rocktheroxie - First of all, thank you for being the only person to review! The numbers on the bottom of the page are there becuse the way it's stored on my computer, there are page numbers, and well, I'm too lazy to go to the bottom of the page on here and delete them. and thank you (to the rest of your posts)

Chapter 21 - Indecent Proposal

After breakfast Lucian insisted that we go for a walk through the gardens. The air was warm under the dull sun, as if a heater was constantly running. The sky was as dark as the approaching dawn, although an orange orb hung in the peak of the sky. It looked to me as if the sun was blocked by a thick layer of invisible fog.

Despite the lack of light, the plants were a deep color of green, showing that they were healthy and not lacking any nutrients. The flowers were bright with silky soft petals that seemed to kiss the air as they opened to welcome what little light they could absorb.

We were half way through the gardens when a wave of nausea took over my stomach. Running to the nearest bush, I let my muscles purge my breakfast. Masculine hands gently pulled my long black hair out of my face.

"You don't -" my heaving interrupted my sentence.

When I finished, Lucian helped me up. "Time to rest," he said.

"I only puked, I'm not sick," I argued.

"Puking is being sick," he countered.

"I'm not resting."

"Yes you are, and I'll bring you a bowl of soup."

"I'm not hungry. I just want to sit," I said breathlessly. As I spoke, my legs gave out and I slumped to the ground.

"Let's go," he picked me up bridal style and carried me through the huge castle.

I didn't have much of a choice to let Lucian carry me around like I was an invalid. My muscles were sore from the exertion of throwing up. My body felt as if I had been hit by a freight train. Curious servants watched as we passed, wondering why I was in such a frail state. Lucian ignored all of them and continued to our room. Pulling back the blankets on the bed, he laid me down and then slid in next to me.

"Your midwife will be here next week," he spoke pulling me against his chest.

"Why would I want a midwife?"

"To help where I cannot," he answered, checking my temperature with his hand on my forehead.

"Don't you think I can help myself?" I tried pushing his hand away, but the angle was wrong and I didn't have any leverage.

"Just drop it, you're getting a midwife whether you want one or not," Lucian snapped.

"Fine," I pouted like a five-year-old, turning to face away from him.

I didn't need a midwife, nor did I want one. I was perfectly capable of handling it myself. I was pregnant, not handicapped. I don't understand why men treat a woman like they have the plague when they only have a child growing inside them. Don't they realize that it causes side affects? They should try having an over abundance of hormones pumping through their blood and see how their body reacts.

Maybe that's the issue. They don't know what it's like to have something make you sick besides a pathogen. They don't understand that no amount of medicine will help. I think that when a wife gets pregnant, the husband should take hormone pills and wear a pregnancy vest so they know what it's like to go through what the woman is going through. Then maybe they won't be so much of a pain.

I was drifting off to sleep, when I felt the mattress move. I opened my eyes to see Lucian quietly walking toward the door that led into the hall.

"Where are you going," I asked.

"To see Lucifer," Lucian answered.

"Why?"

"Don't worry so much."

"I'm too tired to argue, so just hurry up and get your ass back."

"Oh, Evie," he kissed my forehead and left the room.

****Lucian****

I headed through the vast halls until I came upon Lucifer's study. The maids bowed as I passed, but I didn't acknowledge any of them. I was too preoccupied with the thoughts that filled my head. I had planned on asking Evie to marry me while we were in the gardens, but I had chickened out. It's amazing how a woman can turn the most dangerous of creatures into a bumbling idiot.

Originally I had planned on giving Evie time to love me before I popped the question, but current circumstances have forced her hand before she could even get the chance to see past my transgressions. Though she has no choice, I still want to do things the proper way. I just wanted to see what Lucifer had to say about it first. Once I reached his office, I knocked on the dark wooden door.

"I'm busy," he called.

"It's Lucian," I called back.

"Oh, come in," I heard papers rustling as I entered.

"What is it," he asked.

I held out a ring. It was made of silver with an egg shaped garnet stone and small diamonds on each side. The metal glistened in the candle light, reflecting back with orange rays of color. I didn't understand why Lucifer never used electricity. He had updated the castle when it first became a popular invention, but he always preferred to work by candle light. Maybe he was just being sentimental.

