake while I deliberate on this. He must be beyond worried about his wife to ask this of me. The question is: will she be on board with it?
Somehow, I highly doubt it.
“I will try,” I say to his retreating back. “But does she want this?” I really don’t want to have to get into a struggle with her.
“Leave that to me,” he says and opens the door to his quarters.
I follow him inside, suddenly nervous. What if something goes wrong? Drake will kill me on the spot if I did anything to harm his wife and child.
We spot Maurelle lying weakly on the sofa with her arm over her eyes. Her bump is even bigger today and it has taken its toll on her big time.
“My love,” Drake says, kneeling at her side and taking her hand. “Aeval is here to see you.”
“Mumph,” she mutters and opens her eyes to fix them on me. “Aeval.”
“Hi,” I say, giving her a lame, little wave and Drake glares at me. Clearly, I am acting like a moron and it will make her suspicious before he is ready to share.
“What’s going on?” she asks suspiciously, struggling to sit up.