Sometime during the night I began to feel unusual. I lay awake in the dark, it felt like I had a stomach ache but that wasn’t possible. The only thing I could consume was blood, it made no sense.

I slipped from the bed, dressed in a night shirt. I put my hand to my stomach and it felt more bloated. Was I sick? This wasn’t normal, and I was more concerned than I had been before.

Something was definitely not right. And there was only one person who could help me but I had no idea where he was.

I began by looking through the rooms, eventually coming to one at the end of the hallway. I bit my lip as I knocked.

The door opened. Silas stood bare chested with messy hair.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“There is something wrong.” I babbled. “I don’t know what’s going on but it doesn’t feel right.”

He frowned and ushered me into his room. I only took a moment to take in the decor of his room before I turned to face him.

“What doesn’t feel right?”

I touched my stomach, his gaze followed the action.

“It’s bloated and sore.”

He moved closer putting his hand to my stomach. “That’s not possible,” he whispered.

“What’s not possible?” I asked, having no idea what he was talking about.

He remained silent, his hand still pressed against me.

“What is it Silas? You’re starting to freak me out.”

“It’s not possible.” This time he said it with more determination.

“What Silas?” I was starting to really get worked up and I needed to know what he believed was wrong with me.

“I think you’re…pregnant.”

I was stunned. He removed his hand.

“But… how?” I asked, trying to make sense of what he was saying. “The doctor said I wasn’t…”

“I’ll get someone to recheck your blood. They must have made a mistake.”

The blood drained from me and I swayed. “Thane hit me…in the stomach Silas.”

His hands went to my shoulders. My eyes searched his. I wanted him to tell me that everything would be fine but he didn’t. “We’ll get you checked at tonight. I’ll have the doctor come around.”

“Silas,” I murmured, needing more.

His hands tightened their hold on me. “Let’s take it one step at a time.” His face rigid.

I inhaled a deep breath and nodded.

He steered me to the bed and I sank down. A million thoughts flying through my mind but unable to process one.

Silas was on the phone and pacing.

A baby. It was crazy. I put my hand to my stomach. A new life. My mind couldn’t comprehend it. But it wouldn’t be a human baby. It would be a vampire and Sire mix. Silas and I. The thought blew my mind.

The emotion washed over me. It was impossible not to feel some sort of connection to him. I wondered it would affect him.

My life would be on the line again. Remembering the statistics Silas had mentioned I felt a new fear settle over me. The council and now this. It felt like too much all at once.

“The doctor will be here shortly,” Silas said, stopping in front of me.

I nodded, still trying to wrap my mind around the possibility.

The doctor arrived quickly. He took blood while I lay Silas’ bed.

“How long will it take?”

“Only a few minutes,” the doctor replied.

While we waited for the results the doctor examined me. He made me lie down and checked my stomach. The silent look that passed between the doctor and Silas made me nervous. I could tell there was something wrong but they weren’t saying anything.

And I was too scared to ask.

I was already afraid of the chances of my survival and I was sure whatever they were reluctant to tell me would worsen those odds.

After the doctor finished the exam he stood talking to Silas, just out of earshot so I couldn’t hear what they were saying. I could have asked but I wasn’t sure I could take it. After everything I had been through I didn’t think I could take more at this point.

The doctor checked the results on the table. It looked similar to a human pregnancy test but it required blood instead.

The doctor rubbed his chin as he stared at the test. Silas beside him. I couldn’t look. I was afraid of what it would say.

Memories of the beating I had taken from Thane replayed in my mind, increasing my fear that if I was pregnant, the baby would have been injured in the confrontation. And that was something I couldn’t deal with.

The doctor murmured something to Silas and he frowned still studying the test.

Unable to take the suspense any longer I swung my feet over the edge and stood. “What does it say?

Silas looked up as I reached the table.

There was only one line.

“The test is negative but physical you are showing signs of a pregnancy.”

“I don’t understand. Why would the test be negative if I was pregnant?”

Silas looked to the doctor, who shrugged. “We don’t know.”

“Is there something wrong…”

“We’ll have to run more tests,” the doctor advised.

“So you’re not sure whether I’m pregnant or not?” I asked as I looked from the doctor who seemed reluctant to answer me or Silas.

“It could be an error with the test.”

Human pregnancy tests weren’t a hundred per cent reliable, could this be the same with their test?

“The quickest way to confirm it would to do a sonar scan.” This time the doctor spoke.

A sonar scan. Wasn’t the baby too small to show up on a scan?

“Will you be able to see it already?” I was skeptical.

The doctor nodded. “It’s best to do this at the compound.”

“We would rather not.” Silas stepped in. “How long would it take you to do one here?”

“Half an hour.”

The doctor called someone and arranged for the equipment to be brought to the house. He went downstairs to wait for it, leaving me alone with Silas for the first time since he had arrived.

I walked over the window to look out in the garden.

I could feel Silas watching me as I wrapped my arms around my waist.

“We should know what’s happening after he does the scan.”

I don’t know if it was to appease me but it wasn’t working. Frazzled I turned to face him.

“And then what? I get to live in fear for the next month, wondering if I’m going to make it.” I don’t know if it was the hormones I’d been taking or the stress of everything that had happened but I was done keeping everything inside. “And heaven forbid if another vampire attacks me. Then I’m screwed.”

I sucked in a breath and paced. “So tell me Silas, what do I have to look forward to? You once told me there was no hope, I thought you were being harsh but it’s true isn’t it? There is no hope.”

When he didn’t immediately answer I stopped to face him. “What do I have to look forward to?”

“If you are pregnant, you will be a mother.”

I frowned. “Will I actually get to the child’s mother or will l be shifted off to another Vampire to pop out another child?”

There was still so much I didn’t know.

“Or will you keep me to have another one? How many babies do Sires usually have?” I shot out one question after the other.

He took hold of my arms and I clamped my mouth shut. “You need to calm down, Avery.”

“Why? Because of the baby?” I asked.

Maybe for once, I wanted to be the most important thing. Not what I could do or give, but just being me. Was that too much to ask?

“You’re upset and I should have been more clear about your role once there is a baby.”

I swallowed. Maybe I didn’t want to know. What if it was worse than what I already thought?

“So what happens Silas? What happens if I successfully bear you a child?” My eyes held his. I felt raw and emotional. I didn’t know how much more I could take before I broke.

“You will stay with me.”

“What if there is never a child? Then what?”

“Let’s take one step at a time Avery. Why don’t we figure out if you’re pregnant first?”