"What do you think," I asked.

"I hope you're not asking me to marry you, Lucian, I'm just not ready for that kind of commitment," he teased.

I laughed at his attempt to lighten the mood, "I'm going to ask Evie to marry me."

"Oh, well, in that case, it's perfect."

"Good. Although she already agreed, I want to make it special for her."

"Good thinking. When should we hold the celebration?"

"Let's give it a week to sink in, I'll propose tonight."

"She loves roses. Do it in the rose garden, I'll turn on the lights."

****Evie****

Lips pressing gently against my forehead pulled me away from my nap. I opened my eyes to see Lucian's nearly black irises watching me. His face seemed to brighten as I lifted my head to better look at him. Was he relieved that I didn't shun him?

"Follow me," he whispered softly.

Reluctantly, I crawled out of the nice, warm bed and donned a long robe made of black satin. I followed him through the castle and out a set of French doors that led into a rose garden.

The flowers were lit up by tiny lights hiding in the red cedar mulch. The roses glowed in the soft yellow and white lighting, making them sparkle like diamonds shining in the sun. We walked to the center of the garden, following the candle like lights that lit the pink pebbled path.

A fountain of a strange creature made of limestone stood in the square. The front had feline features with ram's horns curling around goat-like ears. The back end was serpent-like, curling like a snake's tail. The creature had wings that had feathers starting from the base and ending in the membranous form of a bat. It sat on a pedestal, spitting water from its lion like mouth into a pool below. The pool held fish that looked like miniature sharks. There were a few different breeds that bubbled to the surface, begging for food.

Small lights surrounded the wall inside of the pool, making the statue seem to glow in the dark. Lucian led me to a nearby flat marble bench, gesturing for me to sit down. He reached into his pocket, kneeling on one knee in front of me. Why did this seem so familiar?

"I know you already said you would," he began, "but I want to make it romantic for you, to show you that I can love." Oh, that's why. Lucian kissed my hand, "Evangeline Suriah Parker, will you marry me," he asked slipping a silver garnet ring on my left ring finger.

I looked at him in shock. I hadn't expected him to do something like this. Was he really a hidden romantic? The way he acted when he first kidnapped me said much different. He was a ruthless, heartless creature. He was the type of being that didn't ask for what they wanted, they expected to receive it. When they didn't get it, they resorted to a temper tantrum like a spoiled child.

This spoiled child was deadly. He wasn't even a child, he was a creature that had lived for centuries and could kill someone like me in mere seconds with little effort. I had pushed his control to the breaking point on many occasions and I thought he had killed me. Once I woke up, I had realized that I really had been a hairs breath away from death. It wasn't a coincidence that I didn't die; it was Lucian deciding not to kill me.

But here he was, kneeling in front of me like a man doing the honorable thing asking their lover to marry him after an accidental pregnancy. And like a man, Lucian wanted to marry me. I could see it in the way his dark eyes pleaded for me to say yes.

"Lucian," I didn't know what to say, "It's beautiful," I said, referring to the ring.

"Is that a yes," he asked hopefully.

"I already agreed."

"Evie, I want you to mean it."

"Lucian, you need to understand; you've beat me, you've raped me, you took me from my life. After everything you've done to me, I find it hard to forgive you." Although he didn't show it, I could see the hurt in Lucian's dark eyes, but he needed to hear this. I couldn't let either of us live a lie. "I already told you. The reason I'm marrying you is for our child's sake and so the council won't kill me. Maybe with time, I can see past the hate. If you keep treating me the way you have been since we arrived, Lucian look at me," He was looking at the ground, the hurt now visible on his stone white face, "If you keep this up, your wishes may come true. If you go back to the way you were, I'll never forgive you. I might even do something drastic."

"I will never go back to that."

"But would you if you felt you had to?"

"I don't think I could. Evie, I love you. I already love the child that grows inside you. You know that in accepting our marriage I will have to turn you before the child is born. It most likely will be on our wedding night."

