Bound by Devotion

Chapter Twelve

"I'm sorry?" Eve had heard the words, but they didn't make sense. Kira must have noticed her stomach, but it was from almost being ripped in two. "If you're talking about my pudge here, it because I got hurt and my magic won't heal it." From the corner of her eye, an eye she was not going to turn to Kornae, she saw his body go rigid. "I don't know how much you know about our prophecy, but I'm not going to have a baby because it told me too. We are going to do it without it."

Kira bowed her head. "Your Highness. I know nothing of your world. Only this. You are pregnant."

Eve got to her feet as Kira stood. "I can't be pregnant. End of story. I'm only slept with them!" She waved her hand at her silent, stone vampires. Why wouldn't someone help her out?

She spun to Kornae, the one who was supposed to be her baby daddy but couldn't bring himself to dirty her with his hands. "Tell her, Kornae. Tell her we haven't done the deed. That you haven't come remotely close to anything that could put a child in me!"

He turned to her, eyes icy, voice frozen. "I haven't, Eve. I've not done anything that would result in a baby." With those words, he turned and left the cave.

Her mark obviously wasn't working because she was surrounded by chaos and she was losing her mind.

He was mad. Why was he mad? Kira was wrong. Eve was hurt. It wasn't anything. He was furious. Did he think... "Kira, you have to tell him you made a mistake. Because you did. I'm not pregnant. I've not had sex with him."

"But, your Highness, I'm not mistaken. Your stomach swells, yes, but it's not an injury."

"Eve," a voice came from behind her and she spun. "You've been sick," Sebastian said softly.

"You're not helping!" she shouted, balling her fists.

"And light-headed."

She turned to Fallon. "Look, you guys have been vampires for a while. What you seem to have missed is that Kornae and I have not had sex!" She held up a finger and put it in the 'o' formed by her other hand. "We haven't done this! And that's what it takes, guys." Her rage left as tears filled her eyes. "And you don't understand. I wanted one. I changed my mind, but it was too late. I changed my mind."

She turned and walked to the door before she felt a hand on her elbow. "I'll be right outside, I just need a minute. I need to think." She turned and met Gideon's eyes.

"I can't leave you alone. I'll give you distance, but you can't be alone."

She dropped her head. "He thinks I slept with someone else, doesn't he?"

"If you are certain about not being with him, then yes. He probably does."

"If I'm certain." Her laughter was so sad it hurt her ears. "I've never been more certain. What I had with him was a dream. A beautiful dream." She turned and walked out into the gray.

~~~

She couldn't be pregnant. She couldn't. Sitting tucked up tight under an overhang of rock, Eve lifted her shirt and poked at her belly. What was she supposed to feel? How was Kira so certain? But she couldn't be. Because she wasn't pregnant.

But all the good that had developed between her and Kornae was gone. Of that she was sure. And she did nothing wrong. That was the part that wasn't fair. She never did what she once said she would do.

Her sickness was always caused by something. Not the mad scramble for the toilet as she opened her eyes. Something always caused it. Same for the dizziness and light-headed feeling. She wasn't pregnant!