Two months later, I was watching Jane sleep. Her stomach was bigger: not the planetary proportions that Millie was predicting, but you could plainly see the swell. I stroked her bare skin, trying to see past the membrane and into her.
"Carmen and I looked on Wikipedia," I informed the lump. "According to that, you look kind of like a cartoon fish right about now. I think it's kind of gross."
My hand was resting delicately on her. My other hand was holding her fingers. I was sitting cross-legged.
"So… you're going to grow like a normal human child," I told the thing growing in my wife. "You're mind is speeding along like a NASCAR, though. At least, that's what happened to me. I was talking by four months. Uncle Augustine talked when he was six months. Because Gus is an idiot."
I paused. "I think you'll be good at math. I'm pretty good at math. And so was my mother. I don't know about your mother… she didn't get to go to school after she was twelve. But she's intelligent. She reads a lot. So you'll probably like to read, too. I don't know a lot about genetics. I think you'll suck at science. But Nathan can tutor you. I'll have Carmen make him. He can't say no to her." I hesitated slightly, my ears straining to catch anyone listening in on me and my little family. All I heard was even breathing. Jordan made a light whimpering noise in her sleep, but Ashton rolled over, probably wrapping one arm over her, and her noises subsided. I began rubbing absent circles on Jane's skin.
"I worry about that," I confided to the tiny, barely-existent thing. "Nathan is completely in love with that girl. But she's growing up, and he's… not. The only thing I can think of is to turn her… but Nathan would never let us. She wouldn't want to be stuck in an eleven year old body for eternity. And I think he knows that. So… she'll be a grown up. And he'll be twelve. Forever."
I muttered a curse and hoped that Emil was burning in hell. Nathan did not deserve to be a child, now. He was as old as me. And yet I would be able to love a beautiful woman, live my life, ride the fucking roller coasters at Disneyland. Nathan was trapped in a body that couldn't do that.
I glanced at the window, frowning slightly. Sunlight was glowing, even through the thick, forest green curtains. I had a sudden flash of the sun burning through the thick material, lancing across the room… its light landing on me, on Jane… my skin blistering, scorching, shriveling… Jane screaming… me dying.
I took a deep, shuddering breath, then turned back to Jane. Her brow was puckered, her sleeping expression seeming upset. She stirred slightly, but then I recommenced stroking her hair. She settled down, her face relaxing into smooth remoteness once again. Her skin was pale, smooth, like a china doll's. I bent down and kissed her cheek, praying that my cool lips didn't wake her up.
In the other room, I heard a small body sit up in bed. There was a yawn, then the sound of feet lightly hitting the floor. Someone padded down the hall and over to my room. There was a soft tap on the door.
"Benedikt? Are you awake?" Nathan murmured.
"Yes. You can come in," I replied. "Jane's sleeping."
Nathan gently opened the door and ghosted in. His sandy hair was in a spiky disarray. I smirked.
"Your hair, Nathan," I tsked. He rolled his eyes.
"I get enough of that from the females in the house, Benedikt. Apparently I'm soooo cute. They just want to hug me and cuddle me and dress me up like a cabbage patch kid." He was using a baby-voice, mocking the girls' croons. I snickered.
"Hey, at least you get cuddled," I pointed out. He shrugged, then laughed. The sun was dimming behind the curtain as it set.
Nathan walked softly over and leaned against the big bed, his neon eyes blazing in the dim light. Even without lamps or moonlight, I could see a wicked-looking scar that led from behind his ear to his jaw. According to Nathan, it was from a little vampire girl named Elise, back in the rings. Speaking of…
"Do you ever see Hannah?" I asked him. He gave me an incredulous look.
"Hannah's probably dead already," he said in a cold, emotionless voice.
"Don't get touchy. I'm not saying she needs to help with this," I said. Nathan's eyes flickered to Jane, and his expression changed slightly. His mouth pulled down at the corners and his electric gaze dimmed.
"I… spoke to Hannah. After Millie said… after Millie told us how Darius would react. Hannah said that if it was her, she'd just run. Darius is with the Thornes, apparently."
My jaw clenched, and my hand hesitated on Jane's skin. Of course. She had to offend one of the Thornes.