I stared at him, finally realizing that he would have to turn me, and soon. I was already a month pregnant, and the baby would have to be pure blood. I wasn't ready to become a vampire. I didn't want to even be a vampire. I wanted to eventually die and be with my parents. Most saw immortality as a blessing. I saw it as a curse. I didn't want to live this life, but I didn't have a choice. If I didn't agree, then the council will kill me and I would have no life to live.

"The ring is beautiful," I broke the silence, changing the subject. I couldn't handle thinking about that right now.

"Are you just saying that" he asked skeptically.

"No, I really do like it. I've always wanted a garnet. I hate diamonds."

Luciver jumped in my lap at that moment. I scratched his ears, and showed him the ring Lucian gave me. He sniffed it, pawed at Lucian, and gave a meow of what I took as approval. He then made himself comfortable in my lap, purring like a motorboat.

"Lucian," I asked.

"Hmn," he replied looking away from the stars to look at me.

"When's dinner?"

"We probably should be getting ready right now," he laughed.

Lucian and I went back inside and dressed for dinner. I still didn't understand why we had to dress like were dining with the queen during the seventeenth century. Then again, we were dining with Lucifer, the Lord of the Underworld and he was obviously old fashioned. We even dined by candle light. The only thing up to date was our attire. Even still it was fancy enough for a wedding.

Dinner was silent; all seven courses. Lucian seemed to still be distracted by what had occurred in the rose garden. Lucifer could obviously sense something went wrong, or knew us well enough and had known it would happen. Either way, he kept looking at Lucian like he wanted to ask a question, but reconsidered it and continued on eating.

Marcus noted the silence and followed suit, looking at the three of us in question, but not voicing it. Whatever it was, he knew we would eventually tell him. Elaine was always quiet, usually only speaking when spoken to. Years of being under Marcus's rule had embedded many things into her personality.

As hungry as I was before, my stomach turned in knots. I barely touched my soup, knowing if I didn't at least try to eat Lucian would shove food down my throat. What little food I ate tasted like ash in my mouth then turned to sour milk in my stomach.

Of course Marcus noticed. Lucian had to explain everything to him, and how he was going to be an uncle. I thought about my parents; they would never get to know their grandchildren. My children would never know their grandparents. Would they ask about them? Would they want to see their graves? What would I tell them: "Grandma and Grandpa were killed by a drunk driver when Mommy was sixteen, so Mommy killed him because the cops weren't doing their jobs and she got sent to a mental institution for a few years, then a year after getting out, Daddy kidnapped Mommy, and beat her many times, and then you came, but Mommy loves you anyway?" How would they take that?

Marcus's eyes seemed to brighten at the thought of being an uncle. He didn't even glare in my direction as he usually did. I think I even saw a hint of a smile, but it could have been the lighting.

"I would like to talk with Evie alone," Marcus said during dessert, breaking my thoughts.

"If it's alright with Evie," Lucian replied. I nodded. "Lucifer and I will be outside," they exited the room with Elaine silently following. I wish they would have acknowledged her more.

"Evie," Marcus started, "I'm not going to apologize. I did what I did to you and hold no regrets. But, things have changed. You're going to be my sister-in-law. For Lucian's sake, let's start over."

Marcus was right; I was going to be his sister-in-law. Family gatherings would be awkward if I still held a grudge. I held out my hand, "I'm Evie."

"I didn't mean completely over, but with a clean slate."

"Deal." He grabbed my hand and we shook.

"Thought of any names," he asked.

"No, we only found out a few days ago," I replied.

"I think you should name it after me."

"What if it's a girl?"

"Markishia?"

I laughed, "You'll have to take it up with Lucian, but I don't think 'Markishia' will go well."

Lucian opened the door, looking stunned at our calm demeanor. Speak of the devil "I didn't hear shouting," he said, alarmed.

"We decided to turn a new leaf," I answered, smiling.

Suddenly, a sick feeling flooded my stomach. I ran to the nearest bathroom and purged the dinner I just ate. It was like my child didn't want food to take up any room in my belly, like he had wanted it all to himself. Didn't he understand that the food gives him nutrients? I felt my hair being pulled back as I rinsed my mouth.

"Care for a movie," Lucian asked.

"Sure," I answered.