A/N: Hello there! I am back once again with another fabulous tale of love, drama, and more! This story is set in Darrin's POV and if you are a new reader and thought this sounded good, then you need to go turn around and read Let the Games Begin. Don't want anyone getting lost here. So when we last left our two lovers, Darrin had just proposed and Dana said yes. This is of course after Dana found out she's preggers! Now let us see how their lives are going...
Chapter One
Sunlight filtered in through the parted curtains and streamed into the room. I groaned and pulled the covers up over my head. I heard a small chuckle as the petite body next to me nestled closer to my side. I smiled as I reached up and ran my fingers through soft curls. I opened my eyes and peered down at the small girl stretched out beside me. Her hair was long, thick tumble of dark red curls that fell down to her waist. Her skin was pale and had a light dusting of freckles covering most of the soft skin. Her bright emerald eyes met mine and I could feel my heart stop. Dana Savior was the most beautiful girl I had ever met. It still surprised me that she was mine.
"Good morning," she sighed as she cuddled closer to me.
"Morning," I mumbled back kissing her on the top of the head. "When do you have to work?"
"Not until tonight silly," she chuckled. "Night clubs typically aren't open during the day."
I frowned as I looked down at her. Despite every argument I presented, Dana had gone and gotten herself a job at a local club. It wouldn't be that bad if she didn't come home all the time with stories of guys grabbing at her ass and constantly hitting on her. A few times I got thrown out of said club for practically beating some guy to death for just looking at Dana. I have tried time and time again to get her to quit that job. She doesn't even need it. I have more than enough money to support her, myself, and both of our clans. It took me months after our engagement to convince her and her clan to move in with me and mine.
Dana stretched her arms over her head as she slowly rose off of the mattress. The morning light caught her hair and made the red curls seem to glow. I leaned up on my elbows and watched her walk into the bathroom connecting to our room. She looked back at me and smiled before stepping into the bathroom. A few minutes later I heard the shower start and I sighed and lay back down. The sun was now blazing in through the window. I groaned and rolled over pulling a pillow over my head. Before I knew it I was asleep once again.
X X X
I let out a long moan as I rolled back over, my jaw aching slightly. My stomach growled loudly as I opened my eyes. The light of the setting sun filtered dimly through the drawn curtains. I looked around confused trying to find Dana. I let out a frustrated groan when I realized I had slept all day. There was a knock on the door and I grunted as I got out of bed. I threw the door open to see a flinching Abel standing there. He looked up at me, his eyes wide and filled with such innocence it would break your heart.
"Dana gets off in an hour," he said softly looking down at his feet. "She tried to wake you up before she left but you were mumbling about something obscene so she punched in the jaw."
"Well that explains that," I thought aloud, "okay I'll get ready to go I guess."
Able nodded and scampered down the hall. I shook my head as I watched him leave and turned back into my room. Once I was fully dressed I stalked out and down the long hallway towards the grand staircase. Raven walked out of her room and nodded at me in greeting. Since Dana and her clan had moved in with us, I saw very little of my clan leader. This could be due to the fact that she didn't have a very good relationship with her father, Chris Savior. I had to fight her tooth and nail to let my future bride and her family live with us. I am happy to report that I won that battle.
"Going to pick up the midget?" she asked in a cold voice.
"Better not let Dana her you talk like that," I warned. "She's been very testy lately and I have a feeling she wouldn't hesitate to kick your teeth in."
"If she can reach them," Raven scoffed walking with me down the stairs. "By the way, your mother came by last night when you went to get Dana. She seemed a little upset that you weren't here."
"Oh lord what did the old bitty want?" I groaned running a hand through my hair. It had gotten longer and hung down past my waist.
"She didn't say," Raven replied with a sigh. "She seemed surprised by your engagement though."
"You told her!" I thundered stopping in my tracks. I glared down at Raven, my fists clenched tightly to my side. "How could you do that?"
"I thought you would have told your family," Raven said warily. "You really didn't tell them anything about Dana? You've been seeing her for over a year."
"My father is still a little sore about her ending the Games," I told her through gritted teeth. "I was hoping to never tell them. Well not till after the ceremony. It is after all against our laws to kill another's Bloodmate."
"Well," Raven began carefully, "I did smell Davian earlier today…he may be around here somewhere so I would be careful."
I let out a curse under my breath as I ran out the door. I pulled out my keys from my pants pocket and ran towards my car. Dana told me she didn't like riding on a motorcycle so I bought this for me to take her and pick her up from work. Once I had the door closed I revved the engine to life and raced towards the night club she worked at. I pulled up to the curb right outside and walked towards the bouncer by the front door. He looked at me slightly confused but let me by him.
I stepped inside a room filled with fog and flashing colored lights. Trance-techno music blared from the many speakers placed around the club. I scanned through the crowd of dancing figures till I spotted the bar. I pushed my way through the mass of bodies, my heart pounding louder than the music in my ears. A grizzled man peered up at me as he wiped a shot glass before filling it with a light purple liquid. His gray eyes watched me warily as I approached him.
