The Taste of Magic (29 page)

"You would waste your gift on him? You were to be a force to be reckoned with. Your mother and I had plans for you."

She shook her head, grimacing with disgust. "Everyone has plans for me. My whole life has been organized by others. Now I see it was you two more than anyone else. You set this all in motion, didn't you?"

She didn't give them a chance to respond as she angrily paced. "But I ruined everything, didn't I? I fell in love with him, and you hadn't counted on that." Finally she turned to face her mother. Olga's suddenly weary face betrayed her part in this strange twisted plot Katerina still didn't understand.

Olga looked away from her daughter, and went to Stefan's side. "Katerina, there is much that is at risk."

"So why don't you tell me? There've been enough secrets already."

Olga shook her head. "It is not my place."

Katerina threw her arms up in frustration. There was a lot more to all of this, but she just couldn't face any more shocks today. "I'm done. I can't do this anymore." She grabbed her purse and dug out her car keys.

"Where are you going?" Stefan asked. He stepped closer, towering above her. She wasn't swayed by his intimidation tactics. She stepped around him, twisting to avoid the hand reaching out to stop her.

"None of your business. I don't want to see either of you. Not for a while." She strode to the door and slammed it shut behind her. Hesitating for the briefest moment, she hurried to the front door, before Adrian appeared and could stop her. Thankfully, her car was close by and she was in it and speeding down the mountain as Adrian and her parents appeared in her rear view mirror.

The tendrils of Adrian's thoughts poked at her and she opened her mind to him.

I need time alone. I want all of you to stay away.

What happened? You shouldn't be alone, not while you're ill.

She forced herself not to think of that. I'm fine. I'll be back when I'm ready.

But…

Not now. Give me this time alone. Please.

She sensed his resignation before he agreed to her demand. The link closed. She hoped he'd continue to honor her request.

Chapter Twenty-One

For almost an hour, Katerina drove aimlessly. When her nausea started to rise again, she knew she would have to stop. At least she knew why she was so ill. Damn, this had come on practically…overnight.

Last night. It had to be. Why not? Nothing else about this whole situation could be considered remotely normal. A hazy recollection of Adrian offering her juice when she'd wakened in the pre-dawn hours became clear. Pomegranate juice. Even she knew the symbolic meaning. And what it was supposed to enhance. Fertility.

Had he done this on purpose? Did he know she carried his child? She calmed her growing ire as she recalled the other various healing powers of the pomegranate. Perhaps it had been innocent, and all he'd wanted was to make her recover more quickly. He had been truly concerned when she'd been ill, and seemed genuinely surprised. Was she looking for deceit where there was none? When it came to Adrian, mistrust was an automatic reflex.

Her stomach rumbled, this time with hunger. She rested a hand on her abdomen, imagining a baby there. She had to eat something, if for no other reason than to nourish her child. After a quick stop at a grocery, she pulled up in front of her flat. Her only sanctuary.

She let herself in, and took the home pregnancy test out of the bag. Hands shaking, she read the instructions and performed the test. She had no idea if it would even work. This wasn't a normal baby, after all. But after the prescribed three minutes, the window clearly showed a dark pink line. The confirmation put all doubt to rest. As if in response, her hunger rose anew. She made herself a sandwich, her mind focused on the new life she knew for certain grew within her. Despite her concerns, she was becoming used to the idea. She would guard her child fiercely, now and after it was born. Which would be sooner than she had thought.

How could she be ready to give birth in four months? She would need her mother to help, but right now, she wasn't ready to face Olga. Who else could she talk to? As if in answer to her unspoken question, there was a knock on the door.

"Who's there?" she called.

"Joshua."

She wondered how the hunter had known she was here. She unlocked and opened the door, and motioned him inside.

"Are you all right?" Joshua asked.

"I'm fine. How did you…?"

"A lucky guess. I went to the castle and du Lac was out of sorts. I wanted to tell him we were making progress, I located some hidden bank accounts and was able to raid them."

Katerina sighed and went back to the kitchen. "Get to the point. Why are you here?"

Joshua followed. "du Lac wasn't even pleased, and then your mother and Malinay came down. I thought du Lac's head would explode. It was all I could do to keep them from tearing each other apart."

Katerina stared. "They didn't…"

Joshua shook his head. "No. Malinay left, and your mother did, too. That's when du Lac told me you were ill and had gone."

"So you came to find me." She sat down and took a bite of her sandwich.

Joshua seated himself across the table. "Sort of. Machiavelli's still out there, and du Lac is worried you're in danger. He could be right."

"I can handle myself."

"What happened? When I left last night, you two seemed to have patched up your differences."

Katerina shook her head. "You're not going to believe this."

"What?"

"I found out today I'm…" she paused, not sure she should tell the hunter.

"What? Katerina, I didn't come here on du Lac's request. It's unsafe for you to be alone. I…am concerned for you."

She smiled. "Thank you. If I tell you, you have to keep it from Adrian. I haven't told him yet, and I don't know when I will."

"Okay."

Katerina held his gaze steadily. "I'm pregnant."

Joshua's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

She nodded. "I just took a test to confirm it."

"It's du Lac's?"

Katerina nodded. "Who else's could it be?"

"How did this happen? I've never heard of a vampire impregnating…wait a minute. Of course, that's it!"

"What's it? You know how he got me pregnant?"

