AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thisway those two thugs can’t come after you,” he’d said, whenCeliaasked why they weren’t staying the night at the mansion onBayshore. “Ifthey don’t know where to find you, we won’t have any problems with them.”
Ina way,Celiahad agreed with him—it was better thatHoldandFiercecouldn’t find her.Shewas afraid if she saw them she might break down—she was already missing them desperately even though she’d seen them just last night.
Aftera night of fitful rest,Celia’sMother-in-Law-to-be had driven her to an exclusiveSouthTampasalon to have her hair, nails, and makeup done and now they were at their final destination—St.Paul’scathedral inDowntownTampa.Itwas a beautiful old building with soaring spires and an enormous stained-glass window that shed rainbow light over the entire chapel.Itwould be a beautiful place to get married…if you are marrying the right person.Orpeople.
Stopit!Youhave to putHoldandFierceout of your head,Celiatold herself firmly, as she sucked in her stomach and tried to hold still whileMotherFranceszipped her into the frothy white gown.You’renever going to see them again.Andeven if you did, they wouldn’t want you.You’recarrying another man’s baby—ofcoursethey wouldn’t want you.
Shehad yet to tellPeterabout the baby.Itfelt awkward and wrong somehow and she was afraid that he would sense that the daughter they shared was the only reason she’d come back to him.
Actually, though,Peterseemed extremely preoccupied.HeandMotherFranceskept going off to discuss things together andCeliahad no idea what they were talking about.
“There!Finally!”AtlastMotherFranceshad gotten the gown zipped.Shefastened the tiny pearl button at the nape ofCelia’sneck and stood back with her hands on her non-existent hips. “Thereyou are.Don’tyou look justlovely?”she exclaimed, smiling.
“Er…thank you.”Celiasmiled back weakly.Shecouldn’t believe that in barely an hour she would walk out the door of the little side room at the back ofSt.Paul’sand go down the aisle of the big, beautiful chapel and say “Ido,” and thenMotherFrancesreally would be herMother-in-Law.
AndPeterwill really be your husband.Don’tforget that part!whispered a little voice in her head.Celiatried to push it away.Shewould think about it later, she told herself.Rightnow she just had to get through the ceremony.
51
FIERCE
“Fierce,Ithink we need to get some stimulant brew if we’re going to keep this up—we’ve been at it for hours.”Holdswiped a hand over his forehead and sank down in a nearby chair looking exhausted.
“Ithas to be heresomewhere—theGoddesstold us we would find the reasonCelialeft us!”
Fiercewasn’t ready to stop yet—wasn’t ready to give up.TheMedStationwas practically deserted except for a single nurse at the front who was nodding off.Everyoneelse was with their families for the human holiday ofChristmasEve—which wasn’t as big as the next day,Christmas—but was still important, from whatFiercecould understand.Everywherethere were green trees with brightly colored ornaments on them and most of them had wrapped boxes under them as well.
Theydidn’t know which exam roomCeliahad been taken to when she’d asked for a female doctor, so he andHoldhad been searching all of them methodically.Thiswas the last one and he was certain there had to be some clue in it somewhere about why their female had bolted.
Suddenly, something pink in the waste disposal unit caught his eye.
“Hey—what’s this?” he demanded, reaching down to pick it out of the trash.Itwas a crumpled pink flower and wrapped around it was a thin strip of paper.
Unrollingit,Fierceread aloud,
“CeliaAlvarez.Pregnantwith one female fetus.DNA100% human.”
“What?Whatdid you say?”Holdwas suddenly on his feet.Hecame across the room in one stride and snatched the paper fromFierce’shand.Heread it for himself and then looked up.
“Gods,” he whispered faintly. “She’s…”
“She’sfuckingpregnant,”Fiercefinished for him.Thenews hit him all at once and he stumbled and nearly fell.Holdcaught him by the arm and held him up.
“Nowwe know,” he said grimly. “Weknow why she left us.”
“Wedo?”Fiercelooked at his brother stupidly.
“Yes, we do.Howmany digs did you give her about ‘being pregnant with another male’s brat’?Or‘being pregnant with a stupid human baby’?”Holddemanded, glaring at him.
“Fuck,Ididn’t say that—didI?”Fierceput a hand to his head.Hadhe really been that stupid?
“Yes, you did!”Holdhad a furious look on his face which was completely unlike him. “Youtwo fought about it several times.SowhenCeliafound out she was pregnant withPeter’sbaby, she decided to go back to him because she thoughtwewouldn’t want to help her raise it!”
Fiercehad a sinking feeling in his stomach.
“But…butIdidn’t fuckingmeanit!” he protested. “Imean look—a daughter!”Heshook the wilted pink flower inHold’sface. “HowmanyTwinKindredever get to raise a daughter—fuckingnoneof us.Wealways have twin boys!Wewouldloveto have a daughter—she’d be our little princess!”
“Youknow that andIknow that but thanks to you,Celiadoesn’t know that!”Holdexclaimed. “Sheleft us because she thinks we won’t want her if she’s pregnant with another male’s baby!”
