Page 5 of Salvation
She flicked her gaze back to Luna’s baby bump. “Looks like you were successful.”
“Yes, but this was a surprise. I had sex one time with Wolfe and, well… here I am. No one was certain if vampires could even procreate.”
Aurora felt a sudden urge to slip away. The fact that Luna seemed to form a relationship and was now carrying a child felt all wrong, but she didn’t know why. “When do you plan to head to Kentucky?”
“Not sure. We need more supplies and a way to leave the city.”
That meant Aurora had some time to keep poking around. Maybe come back in the light of day. “You have been most helpful, Luna. You will not remember me or the conversation we had once I leave here.”
Luna nodded, then looked back at her book while Aurora slipped away.
CHAPTERTHREE
Sunrise would come soonand by the time Wolfe and Xavier had gotten back to the hotel, then waited for the other teams to rendezvous with them, little nighttime was left. That meant he had to make a decision on whether to wait for nightfall again or send out the humans alone. He sat in a conference room, now their makeshift war room, with vampires, Xavier and Noah. Ben, who was human, joined them, but he had been a Marine and was about as tough as they came.
“Give me your thoughts.” While he was ultimately in charge, he valued the others’ input.
“I say we go now. We wait and we risk losing a potential bounty,” Ben said. “There are enough of us that we don’t need you guys to risk your hides.”
“I would agree with Ben,” Xavier said. “This time we are the hinderance and if they wait for us to be able to go back out, we might lose out. If the town isn’t plundered, it’s only a matter of time before the fucking demons or rogue vampires burn it down to keep us from claiming it.”
Wolfe looked at Noah.
“I agree as well. We are going to have to sit this one out.”
Wolfe sighed. He hated like hell to send these men out without vampire assistance, but Ben had a valid point. “Fine. Take one box truck and get what you can. If you think it worthy, we will make another trip at nightfall.”
Ben rose from his seat. “I’ll gather my team and we’ll be on our way.” He turned and left the room to pull together his men. Both Noah and Xavier excused themselves, leaving Wolfe alone.
He moved to a window, pulled there by some strange urge, and stared at the dull morning sky, overwhelmed with emotion. It was a mixture of despair and longing, as so many of his days had been since his life changed irrevocably. He thought of her constantly, and though he never spoke of it, he could still taste her on his lips and feel her body pressed against his. His mind eased back in time, his memories flooded with the woman he left behind. How her skin was like silk against his calloused fingertips. How she would twirl her long black hair, giving him that seductive look. Her eyes were windows to her soul, and he would drown in their deep blue depths. She undid him every time they were together and had stolen his heart.
The ring that was meant for her birthday sat hidden away with his other possessions instead of in his pocket. He had never had the chance to ask her to be his wife, something now lost to him forever thanks to Arsenia's attack. After piecing himself back together, he returned home only to find the town ravaged by the Red Death. There had been no sign of her, and despite his hope she may have survived, there was also every chance she succumbed to the illness.
Wolfe often thought he should have said fuck it and went back home sooner. He could have at least tried to protect her somehow, but he had been fearful of what he had become and what he might do. To say that guilt tore him to shreds daily would be a mild statement. The thought of her death had shredded his heart.
“Hey. They said you were in here.” Luna stood in the open doorway.
He forced a smile. “How are you feeling?” He still couldn’t believe she was carrying his child. Would the kid have any vampire traits? It was a crap shoot but right now his mission had become even more important. There was a baby to bring into this new fucked-up world and it was on his shoulders to keep Luna safe and happy.
“I feel fine now.”
She had a craving for ice cream earlier, but of course there was no such thing in the age of no electricity. It ate at him that he couldn’t give her everything she desired.
“Can we talk?”
“Sure.” He pulled out a chair and indicated for her to sit. Once she had, he took a seat next to her. “What’s on your mind?”
“I’ve been thinking about us, the baby. So many thoughts racing through my head.”
He took her hand. “Tell me about them and how I can help.”
She hesitated for several seconds, then finally spoke. “Neither of us have a mating mark, at least I don’t.” She searched his eyes for answers.
“Nothing for me either.”
She nodded. “I knew when I signed up to come along, I would raise a family at some point. I just wasn’t expecting it to be this soon, and honestly, I didn’t think it would be a vampire that would get me pregnant.”
“I’m so sorry this happened, but you know I will do everything I can to make the best life for you and our child.”
