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Chapter 1
Piper
Oh god what is thatsmell? It’s almost like a hot pile of garbage was rolled around in a roadkill carcass and topped with barbeque sauce.
I covered my nose and mouth at the smell, my eyes watering and my stomach rolling. Agnes came around the corner with a tray in her hands. The closer she came to me the more my stomach revolted until finally, I shoved myself up from my seat and found the nearby trash can.
Welp. There went my breakfast.
As I came back up, wiping my mouth with the washcloth I’d taken to keep with me, the tray clattered on the table a few feet away. I blinked up at the female vampire. Agnes was assigned to me the day I was brought into the council’s ‘safety.’ They could call it whatever they wanted. I was a prisoner. They were using me to keep the Durands in line and it was working.
“Please,” I croaked, waving my hand at the tray and turning my face away. “Take it away. I can’t...I can’t stand the smell.”
Agnes huffed and grabbed the tray. “You didn’t want the stew I brought you either. What do you want?” Agnes’s patience with me was clearly wavering. Why they think a fifteenth century midwife was the way to go...
I contemplated what the baby wanted. It wanted to go home, that's what it wanted and I couldn’t disagree. I was lucky that I was only three months along or I’d be in real trouble. I didn’t know how the vampires thought I was going to give birth but I did not want it to be in this overly plush room. I needed a hospital with doctors and nurses and drugs! I didn’t want to feel shit when I pushed this thing out of my vagina.
If only I could give birth like a giraffe. Silent, stoic, no pain evident as the gooey baby giraffe fell out of their vagina without any effort on the mom’s part. Then she’s all like, let’s go time for tea or whatever giraffes did to socialize.
But that wasn’t what Agnes meant.
Letting out a heavy sigh, I rolled my eyes up at the vampire. “How about something made this century?”
Agnes’s nose curled up. “You mean something fried in grease?”
The very sound of the words made my stomach rumble in eagerness. “Yes,” I pushed up straighter in my seat. “Preferably fries. Lots of fries. Maybe with some chili and cheese sauce?” My mouth watered at the very thought of it.
Agnes huffed and stalked out of the room. Whether or not she would actually bring me what I asked for is up to anyone’s guess. I just hoped it wasn’t anymore of her disgusting home remedies. I couldn’t bear anymore of those tonics that tasted like whale’s piss.
Leaning back in my chair, I tilted my head back on the head rest. What were the guys doing now? How much longer would I have to tolerate the ‘safety’ of the council?
Honestly, I was surprised the Hunter’s Guild hadn’t raised hell in all the time I’ve been gone. I knew Vincent was eager to get information from us about the council’s whereabouts in exchange for mine and the Durands freedom from them. Unfortunately, I couldn’t follow up on that promise just yet. The longer I was with the council the more I wanted to turn them all over to the hunters and let them all burn.
I pushed myself to my feet, my hand on my stomach. I walked through the lavish room the council had so graciously bestowed on me. It was garish and not to my taste. Though it seemed that the older the vampire, the more outrageous their tastes became. Every piece of furniture was carved out of red oak with depictions of snakes, birds, and other wild animals. The blankets were a brocade design of black, white and crimson. I could hardly stand to sleep in the bed with that much busyness happening on the top. Not to mention that I hadn’t slept alone in quite a while. I missed the guys and I missed my home.
I wrapped my arms around myself and frowned. I needed to get out of here.
“Miss Durand,” Tuma’s smooth accented voice called my attention back to the open door of my room. The council member had a hand up to knock, a mocking attempt at giving me privacy.
They thought I didn’t know they had cameras in the room and a guard at my door almost every moment of the day. The only times I don’t are during the day when the halls are filled with the vampire council’s minions. Stepping out that door on my own was like slitting my own throat and offering it up for any vampire to drink from.
“Tuma,” I inclined my head at the dark-skinned vampire. “What do I owe the pleasure of your company today? Are you finally going to allow me to go home?”
Tuma tapped his cane on the marble floor and flashed a grin at me, his teeth so shockingly white that I wondered if they would glow in the dark. “Unfortunately, the threat of the Hunters Guild is far too high to allow you to return to your home. You must remain here with us for the time being.”
I wrinkled my nose and tried not to speak what was on my mind. I’d had to learn the hard way that curbing my tongue would get me more with these creatures than my usual fiery passion that swayed the Durands. With careful consideration of my words I said, “I understand. I thank you for your protection and I know the others do as well. Have you heard from them?”
I’d been in the council’s possession for over a month now and during that time I hadn’t been allowed to see the others. I could talk to them on the phone — monitored by a council member of course or exchange letters, also read over by the council. No, there would be no sneaking around and making plans to escape without the council knowing, that was for sure.
Tuma nodded and withdrew his top hat from his head, holding it before him along with his cane. “Yes, your men have been busy keeping the Hunters Guild at bay. They try their best to keep them from finding out where we have hidden you. The gods know the hunters would love to get their hands on a baby born of two vampire servants. Could you imagine the kind of fighter they would create?”
I chewed on my lower lip and bobbed my head.
We had this discussion before. By being Antoine’s human servants, Darren and I both had enhanced senses and speed. Individually we were almost as strong and fast as a vampire but combine us together? And you would have a vampire killing machine. Or at least that was the belief. No one seemed to know for sure what exactly would happen at our child’s birth. For all we knew, it could come out being a regular old human. The longer I was in the council’s hands, the more I wished it were so.
“Still...” I began trying to be polite with my words. Honey, Piper. You catch more flies with honey. “I would like to see them soon.” I rubbed a hand over my stomach which had barely begun to extend. “I would hate for them to miss my pregnancy entirely. It's not every day that a vampire’s servant has a child you know.”
“And you will,” Tuma stepped toward me, his hands open wide with a placating smile on his face. “We just have to be cautious right now. I assure you, when the time is right you will be reunited with your family. Please have patience for a little bit longer.”
“Alright. If you say so,” I took a deep breath and forced myself to say, “I trust your judgment.”
Tuma grinned, his fangs gleaming in the light. “As you should. Now, I will let you rest. We don’t want our mother to be getting too tired.” He bowed at the waist before putting his top hat back on and pivoting on his heel.
Then I was alone.
I gave myself a moment, moving around the room as if nothing was wrong before casually walking over to the door and closing it firmly. Then I walked leisurely back toward my bed and laid down. Turning in the bed, I shoved my face into the pillow and screamed.
