Page 77

His eyes narrowed, his muscles starting to bunch in anger. "You're frightening me."

That did it, I didn’t want him to worry. I reached for his hand and then placed it against my stomach. His expression changed, confusion first, then motionlessness an absolute terrifying stillness that spoke volumes about his emotions.

I swallowed. "I think I'm pregnant."

Nothing, he didn't move, didn't blink, it seemed that he didn't even breathe. For one horrible second, panic tore through me. Maybe he didn't want this, maybe vampire mates didn't…

"Bryn." My name came out in a broken growl.

I looked at him, his eyes had changed, they weren’t red or violent but wet. I froze. Viking Dragic was staring at me with tears in his eyes. A force of nature like Viking showing this much emotion has my chest crack open.

"I took three tests," I whispered quickly. "They're positive, but I know we should probably get a doctor, and I don't know how vampire pregnancies work and maybe the tests aren't…"

He dropped to his knees. Just...Dropped. My words vanished as Viking pressed both hands around my hips and buried his face against my stomach. The first sound he made shattered me. A rough, broken exhale, then he kissed me through my shirt.

Once. Again, then again. "My baby." His voice cracked.

My eyes flooded. "Viking."

His arms wrapped around my waist as he held me close, forehead pressed against me. I threaded my fingers through his hair. The bond deepened between us and what poured through nearly brought me down beside him.

Love. Not the furious kind, not possession or hunger but something softer, something huge, a wonder, fear, joy so intense it hurt but then there was guilt. Of course, always guilt.

His head lifted. "I put you in danger." There it was, I immediately cupped his face.

"No."

But his jaw clenched. "You were shot because of my world."

"Stop."

"Our baby…"

"Viking." He tried to look away, but I wouldn't let him. "Look at me." His eyes met mine. "This baby exists because of your world too." He stilled. "Because you found me."

His eyes closed briefly. When they opened again, something had shifted, it wasn’t gone, the berserker was still there, the guilt, the danger, the fury, but underneath it now was something new. There was hope.

Runa had been right, Viking rose slowly. His hands shook as they cupped my face. "You're carrying my child." I smiled through tears.

"Apparently." A laugh left him, a real one. It was quiet, disbelieving, beautiful. I'd heard Viking laugh before. Usually darkly because someone had said something violent or sarcastic, but never like this. He kissed my forehead, then my cheeks, my mouth. Then dropped down and kissed my stomach again.

I laughed through my tears. "You realize there's nothing to feel yet."

"I don't care."

"Viking."

"My child is there."

"Potentially the size of a sesame seed."

"My sesame seed."

I burst out laughing, his grin widened. God. There he was, not the vampire, or the berserker, not the monster the world feared but my Viking. He pulled me carefully into his arms. Carefully, that was new. I narrowed my eyes. "Don't start."

His expression immediately became innocent, but I didn't trust it. "Start what?"

"Treating me like I'm made of glass."