"Mack," I called over the loud music, "where is Dana?"
"She's in the back room…with you," he told me.
I felt all the blood drain from my face as I ran towards the back, Mack hot on my heels. I threw the door open to see Dana standing there behind a tall, pale man. She looked at me with confusion shining in her eyes. She looked from me to the man in front of her. Said man turned to face me, a smirk on his lips. His skin was as pale as mine with hair just as dark. However, his hair had a faint blue sheen to it and was a bit shorter than mine. His eyes were the same dark red but mine were brighter. He was also a little shorter than me and stockier.
"Darrin?" Dana asked looking at me.
"Get away from her," I growled not taking my eyes off of my mirror image.
"Well hello to you too little brother," he chuckled. "You'd think that after not seeing each other for a few centuries you would be a little nicer to me."
"I said get away from her Davian," I repeated stepping forward.
"What in the hell is going on?" Dana demanded looking at both of us.
"Did you really think you could hide her from us?" Davian asked looking Dana up and down. "Father won't be too pleased with you."
"I swear to all that I stand for if you so much as hurt a single hair on her head I'll kill you!" I shouted baring my fangs.
"Best put those away," Davian purred his own fangs glinting in the light. "It would be a shame if anything happened to her."
He snapped his fingers and I could see the shadows swirl around Dana. She let out a gasp as the shadows crawled up her legs, wrapping around them. She let out a cry as the shadows snagged around her waist and wrists as well. I snarled and lunged towards her. Davian let out a laugh as the shadows behind me grabbed my legs and arms stopping me in midair. I struggled against my restraints as Dana did the same.
"Let's not get to hasty little brother," Davian scolded walking towards Dana. "Mother is waiting for you at home. I'll hold on to her for you while you two catch up."
Davian snapped his fingers again and the shadows swirled around him and Dana. Dana looked at me with scared pleading eyes as she was engulfed by darkness. The shadows restraining me melted away and I ran towards Dana and my brother. By the time I reached where they were they had disappeared into the shadows. I let out a frustrated cry and punched at the wall in front of me. My fist made contact and made a large hole. Mack walked over towards me and put a hand on my shoulder.
"I may not know what is going on exactly," he said carefully, "but it sounds like you had better get home."
X X X
I pulled into the driveway my hands shaking on the wheel. I got out of the car, my body feeling strangely cold. As I numbly walked up to the front door I kept seeing Dana's face in my mind. She was so afraid and I could do nothing to help her. I opened the door to see Chris standing in the entranceway. His eyes met mine and I knew he was aware of what happened. He walked over to me and gripped my shoulders tightly.
"What happened to Dana?" he demanded shaking me slightly.
"Davian came and took her," I replied my voice sounding strange to my own ears.
Chris let go of me with a curse. He paced in front of me as I fell to my knees. I could hear approaching footsteps running towards us and I looked up to see Dana's clan coming towards us. Abel looked at me, fear in his eyes. His twin brother Cain came to stand behind him, his eyes shooting daggers at me.
"I knew you were trouble," he snarled.
"I didn't mean for this to happen," I argued weakly.
"You have no idea the danger she is in," he growled stepping around Abel. "If he finds out her condition it could be the end for her."
"Dana's condition?" I echoed looking up at him. "What's wrong with her?"
"She's pregnant," Alex answered me kneeling down next to me. "She found out the day you proposed to her. She's about three months along now."
"Why didn't she tell me?" I asked rising to my feet.
"She was scared," Abel said so softly I could barely hear him. "She was scared you wouldn't want her."
"She's my Bloodmate," I spat out. "How could she think I wouldn't want her? I've been waiting my whole life for her."
"She doesn't understand that," Alex argued. "She's never had someone who loved her as much as you do. This is so new to her she didn't know how you would react. It's only natural that she'd be afraid."
"If Davian finds that out it won't end well," I said with a growl.
I ran up the stairs and towards the library. Once there I found Raven conversing with a woman all too familiar to me. She was tall and lean with dark brown hair pulled harshly back from her face and twisted into a bun. Her skin was deathly pale and was stretched over her sharp bones. She turned her icy blue eyes on me and I tried desperately not to shiver. Her mouth twisted into a disgusted smirk as she looked me up and down. I squared my shoulders back and stood to my full height. She stalked closer to me and sneered up at me.
"You disgraceful boy!" she barked. "How could you even considering touching that Emerald scum?"
"She is not scum Mother," I growled. "She is my Bloodmate and I don't think I need your permission to make her mine."
"Your father is not pleased by this," my mother sighed rubbing at her temples.
"When has he ever been pleased by me?" I asked bitterly.
"Angela," Raven sighed looking at my mother, "you need to return the girl back to her family. She is with child."
"You got that brat pregnant!" my mother shrieked her eyes seeming to bulge out of her skull. "You vile creature, how could you shame the girl like this?"
"I didn't know," I retorted. "She never told me she was pregnant."
"You still had sex with her out of marriage," Mother scolded glaring up at me. "You know that things like that are to wait for the mating ceremony."
