But when he turned, his eyes were green fire. “He said . . . you’d carry a child?”
I swallowed, nodded.
“My child? Our child?”
Another nod, as I contemplated what I thought wasn’t fear, but awe, in his eyes. He strode back to me, pulled me up from the couch, and kissed me brutally.
His lips were firm, his tongue insistent, sending my blood racing even as my body and mind slipped down and into the kiss.
He pulled back and cupped my face in his hands, rested his forehead against mine. “A child. A child.” It was easy to hear the miracle in his voice, and even when he pulled back, my face still in his hands, there was doubt in his eyes. “Tell me precisely what he said.”
And I did. Twice, and about the prediction that I’d be tested first. But none of it dulled the wonderment in Ethan’s eyes. He put his hand on my stomach like I was already in the full blossom of pregnancy.
“A child. The first vampire child. Do you know what a miracle that would be? Or what a strength? What a boon to the North American Houses?”
It was my turn to take a step back, as a frisson of anger turned up my temper. “Or to the GP, if you were to lead it.”
He apparently missed the tone in my voice, or he ignored it. “Frankly, yes.”
“Is that why you’re excited about this? Because it would give you a political advantage? Can we put aside strategy for the purposes of this conversation?”
“Sentinel,” he said, and I caught a warning tone in his voice.
I marched over and stuck a finger into his chest. “Don’t you dare call me ‘Sentinel.’ I am not your Novitiate right now, not when we’re talking about this.”
“We’re talking about a unique event in vampire history.”
“We’re talking about bringing a child into the world.” My head began to spin. Saying the words aloud actually made me light-headed, and I groped for the closest chair, then planted myself in it before my vision went completely black.
“Breathe, Sentinel,” Ethan said, with a hint of amusement in his voice.
I was not amused. Not at all. Not by the realization that I’d be gestating the only vampire child in history. That we’d be the only vampire parents in history.
Ethan bent to one knee in front of me. “Are you having a panic attack about a child?”
“No,” I said, head swimming. “That would be cowardly and ridiculous. I want to have kids. Kids are great. But I would be the first and only vampire mother. Every other vampire in the world would be armchair-mothering me.”
He pushed the hair from my face. “Did Gabriel say this miraculous event was going to happen tomorrow?”
“Well, no. There’s the testing first.”
“Then I presume you have a bit of time to prepare,” he flatly said. “As do I.” He looked up at me, one knee on the ground, one knee propped up. The perfect position for that certain pre-matrimonial deed. A slow smile began to cross his face.
“Don’t you dare do it,” I warned him with a pointed finger. “Don’t you dare fake propose to me again.”
“Who says it would be fake?”
I rolled my eyes. “Like you just happen to have a ring in your jacket pocket.”
Much to my surprise, and terror, he didn’t answer with a joke. His eyes sparkled, which made my stomach roll with nerves. Surely he didn’t actually have a ring in his pocket. We hadn’t known each other long enough. Hadn’t been together long enough.
“Jesus, Ethan.” I punched him on the arm. “No. You do not have a ring in your pocket.”
“Poor, worried Sentinel.” He pulled me to my feet, embraced me. “The weight of the world on her shoulders.”
“That weight is entirely on my uterus,” I corrected. “Or will be, after the test.”
“Yes, you may have mentioned that,” he dryly said. “And he gave you no indication of what, precisely, that meant?”
I shook my head, put my hands on his chest, looked up at him. “What if it’s you? What if you decide to challenge the GP and you’re injured? Or killed? Or what if you win and you end up in London?”
“Then either you’re scheduled for an immaculate conception, or we’ll still see each other occasionally.” That sparkle was back in his eyes. He was really and truly enjoying this.
“You’re not helping. Seriously—what are we going to do?”
“About the possible child? I can think of several things, Sentinel. Most of them require nudity. Several are illegal in the more conservative states.”
I elbowed him in the ribs. “About the GP.”
His expression sobered. “I don’t know. I don’t know.” He ran his hands through his hair. “How solid is the support?”
“Solid,” I said. “Enough to guarantee GP votes. Not enough to guarantee a win or a bloodless coup.”
He nodded. “That’s true of most things worth doing, I’ve found. They’re rarely guaranteed.”
Then he looked at me with a slanted gaze. “Sentinel, exactly how long have you been holding all of this in?”
“For too damn long. On both counts.”
He chuckled and, with a hand at the back of my neck, pulled me forward again. “I love you, Caroline Evelyn Merit,” he said, pressing his lips to mine.
He kissed me gently, his mouth needy and insistent, tongue tangling with mine and lips nipping gently as he pressed his body against mine. His hand slid along my rib cage, cupped a breast, and thumbed my nipple, inciting and arousing. My body sang with desire, blood humming with the need he was creating, the blinding want that began to demand action.
He moved forward, pushing me against the back of the couch, his erection solid between us. “You won’t shake me,” he said, his lips against my neck, trailing kisses over the spots he’d bitten me before, a promise of things to come.
“The carnival?” I managed to murmur, thinking of the work we needed to do.
“We are allowed to live,” he said. “To take a moment for us.” He took that moment, unzipped my muddy jacket and tossed it to the floor, then did the same with the shirt I’d worn beneath it. His gaze found my br**sts. His hands followed, and all rational thought exited my premises. With impressive speed.
I hummed, equally revved and drowsy from the movement of his hands and the cant of his hips against mine. There was little doubt what he wanted, or what he’d take.