"Maybe. There was a legend I heard once, something about only a witch on a full moon conceiving a vampire's child. And the conditions have to be just right. I have to go find the book. The moon was definitely full last night. I'd guess the conditions were right."

Katerina shrugged. "Apparently. Are you sure about the legend?"

"Yes, but I'll confirm it. But I can't help thinking there's something more. I'll send a few inquiries."

"It's not as if I can go to any doctor and ask. Especially since I'm supposed to give birth in four months."

Joshua stared at her for a moment, then snapped his fingers. "Vining."

"What about him?"

"You can ask him.

"I have no idea how to get a hold of him."

"I do. I've got his number right here, as a matter of fact." Joshua reached into his jacket and removed a small portfolio. He flipped through several pages, and stopped, skimming the page. "Here."

Katerina eyed him cautiously. "Do you always carry the local vampires' home telephone numbers with you?"

He reddened and shrugged. Katerina still didn't fully trust the hunter, but he was the only one who could help her right now, no matter his methods. She picked up the phone and dialed the number Joshua recited. When the vampire answered, she quickly explained her urgent need to see him. She'd barely hung up when he materialized in the flat.

"Talk about house calls," she muttered.

Vining smiled. "I take it du Lac doesn't know you've summoned me." Katerina shook her head. "I don't want him to know yet, not until I have all the facts. And I need your word you won't tell him."

"About your pregnancy?"

Katerina's mouth fell open. "How did you know?"

"There are signs. Besides, there is a very distinct energy from a witch carrying a vampire's child."

"I see. So, will you honor my request?"

Vining nodded. "I won't tell him anything. Unless it's necessary." Katerina folded her arms. "It won't be. I'll tell him soon enough. It's not like I can keep it a secret for very long."

Vining smiled, his dark gaze moving over her. "No, I'd say you'll start to show in a few weeks. He'll know then."

Katerina closed her eyes and turned away. "I didn't know who else to call. Actually, Joshua suggested I talk to you. I can't exactly go to a regular doctor or hospital, not like this."

Vining was suddenly before her. "You're right. And I think maybe you need a check-up, see how you're doing."

"But…"

"Your health is all I'm concerned with. Yours and the child's. How much do you know about this?"

Katerina sighed. "I barely know anything about a normal pregnancy. This…all I know is what my mother and Stefan told me."

Vining turned to Joshua. "You'll excuse us for a few minutes?"

"Joshua, call us if…anyone shows up."

Katerina led the vampire doctor into her bedroom and shut the door. For several moments, she simply stood there, silent. This was nothing like any doctor's exam she'd ever had before. Vining smiled reassuringly, and took her elbow, guiding her to the chair by the window.

"Relax, Ms. Romanov. I'm going to check your blood pressure, and other vitals. We can wait to do an internal exam until you can come to my office."

"I don't think…"

"I'm a doctor, Ms. Romanov. I treat humans and vampires alike. And although I'm not an obstetrician, I know more than enough to see you safely through this."

She considered him a moment, and decided she could trust the sincerity in his eyes. She nodded. "All right. But you have to realize this is very strange for me. Although I should be used to odd occurrences by now."

Vining smiled and removed his blood pressure gauge from his bag. He was silent as he took the reading, nodding approvingly. Katerina remained still as he checked her out, grateful he kept the exam brief.

He stood and smiled once more. "You appear to be fine. We'll need to run some blood work to be sure, but I wouldn't worry." He reached out and tilted her head, revealing the wounds on her neck. "Fresh. Last night?"

She nodded, suddenly unable to find her voice. Her heart pounded as Vining's expression grew serious.

"It was a full moon last night." His statement seemed to confirm Joshua's legend.

"Yes. So the moon does have something to do with this, then?" Vining nodded. "Quite a lot in fact. Can you tell me what else happened, besides the obvious."

Katerina's face flushed. "I don't think it's any of your business, is it?" She bit her lip at the harshness of her words. She sighed. "There isn't anything else, besides..."

A knock on the bedroom door had her heart pounding once again. "Katerina? Are you done yet?" Joshua's muffled voice was laced with worry.

She glanced at the doctor. He nodded and she stood. She yanked the door open. "Is something wrong?"

"Your mother and Malinay are out in the street."

"Really?" She tried to keep her annoyance at bay. "I told them I didn't want to see them." Pulling aside the curtains, she peered out the window. Sure enough, her mother and Stefan stood on the street, staring up at her. Releasing the curtain momentarily, she muttered, "Doesn't anybody listen to me?"

Opening the window, she leaned out. "Go away."

"Katerina, please I must speak with you," Olga pleaded.

"I'll call you." With a forceful shove, she shut the window. Aware of Joshua and Vining eying her curiously, she shrugged. "They all lied to me. They wanted me to destroy Adrian. And I won't, not for them. No matter what their reasons are."

Joshua raised an eyebrow. "Your mother wants you to kill du Lac? But…"

"No, Stefan does. You're the one who told me he's a hunter. Seems he can't do it alone, and he wanted to teach me how to do it."

"Your mother dares a lot," Vining said.

Katerina nodded. "She does. She set all of this up, and I'm convinced it started when I was a child. I just wish she'd tell me why. But it stops now. I won't be anyone's pawn again."

"Du Lac doesn't stand a chance." There was a hint of humor in Vining's voice. "Speaking of which, what else happened last night?"

"Nothing. He was kind and considerate." She snapped her fingers. "I almost forgot. He brought me pomegranate juice this morning."