"Look it happened and there is nothing you can do about it," I sighed looking down at her.
"I taught you better than this," she snapped, "especially about using protection you stupid boy!"
"Mama," a small high voice called, "why are you yelling at big brother?"
We all turned to see a little girl come skipping into the library. Her golden curls were pulled back from her face by a headband and her deep blue eyes sparkled. She came towards me and quickly hugged me around the waist before going to stand beside Mother. She beamed up at her before gripping onto Mother's pant leg.
"Clarisse," Mother said gently, "I thought I told you to stay with Grandpa."
"Oh my god you brought the old coot with you?" I groaned running a hand through my hair.
"WHAT DID YA SAY?" a hoarse voice boomed.
I looked over my shoulder at a stooped over old man. His hair was snow white and matched the long beard that almost trailed on the floor. His blood red eyes blinked up at me as the old man came closer. He gripped my wrist with a withered old hand. He may be old but I could still feel the strength of his youth in his grip.
"WHAT'S GOING ON ANGIE?" he asked in a raised voice.
"Nothing Father," she sighed covering her eyes with a hand.
"WHAT?" Grandpa asked cupping his other hand around his ear.
"HEY GRANDPA!" I screamed into his ear. "LONG TIME NO SEE!"
"Land sakes boy you don't have to yell at me," he scolded finally turning up his hearing aid.
"Alright," I sighed crossing my arms over my chest, "will you please tell me why you all are here and have kidnapped my fiancée?"
"You know our family rules young man," Mother said pointing her boney finger at me. "You have to get our approval before jumping into something this serious."
"Mother, the last time I spoke to any of you this country was fighting for its independence," I tried to reason. "Why would I speak to any of you after what you made me go through?"
"You always do this," Mother argued. "You always try to make us out to be the bad guys. You're my child and I love you with all my heart but I cannot take anymore of this insubordination."
"Insubordination?" I yelled. "You stood idle by while Father beat me mercilessly every day of my life. When I left you all it was for good. I was surprised you came to see me before the Games last year. And now you decide to endanger my fiancée and our future child just because I didn't tell you about her."
"Try to understand that this is for the best," Mother pleaded. "You know you have to prove yourself worthy of carrying on the family line."
"I have nothing to prove," I spat, "you all are not my family. My family is here with my clan, with Dana and her clan. They have shown me more compassion than you have since the day I was born."
Tears sprang to my mother's eyes. I blinked at her in surprise. I had never seen my mother cry in my entire life. Now to see her standing before me, crying, I felt like a complete idiot. Then I felt anger. How dare she even think of shedding a tear. She was never a good mother when I was growing up. She and Father both belittled me and treated me like a dog, preferring Davian over me. Clarissa looked up at Mother, her lower lip stuck out in a pout. Grandpa looked at her blankly before looking at me.
"It is our ways boy," he told me in a small voice.
"Our ways are young," I growled. "She is my Bloodmate. If you even considering endangering her life then the Council will deal with you. And don't think that Father's seat in there will save you all from judgment."
"Threatening me now are you?" a cold voice asked.
My heart skipped a beat and my breath caught in my throat. I turned to see a tall, powerful man walking towards us. His black hair was shorter than the last time I saw him, barely brushing his broad shoulders. His red eyes shone brightly with untold emotions as he looked at me. He towered over me, making me feel like a small child once again. I dropped my gaze to the floor trying not to show my fear.
"Bring her back to me," I demanded my voice strangely calm.
"I will," Father assured me, "once you've proven yourself worthy to care for her."
"You know I have to power to protect her," I argued glancing up at him. "You saw me fight in the Games."
"Strength and fighting skills do not prove your worth," Father spat his eyes flashing with anger.
"Then what must I do?" I asked finally meeting his eyes.
"Davian has taken her to the Shadow Realm," Father told me walking towards Mother. "If you can find her in three days time then I shall give you the next part of your test."
"And how can I enter the Realm?" I shouted at him. "I do not control the shadows. How can I create a portal?"
"With my help," Cain answered striding into the library.
Father growled at him but Cain ignored him. He stood in front of me, almost meeting my height. His dark green eyes burned into mine. I blinked at him in surprise. Out of all of Dana's brothers, Cain was the one who never warmed up to me. He still remembered all of the confusion and pain I put Dana through when I had professed my love for her. To have him offer assistance to me was surprising. I quickly reminded myself that he was only doing it for Dana, not so much for me. I nodded and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You'll have to show me the way," I told him squeezing his shoulder. "The shadows are not somewhere I want to get lost in."
"It's what lurks in the shadows you need to worry about," Cain told me, "and you had better pray to whatever god you believe in that Dana is not harmed. You got her into this mess and you will get her out without so much as a scratch."
A/N: Don't worry guys, Dana and the baby are gonna be ok...although there is going to be a twist with this pregnancy. Nice to see that Cain is gonna help Darrin out. Reviews are welcome and accepted...I have cupcakes for anyone that reviews!