Lucas and Eliza are in the front sitting room when we get back. The metal blinds are still drawn, and the house is dim. Able to see in the dark, the lack of light doesn’t bother vampires.
I conjure an energy ball, tossing it up in the air to illuminate the room. Lucas speeds over, taking me in his arms and kissing me on the lips.
“Are you feeling better?” he asks, sweeping his hands down my arms.
“I am. Guess who we ran into.” My eyebrows go up, and I press my lips together, trying not to let anger seep into my bones. The energy ball is still blue and turning red is a giveaway I’m still pissed as fuck at the Martins.
“You were going to your sister’s, so one of the Martins?”
“Yep. Scott.” I lose my battle with my anger, and the light above bathes us in a blood red glow. “He wasn’t very happy, which makes me happy.” I let out a breath, and the energy ball starts to go back blue. “I need to check and see how many dishes you have. And probably give them a rinse since they haven’t been used in a long time.”
“I’ll help you.” Lucas takes my hand and goes into the kitchen with me. We get everything washed and set out by the time the caterers come. They’re taken off guard to be showing up to a vampire’s residence, which I can understand. It’s not everyday a vampire hires you to come cook up a feast. But hey, the humans will come later. They’re cooking and then leaving, not staying to serve so we can all talk in private.
The food smells wonderful when they start cooking it, but then it quickly starts to bother me. Annoyed and hungry, I go upstairs to get away from the smell. As soon as the sun goes down and the blinds go up, I’m opening a window.
“There you are,” Lucas says, stepping into the guest room. I’m sitting on the bed, reading an e-book on my phone. He sits next to me, and I put my phone down and snuggle in his arms.
“How’d Eliza take the news?” I ask, not really having had a chance to talk to her since I got back from my walk with Julian.
“She was shocked, as were we, but she’s happy for us.”
“Really?” I look up at Lucas incredulously.
“Yes, she said she’s excited to be a vampire-aunt.”
“That sounds like some sort of creepy bug that takes over your panty or something,” I laugh. “But I’m glad. She is family, too.”
Lucas kisses me, moving my hair to the side and exposing my neck. It’s a habit for us now.
“I want you to have my blood,” I say softly. “I don’t like the thought of you not having any of my blood in you.”
“I don’t like it, either, but I’m not taking blood away from our baby.”
“Don’t take a lot. Just enough to keep me inside you.” I snicker. “Sorry, I’m very mature, I know.”
“I prefer me being inside you.” He sweeps his fingers down and starts to bunch up the hem of my dress.
“I do, too. But eat. Please. I can’t have you getting weak or tired.”
“Don’t worry about me.” He moves his hand up and rests it on my stomach. “I won’t deprive myself, but I won’t take anything away from him, either.”
“Him? You think it’s a boy?”
“I actually have no gut feeling either way. Do you?”
I shake my head. “No. Do you have a preference?”
“I want a son,” he says with no hesitation.
“That was fast,” I quip.
“Males were preferred when I was human. I suppose I still hold onto that.”
“Well, get over it,” I shoot out. Maybe it’s hormones making me easily offended, but it’s not like we need a strong boy to manage the family farm. “What if it’s a girl? Will you be disappointed?”
“No. If it’s a girl, she’ll be just like you.”
And now the little bit of anger I had melts away. “Good answer.” I tip my head up and kiss Lucas. He moves onto me, kissing me harder.
“Lucas,” Eliza calls from the hall. “The caterers are done.”
Sighing, Lucas moves off me. We go downstairs together, and I’m back to thinking the food smells good. The caterers leave, and I start picking at the charcuterie board that looks absolutely amazing.
“You shouldn’t eat that,” Eliza says, stopping me before I put a piece of salami in my mouth.
“Why not?”
“Listeria.”
“What?” I look at the meat.
“It’s a type of bacteria. It can make you sick.”
I feel way more sad than I should to not eat this piece of salami than I should. “How do you know that?”
“I read it in a book.”
“You read baby books?” I ask.
“Ew, no. It was a romance novel, and one of the characters was pregnant. She got knocked up by her older brother’s best friend. It’s something you’d like, probably.”