"She said that we should let the Creeds in on it," Nathan continued. "She told me it would make the field pretty level. Then with the Hunters… She said we'd definitely win, so long as we involved all the Creeds."
"Yeah, and that's such a great idea," I said. I barked out a sarcastic laugh, and Jane stirred a bit. "Let's get the Creeds involved. They're just the clan that, you know, gathers people up and slaughters them like cattle--"
"I never said it was a good idea," Nathan interrupted mildly. "I told her that you would never let the Creeds come up here. She said she couldn't help unless there was a really good chance of winning."
I sighed. "Which is exactly the reason that she's lasted so long in the rings. What about--"
"Look, none of the ring children will help," Nathan cut in. "Do you really think I haven't thought all this through? You're worried about Jane, Benedikt, but the reason for this whole mess is Carmen. I'm not going to let him get her."
I was silent as he glowered at the now-darkened window. His little arms were shaking with pent-up anger, his jaw stiff with frustration.
"I thought they'd be there for me. I would have been there for them. It's not like any of them have clans or families or mates. They have nothing to live for except another night of fighting."
His voice was bitter. Jane twitched in her sleep.
"I'm sorry they didn't come through for you, Nathan," I said. He let out a sigh, his muscles loosening. He mussed his hair, squeezing his eyes shut.
"It's not your fault," he said. He straightened abruptly, his brow furrowing. "Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?" I asked.
There was a sudden crunching noise as wood was crushed, then a small screech as the window was yanked up. I managed to turn in time to see the curtains torn down. Nathan hissed, darting over the bed and getting between Jane and the window.
Darius smirked, then snarled bitterly as Jane shot up in bed. She uttered a mortified cry, her slender hands flying up to grab my shoulder. I roared at the vampire at the window, and Nathan feinted towards him, trying to get a good shot in. Darius just backed slightly away. He didn't leave the window, and his gaze was locked on Nathan.
"Nathan!" Jane cried as Darius caught the small boy's wrist. I darted forward automatically, but Darius had already pulled Nathan through the window, and disappeared.
"Nathan!" I shouted, rage lighting a wild-fire in my chest. "Jo and Kristina, get your asses up!"
I saw Darius darting through the gardens, dragging Nathan-- small, comparatively helpless Nathan-- along behind him. I saw Kristina appear, twirling, trying to sort out which way to go. Josephine appeared, then soared after Darius, with Kristina hot on her heels. I was leaning out the window, trying to follow their jerky movements through the thick maze of bushes and plants. I wanted to light the whole damn thing on fire.
Jane crashed into me from behind, screaming for Nathan and pounding on my back.
"Where'd he go, Benedikt, where's he taking him?" she wailed. I couldn't see them anymore.
"I don't know," I breathed, slumping against the window frame. Jane abruptly shoved me out of the way, leaning out the window precariously. I caught her shoulders, but she refused to be pulled back, and I was too worried about hurting her to really press her too hard.
"I'll kill you Darius!" she screamed. "I'll kill you for hurting us! Le mataré!"
Her cheeks were bright red, her teeth bared, her eyes bright with hate. Her hair was flying around her face, making her like an animal. Insane. My heart went cold.
"Jane," I pleaded. "Jane, don't."
She let out a primal, monstrous scream, then twirled. She stormed past me, towards the door. She punched a hole in the wall. Tiny, demure Jane punched a hole in the wall. She screamed in pain, then flung the door open and ran down the hall. I flew after her, catching her almost immediately. Her hand was bleeding now, and I pressed my lips tightly together to ignore the perversely amazing smell. I wrapped my arms around her, pinning her to my chest as she squirmed and screamed. Oh god, she screamed like someone was ikilling/i her…
"Jane, Jane, shh, stop, Jane," I begged.
"Think of the baby, Jane, you might hurt it, the baby, Jane," Millecent chanted, appearing to smooth Jane's hair. Jane howled, convulsing in my arms.
"What's wrong with her?" I heard Jordan cry, mortified.
"Is she epileptic?" Ashton asked, as if I would know something like that. Jane suddenly went limp, her breathing ragged as she sobbed. I cradled her against my shoulder, my lips pressed against the base of her neck. I stared up at the bewildered vampires around me.
"What's wrong with her?" I moaned.